1. Personal Information
Sasalak Haiprakhon was born on January 8, 1996, in Buriram Province, Thailand. He is commonly referred to by his nickname, Pee. During his loan spell in the K League 1, he was registered under the name Sasallak (사살락Korean). Standing at 68 in (173 cm), he is known for his left-footed play.
2. Club career
Sasalak Haiprakhon's professional club career began in Thailand, where he quickly established himself as a promising young talent before making a significant move to South Korea.
2.1. Bangkok United F.C.
Sasalak began his professional career with Bangkok United in 2014. In his debut season, he made only one substitute appearance in the league. However, from 2015 to 2017, he progressively increased his playing time, gaining recognition as a highly promising young player. On April 27, 2016, he scored his sole goal for Bangkok United in a 3-0 home victory against BEC Tero Sasana.
2.2. Buriram United
In 2017, Sasalak joined his hometown club, Buriram United, initially on a six-month loan deal starting May 5, 2017, where he was assigned shirt number 6. He made his debut for Buriram as a starter on June 17, 2017, in a 2-0 home win against Ratchaburi. His contributions during this loan spell helped the team secure the Thai League 1 title.
On December 25, 2017, Buriram United made his transfer permanent. In the 2018 season, Sasalak played his first league game as a permanent player on February 18, 2018, coming on as a substitute in the 70th minute in a 1-0 home win against Bangkok Glass. He scored his first goal for the club on June 13 in the Toyota League Cup, contributing to a 3-1 away victory against Lampang FC. On June 30, he scored his first league goal, helping Buriram to a 2-1 home win over True Bangkok United. His second league goal came on September 29 in a 3-0 home win against Pattaya United, a match that also saw Buriram celebrate their sixth Thai League title.
In the 2019 season, Sasalak started in the Thailand Champions Cup final on February 2, 2019, where Buriram United defeated Singha Chiangrai United 3-1 to win their first Thailand Champions Cup. He scored in the FA Cup Round of 64 on May 1, helping Buriram to a 3-1 home win against PTT Rayong. He scored his first league goal of the season on May 26 in a 1-0 home victory against SCG Muangthong United. Further league goals followed on June 12 (5-0 home win against PTT Rayong) and June 22 (4-0 home win against Chiangmai). In the Toyota League Cup Round of 16 on July 3, Sasalak scored the winning goal in the final minute of extra time, securing a 2-1 away victory against JL Chiangmai United. On July 17, he scored in the FA Cup Round of 16, contributing to a 5-0 home win against Rayong FC. In the FA Cup quarter-finals on August 7, he missed a penalty in the shootout against Trat FC, but Buriram still advanced with a 5-4 shootout win after a 2-2 draw. In the Toyota League Cup final on September 28, Sasalak scored his penalty in the shootout, but Buriram ultimately lost 7-8 to PT Prachuap after a 1-1 draw, missing out on the title. By the end of the season, Sasalak had played in all 30 league matches, scoring three goals, as Buriram finished second.
For the 2020-21 season, Sasalak scored in a friendly match on December 27, 2019, in a 2-0 home win against Khon Kaen. On January 5, 2020, he changed his shirt number from 6 to 2, previously worn by Theerathon Bunmathan. He played 26 matches in the Thai League, helping the team finish second.
After his loan spell at Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Sasalak returned to Buriram United on February 28, 2022. In the 2021-22 season, he scored in the League Cup Round of 32 on January 13, 2022, in a 2-0 away victory against Rayong FC. In the 2022-23 season, he scored his first goal on November 2, 2022, in a 5-1 home win against Samut Prakan City in the FA Cup Round of 64.
Overall, Sasalak has made 106 appearances for Buriram United, scoring 6 goals and providing 16 assists. He has been instrumental in the club's success, contributing to four Thai League 1 titles (2017, 2018, 2021-22, 2022-23), two Thai FA Cups (2021-22, 2022-23), two Thai League Cups (2021-22, 2022-23), and one Thailand Champions Cup (2019).
2.3. Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (loan)
On May 27, 2021, Buriram United announced Sasalak's six-month loan move to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, a prominent club in the South Korean K League 1. He officially joined the club on June 23, 2021. This transfer marked a significant milestone, as Sasalak became the second Thai player in K League history, following Piyapong Pue-on who played in South Korea 35 years prior. He was also the second player to be registered under the ASEAN quota introduced in the K League in 2020, and the first under this quota in K League 1.
Despite facing strong competition for a starting spot and being excluded from the squad list on several occasions, Sasalak's time at Jeonbuk was notable. He made his first start for the club on September 15, 2021, in the AFC Champions League Round of 16 against BG Pathum United. Although he had limited appearances, he was part of the Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors squad that won the K League 1 title in 2021, marking their fifth consecutive league championship and ninth overall. This achievement made Sasalak the second Thai player to win the top-tier league in South Korea.
3. International career
Sasalak Haiprakhon has been a consistent presence in the Thailand national football setup, representing his country at various youth levels before making his mark on the senior team.
3.1. Youth Teams
In 2016, Sasalak participated in the International U-21 Thanh Niên Newspaper Cup with the Thailand U-21 squad, scoring one goal. In 2017, he was a key member of the Thailand U-23 squad that won the 2017 Dubai Cup in the United Arab Emirates. In August of the same year, he helped the U-23 team defend their title at the 2017 Southeast Asian Games, playing in all six matches and securing a gold medal.
3.2. Senior National Team
Sasalak received his first call-up to the Thailand senior national team in June 2018. He made his international A-match debut on June 2, 2018, coming on as a substitute in the 81st minute for Adisorn Promrak in a friendly match against China, which Thailand lost 0-2.
He was included in Thailand's squad for the 2018 AFF Championship. In August 2019, Sasalak was named in the preliminary 33-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers. On September 1, 2019, he was retained in the final 23-man squad for the qualifiers against Vietnam and Indonesia. He played as a substitute against Indonesia on September 10 and started against the United Arab Emirates on October 15. In 2021, he came on as a substitute against Indonesia on June 3 and also featured in the final match against the United Arab Emirates on June 7. As of that time, he had accumulated 9 A-match appearances. Sasalak was also part of the squad that won the 2022 AFF Championship and the 2024 King's Cup.
4. International goals
4.1. Under-21
| Sasalak Haiprakhon - goals for Thailand U21 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | December 25, 2016 | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam | Vietnam | 2-1 | 3-1 | 2016 International U-21 Thanh Niên Newspaper Cup |
4.2. Under-23
| Sasalak Haiprakhon - goals for Thailand U23 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | March 23, 2017 | Dubai, UAE | Malaysia | 2-0 | 4-0 | 2017 Dubai Cup |
5. Honours
Sasalak Haiprakhon has accumulated numerous team and individual honors throughout his career, reflecting his significant contributions to both club and national teams.
5.1. Club Honours
Buriram United
- Thai League 1: 2017, 2018, 2021-22, 2022-23
- Thai FA Cup: 2021-22, 2022-23
- Thai League Cup: 2021-22, 2022-23
- Thailand Champions Cup: 2019
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors
- K League 1: 2021
5.2. International Honours
;Thailand
- AFF Championship: 2022
- King's Cup: 2024
;Thailand U23
- Sea Games
Gold Medal Gold Medal: 2017
- Dubai Cup: 2017
5.3. Individual Honours
- AFF Championship Best XI: 2022
6. Targeted for racism
On June 12, 2023, Sasalak Haiprakhon became the target of racial abuse from three players of Ulsan Hyundai FC-Park Yong-woo, Lee Kyu-seong, and Lee Myung-jae-on social media. The incident occurred when Park Yong-woo and Lee Kyu-seong referred to their teammate Lee Myung-jae as "Sasalak" or "ASEAN Quota" due to Lee Myung-jae's darker skin tone. This derogatory comparison explicitly linked Sasalak's name to a racial slur and the "ASEAN Quota" system, which allows K League clubs to sign players from Southeast Asian nations.
The event sparked significant controversy and drew widespread criticism from football fans, particularly across the Southeast Asia region, highlighting the persistent issue of racism in sports and its impact on human rights. In response to the backlash, Ulsan Hyundai officially issued an apology for the racist comments made by their players on Instagram. The club pledged to implement measures to prevent similar incidents in the future, including conducting training sessions aimed at eliminating all forms of discrimination against racism.
On June 29, 2023, the K League Disciplinary Committee announced its decision regarding the incident. Park Yong-woo and Lee Kyu-seong were each given a one-league match suspension and fined 15.00 M KRW. This disciplinary action underscored the league's stance against racial abuse, though the incident itself served as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges in promoting inclusivity and respect within professional football.
7. Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Asia | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Bangkok United | 2014 | T1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2015 | T1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2016 | T1 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | |
| Buriram United | 2017 (loan) | T1 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 2017 | T1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2018 | T1 | 28 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 3 | |
| 2019 | T1 | 30 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 7 | |
| 2020-21 | T1 | 26 | 0 | 5 | 0 | - | - | 2 | 0 | - | - | 33 | 0 | |
| 2021-22 | T1 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 25 | 1 | |
| 2022-23 | T1 | 19 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 1 | |
| Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (loan) | 2021 | K1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| National Team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thailand | 2018 | 3 | 0 |
| 2019 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 5 | 0 | |