Thais can't play in England

Three Thai footballers signed by Manchester City cannot get British work visas because of the low ranking of the Thai national team, club owner and ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra said Thursday.
Thaksin, who bought the English Premier League side last year after he was deposed in a 2006 coup, returned home to Thailand last week and has been talking about his plans to promote football in the kingdom.
But he said last year's Thai signings -- fullback Suree Sukha, centreback Kiatpravut Saiwaew and striker Thirasilp Dangda -- would have to spend a few years playing in Europe because of British restrictions on work visas.
"They have to play on loan to Manchester City alliance teams before they can play in England," Thaksin told reporters.
A foreign footballer can usually only get a work visa to play for an English side if their home country's national team is ranked above 70 in FIFA's world rankings.
Thailand, a force in Southeast Asia, but who have never qualified for a World Cup currently rank 92nd, according to the website of the world governing body.
"We have to push the Thai national team to become a success. We need a lot of development," said Thaksin, who spent most of the past 17 months in self-imposed exile in Britain.