PHUKET: Kata Beach Resort group boss Pamuke Acariyachai severed his connections with Phuket FC last night after the holiday island team was relegated.

Khun Pamuke and his wife, former senator Tunyaratt Achariyachai, told Phuket's media that supporting the team had cost the Kata Group 200 million baht over three years.

In that time, the side had risen from Division Two to First Division and next year will be back in Division Two.

A determined campaign to make Thailand's Premier League saw the family take over support for Phuket FC from the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation, which faced legal barriers to sponsorship.

With mutliple changes of coaches, the purchase of star players and the development of better training facilities, Phuket FC showed signs of progress but lacked the consistency needed to keep on a winning track.

Khun Tunyaratt said it was always difficult when fans complained about losses, but the couple thanked supporters for their loyalty.

Phuket FC lost 1-0 to bottom-of-the-table Trat FC at Surakul Stadium on Saturday, leaving the island side, known for obscure reasons as the Ronins, in eighteenth place out of 20 teams.

The club hopes a new major sponsor can be found to drive another attempt to reach Premier League via Division One.