FC PHUKET, now in the big league of Thailand's Division One, has had its budget for the 2011 season doubled to 10 million baht.

But the cold realisation is that fairy tales don't last forever. The Phuket club has had a couple of star players pinched already and faces a turbulent, testing time at the top.

Gone too is the great coach who oversaw the dramatic rise from bottom of Division Two to Division One in the space of a season. Ajharn Songnagsub is moving on, although remaining a consultant.

Coming, though, is a Korean player to add to FC Phuket's two existing Ivory Coast star imports.

The villain is likely to continue to be Buriram FC, which won the million-baht playoff against FC Phuket.

As the two newcomers to Division One, which is due to begin mid-year, all eyes will be on the hopefuls.

Buriram FC has not only won the million baht. Since then, it has also taken two of FC Phuket's top players, Adisak Kaisorn and Chachis Rawanprakorn.

And get this: Buriram FC is owned by Newin Chidchob, a former Thai Rak Thai Party Minister under disgraced former PM Thaksin Shinawatra. Khun Newin's wife is the president of Buriram FC.

Since being removed from politics, football has become Khun Newin's passion.

When the winner of Group A met the winner of Group B, it was plain that FC Phuket had a much smaller supporter base and that Buriram is keen to move rapidly to the top of Division One.

Phuket FC's biggest tests are yet to come. The Phuket Provincial Administrative organisation has approved the 10 million baht budget but an army of new fans will need to add heart, and quickly.

Get ready for plenty of excitement as FC Phuket attempts to go one better in 2011.