Thai U-23 Defender Roonpiset Reveals Origin of Unique Name
Thai U-23 defender Roonpiset Phuthummi revealed his first name "Roonpiset" (Special Edition) honors a former national sepak takraw player his father admired, while his nickname "Soey" came from his mother. The BG Pathum United player's birth nickname was "Sepak" due to his father's love for the sport. The U-23 team will face Singapore in a friendly on November 14, 2026.
The official War Elephants page published an interview with rising star Roonpiset Phuthummi, a defender from BG Pathum United, who disclosed the story behind his distinctive first name. The name "Roonpiset" (Special Edition) was taken from a former Thai national sepak takraw player, Roonpiset Bunyanuwat, who was his father's idol. His father, former youth national takraw player Air Paraphansak Phuthummi, sought permission to use the name for his son. "At first I didn't think much of the name, but growing up I realized it was unusual. I like it because it's unique," Roonpiset said. His birth nickname was actually "Sepak" — from sepak takraw — because his father loved the sport. The nickname "Soey" came from his mother and later stuck with friends and teammates. Roonpiset joked that his mother claimed "Soey" means handsome or cool, though he suspects it might be a Chinese word for water, which is also his mother's name. The Thai U-23 team is scheduled to play Singapore in a friendly on November 14, 2026, as part of the U23 Gia Lai – VTV Cup 2026 International Friendly, broadcast live on TrueVisions Now, Thairath TV, and Thairath Sport's Facebook and YouTube channels.
