Frenzied fans and media mob Leicester City players in Bangkok

The newly crowned Premier League champions – owned by a Thailand billionaire – touch down for a publicity blitz in the football-mad kingdom

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Who would not want a selfie with Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri? A Thai soccer fan gets a priceless memento as the team arrived in Bangkok on Wednesday. Photo: AP

Published: 8:15pm, 18 May 2016Updated: 8:18pm, 18 May 2016

Newly crowned English Premier League champions Leicester City arrived in Thailand on Wednesday on a publicity blitz, hoping to tap into euphoria over their unlikely triumph.

We’re not going to spend crazy money and ruin everything we have created

Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, Leicester vice-chairman and son of club owner Vichai

They also hoped to banish the memory of a sex-tape scandal that marred a visit to the homeland of their billionaire owner a year ago.

Scores of Thai fans – the “Siamese Foxes” – and a frenzied local media pack mobbed the champions at Bangkok’s main airport, greeting them with requests for selfies and chants of “Leicester City, Leicester City”.

Manager Claudio Ranieri, captain Wes Morgan, goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and forward Shinji Okazaki led the team, beaming as they gave a choreographed Thai bow – or wai – with garlands of jasmine hung around their necks.

Star players Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and Danny Drinkwater were not among the arrivals yesterday morning and it was unclear if they would join the two-day tour at a later stage.

A day to cherish for Thai fans of Leicester City as the team touched down in Bangkok. Photo: AFP

Football-mad Thailand has fallen for the once little-known champions with fans keen to jump on the remarkable success story of a club with deep links to the kingdom.