Indonesia national team defender Sandy Walsh has completed a surprise move to Thai League 1 giants Buriram United, with the Thunder Castles officially registering him for the upcoming 2025/26 season.
The news first surfaced on August 13 via Think Curve and was later confirmed by Thai football journalist Ta Lao on X (formerly Twitter). Both reliable sources within Thai football cited the league’s official website, which listed Sandy among Buriram’s registered players.
The 30-year-old will link up with compatriot Shayne Pattynama at the Chang Arena, becoming only the second Indonesian to sign for the 11-time Thai League 1 champions.
Sandy arrives from Yokohama F. Marinos, having joined the J.League 1 side alongside then-head coach Steve Holland after a stint with KV Mechelen in Belgium. His time in Japan, however, proved challenging—he found himself behind Ken Matsubara, Thomas Deng, and even youngster Riku Yamane in the pecking order at right-back.
Yokohama’s poor start to the J1 season, coupled with managerial changes from Holland to Patrick Kisnorbo and later Hideo Oshima, did little to improve his fortunes. By mid-season, Sandy had managed just 12 appearances in all competitions.
Although he played the full second half in a spirited 3-1 friendly defeat to Premier League champions Liverpool in late July, it was clear his opportunities at Nissan Stadium were limited. A move to Buriram now offers him a chance to secure much-needed playing time and keep his national team prospects alive.
Sandy becomes the fourth Indonesian to feature in this season’s Thai League 1, joining Pattynama, Asnawi Mangkualam at Port FC, and Pratama Arhan at True Bangkok United.