SK46 Football Field, as the name suggests, is a football venue in the Sai Mai district of North Bangkok, located at the bottom of Soi 46 off Sai Mai Road. Any club can hire the ground, as was the case when I visited for the first time. It sometimes hosts games in the Thonburi League as well as countless friendlies.
Two-storey buildings on two sides containing academy classrooms, VIP rooms, changing rooms, a fitness centre and even a cold tub, gave it an enclosed feel. It is home to the Prataungtip FC academy, in collaboration with Pratuangthip Wittaya School, as well as being the base of Chiang Rai United in the capital.
It has floodlights atop concrete telegraph poles, with high netting hanging from them all the way around the pitch. This is a common feature at Thai amateur venues, and while it can be like watching a game through a chip pan, lots of time is saved, and balls don’t go missing. There is also a 7-a-side real grass field in situ.
Other facilities include an air-conditioned clubhouse for supporters to wait, work, and eat comfortably, along with Wi-Fi and private and shared restrooms, making it one of the better grounds for teams wanting to hire somewhere.
My visit
Poma FC 1 Pathumthani FC 7 (Wednesday 18th March 2026) Friendly (att: c15)
This game provided an unexpected opportunity to see a game at a venue in Sai Mai, not too far from our Minburi condo, which I’ve never previously visited after it appeared on the Twitter account of @FutbologyThai, who’s well worth a follow, especially if you are thinking of attending games in the Land of Smiles.
It was a good standard too, especially with no admission charge, with Poma currently leading their section in the Thonburi League, playing some good stuff and taking the lead before Pathumthani, only for Pathumthani, gearing up for their Semi-pro League campaign in the hopes of joining the pro ranks, to tear them apart.
The opening goal came via a fine shot from the Poma 22 from outside the box before Pathumthani levelled things up and then failed to take a backward step. They wore maroon and black without numbers on their shirts, while Poma were in a fetching orange, blue and white stripe kit.
It was a hot late afternoon, which saw a linesman facing the sun donning a baseball cap, with a cooling break being taken midway through the first half. I took advantage of sitting in the shade behind the goal with a fan blowing cool air. The splendid SK 46 Stadium ticked all the boxes for football at this level.
It was 2-1 at the break and 3-1 pretty soon after, this after a 30-yard free kick cannoned back off a post. I’ll be interested to see how Pathumthani go in their quest to play Thai League 3 football. Poma are no mugs, but they were put to the sword by a talented outfit. The third goal was a back-post volley after the skipper delivered a delicious Liam Brady-Esque chip to the unmarked man.
4-1 came about after a corner was not cleared, with a low shot being out of reach of the goalie. Multiple subs followed. Poma seemed to give everyone a run, including a pint-sized goalie, whereas the victors had a much stronger squad who made hay while the sun continued to shine in the last twenty minutes.
Shots pinged off the metal frame of the goal at regular intervals, with the replacement skipper for Pathumthani skilfully beating the defence to set up a colleague in the middle who smashed the ball home. The sixth was a shot too high for the keeper to reach, with the seventh a low shot that squirmed under him after he and the defence tried to emulate PSG, but as slowly as an HGV. They were inevitably caught out.
A grand, long day out after setting off from our overnight stop near Buriram at 6am. Some shopping for cheddar and a bottle of red will ensure that the missus can enjoy a relaxing Thursday night. Unless, of course, a match appears on Twitter.
Behind the scenes of one of Isan’s biggest football clashes, as Rasisalai United and Sisaket United face off in a Thai League 2 battle, from the build-up in town and heavy traffic to the buzzing crowds outside the stadium. Witness the atmosphere, the action, and the drama of this unforgettable matchday.
Whether you’re a fan of Thai League football, love derby atmospheres, or want to see what makes Sisaket's football culture so unique, this match has it all.
Many more Thai football videos, plus those from elsewhere, on my YouTube Channel.
Discover the passion, rivalry, and chaos of Bangkok football in “Bangkok Football’s Two Tribes” in this video exploring Port FC and Muangthong United, two of Thailand’s biggest football clubs.
Join me as I experience matchday at both stadiums, meet passionate fans, and uncover the fiery history behind their intense rivalry, including the infamous Port vs Muangthong riots. You’ll see what makes each club unique, how to get tickets, and the easiest public transport routes to reach the grounds.
Many more Thai football videos, plus those from elsewhere, on my YouTube Channel.
Please use the contact form in the right-hand margin to get in touch with me. I am here to help you with any enquiries relating to Thai football and how to attend games.
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Trat FC is a professional club that was formed in 2012, representing the town and province of the same name. The White Elephants, as the club is nicknamed, were admitted to the 2011 Regional League Division 2 Central & Eastern Region division.
This was the third-tier competition of the time, with the team reaching the play-offs in their debut season as Rattaporn Saetan put away the goals that led to promotion to the second-level Division 1. Harnarong Chunhakunakorn came in as head coach as the side consolidated with help from the goals of Woukoue Mefire Raymond and Seiya Sugishita.
Krit Singha-preecha was given the coach’s role, as Trat were relegated to Division 2 Eastern at the end of the 2015 season, where Erivaldo top scored as the side won the title a year later after Praphan Narkpong had taken charge of on-field affairs.
Barros Tardeli became the goalscoring hero at the Trat Province Stadium, as Somkiat Fongpech, Worakorn Wichanarong, and Dusit Chalermsan all had spells as head coach. A runners-up place in 2018 elevated Trat to the elite level, Thai League 1 in 2018.
Lonsana Doumbouya scored the goals in 2019 after the arrival of new head coach Phayong Khunnaen, as the team settled in its elevated environment, before being relegated in the 2020-21 season, despite the goals of Ricardo Santos.
Somchai Chuayboonchum was at the helm the following season as Paulo Conrado scored regularly to take Trat to the playoffs, where they defeated Phrae United before losing the final on away goals to Lamphun Warriors. Coach Harnarong returned for a second spell to oversee the 2022-23 campaign.
Ferreira dos Santos finished the opportunities as Trat won promotion as runners-up, before the appointment of Santi Chaiyaphuak as head coach. Lidor Cohen’s goals weren’t enough to keep Trat up a year later, as Krongpol Daorueang arrived to take charge of the relegated club.
His spell lasted just a few months before he was replaced by Somchai Makmool, who in turn was succeeded by Phayong Khunnaen during the mid-season break. Phillerson top-scored as the side finished near the wrong end of the table. Santi Chaiyaphuak was appointed as the Trat head coach on January 1, 2026.
Trat FC will play in the Thai League 2 in the 2025-26 season.
My visit
Wednesday 21st August 2024
My wife and I were heading to the Koh Chang Beach Cricket Tournament and decided to make the journey easier by having her drive us to Trat to discover what the town was all about, before taking the ferry over in time for lunch the next day.
A visit to a rather underwhelming but welcoming local museum was followed by a visit to the stadium, which was being cleaned up and readied in time for a local event. I was extremely impressed with what I saw, as rather than a simple generic province stadium, it had some individuality and pride put into it.
Once I’d snapped away, we checked into our hotel, the excellent BaanRimNam Resort and had a rest before discovering what Trat had to offer on a Wednesday evening. In truth, not a lot, though I quite liked sitting watching the world go by at the open-fronted Lao Leu Music & Restaurant.
Mrs Rob was not quite as enamoured, so after a look at the basic night market, we took beers home before thoroughly enjoying the ride in a boat on the Nam Chiao to see Wat Jai Bridge. We then headed to the ferry and then lunch in the consistently magnificent Tidlom Seafood Restaurant at Salak Khok on Koh Chang.
It’s strange at times how life works out. Many of us become supporters of a particular football club depending on where we are born, or an allegiance being passed down through the generations. Some choose a particular club because of their success and choose to cheer them from afar, never actually attending games.
The less said about them, the better, while sometimes a change of location can see people adopting their new local club and becoming fully embraced, attending games and getting the most out of the opportunity to watch live sport.
Attending a Sisaket FC match in 2018 I'm not sure the stadium has been cleaned since
In my case, I am a Scarborough fan, as were all the elder members of my family, with Hull City offering me the chance of some bigger games on a visit to a larger place. When I moved to London, it was Hendon that I had an affection for when I couldn’t travel north. My holidays to Thailand saw me get to any games I could, eager for new adventures and to find unknown pleasures. Port FC became my favourite side, as they offered me the best matchday experience in Bangkok. However, things changed halfway through 2022.
I had met and become close to a lady while I lived in Minburi, who suggested we might enjoy life together in her home province of Sisaket. I visited the city on a whistlestop Isan tour in 2018 and took in a game against Nakhon Ratchasima in the League Cup. The city seemed fine to me, and the people were warm and friendly, so why not give it a go?
Things developed pretty quickly between the two of us, as I fell in love with the people and the country life I was being offered, with the added chance to go and watch some football. It was the season that Sisaket FC were to fold, be disbanded and thrown out of Thai League 3 after a massive wrangle and dispute with Esan United. They had a good history, previously playing in the top tier of Thai football, and filled the stadium on occasions, losing 1-0 to Buriram United in the 2015 League Cup final.
Fortunately, another club, Sisaket United, formed in 2012, took over sole tenancy of the dated and dirty Sri Nakhon Lamduan Stadium and reached the playoffs in 2022-23, my first season of watching them. What came as a shock when my future wife drove me around the area was that there was a second club playing in town in a huge stadium that I was previously unaware of. Rasisalai United were competing in their debut season in the Thai League 3.
The more modern SAT Stadium
This was great news, especially after moving full-time to the area in February 2023, as it meant that there were two teams to go and watch. I quickly worked out that it would be possible to get to see games at Ubon UMT Stadium and other venues in the nearby cities once dropped off in Kanthararom, twenty minutes from us.
Sisaket is mad about football, with the province being fiercely proud of its people and teams that represent it. I often tell friends about its vibe, being one of community and taking me back to being a youngster in England, before attitudes and cultures changed for the worse. I quickly discovered that quite a few people went to watch whoever was playing, whether it be Sisaket or Rasisalai.
Looking towards "our" VIP seats
The following season, Rasi, a town around 40km from Sisaket city, had a distinctly average season, in front of crowds of around 300. Because their town has no suitable venue, they continued to play at the SAT Stadium in Sisaket. Sisaket United had a superb season, winning promotion and finishing overall runners-up in Thai League 3. While the tactics of coach “Pat” could sometimes be dull, they were effective, with the excellent Matteus Panigazzi and Danilo leading the way.
Naturally, interest grew along with attendance in the second tier. Rasi owner, the often-excitable Nuchanart Jaruwongsatian, was not about to see her club left behind. Arnon Bandasak was installed as coach, along with the arrival of three Brazilians: Ramon Mesquita, Gilberto Macena, and Alberto Gouvea. My pal, John, and I had met Alberto going into a Sisaket match and asked him how he thought he would get on. He told us he would score twenty goals, which we took with a pinch of salt.
Derby Day, and more importantly, a quality deal at a quality bar to get into the mood. Football will always be far more than 90 minutes to me. It's a day out.
He was no joker, as he matched his tally and more, as the team did even better than Sisaket the season before, becoming national T3 champions, as crowds grew, merchandise sales rocketed, and teams were blown away regularly. All this while Sisaket finished outside the playoffs, despite showing promise on occasions.
The local derby between the two sides early in the 2025-26 season attracted an official crowd of 4,458, to which a thousand can be added, as kids don’t pay. They played out a magnificent 3-3 draw, while “Uncle Chuay”, the new coach of Sisaket United, formerly in charge of Sisaket FC, oversaw an improvement in their fortunes.
A big crowd at the derby
With one game before the mid-season break, Rasisalai sit at the top of the table and are still unbeaten, with Sisaket in third place. Two sides are promoted automatically, with the next four entering the playoffs. We are being spoilt for entertainment and matchdays in town.
The two experiences do differ. As mentioned, Sisaket’s home is decrepit, filthy, and a health hazard. It has a track around the pitch, but importantly, the stands are in a straight line, meaning not too much distance from the pitch. The fans are generally older, following the province’s traditional club, and are extremely passionate and vocal, with officials and visiting players being left in no doubt that they are the enemies. It’s horrible, the toilets are shocking, and the pitch is a disgrace, with some crazy people adding to the entertainment. I love it, especially on the open side.
The SAT Stadium is a bowl with curved stands around its running track, meaning it is a far greater distance from the pitch, and lacking in intensity, despite plenty of noise being made. The fans are generally younger and more polite. We sit every game in the VIP area, near the partners and families of the players, basically because we did when hardly anyone attended, so we continued to do so, becoming accepted as part of the furniture.
What will happen if one or both clubs win promotion to League 1 is anyone’s guess. It will take a lot of money to improve the squads. Things like, will the overseas players manage at the higher level, with their advanced years, are among the questions fans are beginning to ask. On a selfish level, will the matchday experience deteriorate?
The pitch at Sri Nakhon Lamduan Stadium Even worse than normal
You see, going to football is far more than the actual football match to me. I have a good shout and enjoy seeing either team win, but if it’s a poor game, I shrug my shoulders and wait for next week. However, if there’s no beer, food, or laughter involved, I get very grumpy. Football day is my day out, and I must enjoy it. Results don’t matter if I have a good day. You see, we’re all different.
And that I think is why I love living in Sisaket so much. We have a small golf course, so we can enjoy a round. There is great food to be had, with bars too. It’s easy to walk up to the stadium and drink outside or take a beer to our seats. There is no hassle with tickets, and we get to know regulars. It’s the ideal size for me. I do worry some of it might diminish if either side went up, along with some heavy defeats on the pitch.
Under a Blood Red Sky at Sisaket United
The good thing is, I have the fallback of knowing that teams like Kanthararom United will enter the FA Cup along with amateur sides from Ubon Ratchathani, with a semipro league entertaining me in the new year, with the chance of a few days finding new bars and restaurants, making new friends, as well as an occasional game of golf.
Best of all, I live in a province of pride, among good people, both expat and Thai, who love their football, in whichever way they choose to support their local teams.
I guess I’m
the sort of bloke for whom the phrase, more clubs than Jack Nicklaus was invented.
The truth is, I love football and go out of my way to have a good day when
going to a match. Over the years, I’ve grown fond of many clubs, whether just
passing through for the day or going to watch them regularly.
This might
be because the locals have gone out of their way to give me a warm welcome, or
the atmosphere at a game has been superb. Sometimes it’s the quality of the nearby pubs
or a town that has captured my heartstrings. On other occasions, it might be
because a mate supports a particular team, and I don’t like seeing them sad.
In
my later years, I cannot understand the mentality behind the pleasure that some derive from baiting
others over a football result or things going wrong. As for anyone who describes this as being "only banter", well, I would ban them from social media or stadiums for a
year. Those, along with any wronguns who I cross paths with, are welcome to suffer at full time every week.
As a
traditionalist, Futera United are everything that I should dislike. They are a
club run on the 3Web, digitally, and they embrace cryptocurrency and NFTs, which
are tokens purchased by those wishing to become holders, or members, in old money. Essentially, Futera is fan-owned, but in a
modern way that can lead to old-school football fans screaming. They have a huge
following online and sell a ridiculous amount of merchandise, appealing to the
younger generation, rather than crusties who turn their hog out if a club doesn't issue a programme.
The club
appeared on Talksport’s Hawksbee & Jacobs afternoon show on a feature about trading cards, as Futera is a company that produces them, and is the finance
behind the football club. Their holders can have their say on tactics,
selection, formations, kits, and lots of other things. There are Futera NFT
holders all around the world who watch their matches live on different
streaming services. How far the club can go remains to be seen.
I first met
founder Mark Watson at a game in March 2013, when the original club, Futera
Seeker, played in the old third-tier Thai Regional League Central West Region.
I went to an away game, and Mark let me in behind the scenes to see how
matchdays operated. I couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing.
Back then, holders
could vote and offer their input during a game. Mark monitored it all on a
laptop in the press area and then contacted the coach on the bench by walkie-talkie
to implement changes while the match was in progress. Unbelievable if I hadn’t
experienced it with my own eyes.
Seeker went
alone, before Futera United was reborn, starting in the lower divisions of the
amateur Bangkok Premier League. They entered the FA Cup, losing 3-0 away to
Sisaket United in 2022-23, which was a credible result against a side that would
reach the Thai League 3 playoffs a few months later.
The club
entered the Thai Semipro League the following season, and again in 2024-25,
which is where they were the beneficiaries of extra promotion places being
available. As Futera is run well, they went up in third place, despite
finishing with less organised outfits, making the Bangkok University Stadium
their home ground as they re-entered professional football.
The story was one that I loved, with the sheer positivity and having the confidence to think outside the box, especially in Thailand, a country notorious for being stuck in its ways. It led me to make a video about it all for my YouTube channel.
The start of the 2025-26 season was tough, despite scoring plenty of goals, owing to a leaky defence, poor game management, and some goalkeeping best forgotten about. It’s fair to say that some refereeing decisions not awarded were also a reason for their indifferent results. It would be their fifth match before they picked up a point, going on to draw twice more. The most recent of which was against the only side below them on goal difference, Singburi Warriors, despite dominating much of the game.
The reason
that I can describe much of the above is that the Thai League, through the
telecom company AIS, shows every single game live free of charge on TV through
a box which is cheap to get hold of, or on their App. I generally watch the
afternoon Futera game in our local pre-match pub of choice, before heading off
to watch Sisaket United or Rasisalai United. It’s a magnificent service.
Anyway, with
me heading to Bangkok with my wife to meet up with friends before flying to
Chiang Mai to celebrate my sixtieth birthday over a cricket weekend, I decided
it was time for Futera to get my support in the flesh, joined by my good mate
Jarvo, over from the UK and going to his first Thai football game.
What we
experienced was one of the more bizarre games of football I've seen in
Thailand, and there have been plenty to choose from. Three sending-offs in the
first half, eight goals, and the woodwork being struck six or seven times, in a
game that both sides were desperate not to lose.
The visiting
goalie, Rungarun Sumala, was shown a red card in the second minute, after he
handled outside the box to deny a goalscoring opportunity. He stood motionless,
not quite believing what was happening. How ironic, when attending a game featuring
the most modern of clubs, that we were about to be treated to something that
took me back to when I think football was better.
Chaos
reigned, as Saraburi didn’t have a goalkeeper on the bench. In the end, it was
decided that the captain and defender, Yuttapong Srilakon, would go between the
sticks after a delay of over ten minutes, as he added to the indignity of
Rungarun by changing into his pink shorts and socks. Bureaucracy gone mad,
especially when he then donned a yellow shirt that clashed with the colour worn
by the match officials. A shout of “get on with it” was aired, which meant that
another expat was in attendance, or a Thai had spent the summer at Headingley.
Whatever
Yuttapong’s respective qualities are in defence remained to be seen, but it's fair to say that he wasn't
great as a goalkeeper. He fumbled the weak resulting free kick, allowing Pharanyou
Sawatpakdee to tap in from close range. The stand-in tipped a shot over the
bar, before it was 2-0 once the corner was swung in as Nattawut Jandit pounced
at the back post. We purred with delight at what we were about to receive.
There have
been great memories of makeshift goalies being heroes over the years. Vinnie
Jones for Wimbledon at Newcastle, Bobby Moore for West Ham against Stoke, saving
a penalty from some bloke called Bernard, and of course Mitch Cook’s heroic performance
replacing broken leg victim Kevin Blackwell for Scarborough away at Scunthorpe.
This was not to be another to add to the list.
Play
meanwhile in Bangkok’s northernmost suburbs was getting tetchy. Referee Dassakhon
Hokla wasn’t particularly covering himself in glory, with his weak match
management. He sent off home player Songkhun Khongsukko and away man Nitibodin
Makot for a set-to, which involved nearly everyone on the pitch. There were
fifteen minutes of additional time at the end of the half. Sarankrit Artwichien
extended the lead in the third, with a fine low finish.
I was
certainly not short of material for my Roving Report for A Thai Football Podcast. The one dampener was that owner Mark was away on business and missed
the match. I’m sure he would have enjoyed sitting in relaxed mode in the stand.
It was great fun, with ice-cold Leo’s lubricating the larynx regularly.
The second
half was wide open as the match ball collected splinters coming back repeatedly off the
post and bar, with the keepers at both ends well beaten. Sarankrit made it 4-0
seven minutes in, before a fifth was added by substitute, Kawee Deesawat, with
around twenty-five minutes remaining.
Credit to
Saraburi, who were cheered on without much restraint by a healthy turnout,
despite requests to respect the passing of Queen Sirikit. They continued to
plug away and had a couple of decent efforts saved before the break, before
they got one back through Nattapoom Naya three minutes from time. He added
another four minutes into stoppage time, with one wondering what might have
been if they had penetrated the often-unreliable Futera defence earlier.
It was excellent entertainment all told, albeit not a great advert for a professional league at times, as time seemed not to matter. A vital win for Futera, in a battle to secure safety, which would mark a decent return and something to build on, while their association with the PSW Academy continues to flourish.
A Grab taxi
arrived to take us away, as one had delivered us at the splendid Bangkok
University Stadium and campus earlier. More enjoyment followed after a ride on
the BTS Skytrain with a proper catch-up and plenty more beers at a couple of
bars at Lat Phrao.
Pretty much
the perfect day out until Mark messaged me with the desperately sad news that
the father of Futera player, Sarawin Sungkhao, had been killed in a road
accident, while thought to be on the way to the match, being a supporter who rarely missed a game. This
article is dedicated to the players, families, and all at Futera United.
Kanthararom United FC is an amateur football club, formed in 2017, that hails from the small town of the same name on the road between Sisaket and Ubon Ratchathani.
In 2017 and 2018, the team entered the Thailand Amateur League without any success, as well as the Thai FA Cup in 2018, when known as NBN Kanthararom United, they lost 3-0 to JL Chiangmai United, with the tie being played at SAT Sisaket Stadium in front of 240 fans.
The side returned to the FA Cup in 2022-23, going out 2-1 away to Khon Kaen in the first round with Jeerawat Thonglue in charge of the team. Fellow amateur club, Mahanakon Khon Kaen ended any hopes of progression in the competition in 2023-24 with a 3-1 victory in the Qualifying Round.
Kanthararom did not enter the following season, but returned in 2025-26, going out once again in the Qualifying Round 4-1 to Khon Kaen, with the game being switched to Sisaket Rajabhat University Stadium, as Jeerwat remained in charge of the team.
Despite playing in the national cup, Kanthararom do not play regular league football, with much of their activity centred around the small-sided NBN Arena pitch, on the main 226 Road, where local competition takes place.
My visit
Sisaket Rajabhat University Stadium
Kanthararom United 1 Khon Kaen 4 (Wednesday 24th September 2025) Thai FA Cup Qualifying Round (att: 200)
As the amateur team from my nearest town doesn’t have a suitable venue in Kanthararom, they switched the match to the Sisaket Rajabhat University Stadium, a few miles up the road.
They gave it a good go, too, against the pros from Thai League 3 Northeast. Quality and fitness were decisive factors in the end of an entertaining game played on a glue pot pitch in good spirits, which was sensibly refereed.
Khon Kaen went into a two-goal lead with efforts from the impressive Sakunchai Saenthopho in the second minute and then the excellent Charin Boodhad on the half-hour mark after he had earlier missed a penalty, as the rain teemed down before clearing near half-time. It looked like a large score was on the horizon.
This was before the hosts gradually got back into things and missed two easy chances, playing enterprising football at times despite being porous at the back. The second missed chance took some believing as a forward sliding in at the back post cleared the ball from a yard out.
The visiting coach brought on Brazilian forward Caio when Kanthararom looked like they might sneak a goal back. He was excellent, helping Charin to a second. The home team did score when a low cross was put away at the back post by Arnon Thongphanya, before the final kick of the match saw Caio put away a penalty.
I’d met my mate John before the game for food and drink at Leo’s town, as we knew there should have only been half an hour before the second part of our extravaganza got underway. The weather certainly played a part in the Sisaket United v Padriew City game.