Wednesday, 9 October 2024

Chamchuri United


Chamchuri United FC is a football club based in Bangkok, Thailand, who were formed in 2011 as one of several expansion clubs to play in the third tier Regional League under head coach 
Sujja Siriket.

The leagues' expansion came at an excellent time for Chulalongkorn University. The league introduced a ruling that all Premier League clubs would have to be PLC's. 


The tennants of the University Stadium at the time, BB-CU, who had originally began life as the University's club had developed over the years and then bought in sponsorship in their quest to win promotion back to the TPL.

From what I can gather through the kind assistance of @wellywolf and @thaifussballde replying to my inquiries on Twitter, the University wanted their own side again so they formed United. 


BB-CU moved out of their stadium, where the now defunct former champions Krung Thai Bank FC also played, in 2011 to use Army Stadium and then Rajamangala Stadium for home matches once promotion was achieved.

For details of BB-CU, click here.


It would appear that a link was in place between the fans, if not the clubs, of BB-CU and Chamchuri as a website had pages for both teams. Chamchuri were placed in the third tier Thai Regional League Bangkok Region.

A series of mid-table finishes ensued before the 'Sam Yan Tigers' ended the 2014 campaign in fourth place. The improvement continued in 2015 as the side finished as league runners-up.


This qualified Chamchuri for the promotion play off Champions League; where they finished low down in Group A. The Bangkok Region title was secured in 2016. This time the Champions League was a knockout competition.

Chamchuri went out to Kasetsart in the Round of 16 to extinguish any hopes of promotion. Thai football was restructured for the 2017 season, with a fourth tier added. United were placed in Thai League 3 Lower Region, with coach Siriket still at the helm.
The team finished in sixth position, with Japanese striker Hiroyuki Sugimoto topping the scoring charts. 2018 saw a fourth-place return as Kasitinard Sriphirom banged in the goals. 2019 saw the signing of Isaac Mbengan who would go on to be a stalwart for the club.

It also heralded the appointment of manager Narat Munin-noppamart. United ended that season in eleventh place before the re-organisation of the Thai League structure for 2020-21 with the calendar matching that of European competitions. 


The side was placed in Thai League 3 Bangkok Perimeter/Metropolitan Region where they ended in fourth place. Korean Yeon Gi-sung scored his fair share with keeper Kritchai Sangrung keeping out opposing forwards.

It was the same final position in 2021-22 as home games were played behind closed doors owing to the restrictions caused by the Coronavirus pandemic. Cameroonian Mbengan continued to bang in the goals for the side that was coached by Aduk Leukijna which finished in fourth place.

Fifth place ensued twelve months later as Mohamed Kouadio led the scoring. 2023-24 saw the team slip down the league placings, while the start of the following campaign saw Chamchuri take up residence at Thephasadin Stadium while upgrades were made to their traditional home. 

Chamchuri United FC will play in Thai League 3 Central in the 2024-25 season.

My visits

March 2007

The following is my description of my visit as part of a groundhop around Thailand in March/April 2007 that appeared in the Scarborough Athletic fanzine, Abandon Chip


I took a taxi to the Chulalongkorn University Stadium, home of Chula-Sinthana FC and Krung Thai Bank FC to round off my tour. The pitch has a superb synthetic playing surface, which is a long way removed from the 1980s prototypes.

I felt comfortable walking across it and could not believe how natural it felt. Once again the stadium with a capacity of 20,000 had open seats which wrapped around the running track before being broken up by a magnificent main stand.


A tip for souvenir hunters in the area comes from when I decided to have a walk to the nearest sky train station only to realise that I was back on the streets of sports shops next to the old National (Suphachalasai) Stadium. The shops are opposite the main entrance and I came across one shop which sold Grand Sports products.

They supply many of the clubs with their playing kits, at very cheap prices compared to their European compatriots, so I bought myself a collection of Thailand Premier League shirts for a very reasonable price. 


This area is a haven for replica kits of all qualities! The nearest Skytrain (BTS) stations are National Stadium or Siam Square which is also home to many shopping malls including the incredible MBK, where you can purchase anything at reasonable prices.

Chamchuri United 1 Siam FC 1 (Saturday 25th December 2021) Thai League 3 Bangkok Perimeter (att: c100) 

It had been nearly a month since I had moved full-time to Bangkok, and I was getting out and about to football. And what could be better than to head to my first football game on Christmas Day? My original plan when setting out had been Bangkok FC v Kasembundit University in the same competition.

However, things run pretty much as normal on this date. The 113 bus from Minburi got snarled up in traffic meaning that I required a Plan B as there was no way I would reach Hua Lamphong followed by another long ride to Bang Mod in time for kick-off.

 

Even this option was a little in the air, as officially spectators were not being allowed access. However, Svein a fellow Bangkok football fan on Twitter has posted that he’d been to a game at the stadium a few days previously.

A pleasant walk through the campus of Chulalongkorn University led me round to the main side of the stadium, where my temperature was checked, and I was given a little sticker for my shirt to say I was OK. There was no admission fee.

It transpired that I was on the side of the main stand designated for families and subs of the visiting team. Many seats were cordoned off as the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic were still very much in evidence.

I was slightly surprised to hear chatter through the King's Anthem, perhaps a sign of the times and age group in attendance. My first thoughts were what lovely vibrant kits both sides were wearing.

A shot was fired straight from the kick-off by Siam’s Sarfo Otis Adjei on the artificial 3G surface. Kantinan Chanmunti appeared to be a diminutive midfielder for United as his side took the lead on fourteen minutes when Isaac Mbengan smartly finished from a lovely teasing low cross.

Woradach Boonmakhajornkit saw a low shot for the hosts parried by visiting keeper Phoomin Thumraksa as Chamchuri continued in the ascendency despite a high press from the Siam side.

The away side saw a header from Nicolas Vidal well saved by the home stopper, Sakpon Nichakam, as they pressed for a leveller, seeing a shot cleared off the line five minutes from the interval. Then Charmil Sritongon forced Thumraksa into a reflex stop at the other end.

It was getting a bit tetchy and not very festive as referee Waranon Soonsuwan needed to get a grip as handbags broke out over next to nothing. A long-range free kick by Jakkrawut Mekkhawan was pushed onto the bar by the student's Nichakam prior to a pause in hostilities in the dressing rooms. 

A league official gave a dressing down to one of the away contingent near me during the break. I think it might have been advice he was offering to the match officials! Nichakam made another good parry shortly after the restart in what was an even game.

Siam were creating more as play continued and they drew level just past the hour mark with a fantastic training ground free kick move when Yutthana Laohin drove the ball low behind the crowd waiting in the box for Yusaku Yamadera to run onto the pass and smash home from the edge of the box. A quality goal.

The league official was making himself busy again telling a couple that they could not sit next to each other. Siam’s Chutsana Somtrakul was put through and should have squared to a free teammate but instead elected to shoot as the opportunity was wasted.

The match became more entertaining as play was stretched as both sides sought out a winner. I had a pleasant few minutes as my mate Jeff back in London sent Christmas greetings which was a lovely touch.

 

The home side's Nico Bergold completely overreacted to a challenge and made himself look daft while Mbengan came close to securing all three points. There was some shocking play acting towards the end trying to get opponents into bother, which was a bit disappointing, but the game had that undercurrent throughout.

At full time I headed down to Rama IV Road, missing a 113 while in 7/11, but not having to wait too long before the next one arrived to take me all the way home. A grand Christmas Day out.

Chamchuri United 2 Bangkok FC 4 (Saturday 18th September 2022) Thai League 3 Bangkok Perimeter (att: 200) 

The new season was underway, and I fancied another visit to town. Again, traffic was a determination, so I decided to take an alternative route via a minivan along Ram Inthra before jumping out at Kasetsart University and heading upstairs to catch the BTS to Siam.

I had forgotten my reading specs at home and couldn’t find any in MBK or other stores. After a good walk, I ended up paying more for some at 7/11 before wandering up to Chulalongkorn Stadium to pay my 50 Baht admission. 

I quite liked my visit when I eventually reached Bang Mod a few months earlier, so I decided to go in with the away fans. Their support was enthusiastic as we were all treated to an absolute cracker of a match.

The away team went ahead on six minutes when Bunlue Thongklian spotted keeper Nichakam out of position so he shot into the net from wide in his own half as the keeper floundered but could not get back in time.

Chamchuri’s forward partnership of Mbengan and Mohamed Kouadio was very bright, and their play created the equaliser after nineteen minutes when Mbengan was played through with a slide rule pass before he rounded goalie Yannasit Sukchareon to slot home.

The scorer was soon creating more menace as he saw a low shot kept out. Bangkok replied when Banjong Phadungpattanodom saw a long low free-kick deflected wide. Two more efforts went narrowly wide for the visitors before the break for halftime. 

At this point, I was joined by Marco, a Twitter pal who I hadn’t previously met. He had arrived back in Bangkok a few days earlier and we had a great chat about all things Thai football and the fortunes of Port, our mutual team.

The hosts went ahead slightly against the run of play seven minutes after the restart when Prachpeecha Pachthong thanks to a howler from Sukchareon who misjudged a low through ball entirely and ran past it leaving the scorer an open goal.

The Fire Bulls restored parity when Goshi Okubo fired low under Nichakam to send our section of the stand into wild delight. Even more so when their team went ahead. A clever through ball was ran onto by sub Dauda Bortu who cleverly lobbed Nichakam on seventy-one minutes.

Both sides played some great stuff, but Bangkok looked like an excellent outfit. They extended the lead nine minutes from the end when Wichaya Pornprasart cut inside the box and fired a delicious curling shot into the far top corner.

Phootran Gingpan missed an open goal at the back post, but further punishment would have been harsh to Chamchuri. Bangkok’s Padungsak Photinak was denied by Nichakam in the last action of the game when he broke through.

At the end of the match Marco and I headed to Rama IV where I said goodbye and caught the approaching 113 bus all the way back in time for a shower and to head out to meet my Thai friends in my favourite bar.





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