KMITL Stadium (Bangkok)

 

KMITL (King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang) Stadium is a multi-purpose arena on the campus of the educational institute of the same name in the Lad Krabang district of the Thai capital of Bangkok.

The venue has played host to several Thai League clubs over the years. Thai Airways were the first in 2007, followed by Thai Honda in 2010 who also shared the facilities with Kasem Bundit University for a few games the same season.

Thai Honda returned from 2012 to 2014 while Rajpracha were tenants for a couple of campaigns, 2015 and 2016. The stadium has hosted the Lad Krabang Rugby 7s as well as the football games of the host university.

It is a venue that is often asked about by those passing it after leaving the airport and heading past on the motorway towards Pattaya.

My visits

Thai Honda 0 Samut Sakon 1 (Sunday 8th April 2012) Thai Regional League Bangkok Area (att: 150)

To read all about it, click on the link here.

KMITL 2 Minburi City 4 (Tuesday 20th December 2022) Friendly (att; c20)

I’d given up on any more football until the New Year, with the Thai League having packed up for their festive break, but never say never. I’d noticed this friendly appear on my timeline on social media but didn’t consider I’d be attending.

Having started playing again with a group of Thais introduced to me by Big Suh, a copper who became my mate as fellow customers of my girlfriend, Teaw’s Brothers and Sisters Bar. He said that there was a game, but not for the first time it failed to materialise.

Not to worry, I still had a Plan B and plenty of time to implement it. I caught a songthaew from Minburi Market that turned off halfway down Rom Klao. Not to worry, as these things happen. I was soon aboard a second such vehicle.

I was assured by a student that it was heading to Lad Krabang. Well, it was, sort of, only on the main road it headed right rather than left and towards the city. It’s fair to say that I failed to see the funny side, but soon restored my composure. 

Crossing the road, I was soon heading in the right direction before alighting and walking past Wat Pluk Sattha to find myself adjacent to the eastern rail line towards Pattaya. The walk along Chalong Krung 1 Alley allowed me to grab provisions at a convenience store.

The stretch had quite a good selection of street food, coffee shops, and mini markets, presumably to cater for the needs of the nearby students. Crossing the railway further up I was in familiar territory and heading to sit in the large stand.

There was no admission charge and before long a couple of Minburi officials recognized me and gave me a wave. I tried to get to see them possible, as they had kindly given me a cap, scarf, and facemask at an Amateur League game. I had earlier purchased a couple of shirts from them.

The stand was much further from the dry and bumpy pitch than I remembered with both the playing surface and facilities in need of some TLC. City were in preparation to enter the Semi-Pro League with hopes of winning a place in Thai League 3. Their players wore trackers over their red shirts.

KMITL’s shirts didn’t have any numbers on them. It was certainly a very low-key encounter, but if the players and coaches got something from it, then it was surely a worthwhile exercise. They’re the important ones, not the spectators.

The hosts took the lead before Minburi restored parity with a good low shot. It was hard to keep concentration, with the players being so far away, and joggers going around the track while the game was in progress. 

Overhead planes on their descent to Suvarnabhumi as well as passing trains all added to the spectacle, which was enough to keep anyone with a semblance of an imagination entertained, even if they didn’t like football.

KMITL went back in front as the Minburi defence was opened like a can of beans meaning it was three attackers against a lone rearguard. The chance was well finished, but City again levelled things up just after the break with a good header.

 

It was nip and tuck with many substitutions being made. It wasn’t the greatest of games, so I made a sound decision to walk around and miss the final ten minutes. City scored two late goals, which I missed, not that it would ruin my day.

I was wary of trying to find a way home and being stranded, so I decided to walk along the track to Pra Chom Klao station and catch the final train of the day to Lat Krabang. The ride was only a few minutes and there was no time to purchase a ticket. 

Before long I was on a familiar songthaew heading back to base for a rest, shower, and then some libation in the company of my good lady.