Nonthaburi United

Nonthaburi United is a professional football club from the central province of the same name just north of the Thai capital of Bangkok. The club, like many others in the region, has a convoluted history.

While the club quote their formation as 2016 under the title of BTU S.Boonmeerit United FC, or 2020 in their present guise, the club's birth can be traced to Globlex FC who played at Ramkhamhaeng University Stadium from their formation in 2011 through until the end of the 2015 campaign. They can be read about here.

S.Boonmeerit Sport Club Co.Ltd. took over the ownership of the club and moved it to Bangkokthonburi University Stadium. In the 2016 season, the side finished fifth in Division 2 West.

Thai football had a major restructuring for the 2017 campaign, with BTU being placed in Thai League 4 West, where the goals of Diego Oliveira Silva helped his side reach third position to gain promotion to Thai League 3 Lower, where they ended sixth in 2018.

The 2019 season saw BTU United, as the club was then known, finish ninth with Natthawut Namthip topping the scoring charts. Nonthaburi United S.Boonmeerit were placed in Thai League 3 Bangkok Perimeter for 2020-21 as the Thai FA took on the European calendar.

A runners-up place was secured with Woraphot Somsrang putting away the goals before United were defeated in the qualifying round of the Champions League play-offs by Bangkok FC. 

Nonthaburi, under head coach Abdoul Coulibaly, finished third in 2021-22 to fall short of the promotion play-offs despite the goals of Brazilian star Dudu Lima. Payong Khunnan was appointed head coach at the start of the following season before the return of Coulibaly who was then replaced by Apichat Borisut.

The changes continued as Chalernmchai Uttamarat took charge of the side in a season that ended in eighth spot. The 2023-24 campaign saw United under new ownership having dropped S Boonmert from their title, come extremely close to being relegated, securing their safety with a final day victory away to AUU Inter Bangkok.

Pisanu Masuk had started the season as head coach before being replaced by Pakorn Chootsungchoen who lasted just a few games until the arrival of Yossagorn Silaket who somehow galvanised his troops who put together some results to save themselves from the drop as the club offered free admission to boost crowd numbers.

A new club crest was introduced for the 2024-25 season in which Achira Thongjerm to try and offer stability as head coach.

Nonthaburi United FC will play in Thai League 3 West in the 2024-25 season.

My visit

Nonthaburi United 2 Bangkok FC 2 (Sunday 19th December 2021) Thai League 3 Bangkok Perimeter (att: 120)

I was on the first football weekend away since relocating to Minburi, in Bangkok’s eastern suburbs and had woken up in Chachoengsao after seeing them defeat Marines Eureka. As is the norm it was a beautiful morning.

After a last bit of sightseeing, I headed to the station for the 10.30am train back towards the capital, grabbing some delicious pork snacks to keep me going. I alighted at Asoke on my return before transferring to the MRT underground service next door at Phetchaburi.

My destination was Bang Sue as I wanted to have a look at the new Grand Station, from which I left a little underwhelmed if truth be known. It was new and clean but lacked any of the beautiful character that Hua Lamphong possessed.

Onwards I walked towards Tao Poon, stopping to grab a khao man ghai, chicken and rice at Lotus's Pracha Chuen food court. It was a short walk to the terminus of the MRT Purple Line on the top floor of the station opened a couple of years earlier.

It was around a thirty-minute ride above ground offering some excellent views as we progressed through Nonthaburi and across the Chao Phraya River. The huge modern floodlights of Nonthaburi Stadium could be seen form quite a distance.

A forty-five-minute casual stroll was taken from alighting at Bang Phlu Junction down the main Bang Kruai-Sai Noi Road, which was lacking a proper footpath in parts. It was good to turn down the less busy but still vibrant DPT Nonthaburi 2025 road. 

It took me past many street food and drink establishments and a very smart condo block before I finally arrived at Nonthaburi Provincial Stadium, a smaller arena being used by locals for exercise and recreation, well in time for the 3.30 kick off.

A walk to the far side and the covered area was required to gain access to the only stand open. Stewards were most rigorous checking bags and Covid certificates to gain entry. My ticket was THB 80 (around £1.80) 

The stadium was like many in the region. A large bowl with a running track with raised steep steps and some seating. Unusually this one had both covered sides with a roof. It was easily up to scratch to stage top flight Thai football.

Nonthaburi looked like a good side after Bangkok had seen an effort ruled out for offside. It was no shock when the hosts took the lead on fourteen minutes through Moussa Anakar after he was set up by Brazilian forward, Carlos Eduardo dos Santos Lima.

 

The visitors put together a good spell, with their forward Moacir, another Brazilian, dispossessing the last United defender before blasting his effort over the bar. I was sat among the Bangkok FC supporters, not through any intention, but I enjoyed their enthusiasm. I also liked their away kit.

I was also enjoying the way referee Dassakhon Hokla who wasn’t being swayed by players falling over far too easily. He let plenty go. Meanwhile, Lima looked the star man for the hosts with his strength and dribbling skills.

Bangkok’s star for me was the classy number 10 Caique Ribeiro, yet another from Brazil! Agents from that part of the world must have doing well. However, his side were finding it difficult to find a way past Nonthaburi’s commanding centre back Zady Moise.

The visitors took the ascendancy from around the half hour mark and probably deserved to go down the tunnel level at the interval. The break gave me a chance to do a lap of the stadium and grab some extra snaps. My hope of a pop-up snack bar was forlorn. 

The quality of referee Hokla came to the fore nine minutes after the restart when he played an excellent advantage after Bangkok’s Thananat Rungrampan clattered Abakar who managed to stay on his feet to tee up Padungsak Phothinak to slot home past keeper Ratchaphon Namthong and double Nonthaburi’s advantage.

The deficit was immediately reduced when Moacir tried to square a ball across the six-yard line. Satja Saengsuwan put out a boot to try and stop it but only managed in deflecting the ball past keeper Nattapon Meesaeng at the near post. 

It was a hot day. I was tired in the stand, so it was inevitable that the game would become stretched. I added to my entertainment by way of Ashes commentary on SEN radio while out on the pitch it became a bit of an arm wrestle with neither side taking command.

Lima dropped back to help his team, but it negated some of their attacking force. Bangkok pushed forward into the fifth minute of stoppage time and got the equaliser their play deserved when Ribeiro’s guile enabled Moacir to score. The away support was delirious.

 

Their team continued to push forward for a winner. A minute later Nonthaburi’s sub Dolvich Thanomnoom, who’d only been on the pitch for eight minutes received a straight red for an over the top challenge.

It was a good game which was easy on the eye containing a bit of everything. Bangkok’s French coach Sebastien Neumann would have probably been happier than his counterpart Abdoul Coulibaly.

 

No way was I walking back to the station. I let a taxi take the strain before returning via the Purple and then Blue line to Lat Phrao where the number 96 bus took me on a longer than intended route home. At least I was getting the hang of public transport.