Police United FC
Ground: Boonyachinda Stadium
Capacity: 5,000
Club Founded: 1960
Club Dissolved: 2015 - Merged with BEC Tero Sasana to become Police Tero FC in 2018
When the license of Police United was revoked, a solution was found through a merger, saying goodbye to independence but still having a say in a football club.
The club was founded under the management of the Royal Thai Police, going on to enjoy a rich and successful history. The team won the League Cup three times in five years following their first triumph in 1989. Despite this, Police went down to the second tier and then regained their top-flight status before the end of the decade.
Yordchay Dejleh topped the scoring chart in their title-winning season. The side went back down a couple of seasons later, before once again winning promotion in 2006. The ups and downs continued as the team was relegated just one year later.
The goals of Manit Noywech helped United to promotion and the Division 1 title in 2009, with Chaiyong Khumpiam the championship-winning coach for a second time. The club was taken over by the Insee concrete company in 2010 after league regulations required all clubs to be private concerns.
My visit
This also meant a move from Booyachinda Stadium to the Thammasat Stadium in Rangsit. Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul took on the coaching duties, as Police finished in mid-table for four consecutive seasons, with the goals coming from
Police went down again in 2014. Head coach Attaphol Buspakom was given the task of restoring their former status as the club decamped to their traditional Booyachinda Stadium home next to the police headquarters, as Insee ended their sponsorship in the club.
The team won the Division 1 title in fine style with Tana Chanabut smashing in twenty-five goals. However, the success came at a price as it was discovered that the club had failed to pay its players.
The club license was revoked, leading to a sabbatical from competitive football. A solution was found when BEC Tero Sasana became homeless, with the Booyachinda Stadium offering a welcome refuge. The clubs merged for the 2018 season to form Police Tero FC.
At Thammasat Stadium
Insee Police United 0 Suphanburi 2
Insee Police United 0 Suphanburi 2
Thai Premier League - Wednesday 27th March 2013) Thai Premier League (att: 3,722)
👨👨👧👧 3,722 🎟️ 200 THB (£4.80)
I was on a free day before I was to meet up with my teammates for the cricket the following week in Chiang Mai, and I'd made the most of it in temperatures up to forty degrees after enjoying brunch in town.
I was on a free day before I was to meet up with my teammates for the cricket the following week in Chiang Mai, and I'd made the most of it in temperatures up to forty degrees after enjoying brunch in town.
I decided to visit several stadiums while I had the opportunity, with both Kasetsart and Rangsit University being on the list, as well as TOT SC and Bangkok Glass. I then took in the first half of the Regional League game between Luk Tapfah and Futera Seeker.
A taxi took me up the main road towards Ayutthaya before pulling off at Khlong Nueng to the Rangsit Campus of Thammasat University. My driver dropped me right outside the entrance for the VIP seats, where I bought my ticket.
This was quite expensive compared to other prices that I had encountered at previous games. I jogged up the stairs into the sparsely occupied seating area. At least I was afforded an excellent view, even if it was lacking in atmosphere on that side.
Thammasat Stadium was an arena I'd wanted to visit for some time after seeing photos of it and flying over it one day before landing at the nearby Don Muang Airport. It had been constructed for the 1998 Asian Games, resembling a scaled-down Rajamangala Stadium, with dipping open ends but with roofs down both sides.
Thammasat Stadium was an arena I'd wanted to visit for some time after seeing photos of it and flying over it one day before landing at the nearby Don Muang Airport. It had been constructed for the 1998 Asian Games, resembling a scaled-down Rajamangala Stadium, with dipping open ends but with roofs down both sides.
It was certainly a fine construction, if a long way from the city. It offered a fine addition to the Thammasat University campus, whose students would benefit from having such a venue along with the other legacy facilities from the Games.
The dramatic floodlights hovered over each corner of the arena. United's move there as well as a joint tenancy with Regional League Luk Isan - Thai Air had kept the stadium in use. Once more it was nice to be in a stand with plentiful legroom.
There were far more fans on the far side. The home ultras were away to my left, numbered only around fifty fans, but the away end behind the other goal attended in large numbers and made a lot of noise as well. The game was a decent standard on a snooker table-like surface.
Suphanburi went one up following what looked like a dive earned them a penalty. The spot kick was slotted away by Pichit Jaibun as the visiting support went wild. In fairness, their heroes had been on the better side up until then.
United piled on the pressure for much of the second half, but they couldn't find a way to equalise. The visitors rode their luck and still faced danger on the break. Frustrations were growing around me as the game grew towards its conclusion.
Suphanburi forward, Dragan Boskovic, ran unchallenged at the Police rearguard and finished with aplomb to seal the victory with six minutes of normal time remaining to add to the annoyance of the home support.
At full time, I went back to the main gates by the dual carriageway and after around ten minutes of concern,n managed to get a taxi to take me back to the city centre, which I would find out in later years was not always easy.
I couldn't help but consider why Police played so far out of town and who would actually watch them regularly.
Stadium Visit - Wednesday 1st April 2015
On a steaming hot April Fools Day, I declared to Steve that I wanted to visit a couple of stadiums I’d never previously been to, but by local transport.
We set off from my hosts’ home in Samakorn, Minburi, on foot before catching the local Songthaew, a type of open-backed van with wooden seats on either side. In Minburi town centre, the market was thriving, and the area was a hive of activity.
We crossed the road and soon found a minibus heading in the right general direction. It would eventually go to Chatchak, but we needed to be towards Lak Si. We alighted once it headed down Phahonyothin Road. We weren’t exactly sure how much further along Chaeng Wattana we needed to be, but we decided to walk and find out.
Under normal circumstances, this would have been a wise idea, but the temperatures were touching 40. Fortunately, we were in the shade or under cover through ramshackle settlements, as the tight pavements were shared with mopeds. After a walk of over two miles, we bought some drinks and sank into a seat at the open Bunyajinda Stadium.
We were dripping in sweat but happy to see that a junior match was just about to take place on the pitch. Steve made enquiries and deduced it was the final of a junior tournament involving a Japanese side and the local Sistamon team. Even smaller kids played on the running track surrounding the pitch.
Boonyachinda Stadium had three stands down one side with roofing, all next to each other, with the outer two at an angle to be closer to the pitch. The far side had a section of open seating, while there was no spectator accommodation behind either goal.
After around fifteen minutes, we made a move as we wanted to visit the home of BBCU, a couple of kilometres west across a golf course and major roads. We decided to take the journey by taxi once we could find one!
The dramatic floodlights hovered over each corner of the arena. United's move there as well as a joint tenancy with Regional League Luk Isan - Thai Air had kept the stadium in use. Once more it was nice to be in a stand with plentiful legroom.
There were far more fans on the far side. The home ultras were away to my left, numbered only around fifty fans, but the away end behind the other goal attended in large numbers and made a lot of noise as well. The game was a decent standard on a snooker table-like surface.
Suphanburi went one up following what looked like a dive earned them a penalty. The spot kick was slotted away by Pichit Jaibun as the visiting support went wild. In fairness, their heroes had been on the better side up until then.
The Police side started throwing themselves to the floor as they detected referee Chaiya Mahapab might have been weak. Suphanburi almost doubled their lead as the home team goalie made an awful hash of a free kick before United had a superb set piece of their own come back off the woodwork.
The game flowed from end to end as Suphanburi's Ivory Coast forward Bireme Diouf lobbed keeper Pattara Piyapatrakitti but saw his effort brilliantly headed off the line. Police's import forward Ludovick Takam from Cameroon decided that falling over and acting was the order of the day.
At half time I walked round the back of the away end and visited the plentiful refreshment stands behind the far side, as well as purchasing a Police away shirt for around £15. I decided to go in with the majority of the home fans for the second period in the Crimson Cops Stand to make the most of the atmosphere and occasion.
The game flowed from end to end as Suphanburi's Ivory Coast forward Bireme Diouf lobbed keeper Pattara Piyapatrakitti but saw his effort brilliantly headed off the line. Police's import forward Ludovick Takam from Cameroon decided that falling over and acting was the order of the day.
At half time I walked round the back of the away end and visited the plentiful refreshment stands behind the far side, as well as purchasing a Police away shirt for around £15. I decided to go in with the majority of the home fans for the second period in the Crimson Cops Stand to make the most of the atmosphere and occasion.
United piled on the pressure for much of the second half, but they couldn't find a way to equalise. The visitors rode their luck and still faced danger on the break. Frustrations were growing around me as the game grew towards its conclusion.
Suphanburi forward, Dragan Boskovic, ran unchallenged at the Police rearguard and finished with aplomb to seal the victory with six minutes of normal time remaining to add to the annoyance of the home support.
At full time, I went back to the main gates by the dual carriageway and after around ten minutes of concern,n managed to get a taxi to take me back to the city centre, which I would find out in later years was not always easy.
I could only guess that my driver was desperate to get home for his favourite TV show, as we showed everything a clean pair of heels as he weaved in and out of any traffic at great speed down the Don Muang highway.
I'd had a great day out and was happy to get to my hotel for a proper night's sleep after the rarity of an alcohol-free day on holiday! It had certainly been an adventure with my incredible earlier game.
I'd had a great day out and was happy to get to my hotel for a proper night's sleep after the rarity of an alcohol-free day on holiday! It had certainly been an adventure with my incredible earlier game.
Stadium Visit - Wednesday 1st April 2015
On a steaming hot April Fools Day, I declared to Steve that I wanted to visit a couple of stadiums I’d never previously been to, but by local transport.
We set off from my hosts’ home in Samakorn, Minburi, on foot before catching the local Songthaew, a type of open-backed van with wooden seats on either side. In Minburi town centre, the market was thriving, and the area was a hive of activity.
Under normal circumstances, this would have been a wise idea, but the temperatures were touching 40. Fortunately, we were in the shade or under cover through ramshackle settlements, as the tight pavements were shared with mopeds. After a walk of over two miles, we bought some drinks and sank into a seat at the open Bunyajinda Stadium.
We were dripping in sweat but happy to see that a junior match was just about to take place on the pitch. Steve made enquiries and deduced it was the final of a junior tournament involving a Japanese side and the local Sistamon team. Even smaller kids played on the running track surrounding the pitch.
Boonyachinda Stadium had three stands down one side with roofing, all next to each other, with the outer two at an angle to be closer to the pitch. The far side had a section of open seating, while there was no spectator accommodation behind either goal.
After around fifteen minutes, we made a move as we wanted to visit the home of BBCU, a couple of kilometres west across a golf course and major roads. We decided to take the journey by taxi once we could find one!
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