Port FC
Ground: PAT Stadium
Capacity: 6,250
Club Founded: 1967
League: Thai League 1 (current level)
This page covers my matches from 2014 to 2018. The club history, my first visit and first matchday experience have their own page, as do the games I attended from 2022 to 2025.
Singhtarua 3 Samut Songkhram 0
Thai Premier League - Wednesday 26th March 2014
👨👨👧👧 5,000 🎟️ 100 THB (£2.40)
A few weeks before heading to Thailand for the Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes. I checked social media to find football fixtures. Ideally, I wanted an FA Cup or lower-league game as an aperitif before an evening match. Nothing came up.
Steve, my good mate in Bangkok, was keen to see Port as Singhtarua was formerly known. He’d been close to heading to Khlong Toey on a couple of occasions. As I was quite fond of the club and the atmosphere from my previous visits, I was more than happy to head down once more.
After a couple of beers at The Crossbar with our old pal Gavin, we initially headed for the underground before deciding to take a taxi. I wasn't confident in our driver's navigational skills.
I knew the PAT Stadium was at the bottom of Ratchadapisek Road, so I told him to stay in the left-hand lane. Unfortunately, he took a left a little early, leaving us snarled up in rush hour traffic and heading back to Ekamai. We bailed out as I led the way in what I thought was the correct direction.
We went down an alley and over the Khlong into the back street market. This was a really down-to-earth and down-at-heel part of Bangkok. I marched on hopefully. I was delighted when we turned a final corner and saw the club shop ahead.
We walked across the practice pitch with kick-off looming. I left Steve to sort out a couple of beers while I went to purchase the tickets. We went in down the side nearest the away end, and waited for the King's Anthem to finish before continuing.
I knew the PAT Stadium was at the bottom of Ratchadapisek Road, so I told him to stay in the left-hand lane. Unfortunately, he took a left a little early, leaving us snarled up in rush hour traffic and heading back to Ekamai. We bailed out as I led the way in what I thought was the correct direction.
We went down an alley and over the Khlong into the back street market. This was a really down-to-earth and down-at-heel part of Bangkok. I marched on hopefully. I was delighted when we turned a final corner and saw the club shop ahead.
We walked across the practice pitch with kick-off looming. I left Steve to sort out a couple of beers while I went to purchase the tickets. We went in down the side nearest the away end, and waited for the King's Anthem to finish before continuing.
The Samut Songkhram fans numbered a couple of hundred and helped to create a fine atmosphere. After three games back in the top flight, Port were unbeaten. Promotion and a huge party at the end of the previous campaign saw the momentum continue.
I pointed out Leandro in his number ten shirt to Steve, and he didn’t let us down. He was running the game from just behind his forward partner. However, the Flying Mackerel defence was hard to breach.
It looked like the teams would go level at the interval before Singhtarua were awarded a very soft penalty close to the halftime whistle. Leandro put the ball away with aplomb.
We went downstairs during the break to purchase more beer and much-needed food. For around £2, I got a bag of fried chicken and barbecued pork, while Steve went for some top-class dim sum. We watched the second half from behind the goal, in the corner near the Main Stand.
It was a family affair at PAT Stadium, with fans attending of all ages from babies to pensioners. It took me back to my infancy watching the game, although I never got to see games under lights with temperatures in the thirties; more is the pity.
Singhtarua continued to pile forward in the second half as the visiting defence ran a merry dance. The young Thai international Krirkrit Thaweekarn made it 2-0 in the fifty-seventh minute. Samut Songkhram broke occasionally, but it just wasn’t their night.
Eventually, the pressure on the visiting goal paid dividends in injury time as the brilliant Leandro continued to turn the screw, leading to a third goal; this time Sarawut Kongjaroen finished off the move.
We hung around as both teams took their deserved applause before suddenly the crowd went wild as the other results began to come in. We thought Port's rivals had done badly. Some expats confirmed it, telling us that Port were top of the league for the first time in many years.
We walked back to Khlong Toei station and met Chris and other arriving tourists on Soi Cowboy, where we drank to a tremendous night out. If only every football experience could have been that good.
Port FC 0 Army United 2
Port FC 0 Army United 2
Thai Premier League - Wednesday 28th October 2015
👨👨👧👧 2,678 🎟️ 100 THB (£2.40)
The Beer Battered Seadogs cricket touring party was gradually depleting after a great tour and relative success on the pitch during the Thailand International Cricket Sixes. We said goodbye to four of the boys. The remaining posse headed back to Bangkok with the Wednesday night football in mind.
Four of us had a nice meal at the Penalty Spot bar around Sukhumvit 25 before taking the subway one stop to the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre station. I was pretty sure of the way from there, but a young lad in a Port shirt helped.
Khlong Toei market was still busy. The main Rama 3 road had stalls spilling out. We looked briefly as kick-off time approached. We crossed Rama IV and Sunthon Kosa Road by footbridge, with the floodlights looming into view.
We met Steve, along with new Bangkok residents Sean and Tracey, outside the fans park to sort out tickets and a beer. Most eyes and ears were on the sky, where a massive storm was brewing.
Some locals were happy to meet some farang Port fans. One took our photos for his online fanzine. We opted to stand upstairs down the side. Heavy thunder and lightning were seen and heard during the King’s Anthem. Within minutes, the heavens opened. With no cover in the stands, it was time to shelter wherever we could.
I managed to get under the stand overhang at the back, despite a crazy local walking around on the steps using a chair as a hat while nearly taking several fans' eyes out. I met some of my pals down there.
Eventually, the storm subsided, and we ventured back upstairs, where some had braved it out. It gradually warmed up again. We were drenched! Ron, Steve and Tracey reappeared in waterproof coats looking like three of the Telly Tubbies!
Meanwhile, on the pitch, Port were doing their best in a game they really needed something from. They were in the final relegation place, and their survival chances looked perilous. They lacked any bite up front.
At the interval, I ventured back down to the fans' area, where all sorts of food and beverages were on offer. A can of Leo for 80 THB won me over. Nearly everyone at the game wore the orange and blue of their heroes. I was slightly shocked by the low official attendance.
I said I could see a goal coming. I was right, but not at the end I wanted. A counterattack broke down as another set of passes went nowhere. Army attacked and won a corner. Spanish defender Ernesto scored from it with a low shot when the ball was half-cleared.
After half-time, Port stepped up a gear, but the Army defensive unit comfortably dealt with most of their attacks. There were lots of lovely, intricate passes but no shots being fired.
The Khlong Toei Army tried to rally its troops on the pitch. The game reverted to the same pattern. Hassan Sunny remained mainly redundant in the Army United net. Most of Port’s constructive play was coming from lightweight Japanese forward Hironori Saruta and defender David Rochela.
With eight minutes remaining, another Army United attack caught Port’s players out of position. A pass into the space where the central defence should have been found Thanakorn Danthong, sending the 200 or so away fans behind the goal and in the seated section into wild delight.
The Army band were very impressive throughout the game, but they probably did it as a profession, as I noted at the time. Sunny was finally called into action in the closing stages, but it was far too little too late.
I went to the excellent club shop and bought a polo shirt so I could look smart at the Saturday away game to TOT. We walked back through the narrow market streets, and I’m so glad we did. This was Bangkok’s poorest area, yet the smiles were as big as anywhere. Some of the seafood and fruit produce was on a different scale.
Tracey and Ron got stuck in, with Ron buying enough fruit to feed a cricket team. Tony bought local sweets for his mates at work. We all took the train back to Sukhumvit and finished off with drinks in the Queen Victoria on Sukhumvit 23. The decent pub was happy to have a big crowd.
Unfortunately, because of the earlier soaking, I was suffering and cold from the air conditioning, so I called it a night after a pint of cider. It had been a good evening, spoiled slightly by the match. I wish I had a fiver for every time that had happened to me!
Port FC 3 Air Force Central 1
Thai League 1 - Wednesday 28th March 2018
👨👨👧👧 3,470 🎟️ 100 THB (£2.40)
Another holiday to Thailand, primarily for the Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes, was underway, and I grabbed a chance to see a home game at PAT Stadium.
I’d been down the coast with my host Steve before we took a sangtheaw and a bus to Bangkapi, where we caught the canal boat into town and alighted at Nana. This inexpensive route was also just as quick as by taxi and kept us away from the pollution along the water.
We had food and drinks at Gulliver's and Speakeasy. I had another beer and a foot rub before we took the MRT subway to Khlong Toei in readiness for the 8pm kick-off. We saw three other lads ahead; one in a Port shirt. They followed us before I became concerned.
Unbelievably, one of the lads worked with Steve a few years ago and had just begun supporting Port. The others from Canada and Switzerland also loved the experience. We were heading in the wrong direction, but soon corrected ourselves.
I’d considered buying a new team shirt but decided against it. There was time for another beer in the fans' area for 70 Baht behind the stands before heading upstairs down the side. Tickets for the match on the three open sides were 100 Baht, around £2.25.
Port had got off to a very decent start to the season. I was keen to see the new forward Dragan Bošković in action and whether he was a better option than Josimar, the Brazilian, who I thought had real potential the previous season.
Both sides went on the front foot from the start, with the Air Force belying their position towards the foot of the table with the quality of their efforts. However, Port took the initiative, with Pakorn Prempak starring.
His effort flashed across the goal before Nurul Sriyankem volleyed over. Sriyankem crossed for Kim Sung-hwan, who was denied at the near post with a tremendous defensive block halfway through the opening period.
Pakorn came close with two free kicks, while Renan Marques gave Air Force options with his hard work and intelligent runs. Port eventually broke the deadlock seven minutes before the break as Bošković rose majestically to head home a near-post Pakorn cross.
Star man Pakorn doubled Port’s advantage as the half came to an end with a tremendous, fierce swerving shot, which gave Air Force keeper Kritsakorn Kerdpol no hope as the ball flashed into the near top corner.
At the break, we wandered downstairs and went behind the goal Port would be attacking, near the away fans section. The visitors from the north of Bangkok had a decent following, including musicians who never relented in their support for their heroes.
Air Force had no intention of surrendering and came out of the changing rooms playing decent football. Marquez reduced the arrears in fifty-four minutes with a tremendous curling shot after being teed up by Yodsak Chaowana.
Port restored their two-goal advantage a couple of minutes later when Pakorn played a delightful one-two with Sriyankem before firing into the roof of the net. It really was a tremendous goal on a night when nearly everything the scorer tried had come off.
Marquez went close again at the other end. The ball stayed in play. Worawut Srisupha denied Leandro Assumpção with a brilliant, brave point plank save. Chaowana missed an absolute sitter shortly after, dragging his effort across the goal.
Kritsakorn denied Pakorn with a fingertip save, which the referee mysteriously overlooked. The sublime Sergio Suárez came on for the final ten minutes for the Port Lions as the game drifted out towards full-time.
Port were well worth the win, but both sides had played their part. We took a shortcut through the market and got a timely reminder of what it looked like for people to really have to graft for a meagre wage.
We met up with several friends for the cricket along Soi Cowboy. An interesting few hours followed as we skipped from bar to bar with our friend Gavin.
Steve and I headed home in rather bedraggled states after plenty of drinks, and I’d somehow attracted the local dancer in one establishment after she took a shine to me as I supported the same team as her. Perhaps a hot date at PAT Stadium was in store. Or maybe not!
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