PTT Rayong

PTT Rayong FC was formed in 1998, initially as PTT FC, under the wing of the state-owned oil and gas company, which is in Map Tu Phut, located in Rayong Province in the east of Thailand.

The company has an ethos that sport can strengthen their community and initially set up a football team in 1983 to play in domestic and foreign competitions. In 2007 the club was accepted into the third tier Division 2, playing their home games at Prachaniwet Sport Centre in Bangkok.

Second place in their debut season led to promotion, with some games being then staged at Jarun Burapharat Stadium close to Makkasan Airport Link station in the capital. David Bayiha scored the goals as PTT finished in a creditable sixth place.

A couple of mid-table finishes followed, initially playing at IPE Chonburi Stadium and then the club moved to their headquarters and changed their title where a basic ground was initially built as Jirawoot Saranant and Rachanon Srinork before fourth was achieved in 2011.

This was followed by fifth place with Adisak Srikampang leading the scoring charts in both campaigns. Pipat Thonkanya put the goals away in 2013 as Rayong finished third as well as reaching the last eight of the FA Cup.

The side led by Nopporn Eksrattra was promoted to the Thailand Premier League but lasted just one season despite the efforts of forward Amadou Ouattara. Former Thai national team boss Peter Withe had a spell in charge of the ill-fated campaign before being replaced by Chaiyong Khumpiam.

Brazilian coach Zague arrived in 2015. Haitian forward Yves Desmarets became the fan's favourite as the side finished seventh back in Division 1. A drop of one place followed twelve months later as Leandro top-scored.

Teerasak Po-on took charge of the side in 2017, led on the pitch by Apipoo Suntornpanavej, as Dennis Murillo had two seasons as the leading marksman, with the first also seeing a quarter-final appearance in the FA Cup.

The second, in 2018 saw the team crowned as champions and with it a place in the top-flight Thai League 1. The goals of Ariel Rodríguez helped PTT to an eleventh-place finish for the side coached by Teerasak Po-on, with Peerapong Ruenin being impressive in goal.

However, the PTT PLC decided to fold the professional club and resign from the competition citing a lack of expertise and disappointing attendances. In its place the PTT Youth Academy continued to support local talent and hopefully fulfil potential with the support of locally based residents 

My visit

Thailand 2 Cambodia 0 (Monday 21^st August 2023) AFF Under 23 Championships Group A (att: c2,300)

I had wanted to attend a game at PTT after seeing how impressive it looked on TV when Port played there in the past. The opportunity finally knocked perfectly for me as I had been visiting Koh Chang for the annual Beach Cricket Tournament for a few days.

It had been a tremendous six-a-side event with twelve teams from across Thailand plus a Malaysian side with plenty of action on and off the pitch. After a beautiful early lunch at a highly recommended seafood restaurant on the island, my wife Taew, kindly drove us to the outskirts of Rayong for some evening entertainment.

Mabka Stadium for this tournament which didn’t permit sponsorship titles, but PTT Stadium if officialdom doesn’t interfere, was home to a slightly less wealthy oil-funded club than Manchester City but was still in excellent shape. Food and drink were obtainable from a pop-up fan zone, though none was allowed inside the arena.

A shame really as it is a perfect arena for football. The surrounding area, was not unlike the Teesside of the 70s, apart from a lack of feeling like our lives were in danger, and the car was all in one piece when we returned after the match.

 

The hosts only needed a point to win the group and headed forward to the semis a few days later and displayed curious tactics in the first half as they seemed unsure whether to stick or twist. Cambodia showed more attacking intent in the early stages, as they needed a win.

Thakdanai Jaihan came close to putting Thailand ahead on twenty-six minutes when he latched onto a through ball and rounded onrushing keeper Rethy Lyheng but saw his effort from the edge of the box stopped on its way to goal by a brilliant sliding block.

Home coach Intsara Sritaro rang the changes at the break making three changes, which immediately injected more urgency into his side’s efforts. The deadlock was broken in a comedic fashion.

A centre was headed back towards his own goal by a defender with the keeper and another stopper making a proper mess as the ball trickled over the line. Some sources credit Lyheng with the OG, others Sam Ol Tina.

 

That was five minutes after the restart, and it looked like it would be enough. Thai skipper Songchai Tongcham looked commanding at the back, though he looked like he might have possessed a Harry Maguire type error in his locker.

Heavy run had fallen in the back end of the first half and continued, with the tricky conditions exemplified when the Thai physio slipped and fell on his back when rushing out to administer treatment. 

The Thailand defence managed to snub a Cambodian effort that was bound for the net between themselves before the lead was doubled ten minutes from time. A shot from sub Nethithorn Kaewcharoen from the edge of the box took a huge deflection off Vanneth Houth leaving Lyheng leaden-footed.

Another replacement, Varintorn Watcharapringam, held off the attention of three defenders with his first action before his low shot was deflected wide off the boot of the busy goalie, as the hosts celebrated their place in the last four. 

Thankfully, the rain had stopped for the ten-minute walk back to the car and we were in the hotel not long after 10pm. A decent enough new ground off my tick list, which my good lady seemed to enjoy. Well, she didn’t complain anyway and bought a small flag as a souvenir.

The following morning, we drove back to Minburi, with the area near the hotel and the oil works portraying their full finery.