Roi-Et PB United FC is a professional football club from the Isan City of Roi Et, located in the northeast of Thailand, whose origins can be traced back to 2008. Formed without the PB initials in their name, the club was placed in the third-tier Regional League Division 2 North Eastern Region for the 2009 season.
Eleventh place in their debut season was backed up with fifth twelve months later. The divisional title was lifted in 2010, but they failed to progress in the Champions League playoffs, with the same story being repeated in 2012.
However, after winning the North Eastern Region title in 2013, the side finished top of Champions League Group A and were promoted to Thai Division 1 League, from which the side was relegated after just one season.
A disappointing fourteenth place followed upon their return to regional football, which was improved on in 2016, before the club left the Roi Et Province Stadium, which had been their home since formation, to move into the out-of-town Pankkee Arena.
The goals of Pakkawat Phunachiang helped the side to tenth place in 2017 in the newly formed Thai League 4 Northeastern Region. The club failed to pay for their license in time for the 2018 campaign and were consequently banned for two seasons.
The club rebranded as Roi Et CF to gain acceptance into the Thailand Regional League in 2018 which ended in another poor showing. COVID-19 put pay to the 2019 and 2020 TA seasons, by which time the club had changed titles once again to Roi Et PB United.
In 2022-23, the team ended their campaign in top place, but there was no promotion owing to the advent of the Thailand Semipro League, which the club transferred to in 2023-24, having gained a license. The side won the Northeast section as Wichit Singloolom put away the goals for the side under head coach Pramoul Thinkatork.
The performance sealed promotion to Thai League 3 for the 2024-25 season for Roi Et, who had since returned to their old stadium. They went on to defeat Padriew City and then Chattrakan City before facing Dome FC in the final. The side played their first few matches of 2024-25 at Mahasarakham Stadium while work was carried out at their traditional home.
Natan Oliveira top-scored for the White Rabbits as the side finished in sixth place on their return to national competition.
Roi-Et PB United will play in the Thai League 3 Northeast in the 2025-26 season.
My visit
Roi Et PB United 4 Dome FC 1 (Sunday 2nd June 2024) Thai Semipro League Final First Leg (att: c1,200)
With matches becoming scarcer by the week, it was fantastic when my mate John volunteered to drive, getting on for three hours each way to Roi Et, a city in the northeast Isan region of Thailand, where we were treated to a cracking match.
The semipro competition featured six regional groups with the champions of each being promoted to their corresponding section in T3 next season. They were then split into two to play a couple more matches before the winners played off in a final to find the overall national champion.
Roi Et province which has a population of over 1.3M so there is potential to support a club if it is run correctly. Dome belongs to Thammasat University to the north of the capital Bangkok. The threatening rain clouds stayed away spare a brief shower as an enthusiastic crowd enjoyed free admission, while shirt sales went tremendously well.
The home favourites went ahead when a cross was poorly dealt with by a weak defensive header. The ball fell to the lively Rewat Khumbun, who found the corner of the net after ten minutes. Just how the ‘White Squirrels’ failed to add any more goals up to the break only they will know, while Dome gradually got into proceedings.
Shortly after the interval a tremendous Roi Et move looked destined to end in number two, but the goal bound shot was blocked on the line by an attacking player. It could well have been the turning point as the away side were level after fifty-four minutes.
A tremendous shot that swerved in the air from Thanchot Sonsri beat keeper Chalermkeat Pootoya all ends up and went in off the far post. The strength and composure of the Dome side pointed to them having a real chance of winning, with the physical build of Peerapat Kantha putting in a good shift.
However, Roi Et found a second wind and came back strongly. An excellent finish from Thonohai Ratohai put them back into the lead with just over twenty minutes remaining. The lead was extended when a curling effort from the edge of the box from Sakda Manchart continued out of the reach of the Dome custodian, Atituch Chankar, and into the net.
Both keepers made superb stops, while the hosts continued to miss some real opportunities in the game that was end, to end and became extremely stretched. The icing on the cake as far as the home fans was concerned came in the third minute of stoppage time when Sakda netted at the far post from a low free kick.
This left Dome with a huge task the following Sunday at the second leg, which was scheduled to be played at the Bangkok University Stadium. We had arrived a couple of hours before kickoff and went up the impressive tower shaped like a traditional Isan circular panpipe for a view from above. The lake underneath had several bars and restaurants around it.
We headed to Bombay House for a fine Indian meal, which is considered expensive by locals. Our bill came to 1,030 THB, which is about £22 for a starter, main course, rice and naans along with a couple of large bottles of beer.
There were plenty of beer and food options at the stadium, including, incredibly, a good old-fashioned chuck wagon. We got chatting to the western owner who said he’d just purchased it, and he was given his Thai wife a trial on the griddle. They dispensed burgers, hot dogs, and bacon rolls, which were popular among the few Westerners present.
By coincidence he also supplied meat to Leo’s in Sisaket where we headed after the game, passing an astonishingly large number of bars on one road as we left Roi Et. There was time for a couple of pints of Guinness on our return before my driver Uan, arrived to take me back into the wilderness.
Roi Et PB
United 0 Udon United 1 (
By no means
a classic in a match played between the hosts who haven’t pushed on as expected
since promotion a season and a bit ago, and the league leaders, who immediately
looked to be bigger and stronger when the sides lined up for the anthems.
Chances were at a minimum. A Roi Et striker dallied when offered a chance in the second half before they had a goal ruled out. The Udon keeper, Adisak Boonthawi, spilt a cross when he collided with one of his own players, with the loose ball being put in the net. The ref decided a foul had been committed.
The only goal came three minutes from the end. The home defender failed to close down sub Jhakkarin Sitthichan, who shot from a narrow angle. Goalie Chalermkeat Pootoya pushed the powerful shot inside his near post. Poor keeping and defending. The powerful Finnish forward, Sakari Tukiainen, had a good game for Udon.
As ever, it was much more than just the game. My wife and I drove the three hours to Roi Et, a pretty town dominated by a lake and island, overlooked by a 123m viewing tower. We booked a hotel for the night, and met Dale, who edits A Thai Football Podcast, and his good lady. I’d been put in touch when looking to put a cricket side together for a forthcoming tournament with Oggi, a York City fan who supports Roi Et and lives around three hours away. We arranged to meet up and had a great day.
It makes a massive difference to have local knowledge, wherever in the world. Oggi directed us to an excellent restaurant called Keaw Shop before the game, serving good Thai and Western food and cheap beer. We dropped the car back at the hotel and walked the twenty minutes to the stadium, traditional style. The ladies said the Thais passing us on motorbikes would have thought we were crazy.
A highlight at the stadium, where, as in most venues, we could take beers into our seats, was meeting a gent called Warong Thiuthas, who stood for election for the Presidency of the Thai FA. He lost the vote 86-2 to the lady known as Madame Pang, who has recently also been made FIFA’s regional development boss. He asked to have a selfie with us, which turned out to be charming company, and a former Port FC and national team player to boot, now with an administrative role with the FA.
Post-match, it was just over ten minutes on foot to Suki Lao Restaurant. An incredible, huge place, some covered, some outdoor, with a live band and large screens showing sport. Another expat, Glen, and his wife joined our group as we chewed the fat, ate and drank and enjoyed each other's company until gone 1am.
Absolutely perfect, followed by a drive home on Monday with a stop at a brilliant Chinese/Thai restaurant in Yasothon to pick up food to take home. My favourite type of Thai weekend. Discovering somewhere new with my wife, loads of food and drink, great company and a game of football.
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