Samut Prakan

Samut Prakan FC is a professional football club representing the city of the same name to the Thai capital of Bangkok. Formed in 2007, they should not be confused with Samut Prakan City FC who also share Samut Prakarn SAT Stadium.

‘The Fortress’ started out life playing at the Royal Thai Naval Academy Football Field in Thailand League Division 2, finishing fifth. A move to Sit Chaiyasam Football Field followed, with the team again ending fifth in Group A after the division was split after expansion.

 

Further Thai League growth saw the club placed in Division 2 Central & Eastern Region in 2009, which was one of five third tier regional divisions. Playing the season at Huachiew Chalermprakiet University Stadium and 72nd Anniversary Stadium in Bang Mod, the team ended top of the table.

Samut Prakan qualified for the Champions League promotion play-offs. Missing out on promotion by one point in the round robin group. A runners-up berth in 2010 also led to play-off football but once again the team failed to go up a notch.

The season had seen home games played at Customs Department Stadium before a move to what would become their permanent base at Samut Prakarn SAT Stadium prior to a return to the renamed Lad Krabang 54 Stadium.

The lack of stability wasn’t helping on the pitch performance as Samut Prakan finished in the lower reaches of the Central-East section of the third level for four years on the bounce, with their best effort being ninth in 2011 and 2014.

 

The period saw a further nomadic existence as the club became tenants at the remote venues of the 72nd Anniversary Stadium in Min Buri and Samut Prakarn Province Stadium. The theme of being away from the population continued in the 2015 and 2016 seasons with the club being based at Lam Fah Pha Subdistrict Municipality Stadium.

At least the team in blue and white improved their performance with a third-placed finish in 2015. The division became called Eastern Region twelve months later, with Prakan ending in seventh spot as the club moved into Samut Prakarn SAT Stadium.

Further club expansion saw a restructuring for the 2017 campaign as the club was placed in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region of Thai League 4. The goals of Phakpoom Malirungruang and Gabriel Mintah propelled Fortress to second in the table. JL Chiangmai United ended any hopes of promotion in the play-offs.

Dennis Borketey topped the scoring charts in 2018 with his side ending mid-table. It was a similar outcome the following season as Josué Pereira Da Silva Filho banged in the goals. The division retained its name but became the third tier for 2020-21. Samut Prakan finished twelfth. 

The 2021-22 season saw the team come perilously close to being relegated, staying up by a better goal difference than Grakcu Sai Mai United. The goals of Kazuo Honma and Nicolás Gabriel Vidal were a key factor for the side led by head coach Kornphop Sapsin after he had earlier replaced Hiroki Ono.

A link-up with BG Pathum United in 2022-23 saw Danny Invincible cut his teeth as a head coach with players being loaned, leading to a seventh-place finish being achieved as Pakkapol Maimard scored regularly. Jirawat Lainananukul was out in charge of team affairs at the start of the 2023-24 campaign.

Luan Borges top scored as the side finished just above the relegation place. This led to the appointment of a new head coach Nontaporn Yongant after the club had been moved into Thai League 3 East for 2024-25.

Samut Prakan FC will play in Thai League 3 East in the 2024-25 season.

My visit

Samut Prakan 1 Kasem Bundit University 1 (Sunday 23rd January 2022) Thai League 3 Bangkok (att: 150) 

A case of déjà vu after heading south to the same stadium the previous evening for the 1-1 draw between Samut Prakan City and Police Tero. I woke with a massive hangover after going home at daft o’clock from my local bar but determined nevertheless to head out.

Despite imaginary men pulling barbed wire through my head between the ears I summoned up the energy to go by the same route as the day before. Namely, three buses joining together; the 27, 145 and 133.

It was a pleasant day for football watching as I arrived at a more sensible time on this occasion. Going into the home section was also pleasant, not that the facilities were too different aside from a roof to shelter me from the sun in the main stand.

Initially, I was struggling to work out where to pay my 80 Baht admission fee and enter, such were the number of stewards and confused spectators hanging around. Thailand and its citizens were still being extremely cautious as it gradually recovered from the coronavirus pandemic.

With a low crowd it was possible to bag an excellent vantage point, a few rows up from where a fan appeared to be a one-man souvenir shop, knocking out Samut Prakan shirts. The locals seemed a pleasant enough bunch.

I guess they were a durable bunch, having had Osatspa and then the former Pattaya United dumped on their patch and sweeping up possible fans. But at the end of the day, they were the genuine item representing the city. 

In the opening exchanges, the Brazilian Ranieri Luiz Barbosa for the visitors from Rom Klao went on a fine run and was only denied by home goalie Chanakiat Nimma. However, five minutes in the university side went 1-0 ahead through the same forward with a powerful shot.

Nimma did his best to keep out the effort, but the power was too much for him to handle. Barbosa looked the standout player on the pitch and his superb ball put in Pitsanu Punriboon to score after he ran from deep to beat the offside trap and get a clear run through on goal.

Home skipper Jirawat Boonmak was doing his best but often failing to keep Barbosa quiet. Another fantastic piece of skill from the visitor saw him drag the ball back to Sivakorn Majitt who fired over when well placed.

The Fortress were being cheered on by a special Brigade of fans over the far side stood on ladders and raised platforms to gain free viewing. Their heroes halved the deficit four minutes from the break when a shot from Tilawas Thanomnaew was helped in by Nipat Ruaisanthia despite the best efforts of Kasem keeper Chitchana Tuksinpila.

During the interval, I decided to have a walk around the back of the goal to get a better photo of the main stand. I was spotted by the Brigade who offered me a warm welcome and some of their whisky. I was too rough to accept.

On the restart, Boonmak saw his half-volley punched away by Tuksinpila. The gent in front of me was doing a good trade with his shirt selling. The club seemed to have a proper love and community feel to it. 

The battle between Boonmak and Tuksinpila continued, as the custodian tipped over his long-range free kick. The Kasembundit defence was putting in a proper shift, with diligence and bravery as they threw their bodies on the line.

The pressure mounted as the home side looked to grab an equaliser and a valuable point in their fight against relegation. The introduction of skillful substitute Natthapat Wongsensuk along with Yushi Kawaguchi helped their cause.

 

Wongsensuk set up fellow sub Apisit Pangsuk who brought out the best in Tuksinpila. Bundit continued to weather the storm as the pressure gradually abated. The hosts deserved a point for their fightback, but it was not to be.

At full time I had a stroll as my condition continued to improve. Wandering up to Sukjai Park @ Bang Sao Thong I caught the first bus back to repeat my outward journey. It was an early night for me when I returned to Minburi to recover after a decent couple of games within a few hours in Samut Prakan.