Samut Prakan FC
Ground: Bang Pu Stadium
Capacity: 12,000
Club Founded: 2007
League: Thai Semi-Pro League (club applying for the 2027 season)
Samut Prakan FC were possibly hindered by a bigger club grabbing more support while sharing the same stadium. After relegation from the Thai League, they have stated their aim to win back their place in a new stadium.
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| Samut Prakan SAT Stadium All images on this page are of that venue |
Firstly, it's important not to confuse the club with Samut Prakan City FC, which shared the Samut Prakarn SAT Stadium for several seasons.
Early Years
Samut Prakan FC, nicknamed the 'Fortress’, started out life playing at the Royal Thai Naval Academy Football Field in the third-tier Thailand League Division 2. A move to Sit Chaiyasam Football Field followed, with the team again ending fifth in Group A after the division was split after expansion.
The club was placed in Division 2 Central & Eastern Region two years later, playing the season at Huachiew Chalermprakiet University Stadium and 72nd Anniversary Stadium in Bang Mod. The team finished as champions but missed out on promotion through the playoffs, which was repeated a year later.
Samut Prakan FC, nicknamed the 'Fortress’, started out life playing at the Royal Thai Naval Academy Football Field in the third-tier Thailand League Division 2. A move to Sit Chaiyasam Football Field followed, with the team again ending fifth in Group A after the division was split after expansion.
Home games were played at Customs Department Stadium before a move to what would become their permanent base at Samut Prakarn SAT Stadium, before a return to the renamed Lad Krabang 54 Stadium.
A Nomadic Existence
The lack of stability didn’t help on the pitch performance as Samut Prakan had a spell of finishing in the lower reaches of the division. Further nomadic existence followed as the club became tenants at the remote venues of the 72nd Anniversary Stadium in Min Buri and Samut Prakarn Province Stadium.
A spell at Lam Fah Pha Subdistrict Municipality Stadium then ensued. At least the team in blue and white improved their performance with a third-placed finish in 2015. In the renamed Eastern Region twelve months later, the club moved back to Samut Prakarn SAT Stadium.
The club was placed in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region of Thai League 4 in 2017, where the goals of Phakpoom Malirungruang and Gabriel Mintah took Fortress to the play-offs. Dennis Borketey topped scored the following season before Josué Pereira Da Silva Filho banged in the goals. The division retained its name but became the third tier for the 2020-21 season.
The club was placed in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region of Thai League 4 in 2017, where the goals of Phakpoom Malirungruang and Gabriel Mintah took Fortress to the play-offs. Dennis Borketey topped scored the following season before Josué Pereira Da Silva Filho banged in the goals. The division retained its name but became the third tier for the 2020-21 season.
League Struggles
A season later, Samut Prakan avoided relegation on goal difference. 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 saw Danny Invincible cut his teeth as a head coach with loaned players, adding strength and improved performance. Pakkapol Maimard scored regularly for the side.
Jirawat Lainananukul was in charge of team affairs at the start of the 2023-24 campaign. Luan Borges top-scored as the side again finished just above the relegation position, leading to the appointment of a new head coach, Nontaporn Yongant.
A sideways movement to Thai League 3 East ended in relegation in April 2025. A year later, the club announced that it would be focusing on youth football and hoped to enter the Semi-Pro League in 2026, while playing at the new Bang Pu Stadium.
My visit
Samut Prakan 1 Kasem Bundit University 1
A Hungover Journey
My visit
Samut Prakan 1 Kasem Bundit University 1
Thai League 3 Bangkok - Sunday 23rd January 2022
👨👨👧👧 150 🎟️ 80 THB (£1.80)
A Hungover Journey
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, the three buses joining together.
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 for my ticket, such was 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 items representing the city.
Thai League 3 Action
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, the three buses joining together.
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 for my ticket, such was 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 items representing the city.
Thai League 3 Action
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, who 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 sales. 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 skilful 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.
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, who 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 sales. 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 skilful 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.
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