Ground: Suphachalasai Stadium
Capacity: 19,793
Opened: 1938
Team: Thailand National Team (former); Neutral Venue (current level)
Bangkok may have many new venues, but Suphachalasai is considered Thailand's grand old lady of stadiums with its history and iconic location.
Stadium Background
Over the years, the stadium hosted many football internationals before the construction of Rajamangala. Several different Thai league clubs, including Chonburi, have also used the stadium for Asian Football Confederation competitions, as many league grounds don't meet the required criteria.
Games at Suphachalasai include the 2010 Kor Cup clash between Muangthong United and Port FC, which was abandoned due to crowd violence. It hosted the Asian Games three times and Oman v Iraq in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup.
Michael Jackson played two sold-out concerts before the stadium was refurbished and a new running track was installed in 2013. The Asian Games athletics events were staged twenty years later after another spruce-up.
In November 2025, the final match of the 7HD Champion Cup 2025 seven-a-side student football tournament, shown live on national TV, saw a crowd of 35,000 pack inside the stadium, causing chaos.
My visits
Stadium Visit - April 2008
In Thailand, primarily for the Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes and a holiday afterwards, I stayed on the outskirts of the city. I decided a day looking at the city's stadiums was in order.
I took the SkyTrain to National Stadium, which is extremely convenient. Next door is Thephasadin Stadium, used at the time by various club sides. It was a warm-up stadium for athletes waiting to use the main arena. I was delighted to see the goods entrance open by the main gates, so I wandered in.
Many labourers were readying the stadium for the next event, but a smile did the trick, and I was inside. The stadium had a running track, but the stands were right alongside it and were steeply banked. Three sides were open, with a roof over the main straight. I could easily imagine a good atmosphere with a big crowd.
I left and found several side streets behind the covered side that were the sports equipment and sportswear hub. Rows and rows of shops sold replica shirts of varying authenticity at wide price ranges, depending on one's naivety and bargaining power.
I found Grand Sport, the company that made kits for many Thai League teams and bought a few shirts for my collection. I just wish Thai sizes were the same as in the UK!
Stadium Visit - Monday 28th October 2013
Construction work was going on on the running track. The seating areas looked in brilliant condition. The pitch did too, which was being watered.
I took time to walk around the stadium and inside the concourse, which housed many of the nation’s sporting institutions, including the National Refereeing Institute, the Sports Association for the Disabled of Thailand, and the FA of Thailand. I got an unobstructed view through the railed gates from the far end of the arena.
Outside, I stopped to watch and film some local lads playing takraw, which is like head tennis played on training grounds around the world. The difference in Thailand is that the ball is made of woven rattan, as seen here in the video I took.
Like on my previous visit, I wanted to return home with a souvenir, so I looked for the shops selling team shirts, which I found around Chulalongkorn 2 and 4. There were choices for anyone not of such a full figure, but after plenty of perusal, I bought a fine Chamchuri United top for around a tenner.
I headed back to Asoke to drain the last drop out of my stay before heading to the airport after another amazing holiday in the Land of Smiles.
Stadium Visit - Thursday 29th October 2015
I was in Bangkok following the Thailand International Cricket Sixes. After the tournament, we visited Pattaya before returning to the capital. I was a tour guide to a trio of mates. I had a big day planned for us all, which covered most bases.
Outside, I stopped to watch and film some local lads playing takraw, which is like head tennis played on training grounds around the world. The difference in Thailand is that the ball is made of woven rattan, as seen here in the video I took.
I headed back to Asoke to drain the last drop out of my stay before heading to the airport after another amazing holiday in the Land of Smiles.
I was in Bangkok following the Thailand International Cricket Sixes. After the tournament, we visited Pattaya before returning to the capital. I was a tour guide to a trio of mates. I had a big day planned for us all, which covered most bases.
After a pleasant lunch, we caught the Sky Train to the National Stadium so that my mates could look inside and take photos. The gate was open, and the place was deserted, so we could take our time.
Once we were done, we took taxis to the Grand Palace, took a riverboat trip on the Chao Phraya River, wandered down Khao San Road and then went to Thai boxing at the Ratchadamnoen Boxing Stadium to round off a magnificent day.
Muang Thong United 2 Chiangrai United 0
Thai League Cup Final - Wednesday 22nd November 2017
👨👨👧👧 16,788 🎟️ 150 THB (£3.60)
Ticket Chaos
Ticket Chaos
Luck was finally on my side. I could watch a game at Supachalasai Stadium while enjoying a few days' holiday in Bangkok following the 2017 Thailand International Cricket Sixes.
The Thai FA can sometimes be erratic with their planning, but this time they came up trumps. Indeed, if I had stayed a few days longer, I would have also had the opportunity to attend the FA Cup final.
The event went well as an administrator, even if it hadn't for the touring Beer Battered Seadogs on the pitch. We’d enjoyed every minute together in a great city. The last of the boys went home on the morning of the match, to allow me some downtime.
And boy, I needed it, to let my body and mind rest and allow for a bit of personal pampering without having to consider others or be anywhere at a set time.
I checked out of the Windsor Suites Hotel, and I decided to try the famous Nana Hotel. It turned out to be a mistake. My room had no windows and was dated, with average facilities. The location, however, was excellent. It offered everything any tourist wanted, with food, drinks, and various forms of entertainment within a few yards.
The Thai FA can sometimes be erratic with their planning, but this time they came up trumps. Indeed, if I had stayed a few days longer, I would have also had the opportunity to attend the FA Cup final.
The event went well as an administrator, even if it hadn't for the touring Beer Battered Seadogs on the pitch. We’d enjoyed every minute together in a great city. The last of the boys went home on the morning of the match, to allow me some downtime.
And boy, I needed it, to let my body and mind rest and allow for a bit of personal pampering without having to consider others or be anywhere at a set time.
I checked out of the Windsor Suites Hotel, and I decided to try the famous Nana Hotel. It turned out to be a mistake. My room had no windows and was dated, with average facilities. The location, however, was excellent. It offered everything any tourist wanted, with food, drinks, and various forms of entertainment within a few yards.
After all, I wasn't going to be spending much time indoors. I’d booked the match tickets online by opening an account with Thai Ticket Major for myself and Steve, who was meeting me after work. I was told I could collect the tickets from one of their several outlets.
I headed to Siam Central in the heart of the city and found the ticket desk on the seventh floor. It’s fair to say that I was less than impressed to be told that I needed to pick them up before the match at the stadium. This wasn't mentioned in the confirmation email.
The lady said it was the norm when within seven days before an event. This would have taken some doing. Tickets only went on sale nine days before the final. It was Thai bureaucracy at its best. Following a much-needed siesta, I met Steve in Starbucks by the main intersection. We had lots of time to kill. We decided to walk to the stadium.
Pre-Match Build Up
It proved a prudent plan as several buildings along the way offered desperately appreciated facilities. The hot Bangkok weather and an unhealthy diet were eventually challenging. Crowd numbers increased outside the Nimibutr Indoor Stadium and then Thephasadin Stadium. They were mainly Muangthong supporters. A decent atmosphere built with nearly three hours until kick-off.
To enter the main forecourt outside the National or Supachalasai Stadium, we had to pass through a security check. Inside, the crowds grew as both clubs had set up souvenir stalls where several sponsors promoted their wares. The queue for tickets was painless. Larger queues formed for fans to have their photo taken with the League Cup.
The whole atmosphere was vibrant but relaxed. We continued to our stadium's entrance. Fortunately, additional facilities were outside. It gave me a surreal moment in the loos, listening to Steve explain to the local police where Scarborough was and what league the Boro played in, as we were both wearing replica shirts.
Eventually, we found our way to what I thought was a familiar area near the new Chula University buildings. The whole area had received a makeover since my previous visit, with lots of new little squares and modern constructions appearing.
It looked like they had replaced the old area that sold football shirts and equipment. A decent-sized group of Chiangrai fans had gathered to set up an impromptu party around food and drink vendors.
After I took some tablets for my tummy issues, we decided to eat in one of the many local outlets. Steve chose pork stew on rice, while I had the Chinese-style chicken in sauce with rice. The food was exceptional, even if the portions were small. Each dish cost 50 Baht, just over £1 at the exchange rate.
Walking back towards the stadium, I suddenly noticed the football shops. We had been a block away. Time was on our side, so I checked them out and bought my nephew a couple of kits. The Paris Saint-Germain and AS Roma sets cost 500 Baht.
Delighted with my purchases, we headed back to the stadium, with just under an hour before kick-off. We were told to go back to the far end, where security let us through again. We had another check before reaching our gate. They stamped our wrists in case we wanted to pop out for food and drink.
I bought us the most expensive tickets for 150 Baht down the main side and under the huge roof in the Chiangrai United section, just in case of any heavy showers. We had been caught out before at Port’s TAT Stadium and didn’t want it to happen again.
Seats were unreserved, so we found a decent place towards the back. The arena gradually filled, with the MTU section already busy with fans signing and hanging their banners.
An exposé of bribery and match-fixing charges involving Sisaket and Navy players, as well as a match official, a few days before the final. This wasn't a huge surprise to regular viewers who’d long suspected some referees weren't accidentally incompetent.
Muangthong fans displayed a banner, "Money Cannot Buy History", at a dig at the heavily spending Chiangrai. It hinted that history couldn't be bought, but some referees could be.
As the furthest northern side in the competition, Chiangrai's support would be dwarfed by that of the local side, MTU. Their mission hadn’t been made easy by the planning of the Thai FA.
Chiangrai had also reached the FA Cup final, against Bangkok United the following Saturday. This meant any fans travelling by road would reach their northern city after the match and then set off again twenty-four hours later if they wanted to go to both games.
Despite this, the Beetles had a decent following; no doubt boosted by neutrals and several Port fans cheering for the underdogs, rather than the naturally disliked MTU. Steve and I fit those categories.
As the teams came out, MTU fans tried to put on a banner display similar to the ones seen at German stadiums. Hilariously, they tried to show 1989 on four different sheets, signifying the year they were formed. One sheet was held upside down, then back to front. It caused plenty of laughter
The Match
Muangthong were the ultimate corporate machine of the day with Ultra fans, a smart purpose-built stadium, big sponsors, and star players. It could have been Manchester United, right down to the playing kit.
Like the English version, they also got the rub of the green with every 50/50 decision, or so it seemed. This time, referee Siwakorn Phoo-udom did his absolute best to oblige. Teerasil Dangda was undoubtedly a talented footballer and the darling of the Thai game, but he may as well have refereed the match himself.
Like the English version, they also got the rub of the green with every 50/50 decision, or so it seemed. This time, referee Siwakorn Phoo-udom did his absolute best to oblige. Teerasil Dangda was undoubtedly a talented footballer and the darling of the Thai game, but he may as well have refereed the match himself.
He could easily have been shown a yellow card several times but went unpunished. When a defender went near him, he received a free kick. Brazilian midfielder Heberty also looked to simulate and look for assistance from the officials. I far preferred left-back Theerathon Bunmathan's excellent play.
Chiang Rai played some fine football, with their Brazilian forward Rafael Coelho doing his best to lead the line. In truth, they were missing a big man up front to put pressure on the shaky MTU defence. They escaped far too many times.
The game ebbed and flowed and was decent enough until the deadlock was broken ten minutes before the break. Heberty was adjudged to have been fouled around twenty-five yards out. Chatchai Budprom did well to save his free kick, but full-back Peerapat Notchaiya followed up to smash the ball home from an acute angle.
CRU came out to give it a real go in the second half, cheered on by their appreciative following. They really did miss a decent forward. Despite having lots of possession and creating pressure, they didn’t have the vital cutting edge.
The game was decided on the hour mark. MTU dealt with the pressure before a fine slide-rule pass sent Teerasil through to slot home, making it 2-0 to the joy of the Kirins fans behind the goal. To Chiang Rai’s credit, they tried to find a way through, when it must have been tempting to save some energy for the FA Cup Final a few days later.
Midfielder Everton Gonçalves was sent off in the final minute of normal time with a second yellow card. We made our way to the front, hoping to beat the MTU crowds to the main road and SkyTrain. It didn’t quite pan out.
Post Match Fun
Long queues formed to buy tickets and board the BTS Skytrain, so we set off walking. Traffic left MBK and Siam shopping and entertainment complexes when the football finished. Huge traffic snarl-ups ensued.
Steve went ahead to try to get a cab to Minburi. I toyed with several ideas before hailing a taxi back to Nana. Traffic was so bad that my driver found it quicker to go south through Khlong Toei, up to Asoke and then down the opposite side of Sukhumvit Road.
Steve went ahead to try to get a cab to Minburi. I toyed with several ideas before hailing a taxi back to Nana. Traffic was so bad that my driver found it quicker to go south through Khlong Toei, up to Asoke and then down the opposite side of Sukhumvit Road.
Once I’d dumped my gear in my room, I headed out for a few beers. I enjoyed a relaxing few hours at Speakeasy on Soi 15, catching up on the week's football highlights before heading to the Bier Garden for an hour or so. It was a decent evening out, even if the match result wasn’t as I would have preferred.
I woke the next day in fine form and headed to the Kiwi Bar to watch the first session of The Ashes. That was a whole new tale!
SRV FC 4 Sarawittaya School 1
SRV FC 4 Sarawittaya School 1
Thailand Prime Minister Cup u16 Bangkok Zone - Monday 28th August 2023
👨👨👧👧 c100 🎟️ Free
An Unexpected Treat
Occasionally, random friendly games with amateurs crop up, so I check out my saved clubs on Facebook a couple of times a week. Bangkapi FC posted a video of their juniors in action, so I delved further. The semi-finals were being played at Supachalasai National Stadium.
With a few spare hours and nothing on at home, I decided to head out for the day, knowing I would be going to the Muangthong United v Port game later that evening. I took a bus to Bangkapi, then the boat down the canal directly into the city.
With a few spare hours and nothing on at home, I decided to head out for the day, knowing I would be going to the Muangthong United v Port game later that evening. I took a bus to Bangkapi, then the boat down the canal directly into the city.
From there, it was a short walk to the stadium. Like Wembley Stadium, only in a more pleasant environment, the stadium surroundings had been engulfed in recent years. It really had changed since my first visit.
Armed with drinks and snacks from the local 7-Eleven, I tried working out which teams were playing and in which kit from my seat. I had a schedule of the two initial groups in Thai on my phone. Google Translate helped me out.
Confusion Solved
Confusion Solved
I was initially confused on arrival until midway through the first half. There was a drinks break when both sides got their water from the nearest bench, plus everyone was wearing the same shorts and socks.
I saw some spectators wearing the name of SRV on their backs, so I searched on Google and Facebook. It led me to the school post, with a football page, where, lo and behold, the game was being screened live.
A Competitive Match
A Competitive Match
I sought out the commentator, and at halftime, he confirmed that both teams were from the same establishment. There was no schoolmate stuff during the match, with Sarawittaya on top before SRV took the lead before the break.
They extended the lead before it went back to 2-1. As the limbs tired on a stunning afternoon and play became stretched on the full-sized pitch in superb surroundings, another couple of goals followed.
Excellent fun, as the second two semifinalists limbered up for their later 4.15pm clash, waiting for their turn in such an impressive location. It was good to see the facility used properly, with a good playing surface as the youngsters portrayed their talent.
Excellent fun, as the second two semifinalists limbered up for their later 4.15pm clash, waiting for their turn in such an impressive location. It was good to see the facility used properly, with a good playing surface as the youngsters portrayed their talent.
The final was at the same venue at 3.30 a few days later, but I decided another trek into the city was a bit too much. At full time, I caught the SkyTrain to Victory Monument, hoping the app's information was accurate and the minibus would be ready, so I could beat the traffic in time for beers in Nonthaburi.
My visit is covered here in the first part of the video made for
A Thai Football Podcast
A Thai Football Podcast
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