Thonburi Stadium (Bangkok)

Ground: Thonburi Stadium

Capacity: 1,500

Opened: c2018

Club: Thonburi United (Current Tenant)

An Insight into Thonburi Stadium

Thonburi Stadium is a venue in the Bang Phai district of Thonburi, in the east of the Thai capital of Bangkok. It is predominantly used as the home stadium of Thonburi United in the Thai League.

Some of its funding and maintenance was paid for by the Thai FA, who use the venue to stage neutral games.

My visits

Thonburi United 1 North Bangkok University 1

Monday 10th January 2022

Thai League 3 Bangkok 

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 c200 

To read a description of a rare Monday afternoon fixture with a history of Thonburi United FC, click here.

Heartbreak for my Friends in the Final

Samutsakhon City 1 FC Bangsaotong 0

Saturday 4th June 2022 

Thailand Amateur League Bangkok Perimeter Final 

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 c350 🎟️ Free

I had earlier visited this fine venue for a Thonburi United home game, but this occasion had considerably more resting on it than on that occasion. The victors would be promoted to the professional ranks for the following season as a Thai League 3 club.

Getting There

I had prepared in fine style, having met up with a friend, a former New Zealand Test cricketer, the previous evening and enjoyed a very sociable few hours around Sukhumvit in the capital. To head to the game after breakfast, I took the MRT right around the final stop at Bang Khae, where I had a break in the air-conditioned mall, being ahead of schedule.

A bus took me to the Nongkhaem District Office, from where I crossed the road and bought some beers at the 7/11 for the match. I then took the walk, which was longer than I estimated, along Soi Phet Kasem 110. I wasn’t upset to see the floodlights as I turned the final bend.

In the main stand, I sat next to a fellow Englishman whose son was on the bench for FCB. Samutsakhon were backed by a couple of busloads of supporters and had the more experienced side, with some former T3 players in their ranks and were coached by Chanyut Pongpanomwet. 

Skin in the Game

I had skin in the game as I’d followed FCB through the course of the competition and was friends with their coach, Jamie Clarke. His side always played lots of nice football, but could sometimes over-elaborate. They were a young outfit, and their lack of nous would prove to be one of their weaknesses on the big occasion.

Their keeper, Chaiyasit Phetrangsee, seemed to have caught a case of the nerves, while the forwards, including Kuatrakul Kwankua, normally a star player, didn’t really get going. City goalie Wichan Manmueang hardly had a shot to save despite FCB having plenty of the ball in the final third of the pitch.

Controversy

The goal was highly contentious, to say the least. Even more so after watching replays of the game online later. A low shot from just outside the box was touched onto the post by Chaiyasit. Plchet Inbang followed up to put the ball away. Images would later reveal he was clearly offside.

Samutsakhon’s elder and more experienced players knew how to close the game out. Their custodian, Wichan, had to go off with an injury soon into the second half. His deputy, Aekkachai Srisaengchan, coped well and was protected by his defence. In the end, just one goal was enough to win promotion. 

An Unfair Advantage?

The Samutsakhon City players quite rightly celebrated in style with supporters on the pitch after the final whistle and trophy presentation. Bangsatong’s boys were in pieces. It was really sad to experience. They all seemed good lads, with their dreams of being pros for their team written off.

It was widely speculated that Samutsakhon had been heavily backed by their local authority, one of which was connected to the Thai FA. As someone in an official capacity at FCB said, there was no way City were going to be beaten. It’s not a great way to secure promotion. 

Picking Up the Pieces with Friends

Jamie had some beers with me and was understandably as dejected as his players. One of whom, Adam Mather, went back in the taxi with us. Jamie’s regular driver obligingly stopped at a 7/11 for cans before depositing us at the Sportsman on Sukhumvit 13.

Some other lads who played for FCB in the Bangkok Premier League were in there celebrating after playing for Siam Celtic, who had won their Bangkok Casuals League final. No foreigners had been allowed to play in the Thailand Amateur League. 

After a couple of beers, I got a message from Taew at her restaurant in Minburi telling me Thai friends had arrived and wanted to drink with me. The price of fame! I said my farewells, caught a taxi, and left the others to it, while reflecting on the sadness of the defeat in the days that followed.