A Funny Kind of Love. Port FC and I

A Funny Kind of Love. Port FC and I

Port 1 Khon Kaen United 2

Thai League 1

Wednesday 14th January 2025

Attendance: 2,317

Thai football has been very special to me from the moment I first discovered that there was a league set up in the Land of Smiles on one of my early visits. Back then my time spent in Thailand was primarily for my involvement in partaking and assisting in six-a-side cricket competitions meaning my knowledge of football came via the internet.

Information was scarce, with Wikipedia being the main outlet before I later discovered Facebook and Twitter pages and I came across the excellent “It’s A Habitthat Sticks” an English blog site concentrating primarily on Chonburi FC, who lest we forget was a huge name in Thai football in the late noughties. 

I managed to buy some team shirts at the shops near the National Stadium in 2007 which included Police United and Port FC among others. My first chance of going to a game came in 2010 after the cricket was over in Phuket but an Icelandic volcano put pay to any scheduled return back to Blighty.

I went to Army United v Bangkok United and then Customs Suvarnabhumi v Thai Honda on consecutive days, which I thoroughly enjoyed as an introduction without feeling too much passion towards any of the sides involved. Before my return home, I took the MRT to Khlong Toei and walked the ten minutes or so to the PAT Stadium which was being upgraded to its modern form.

No More Madam Pang anymore. At least officially

There was something about it there and then that I loved. I knew that Port had a reputation, with their fans involved in fighting with those of rivals Muangthong United at Suphachalasai Stadium a few months previously which saw the Kor Royal Cup being awarded to MTU. I would have to wait for my first game at the PAT.

The opportunity finally arose in April 2013 when after attending a Regional League game between Globlex against Samut Sakon I headed in a taxi down Ramkhamhaeng Road with my driver eventually deducing where I wanted to go. Singhtarua, as Port were called at the time, lost 2-1 to BB-CU in the second tier. It was the first night under the new floodlights which attracted a good-sized crowd.

A drink with a pal in Bangkok's best beer garden

The ground had previously been somewhat of a shambles with repeated floodlight failures, Port having to move out, and the club even having to reform. Probably because of what I’d gone through with Scarborough FC going bust and then helping with the new Scarborough Athletic, I felt quite at home, even if I did giggle when a fan in front of me had “Hooligan” emblazed on his shirt rather than a player’s name.

My regular twice yearly trips sometimes came up lucky for Port fixtures. I enjoyed everything about the PAT experience and the occasional away games. The feistiness and passion of the fans while being virtually on top of the pitch gave it something that stood out above other Thai venues. I even streamed some games back in the UK.

Never a shortage of food or drink at the PAT

Things changed, possibly forever at Port, when Nualphan Lamsam, otherwise known as Madam Pang, took over the club. It’s fair to say that she is not camera shy and is not to everyone’s tastes.

The atmosphere seemed to change somewhat. Beer was no longer allowed in the stands, and she took great delight in being front and back of every match advertisement and sitting on the bench next to the coaches, who were put in awkward positions where if they had told her not to, would have led to her losing face and the coach being made redundant. That’s how Thailand works. 

Only the Lonely approaching kick-off

Anyway, by December 2021 I had moved to Thailand full-time. Tickets for the start of the second leg during Covid restrictions were purchased as my mate Steve joined me. I went a lot that season as results nose-dived. The same as many previous and future seasons to come.

Undoubtedly, I also changed when I moved home. Football results were far less important to me than before. Sure, I’d sometimes get involved and have a shout at my many games, more often as a neutral and visiting new places, but if a team like Port who I wanted to win didn’t I wasn’t that bothered once I walked outside the gates.

I think I can best put this down to living in a beautiful place and finding a woman of my dreams whom I have married while fully integrating into Thai life with her family and friends. I still meet up occasionally with fellow farangs but generally, it’s on a matchday somewhere. At Port, I have been lucky to meet some loyal locals who are passionate in the extreme.

At first, they couldn’t work me out but having been introduced to my friends going to games with me, whom they have treated superbly, they understand that football is my love rather than one club, even if they think I’m bonkers ever considering going to Muangthong in the home end. 

So, back from an amazing three-week tour around Thailand with my good lady and her relatives, the fixtures fell kindly for me to go to my third home game of the 2024-25 season. Port had lost the previous Sunday away to Chiang Rai United, who like tonight’s visitors, Khon Kaen United (never just Khon Kaen) were in the drop zone. Surely it would end in a home win.

I had taken the quick route from Minburi consisting of Songthaew, a rickety old smoke-belching bus, a canal boat with similar attributes and then the MRT underground before a ten-minute walk to the stadium. While I have a relaxed attitude about games and their outcome and I will visit anywhere for my football fix, something struck me on this occasion.

In the same way, I always got a buzz walking from St John’s Wood tube to Lord’s or heading down North Marine Road for a day of cricket at Scarborough, the PAT Stadium approach gave me the same warm feeling inside. It had definitely done something to me. It is a scruffy place and a dream job of any health and safety official on secondment from the UK. It has no corporate facilities but has noise, passion and raucousness. It's a perfect football stadium, at least to me.

There was certainly no need to seek out a tout or buy online for this match with the 6pm midweek slot being a contributory factor in a poor turnout. There is always somewhere to sit or wander around once through the main gates from the road. A huge variety of street food is available, in what I describe as Bangkok’s best beer garden when there is a game on and the atmosphere builds.

Two gents who always improve my PAT experience

Yao (apologies if misspelt) my Thai pal who plays great tunes via Bluetooth speaker in the fans park outside was unusually missing. I located his mates and had a couple of beers before heading inside to find my friend concentrating on the team doing their warmups along with his wife Tuk. Yoa formerly had trials with the club as a youngster and was brought up over the road from the ground. He is well educated from time spent studying at university in England and now helps run the family business.

His knowledge, helpfulness, and generally great company to be around along with the rest of the gang who position themselves in the corner behind the goal nearest the main stand. Port attracts a wide range of fans from different backgrounds and nations. I find the company of the locals the most comfortable as I get the chance to practice speaking Thai and learn from them. And they have genuine passion. It’s their club. Us expats are guests. One of those in the corner never misses a game home or away, turning up with large yellow and red cards which he shows to the ref to offer advice. I love it.

Time for half-time beers

One expat used this particular match to film for his YouTube channel. It seems like there are many trying to make money in this way, and fair play to them. I’m not personally a fan of the click-baiting that attracts views but if it raises awareness in Thai football then it’s got to be good. The gent filming would get a pretty raw deal, though those in the low crowd did their best to get behind their team.

The visitors went 1-0 ahead through Ryu Seung-woo midway through the first half. Port misfiring forward Lonsana Doumbouya had somehow headed a delicious cross from the exquisite left foot of Kevin Deeromram over the bar before that. He made amends by nodding him stylishly within three minutes of his side going behind. The hosts were missing opportunities galore, with away goalie Chirawat Wangthaphan making one superb save.

Yoa had brought the beers by this point. When Madam Pang took on the role of President of the Thai FA, she handed control of the club to a relative, though not many were fooled that she had relinquished her power. She was often seen in her apartment behind where we stand and even seen at games in her Port colours, which isn’t a particularly good look for someone who should be maintaining neutrality.

Once the reins had been handed over, beer was allowed back inside the stands. Muangthong fans were allowed back in the stadium for the derby after a hiatus of nine years, while improvements were made which included an excellent playlist before games. Now there was no danger of the rare chance of bad behaviour damaging Pang’s election, so it was back to more relaxed times. The wall of portraits of her on the rear wall of a stand leaves nobody in any doubt about whom to thank. 

We went outside at the break where Yoa’s mate had a stall which provided our beers and also sold some superb spicy sausage. The chat and fun were such that we missed the start of the second half which included what would prove to be the winning goal for Khon Kaen United.

Port continued to huff and puff but the lacklustre performance got no more than it deserved. The visitors did what should be expected of any team fighting relegation as they fought and scrapped and used every trick in the book. If only the home side showed the same passion. The victors showed just how ordinary they were when a few days later they lost 9-0 away to Buriram United.

It's A Family Affair, at Port

Enough was enough for the Port hierarchy. Head coach Rangsan Viwatchaichok had been talked out of resigning earlier in the season. This time he was shown the door before the night was done. It was typical Port and summed up their previous seasons. A good start with big signings before falling apart. It's a good job there are so many poor teams in the division.

But here lies the issue. Port, BG Pathum United, and Bangkok United are relatively unchallenged by the chasing pack, yet they know they have no chance of chasing down Buriram United. Sacking a coach may be good for a power trip and obviously needs to be done occasionally, not least to indicate to the fans that the owners understand their disappointment, but will it really make a huge difference? The only way is to be honest with fans, create a project over several years, employ the right coach and don't interfere and be patient. All traits missing from Thai club owners.

We were oblivious to the news of the sacking, getting stuck into more Leo’s and enjoying the evening. There was another home game to come the following week against Ratchaburi. I was pretty sure that I’d be there, but it looked like Yoa was double-booked. I'd find a way to have fun regardless though I'd miss him.

Tuk kindly took pity on this oversized farang and kindly dropped me at the end of my village as she put up with two heavily imbibed blokes not always understanding each other through the language barrier discussing life and football. She deserved the Player of the Match award.