Chira Nakhon Stadium (Hat Yai)

The Chira Nakhon Stadium in the southern Thai city of Hat Yai was constructed in 1944. As the major arena in the province at the time, it hosted many sporting events. Football was played there over many years long before Thailand became organised and set up national leagues around the turn of the millennium.

The first club from the city to play in a national competition was Hatyai FC. They partook in Regional League Division 2 Southern Region in 2010 as an expansion club, finishing their debut season in a disappointing twelfth spot. 

A huge improvement saw the ‘Red Eagles’ end in fourth place the following year, backed up by eighth in 2012. The club took a year out before returning in 2014 to finish towards the bottom of the table. Another season sabbatical then ensued.

Back in 2016, Hat Yai finished tenth. There then followed fifth position in 2017 and then third a year later as Akkarapol Meesawat led the scoring in both campaigns while playing at Muang Lak Southern Stadium.

 

However, by this time another club in the city had been formed who took up tenancy at Chira Nakhon Stadium. Hatyai City won the Thailand Amateur League South title in 2017, gaining promotion to Thai League 4 South to join their neighbours Hatyai FC in the restructured Thai League.           

Teerawat Durnee top scored in 2018, as his side ended in fifth position. This was improved upon by one place twelve months later. This time it was Apdussalam Saman who put away the goals. By then the club had moved to Southern Major City Stadium to play their home games.

The worldwide pandemic interrupted Thai football, which again opted for another restructure and adopted the European calendar. Hatyai City also underwent big changes as it became Young Singh Hatyai United.

Nuttakorn Khunjarern led the scoring as they ended in ninth spot in 2020-21, before finishing third a year later, after the club moved back into Chira Nakhon Stadium as Congolese striker Burnel Okana-Stazi put away the chances. Unfortunately, not all was well behind the scenes.

 

They failed to meet the licensing requirements and were thrown out of the Thai League. As of February 2024, there have been no signs of them reforming or another Hat Yai based club trying to win promotion via the Thai Semi-pro League.

My visit

Wednesday 1st January 2025

Many times, in the past, I have celebrated the start of the New Year by heading off to football to blow the cobwebs away and enjoy the cold air and a few beers. It would have been remiss of me not to fit in some football even while in a new city to me.

My wife and I were in Hat Yai with her cousin and family on a long tour of Thailand and Laos. The countdown to midnight had been celebrated with Q as he showed me downtown and then on to a late bar with other friends and relatives.

I was certainly in need of cobwebs being blown away and desperately wanted to find a store selling tea bags, having made the schoolboy error of forgetting to pack any at the start of our jaunt. I had mentioned that I would walk to the stadium to get my steps count in the following morning with some exercise. 

However, our hosts said it was a long way, and we could kill two birds with one stone. Well, three as it transpired, as we were also treated to a sightseeing tour of the city and that of Songkhla before dining at an amazing restaurant that had a museum.

The stadium was not unlike many other provincial venues around the country. Where the Chira Nakhon Stadium differed was that it had an uninterrupted horseshoe open bowl and then a main stand that stood alone. All the seats were blue and green.

Compared to many venues still hosting Thai League football, it was in marvellous condition and well-maintained. One wondered why a sustainable club in such a large cosmopolitan city failed to take off. No doubt, being badly run saw off the previous two Hat Yai clubs, as could Songkhla FC as the province’s major outfit.

Once I had enjoyed my little dalliance, I was taken to a large store near the railway station to buy tea bags, some mature cheddar cheese, and crackers. I love Thai food but sometimes some comfort eating and drinking is required.