Pattani

Pattani FC

Ground: Rainbow Stadium
Capacity: 12,000
Club Founded: 2009
League: Thai League 1 (current level)

Southern Thailand is home to several football clubs with enormous potential, and few have risen as quickly as Pattani FC. Backed by passionate support and impressive crowds, the club has enjoyed consecutive promotions in recent years, climbing into the upper levels of the Thai national game.

Early Years

The ‘Queen Cannons’ were formed in 2009, entering the Regional League Division 2 Southern Region and playing home games at Pattani Municipal Stadium, finishing fourth in their debut campaign.

The team improved by a place in 2011, before finishing runners-up twelve months later, with Al Hadji Adamou putting away the goals. Ahmed Toota and then Ahmed Kodmany thrilled the home fans before Elvis Job became the top scorer for two seasons.

League Restructuring

The wonderfully named striker helped Pattani to another second place in 2015. The Thai League system was reorganised for the 2017 season, with the club being placed in Thai League 4 South. Ibrahim Dicko led the scoring chart, which ended in second place. Any chance of promotion was ended in the playoffs by Grakcu Sai Mai United.

Another second regional finish and the playoffs followed in 2019, which ended in promotion, partly through the goals of Georgi Tsimakuridze. The Thai League once again restructured. It was decided to follow the European fixture calendar from the start of the 2020-21 season.

Post COVID

A couple of disappointing seasons ensued following the pandemic, with the side being led by Maka Hoprasartsuk before he was replaced in the summer of 2021 by Banpot Chaichanadet. Sathot Bensoh was appointed ahead of the 2022-23 season before the arrival of Teeratada Chamrus after the midseason break. 

The goals of Pithak Abdulrahman helped the Gunners to the fourth spot before they improved by one place a year later under head coach Damian Bellon, as Natan Oliveira scored twenty goals. By now, improvements and a name change saw the Rainbow Stadium being rechristened.

Pattani FC are featured in my video

of the 2024-25 playoff semifinal

Recent Success

A trio of Brazilians were recruited for the 2024-25 season, who proved to be inspired signings. Pattarapol Naprasart was put in charge of the team before he was replaced by Nirun Assawapakdee at the halfway mark of the season. The Queen Canons reached the playoffs, where they won promotion with a two-legged win against North Bangkok University. 

This meant that the club were to play in the second level of Thai football for the first time. Two capacity crowds showed signs of great potential. Chana Chalermsak took charge of the side before what turned out to be a season-changing appointment in October 2025, when Santisuk Chaisol was put in charge of the team.

Felipe Nunes, Carlos Neto, and captain Marlon Silva helped Pattani to the playoffs, where wins against Chainat Hornbill and Nongbua Pitchaya sent the Queen Canons up into Thai League 1.

My visit

Stadium Visit - Friday 3rd January 2025

The latest leg of our tour of Laos and Thailand with my wife, her cousin and his family provided me with an opportunity to call into the Rainbow Stadium to take some photos. It wasn’t in the plans when we set out heading towards Betong, but things changed thanks to a conversation in the back of the car.

I mentioned that if we stayed again in Hat Yai, I’d take the train to watch a game in Pattani. However, Taew had different thoughts on the matter, as she said it was not advisable to travel independently without local guidance.

The south of Thailand had been embroiled in tensions for a couple of decades or more, with bombings and terrorist attacks still taking place. We therefore made a compromise, with Q our guide driving me to the venue. It was probably not an appropriate time to mention our previous away trips in the 80s to the likes of Millwall, Leeds, Stoke, and Middlesbrough, so I kept quiet.

It was quite a nice venue, even if similar to many provincial stadia around the country. Paintwork alone had clearly lifted what is otherwise an open bowl. One side had a roof over the seats, with the rest being open to the elements.

Delighted at the chance to visit a vibrant stadium, it was time to get back underway, continuing on to discover more of the region and its surroundings.

If you have enjoyed reading this article, you might wish to visit my YouTube Channel, where there are numerous homemade Thai football videos, as well as a wide range of content covering all aspects of life in the Land of Smiles, including the one above in which we visited Pattani on a tour of Thailand and Laos.

You might also like to get hold of a copy of my book, which covers the adventure, along with dealing with the language barrier and understanding Thai culture. It is available in paperback and on Kindle.