Phang Nga

Phang Nga FC was formed in 2009, to represent the province of the same name which is in the south of Thailand north of Krabi and Phuket. They were accepted into the third-tier Regional League Division 2 Southern Region for the 2010 season as an extension club.

In their debut campaign the ‘Dredgers’ finished eighth, playing home games at the Phang Nga Provincial Administrative Organization Stadium in the main town of the province. Their performance was backed up by fifth place twelve months later. 

The improvement continued as Phang Nga ended 2012 in fourth which was replicated a year later. Other details of their successful time are unobtainable as the Thai League system gradually developed.

A disappointing tenth position ensued in 2014 which got worse as the team ended 2015 in the bottom spot. An improvement of one place in 2016 saw the club evade automatic relegation but all was not well off the pitch as well as on it. 

Thai football restructured for the 2017 season with clubs who finished in the lower half of the table the previous season being placed in Thai League 4 with several expansion clubs. However, Phang Nga failed to meet the licensing criteria and were omitted, initially for one season to get their house in order.

This failed to materialise. A club called Phangnga United entered the Thailand Amateur League in 2020-21 and again in 2022 where it lost all of its three matches under head coach Theerapong Apichatbut.

The Phang Nga stadium was well maintained despite no regular club playing there as tenants, with it presumably being a facility for those who want to keep fit running on the track and the pitch being hired out.

It got another taste of pro football when it hosted the home games of Phuket Andaman FC in the second half of the 2024-25 season while the Surakul Stadium was undergoing refurbishments. 

My visit

Thursday 9th January 2025

When an opportunity knocks, I am not the type to let it go begging, and so it was on this glorious Thursday lunchtime as I was sitting in the back of a car driven by a local man who was offering a taxi service. 

He had delivered us to the boat pier so that we could enjoy the incredible delights of Panyee Island which included a floating football pitch before he collected us once again. This time he took us somewhere that sold the best type of local food, which my wife Taew bought for our tea.

Our driver wanted to visit somewhere on the way back to our hotel when I sensed my chance. I asked my good lady to tell him to take us to the stadium and I would give him a tip in return. With both parties happy we were soon outside the arena.

Like so many in Thailand, it was for all the community to use. But this one was a bit special. It had covered stands facing it each other across the track and pitch, both in pristine condition, but the outstanding feature was the backdrop.

The stunning steep faces of the mountains which enclosed the far side were simply incredible. It must be up there with any venues anywhere in terms of scenery and aesthetic value. I was so happy that we visited.

Our man could not have been more helpful, taking us back to our hotel. I nipped back along the main road to have my head shaved and talk to more marvellously friendly locals in a town that didn’t have much happening but the scenery more than made up for it.