My visits
Monday 26th April 2010
I had previously visited the Osatsapa Stadium when Port shared the venue and the Taura Stadium, as Pat Stadium was then called, was being originally prepared.
Osotsapa Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. It is currently used mostly for football matches and was the home stadium of Osotsapa FC at the time. PAT were currently joint tenants, with the stadium holding 3,000 people. The club previously played at the Thai-Japanese Stadium.
On another blazing hot day, I had the opportunity to visit the PAT Stadium. My extended stay owing to the erupting Icelandic volcano was to come to an end the following day, and as I was in the city, I decided this was a good photo opportunity.
I took the MRT (underground) to Khlong Toei. I had sketched down rough directions to the stadium, and sure enough, I soon saw the floodlights peering over the buildings after a ten-minute walk along Rama IV Road and then down Sunthon Kosa Road.
The area behind that end of the ground was still open at the time. The ground was mid-construction, so it was easy to gain access. I soon talked my way past a security guard who only seemed half interested, and I was in a gap and onto the corner of the pitch. To my right stood the oldest stand, containing the VIP areas and changing rooms.
Behind the nearest goal was a new stand which was still not fully constructed. A similar, smaller structure stood behind the far end, topped with a huge advertisement and scoreboard. The far side had a stand with orange and blue bucket seats in the lower section.
All three structures were on metal frames and not dissimilar to the structures found at Withdean in Brighton and around the greens at major golf competitions. It was fairly obvious that football was taking off, hence the need for the construction of more stands.
The capacity was intended to be 10,000 when completed. I could imagine the atmosphere to be very good because of the ground environment, and there was no track around the pitch.
The surrounding district was obviously one of the poorer districts in the city. However, it was an excellent place to go for food or shopping at the cheap markets. The stadium backed onto a pleasant public garden behind one of the goals.
Singhtarua 1 BB-CU 2 (Sunday 7th April 2013) Thai League Division One (att: approx 7,000)
After returning victorious from the cricket at Chiang Mai once again, I wanted to see some Sunday football on my rest day in Bangkok. Originally, I had planned two games around Minburi, but my good mate Steve Walker was out of town for the weekend.
Instead, I booked a central hotel for the evening and worked out two games nearer home. After taking in an hour of Globlex against Samut Sakon in the Regional League, I headed back to the main Rhampangpeng Road to flag down a taxi.
Thai taxi drivers, particularly those in Bangkok, can have surprisingly little knowledge of their own city, and so it proved once more. My pilot was a wonderful, smiley bloke, but he didn't have much of a clue, not helped by my total lack of any Thai words relating to football or stadiums.
However, between us, we managed to find PAT Stadium through a mixture of writing down names on my pad and drawing impromptu maps. The brand new towering floodlights and the Singhtarua fans on mopeds finally gave the destination away.
I alighted outside the club shop on Thanon Sunthon Kosa and had a look at the merchandise. Time was getting on, so I headed across the training pitch to the rear of the open terrace and looked for the ticket booth.
Everyone stopped and stood to attention while the national anthem was played, but the atmosphere was bubbling. It reminded me of my day out at St Pauli in Hamburg, only considerably cheaper! I obtained a ticket for 100 Baht (around £2.20), and I was in the section down the side.
I opted to go upstairs for a better view, even if the atmosphere wasn't quite as intense. Many fans stood right against the railings at the front, so viewing wasn't as good as it could have been. Stewarding was generally non-existent, whereas the police looked like they were there to watch!
The concourses behind the stands were heaving with fans of all ages, both men and women. Most wore the orange and blue shirts of their heroes. The PAT Stadium is located close to the docks, yet only ten minutes from the affluence of the tourism area of Sukhumvit Road.
Over the last few years, the club had suffered as players were unpaid, the floodlights continually failed, and hooliganism had found its way to the terraces. PAT had been closed, with the team being forced to play at an alternative venue.
An Aussie pal of mine, who lived locally, wanted to take his son down there, but his Thai wife wouldn’t let him. They have dubbed themselves as the 'Millwall of Bangkok'; no doubt with ex-pat assistance.
All kids were admitted free of charge. PAT Stadium was a proper football ground. Three sides had steep open metal terracing, with the home end slightly bigger than that reserved for visiting fans.
The open side had two tiers, with nearly every view looking down on the play. The final side was a raised seated stand, taking the total capacity to 12,000. I had visited the stadium a couple of years ago for pictures when it was being upgraded, but the final product really was impressive.
The noise was incredible inside the place, with drums and all manner of musical instruments blaring out. The locals really got behind their side, and it was soon obvious that BB-CU would have to show great resolve to get anything from the match.
This was even more so when the near-side linesman buckled and flagged for a penalty for handball under great crowd and player pressure. Brazilian Leandro Luz slotted the ball home after a shoe was thrown from behind the goal at the visiting offender.
BB-CU equalised with an absolute beauty from Cameroon striker Bouba Abbo and gradually took the sting out of the home side, as Leandro and his pals whinged to anyone who’d listen about any decision.
The referee was obviously getting sick of this ploy and gave them less and less. The 75 or so away fans, which I thought was an abysmal turnout for a local derby. Despite this, they played and sang full songs in tune and thoroughly enjoyed their night out. I wished the England Band could have taken note.
At half-time, I mingled with home fans and a large number of ex-pats as I drank ice-cold cans of Leo beer for around 40p. For the second half, I went behind the goal in a fan group called The Flying Portman.
BB-CU always looked more dangerous with Bouba Abbo superb in strength and power. It was no surprise when he scored what proved to be the winner. It was sad to hear a sporadic monkey chant from the terraces aimed in his direction.
If it wasn’t for the home keeper, the margin would have been greater, and although Port had a few spells up the other end of their own, they didn’t really look like scoring. At full time, I headed for the club shop and bought a Singhtarua team shirt for 660 baht (around £13.50).
Yes, the club did appear to have problems in certain areas, but for the real atmosphere and a traditional stadium, just a couple of stops on the metro or a ten-minute cab ride from the western bars, there was only one place to head for a football fix. It reminded me of why I fell in love with the game as a kid.
I retired for the evening after a welcome, comforting McDonald's meal to relax and get a proper night's sleep so that I could fly down to Phuket the next morning full of life and ready for more fun.
Singhtarua 3 Samut Songkhram 0 (Wednesday 26th March 2014) Thai Premier League (att: approx 5,500)A few weeks before heading to Thailand for the Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes. I was checking out the football fixtures and trying to find additional fixtures through Facebook and Twitter. Ideally, I wanted a lower division or FA Cup game as an aperitif before an evening game, but it was not to be.
Steve Walker, my good mate in Bangkok, was keen to go to see Port as Singhtarua was formerly known. He’d been close to heading to Khlong Toey on a couple of occasions. As I was quite fond of the club and the atmosphere from my previous visits, I was more than happy to head down once more.
After a couple of beers in The Crossbar with our old pal Gavin Shaw, we headed initially for the underground before deciding to take a taxi. Our driver never particularly filled me with confidence over his navigational skills.
I knew the PAT Stadium was at the bottom of Ratchadapisek Road, so I told him to go to the left. Unfortunately, he took a left a little early, leaving us snarled up in rush hour traffic and heading back to Ekamai.
We bailed out as I led the way in what I thought was the correct direction. We went down an alley and over the Khlong into the back street market. This was a really down-to-earth and down-at-heel part of Bangkok. I marched on with a mixture of hope and confidence. I was most happy when we turned a final corner and saw the club shop ahead.
We marched over the practice pitch with kick-off looming. I left Steve to sort out a couple of beers while I went to purchase the 100 Baht (£2) tickets. We went in down the side nearest to the away end, standing to attention for the national anthem before taking up our position.
The Samut Songkhram fans numbered a couple of hundred and played their part in creating a fine atmosphere. Port were unbeaten, three games into their return to the top flight after the final match promotion and a huge party at the end of the previous campaign.
I had pointed out Leandro in his number ten shirt to Steve, and he didn’t let us down as he was running the game from just behind his forward partner. However, the Flying Mackerel defence proved difficult to breach.
It looked like the teams would go in scoreless at the interval before Singhtarua were awarded a very soft penalty close to the halftime whistle. Leandro put the ball away with aplomb.
We went downstairs during the break to purchase more beer and much-needed food. For around £2, I got a bag of fried chicken and barbecued pork, while Steve went for some top-class dim sum. For the second half, we went behind the goal close to the Main Stand.
It really was a family affair down at PAT Stadium, with fans of all ages ranging from babies to pensioners. It took me back to my infancy watching the game, although it had to be said that I never got to see games under lights with temperatures in the thirties; more is the pity.
Singhtarua continued to pile forward in the second half as the visiting defence ran a merry dance. The young Thai international Krirkrit Thaweekarn made it 2-0 after fifty-seven minutes. Samut Songkhram had an occasional break forward, but it just wasn’t going to be their night.
Eventually, the mass pressure on the visiting goal paid dividends in injury time as the brilliant Leandro continued to turn the screw, which led to a third goal; this time it was Sarawut Kongjaroen who finished off the move.
We hung around as both teams took their deserved applause before suddenly the crowd went wild as the other results began to come in. We had an inkling that other rivals had done badly, and this was confirmed when we spoke to some ex-pats who told us that Port were top of the league for the first time in a lot of years.
We walked back to Khlong Toey station and then went to meet Chris Lamb and other arriving tourists on Soi Cowboy, where we drank to a tremendous night out. If only every football experience could have been that good.
Port FC 0 Army United 2 (Wednesday 28th October 2015) Thai Premier League (att: 2,678)
The Beer Battered Seadogs touring party was gradually depleting after a great tour and relative success on the pitch during the Thailand International Cricket Sixes. We said goodbye to four of the boys, while Steve, Tony, Karl, Ron, and I headed back up to Bangkok with the Wednesday night football in mind.
Four of us had a nice meal at the Penalty Spot bar around Sukhumvit 25 before taking the subway one stop to the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre station. I was pretty sure of the way from there, but a young lad in a Port shirt was an additional help.
Khlong Toei market was still busy. The main Rama 3 road had stalls spilling out. We had a brief look as time was getting on. We crossed Rama IV and Sunthon Kosa Road by footbridge, with the floodlights looming into view.
We met Steve, along with new Bangkok residents Sean and Tracey by the fans park to sort out tickets and a beer. Most eyes and ears were on the sky, where a massive storm was brewing.
Some locals were most pleased to have met some farang Port fans. One took our photos for his online fanzine. Admission was 100 Baht, but no programmes were available. We opted to stand upstairs down the side.
The King’s Anthem was interrupted by heavy thunder and lightning, and within minutes the heavens opened. It was every man and woman for themselves as there was no cover in the stands.
I managed to get under the stand overhang at the back, despite a crazy local walking around on the steps using a chair as a hat while nearly taking several fans' eyes out. I met some of my pals down there.
Eventually, the storm subsided, and we ventured back upstairs, where some had braved it out. The temperatures gradually warmed up again, which was just as well. We were drenched! Ron, Steve and Tracey reappeared in waterproof coats looking like three of the Telly Tubbies!
Meanwhile, on the pitch, Port were doing their best in a game that they really needed something from. Their position in the last of the relegation places was looking perilous, and more worrying was the lack of bite up front.
At the interval, I ventured back down to the fans' area, where all sorts of food and beverages were on offer. A can of Leo for 80 Baht (40p) won it for me.
Nearly everyone at the game wore the orange and blue of their heroes. I was slightly shocked to see such a low official attendance, although it should be remembered that juniors did not pay.
After half-time Port seemed to have stepped up a gear, but most of the attacks were marshalled comfortably by a very competent Army defensive unit. There were lots of lovely, intricate passes without any shots being fired.
I mentioned to Steve that I could see a goal coming. I was right, but not how I wanted. A counterattack had broken up another set of passes going nowhere from Port and gone straight up to the other end. From this, the Spanish defender Ernesto fired home from a resulting corner.
The Khlong Toei Army tried to rally its troops on the pitch. The game reverted to the same pattern, with Hassan Sunny a mainly redundant figure in the United net. Most of Port’s constructive play was coming from lightweight Japanese forward Hironori Saruta and defender David Rochela.
With eight minutes remaining, another attack from Army caught Port’s players out of position. A pass was put into the space where the central defence should have been, for Thanakorn Danthong to send the 200 or so away fans behind the goal and in their seated section into wild delight.
The Army band were very impressive throughout the game, but they probably did it as a profession, as I noted at the time. Sunny was at last called into action in the closing stages, but it was far too little too late.
The game fizzled out, and with it, Port’s real chances of Premier League football for the 2016 season. My pals were not impressed by them at all. As it was cynically noted at the time. Port would have struggled to score on Soi Cowboy.
Never mind. It wasn’t the first time one of my teams had disappointed, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. I went to the excellent club shop and bought a polo shirt so I could look smart at the Saturday away game to TOT.
We walked back through the narrow streets of the market, and I’m so glad we did. This was Bangkok’s poorest area, yet the smiles were as big as anywhere.
Some of the seafood and fruit produce had to be seen to be believed. Tracey and Ron got stuck in, with Ron buying enough fruit to feed a cricket team. Tony bought local sweets for his mates at work.
We all took the train back to Sukhumvit and finished off with drinks in the Queen Victoria on Sukhumvit 23. The decent pub was happy to have a big crowd. Unfortunately, because of the earlier soaking, I was suffering from the air conditioning and called it a night after a pint of cider.
It had been a good evening, spoiled slightly by the match. I wish I had a fiver for every time that had happened to me!
Port FC 3 Air Force Central 1 (Wednesday 28th March 2018) Thai League 1 (att: 3,470)
My holiday to Thailand, primarily for the Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes, was underway, and the chance of a home game at the PAT Stadium was one that I wasn’t going to overlook.
I’d had an evening down the coast with my host Steve, before we took a sangtheaw and then a bus to Bangkapi, before catching the ferry into town and alighting at Nana. This inexpensive route was also just as quick as by taxi and kept us away from the pollution along the water.
Food and drinks were taken in Gulliver's and then Speakeasy. I had another beer and a foot rub before we took the MRT subway to Khlong Toei in readiness for the 8pm kick-off. We saw three other lads ahead; one in a Port shirt. They followed us before I became concerned.
Unbelievably, one of the lads worked with Steve many years previously and had just got into supporting Port. The others from Canada and Switzerland also loved the experience. We were actually heading in the wrong direction, but soon put ourselves right.
I’d considered buying a new team shirt but decided against it. There was time for another beer in the fans' area for 70 Baht behind the stands before heading upstairs down the side. Tickets for the match on the three open sides were 100 Baht, around £2.25.
Port had got off to a very decent start to the season. I was keen to see the new forward Dragan Bošković in action and whether he was a better option than Josimar, the Brazilian, who I thought had real potential the previous season.
Both sides went on the front foot straight from the start, with the Air Force belying their position towards the foot of the table with the quality of their efforts. However, it was Port who took the initiative, with Pakorn Prempak starring from the early stages.
He had an effort across the goal before Nurul Sriyankem volleyed over when well-placed. Sriyankem crossed for Kim Sung-hwan, who was denied at the near post with a tremendous defensive block halfway through the opening period.
Prempak came close with two free kicks, while Renan Marques offered a get-out relief for Air Force with his hard work and intelligent runs. Port eventually broke the deadlock seven minutes before the break as Bošković rose majestically to head home a near-post Prempak cross.
It was star man Prempak who doubled Port’s advantage as the half came to its conclusion with a tremendous, fierce swerving shot, which gave Air Force keeper Kritsakorn Kerdpol no hope as the ball flashed into the near top corner.
At the break, we had a wander about downstairs before deciding to go to the end Port would be attacking, near to the away fans section. The visitors from the north of Bangkok had a decent following, including musicians who never relented in their support for their heroes.
Air Force certainly had no intention of surrendering and came out of the changing rooms continuing to play decent football on the eye. Marquez reduced the arrears in fifty-four minutes with a tremendous curling shot after being teed up by Yodsak Chaowana.
The two-goal advantage was restored a couple of minutes later when Prempak played a delightful one-two with Sriyankem before firing into the roof of the net past Kerdpol. It really was a tremendous goal on a night when nearly everything the scorer tried had come off.
Marquez went close again at the other end, with the ball staying in play as Leandro Assumpção was denied by a brilliant, brave point plank save by Port goalie Worawut Srisupha. Chaowana missed an absolute sitter shortly after as he dragged his effort across the goal.
Prempak was denied by a fingertip save from Kerdpol, which the referee mysteriously overlooked. The sublime Sergio Suárez got a run out for the final ten minutes for the Port Lions as the game drifted out towards full-time.
Port had been well worth the win, but both sides had played their part. We took a shortcut through the market and got a timely reminder of what it looked like for people to really have to graft for a meagre wage.
The MRT from Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre took us back to Sukhumvit and another world, as we met up with several friends for the cricket along Soi Cowboy. An interesting few hours followed as we skipped from bar to bar in the company of Gavin Shaw.
Steve and I headed home in rather bedraggled states after plenty of drinks, and I’d somehow attracted the local dancer in one establishment after she took a shine to me supporting the same team as her. Perhaps a hot date at the PAT Stadium was in store in the future?
