The Remarkable Rise of Rasisalai United

 

The Remarkable Rise of Rasisalai United

My tribute as a regular attendee to Rasisalai United, a club that has achieved great things in a relatively short time. 

Written April 2026

When Nuchanart (Nuch) Jaruwongsatian set about forming Rasisalai United as a youth side back in 2019, I don’t suppose she thought that, realistically, seven years later, her little club would be playing in the top tier of Thai football against the likes of Buriram United, BG Pathum United and Port FC.

But that’s the reality. It’s an amazing story which shows that staying loyal to local players with a real affinity to the club and their teammates, and then astute foreign signings, can make a world of difference and elevate a well-run side all the way to the summit.

It’s even more astonishing a story when considering that for their first two years, football was severely disrupted by the pandemic. However, the Thailand Amateur League, which was shoehorned into the middle months of 2022, offered a sense of what success felt like to the Monkey Kings, as Rasi are nicknamed.

A 3-0 win against Roi-Et 2018 on their opponents' home pitch sent Rasisalai into the Thai League 3 for the following season. Momentum continued to build, as they then defeated Kongkrilas United, Warship United, and Muang Trang United in the final to become national amateur champions.

Sisaket SAT Stadium under the lights

Their home leg in the showpiece was played at Sri Nakhon Lamduan Stadium, home of province neighbours, Sisaket United, before the club became tenants at the SAT Stadium, once among the provincial ranks.

I have used the word, neighbours advisedly, as Sisaket is somewhat of a throwback to how football used to be in many English cities where two clubs existed. Rasi do not have a sufficient venue in their hometown, around 40-minutes away on the banks of the River Mun, meaning that they play in the capital of the province, with football fans going to watch whoever is at home.

While segregation is in place at the derby games, there is little need for it as everyone gets on, with many cheering for the side on the other side of the fence the following week.

In their debut season in the league, Rasi finished third and dashed the title hopes of Sisaket with a 1-0 home win. Sisaket went on to win T3 Northeast in 2023-24, along with promotion, while Rasi ended in a disappointing eighth place. Just 69 fans attended their home match on a Wednesday afternoon against Muang Loei United, with many of those attending leaving at the interval to watch Sisaket take on Khon Kaen Mordingdang in the later kick-off.

Action under the Tower. It sure beats Blackpool

Nuch made a superb appointment ahead of the 2024-25 campaign when coach Arnon Bandasak was brought in. He signed his former star from his time at Phitsanulok, the veteran forward, Gilberto Macena. Defender Ramon Mesquita, another player with vast experience, was signed to skipper the side, while fellow Brazilian Alberto Gouvea smashed away the goals.

We met Alberto as a fellow spectator at the opening Sisaket match of the season, and he pronounced he would score lots of goals. He wasn’t joking. Rasisalai simply blew away opponent after opponent with their fast-attacking play. Some of their matches were truly brilliant, including an amazing win against Pattani in the playoffs, which went a long way to securing promotion before the T3 national title was secured against Songkhla.

The atmosphere at the two derby games and the crowds of over 4,000 were simply breathtaking, with a real party atmosphere and superb action on the pitch. There is little wonder that interest continued to develop throughout the season as to what was going on in the northeast.

The team bus

One of the great joys of watching Rasisalai is their vulnerability at the back, which means they attack even more. The incredible 2025-26 season has seen them promoted with four games to spare. Teams simply have no answer despite often scoring and being on top for parts of a game. The only times that Rasi have looked vulnerable have been in the derby against Sisaket, with Ramon missing in the away defeat, and when injuries have depleted important areas.

The real key behind their success, alongside the astute foreign signings and veteran goalkeeper Sakkongpop Sukprasert, is the midfield twins of Nattapon and Natchanon Yongsakool. Indeed, when studying the teamsheet from the Amateur final of 2022, it is interesting to note that six of the side are still regulars, having gone through the divisions and learned together as friends. 

Bids were turned down for the twins, who have both missed games through injury when the only slight wobble occurred. They are dynamic, skilful, dangerous from set pieces and a joy to watch from a very special vantage position.

My friend John, who I watch Sisaket and Rasi, is a member of the gym where the Rasisalai players train. He's got to know them and coach Arnon, as well as the partners of some of the team and their offspring. In T3, we would simply choose the best seat in the main stand, which happened to be in the VIP area, with no questions asked, because stewarding wasn't required. We've continued to sit there around the dignitaries and those connected with the club, including Arnon when he served a touchline ban.

We sit somewhere in there

While I'm no fan of corporate seating as I prefer to be candid, have a good drink, and enjoy a match without watching my P's and Q's, it has been fun watching a season play out among those who have a far greater interest. Sure, I am delighted that Rasi have gone up, but I would have preferred Sisaket to pip them to the title. Whether Sisaket will join Rasisalai in the top-flight next season hangs in the balance as I pen this piece.

Huge credit too must go to Nuch. It’s fair to say that she can become emotional at times and will serve a ban until the end of the season for her antics against Pattaya United. But she has created a club with a lovely atmosphere that appeals to more youngsters than traditionalists. And she certainly cares. She is friendly to everyone who attends and will be sure to get plenty of attention next season.

The club sells lots of merchandise. The adoption of green and white hoops as an away kit has seen unprecedented sales. Ticket prices have remained at 60 Baht since winning promotion to T3, which has seen crowds grow with the entertainment on show offering outstanding value for money.

How will Rasi cope in T1? It’s difficult to assess, as one potential pointer is unavailable, as the club didn’t enter either domestic cup this season. As the quarter finals of the League Cup have shown, there is a massive gulf between T2 and the top-flight, with three sides around the playoffs being well beaten by higher-grade opposition.

Will there be enough money to sign the seven foreigners allowed in T1, and who will be doing the recruiting? Again, these are unknowns that we’ll have to wait to find out. What is for sure is that the meteoric rise of Rasisalai has been wonderful to watch, and there’ll be more fun yet to come.

 

Why I Love Football in Sisaket, Thailand

                      

Football support often comes down to geography, family, or circumstance. Some people inherit clubs through generations, while others discover new allegiances later in life.

In my case, moving to Sisaket in rural Thailand unexpectedly gave me not one local club to follow, but two.

Attending a Sisaket FC match in 2018
I'm not sure the stadium has been cleaned since

In my case, I am a Scarborough fan, as were all the elder members of my family, with Hull City offering me the chance of some bigger games on a visit to a larger place. When I moved to London, it was Hendon that I had an affection for when I couldn’t travel north. 

My holidays to Thailand saw me get to any games I could, eager for new adventures and to find unknown pleasures. Port FC became my favourite side, as they offered me the best matchday experience in Bangkok. However, things changed halfway through 2022.

I had met and become close to a lady while I lived in Minburi, who suggested we might enjoy life together in her home province of Sisaket. I visited the city on a whistlestop Isan tour in 2018 and took in a game against Nakhon Ratchasima in the League Cup. The city seemed fine to me, and the people were warm and friendly, so why not give it a go?

The Fall of Sisaket FC

Things developed pretty quickly between the two of us, as I fell in love with the people and the country life I was being offered, with the added chance to go and watch some football. It was the season that Sisaket FC were to fold, be disbanded and thrown out of Thai League 3 after a massive wrangle and dispute with Esan United. 

They had enjoyed a good history, previously playing in the top tier of Thai football, and filled the stadium on occasions, losing 1-0 to Buriram United in the 2015 League Cup final. Fortunately, another club, Sisaket United, formed in 2012, took over sole tenancy of the dated and dirty Sri Nakhon Lamduan Stadium and reached the playoffs in 2022-23, my first season of watching them. 

What came as a shock when my future wife drove me around the area was that there was a second club playing in town in a huge stadium that I was previously unaware of. Rasisalai United were competing in their debut season in the Thai League 3.

The more modern SAT Stadium

This was great news, especially after moving full-time to the area in February 2023, as it meant that there were two teams to go and watch. I quickly worked out that it would be possible to get to see games at Ubon UMT Stadium and other venues in the nearby cities once dropped off in Kanthararom, twenty minutes from us.

Sisaket is mad about football, with the province being fiercely proud of its people and teams that represent it. I often tell friends about its vibe, being one of community and taking me back to being a youngster in England, before attitudes and cultures changed for the worse. I quickly discovered that quite a few people went to watch whoever was playing, whether it be Sisaket or Rasisalai.

Looking towards "our" VIP seats

The following season, Rasi, a town around 40km from Sisaket city, had a distinctly average season, in front of crowds of around 300. Because their town has no suitable venue, they continued to play at the SAT Stadium in Sisaket. 

Sisaket United had a superb season, winning promotion and finishing overall runners-up in Thai League 3. While the tactics of coach “Pat” could sometimes be dull, they were effective, with the excellent Matteus Panigazzi and Danilo leading the way.

Naturally, interest grew along with attendance in the second tier. Rasi owner, the often-excitable Nuchanart Jaruwongsatian, was not about to see her club left behind. Arnon Bandasak was installed as coach, along with the arrival of three Brazilians: Ramon Mesquita, Gilberto Macena, and Alberto Gouvea. 

My pal, John, and I had met Alberto going into a Sisaket match and asked him how he thought he would get on. He was no joker. Alberto smashed through the twenty-goal mark as Rasisalai swept teams aside on the way to becoming national Thai League 3 champions.

Derby Day, and more importantly, a quality deal at a quality bar to get into the mood.
Football will always be far more than 90 minutes to me. It's a day out.

The team did even better than Sisaket had the season before, becoming national Thai League 3 champions as crowds grew, merchandise sales rocketed, and opponents were regularly swept aside. All this while Sisaket finished outside the playoffs despite showing promise on occasions.

Derby Days in Sisaket

The local derby between the two sides early in the 2025-26 season attracted an official crowd of 4,458, to which a thousand can be added, as kids don’t pay. They played out a magnificent 3-3 draw, while “Uncle Chuay”, the new coach of Sisaket United, formerly in charge of Sisaket FC, oversaw an improvement in their fortunes.

A big crowd at the derby

With one game before the mid-season break, Rasisalai sit at the top of the table and are still unbeaten, with Sisaket in third place. Two sides are promoted automatically, with the next four entering the playoffs. We are being spoilt for entertainment and matchdays in town.

Two Clubs, Two Different Experiences

The two experiences do differ. As mentioned, Sisaket’s home is decrepit, filthy, and a health hazard. It has a track around the pitch, but importantly, the stands are in a straight line, meaning not too much distance from the pitch. 

The fans are generally older, following the province’s traditional club, and are extremely passionate and vocal, with officials and visiting players being left in no doubt that they are the enemies. It’s horrible, the toilets are shocking, and the pitch is a disgrace, with some crazy people adding to the entertainment. I love it, especially on the open side.

The SAT Stadium is a bowl with curved stands around its running track, meaning it is a far greater distance from the pitch, and lacking in intensity, despite plenty of noise being made. The fans are generally younger and more polite. 

We sit every game in the VIP area, near the partners and families of the players, basically because we did when hardly anyone attended, so we continued to do so, becoming accepted as part of the furniture.

What will happen if one or both clubs win promotion to League 1 is anyone’s guess. It will take a lot of money to improve the squads. Questions are already being asked about whether the overseas players, now advancing in years, could cope at a higher level.

The pitch at Sri Nakhon Lamduan Stadium
Even worse than normal

Why Football Means More Than Results

Football has always been about more than the match itself for me. The beers beforehand, the conversations, the travelling to the ground, the familiar faces — that’s the real attraction.

Football day is my day out, and I must enjoy it. Results don’t matter if I have a good day. You see, we’re all different.

Why I Love Living in Sisaket

And that I think is why I love living in Sisaket so much. We have a small golf course, so we can enjoy a round. There is great food to be had, with bars too. It’s easy to walk up to the stadium and drink outside or take a beer to our seats. There is no hassle with tickets, and we get to know regulars. It’s the ideal size for me. I do worry some of it might diminish if either side went up, along with some heavy defeats on the pitch.

Under a Blood Red Sky at Sisaket United

The good thing is, I have the fallback of knowing that teams like Kanthararom United will enter the FA Cup along with amateur sides from Ubon Ratchathani, with a semipro league entertaining me in the new year, with the chance of a few days finding new bars and restaurants, making new friends, as well as an occasional game of golf.

Best of all, I live among people who love their football in whichever way they choose to support their local teams.

The Futera is Bright in North Bangkok

 The Futera is Bright in North Bangkok

Futera United 5 Saraburi United 2

Sunday 16th November 2025

Thai League 3 Central

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I guess I’m the sort of bloke for whom the phrase, more clubs than Jack Nicklaus was invented. The truth is, I love football and go out of my way to have a good day when going to a match. Over the years, I’ve grown fond of many clubs, whether just passing through for the day or going to watch them regularly.

This might be because the locals have gone out of their way to give me a warm welcome, or the atmosphere at a game has been superb. Sometimes it’s the quality of the nearby pubs or a town that has captured my heartstrings. On other occasions, it might be because a mate supports a particular team, and I don’t like seeing them sad. 

In my later years, I cannot understand the mentality behind the pleasure that some derive from baiting others over a football result or things going wrong. As for anyone who describes this as being "only banter", well, I would ban them from social media or stadiums for a year. Those, along with any wrong ’uns I cross paths with, are welcome to suffer at full-time every week.

As a traditionalist, Futera United are everything that I should dislike. They are a club run on the 3Web, digitally, and they embrace cryptocurrency and NFTs, which are tokens purchased by those wishing to become holders, or members, in old money. Essentially, Futera is fan-owned, but in a modern way that can lead to old-school football fans screaming. They have a huge following online and sell a ridiculous amount of merchandise, appealing to the younger generation, rather than crusties who turn their hog out if a club doesn't issue a programme.

The club appeared on Talksport’s Hawksbee & Jacobs afternoon show on a feature about trading cards, as Futera is a company that produces them, and is the finance behind the football club. Their holders can have their say on tactics, selection, formations, kits, and lots of other things. There are Futera NFT holders all around the world who watch their matches live on different streaming services. How far the club can go remains to be seen.

I first met founder Mark Watson at a game in March 2013, when the original club, Futera Seeker, played in the old third-tier Thai Regional League Central West Region. I went to an away game, and Mark let me in behind the scenes to see how matchdays operated. I couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing.

Back then, holders could vote and offer their input during a game. Mark monitored it all on a laptop in the press area and then contacted the coach on the bench by walkie-talkie to implement changes while the match was in progress. Unbelievable if I hadn’t experienced it with my own eyes.

Seeker went alone, before Futera United was reborn, starting in the lower divisions of the amateur Bangkok Premier League. The club entered the FA Cup in 2022-23, losing 3-0 away to Sisaket United, which was a credible result against a side that would reach the Thai League 3 playoffs a few months later.

The club entered the Thai Semipro League the following season, and again in 2024-25, which is where they were the beneficiaries of extra promotion places being available. As Futera is run well, they went up in third place, despite finishing with less organised outfits, making the Bangkok University Stadium their home ground as they re-entered professional football. 

The story was one that I loved, with the sheer positivity and having the confidence to think outside the box, especially in Thailand, a country notorious for being stuck in its ways. It led me to make a video about it all for my YouTube channel.

The start of the 2025-26 season was tough, despite scoring plenty of goals, owing to a leaky defence, poor game management, and some goalkeeping best forgotten about. It’s fair to say that some refereeing decisions not awarded were also a reason for their indifferent results. It would be their fifth match before they picked up a point, going on to draw twice more. The most recent of which was against the only side below them on goal difference, Singburi Warriors, despite dominating much of the game.

The reason that I can describe much of the above is that the Thai League, through the telecom company AIS, shows every single game live free of charge on TV through a box which is cheap to get hold of, or on their App. I generally watch the afternoon Futera game in our local pre-match pub of choice, before heading off to watch Sisaket United or Rasisalai United. It’s a magnificent service.

Anyway, with me heading to Bangkok with my wife to meet up with friends before flying to Chiang Mai to celebrate my sixtieth birthday over a cricket weekend, I decided it was time for Futera to get my support in the flesh, joined by my good mate Jarvo, over from the UK and going to his first Thai football game.

What we experienced was one of the more bizarre games of football I've seen in Thailand, and there have been plenty to choose from. Three sending-offs in the first half, eight goals, and the woodwork being struck six or seven times, in a game that both sides were desperate not to lose.

The visiting goalie, Rungarun Sumala, was shown a red card in the second minute, after he handled outside the box to deny a goalscoring opportunity. He stood motionless, not quite believing what was happening. How ironic, when attending a game featuring the most modern of clubs, that we were about to be treated to something that took me back to when I think football was better.

Chaos ensued because Saraburi didn’t have a goalkeeper on the bench. In the end, it was decided that the captain and defender, Yuttapong Srilakon, would go between the sticks after a delay of over ten minutes, as he added to the indignity of Rungarun by changing into his pink shorts and socks. 

Bureaucracy gone mad, especially when he then donned a yellow shirt that clashed with the colour worn by the match officials. A shout of “get on with it” was aired, which meant that another expat was in attendance, or a Thai had spent the summer at Headingley.

Whatever Yuttapong’s respective qualities are in defence remained to be seen, but it's fair to say that he wasn't great as a goalkeeper. He fumbled the weak resulting free kick, allowing Pharanyou Sawatpakdee to tap in from close range. The stand-in tipped a shot over the bar, before it was 2-0 once the corner was swung in as Nattawut Jandit pounced at the back post. We purred with delight at what we were about to receive.

There have been great memories of makeshift goalies being heroes over the years. Vinnie Jones for Wimbledon at Newcastle, Bobby Moore for West Ham against Stoke, saving a penalty from some bloke called Bernard, and of course Mitch Cook’s heroic performance replacing broken leg victim Kevin Blackwell for Scarborough away at Scunthorpe. This was not to be another to add to the list.

Play meanwhile in Bangkok’s northernmost suburbs was getting tetchy. Referee Dassakhon Hokla wasn’t particularly covering himself in glory, with his weak match management. He sent off home player Songkhun Khongsukko and away man Nitibodin Makot for a set-to, which involved nearly everyone on the pitch. There were fifteen minutes of additional time at the end of the half. Sarankrit Artwichien extended the lead in the third, with a fine low finish.

I was certainly not short of material for my Roving Report for A Thai Football Podcast. The one dampener was that owner Mark was away on business and missed the match. I’m sure he would have enjoyed sitting in relaxed mode in the stand. It was great fun, with ice-cold Leo’s lubricating the larynx regularly.

The second half was wide open as the match ball collected splinters coming back repeatedly off the post and bar, with the keepers at both ends well beaten. Sarankrit made it 4-0 seven minutes in, before a fifth was added by substitute, Kawee Deesawat, with around twenty-five minutes remaining.  

Credit to Saraburi, who were cheered on without much restraint by a healthy turnout, despite requests to respect the passing of Queen Sirikit. They continued to plug away and had a couple of decent efforts saved before the break, before they got one back through Nattapoom Naya three minutes from time. He added another four minutes into stoppage time, with one wondering what might have been if they had penetrated the often-unreliable Futera defence earlier.

It was excellent entertainment all told, albeit not a great advert for a professional league at times, as time seemed not to matter. A vital win for Futera, in a battle to secure safety, which would mark a decent return and something to build on, while their association with the PSW Academy continues to flourish.

A Grab taxi arrived to take us away, as one had delivered us at the splendid Bangkok University Stadium and campus earlier. More enjoyment followed after a ride on the BTS Skytrain with a proper catch-up and plenty more beers at a couple of bars at Lat Phrao.

Pretty much the perfect day out until Mark messaged me with the desperately sad news that the father of Futera player, Sarawin Sungkhao, had been killed in a road accident, while thought to be on the way to the match, being a supporter who rarely missed a game. This article is dedicated to the players, families, and all at Futera United.

Pre-Season Friendlies. What do fans learn?

 Pre-Season Friendlies: What do supporters really learn from them?

Sisaket United 2 All Star 3

Wednesday 16th July 2025

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Last week, around the world, the pre-season friendlies began with a smattering of grand titles given to some of them to try and add to their prestige, with teams sometimes competing in smaller tournaments with absolutely nothing riding on them. Thailand is no different.

My attention was drawn to a thread on the excellent Non League Matters Forum entitled “What are friendlies telling you about the season ahead?”, wanting feedback from those who had already attended games. The general consensus was “very little”, with managers and clubs’ socials spinning it in whichever way they think benefitted them.

A win would typically be described as an excellent morale booster, with the new signings being a stroke of genius and a pointer to things to come, while defeat was seen as being good to get some miles into the legs of players rather than just training. Much of which, of course, exists to satisfy supporters and help sell merchandise and tickets, while ensuring the optimism continues to build until reality strikes.

Anyway, with my local club Sisaket United having announced six friendlies, but only one at home, it seemed churlish not to go and meet my mate John and see what we could decipher. Here are some of the key things that I picked up.

• The match probably shouldn’t have gone ahead on a waterlogged mud bath. The pitch was heavily chewed up throughout, and while in a sensible world, at least a groundsman would use the opportunity to roll the surface and take advantage of the weather, it will be left to dry with divots going hard, ensuring the pitch will be equally hopeless when it dries.   
• It rains heavily in the wet season in Sisaket. Very heavily. So heavily that the storm five minutes before we were due to play golf abandoned our plans, rendering the course unsuitable, this two hours before the football in the stadium next door was to commence.
• Yorkshire bowled very well v Lancashire in the T20, which was rerun from Friday, we watched in Hong Kong Garden instead of the golf, immediately putting a smile on my face. 
• The two-for-one pints on the promotion of Mahou in Leo’s post-match were excellent value, as was the standard of the bangers and mash.
• My wife and I have found an excellent place for food and coffee on the main road into town, on the forecourt of a Shell gas station, no less.
• The toilets have not been cleaned in the Sri Nakhon Lamduan Stadium since I first went in September 2022. Goodness knows how long before that, and counting. They smell like you can imagine, being frankly a disgrace, and quite possibly a health hazard.
• Ditto the seats in the stand. Yesterday, we were given the option of sitting in puddles accrued in the bucket seats or choosing those at the back under the roof, infested with bird droppings. Another disgrace, and something so simple for the club to sort out, even as tenants, by hiring a couple of locals to clean the seats and the toilets before each game.
• The bow-legged physio is still there, quite possibly the slowest in Thai football. A pleasant old boy, calling him a physio is akin to calling me a chef for preparing a cheese sandwich with a mug of tea after my siesta. He goes on with spray and water.
• Hardly any of the Sisaket team on display will feature in the first team squad, or at least I sincerely hope not. The young goalie who was replaced, coming off smiling after shipping in three goals I’d have fancied myself to save, should be particularly concerned about his career prospects, should they include professional footballer anywhere in the description. I suspect many were trialists whom the new coach decided to take a look at. One was withdrawn not with an injury, but what I would describe as avoiding further punishment, so bad and unfit was he.

And that’s probably about it. I shouldn’t really have expected too much more either. If I did, I was being naïve and suffering from amnesia, as it’s the same every season. At least there was a bit of intrigue surrounding this fixture, which had my imagination doing overtime on the drive into town.

During my many years assisting with the running of cricket events in this part of the world, we would sometimes need an extra team to assist with the logistics, so we would put together a hybrid side and call them “All Stars”. What they were, in effect, consisted of those who couldn’t get a game with the team they’d travelled with, solo attendees, and anyone else whom we could convince to play after a couple of beers.

It wasn’t unusual for a bloke to head out innocently for the evening with a lady in tow, for him to have to explain to her that she had a free couple of days because a set of blokes he’d never previously clapped eyes upon had convinced him that cricket was a great idea.

As it transpired, this All Star team originated from Paris, an Academy, according to one of the two coaches when I delved trying to find out some info from behind the benches at the first of two breaks. The game was being played in three periods of thirty minutes. The All Star group apparently also have a network in Thailand. In football, presumably, but one never knows for certain over here. The players and coaches spoke English or French, with some a bit of both. We thought we recognised one of the coaches, maybe from being previously an assistant at Bangkok FC.

All were available for hire should any club wish to negotiate with them. There was the Yasothon FC coach in attendance, and I wouldn’t be surprised if representatives of other clubs hadn’t gone along for a decko. Some of the players weren’t bad. Some were. They were physically stronger than the Sisaket lads and went into a 3-0 lead. We headed off after an hour and missed Sisaket scoring two in the final period.

All Star guns for hire. How many will get pro contracts?

The All Star mob played in a kit without numbers; only some of the Sisaket players had them, while the pitch had not been marked, with penalty areas, halfway, and touchlines being designated by cones, some on the pitch. Not that it bothered the players, which in a way shows just how pampered some pros really are. We were ten minutes late starting, waiting for a linesman, allowing me to get my first "get on with it" of the season shout from the stand, which was pent up inside of me after watching the England v India Test match on TV.

We were soon perusing the menu in Leo’s and trying to work out what we had learned. Very little, although in a rare optimistic moment, using plenty of guesswork, I suggested to my friend that Sisaket will be more than OK this season. And that is what pre-season friendlies are to supporters. Guesswork and a way to fill the void before the season begins.

The one thing that was for certain was that entering a football ground, having a chat with others, and watching the players do their thing at whatever level while discussing it, is still as magical as ever. Bring on the fixture announcements!

 

 

My pre-season musings - 8th July 2025

 My pre-season musings - 8th July 2025

It’s that time of the year once again when football supporters all around the world have no games to attend, instead filling the void by trawling any means of information for stuff about their team that they hope will deliver them hope and make all the difference.

Thailand is no different, although sometimes the communication leaves a little to be desired, which I will touch on later. I have noticed this year that more clubs seem to be advertising their season ticket offers and unveiling their new playing kits a little earlier, or is that just me? Maybe I’m using better sources.

More and more groups on social media are posting, some for the first time, about transfer rumours and who will sign for whom, particularly in the case of foreign players. Even in my few bored moments, I find myself trying to find the name of some unknown player on one of the online sites, often misspelt when translated, to see their career stats.

The sad fact is that in many cases, that gives me as much indication of the ability of the next import who’ll often flatter to deceive, mainly in the lower divisions, as those signing them. The players in question quickly decide or realise that what the club or the agent sold them doesn’t quite match up to reality, 

Such players become part footballer, part holidaymaker with the local hotspots and those serving food that they are used to, feeling the benefits. Meanwhile, the dedicated pros still around wonder why they are bothering.

COMING SOON. The excitement builds!

It never fails to amaze me just how many clubs are duped into signing a player on the evidence of a small YouTube highlight package, inflated stats, and the thought of the said signing winning favour among local support, as the vanity of the owner is increased further. Some even go on to pay their players in full until the end of the season.

In fairness, it’s not easy owning a Thai club, especially outside the top division. It is a quick way to spend money without much return, with meagre attendance figures going nowhere near covering the outlay, with sponsorship and TV deals lessening the financial black hole a little. 

Of course, better marketing and putting a sound infrastructure in place would improve things, as well as proper recruitment, but those things seem for the birds as things stand. Asking for outside help would equate to a loss of face, which is as bad as it gets for an influential person in the Land of Smiles.

I can also see why the official pages of clubs on social media don’t make announcements about new players when sources run by fans are full of information. A lot of which is inaccurate, with clickbait being offered in return for likes. 

They are fed rumours by players, coaches, and agents. Some of which are designed to try and press the club into making a new signing or increasing the salary of a player if it appears online that others are interested in them. It makes me long for printed newspapers and respected journalists dealing in facts.

Will they or won't they?
The guessing game continues as a few more likes are accumulated.

It's the classic playbook used everywhere, as the games of cat and mouse continue, hoping to get a few more flights home out of a club, or maybe a vehicle and accommodation being paid for. Many owners, understandably lacking football expertise, take the bait, and the cycle continues.

All of which is played out while vital things that could make a massive difference, even more so as the rain falls heavily during the off-season, are ignored. Take one of my local clubs, Sisaket United. I thrash my way around the golf course next door to the Sri Nakhon Lamduan Stadium. The goals are still up from last season. The pitch resembles where my ball lands at times.

Even in provincially owned stadiums, surely a club could approach the local authority in charge and ask that, at the club owners' expense, a heavy roller be hired to flatten the pitch and carry out reseeding work. 

Then the players have a chance of playing on something fit for modern purposes and see passes roll in the direction that they are meant to, without making the receiver look like an idiot as it jumps up and hits them on the knee.

A very uneven Thai football pitch

Maybe employing qualified medical staff or building a local partnership in return for free advertising might not go amiss, instead of having their investments treated by enthusiastic amateurs.

Pre-season friendly matches are already being played as trialists are weeded out, while fans wait eagerly for announcements about fixtures for their chance to see the team in action and buy the merchandise. It won’t be long before coaches are sacked, and the fans see their hopes of success disappear for another season.

The only guarantees are that Buriram will become even more dominant, rumours will be flying around about clubs folding or foreign players not being paid, it will be lots of fun for very little cost, and the beers will be cold.

Sukhothai

Sukhothai FC is a professional football club from the northern Thai city of Sukhothai Thani, which was formed in 2009, initially playing their home games at Sukhothai Institute of Physical Education Stadium.

The club, coached by Chusak Sriphum, was awarded a place in the Regional League Division 2 Northern Region, finishing seventh. The side remained in mid-table or lower positions for several seasons before ending third in 2013.

 

Big changes came in 2014 as the club moved into the new Thalay Luang Stadium. The regional title was clinched, followed by promotion from Group B of the playoffs, taking the Fire Bats to a place in the second-tier Division 1.

The prolific Felipe Ferreira scored the goals as Sukhothai won promotion at the first attempt, for the side led by Somchai Chuayboonchum, who had succeeded Somchai Makmool. Renan Marques was the top marksman of an incredible 2016 season.

 

The side consolidated their league standing at the top level of Thai football, as well as lifting the FA Cup. The club were awarded the accolade when the competition was abandoned at the semifinal stage owing to the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. All four remaining sides became joint winners.

However, Sukhothai won the draw to represent Thailand in the AFC Champions League in 2017, where they defeated Yadanarbon of Myanmar before losing the playoff round to Chinese side Shanghai SIPG.

 

The legendary John Baggio then began to make his mark in the team after coach Makmool was reappointed, before he was replaced by Pairoj Borwonwatanadilok. In May 2018, Chalermwoot Sa-ngapol was given the job as his side ended in eleventh spot with Nelson Bonilla putting away the goals.

In October 2018, Ljubomir Ristovski was appointed as Sukhothai head coach before he was replaced by a returning Pairoj before the end of the 2019 season. Thai football changed to the European calendar in 2020-21, with the goals of Baggio not being enough to prevent relegation for the side led by Surapong Kongthep. 

Osman Sow made his mark up front for the Fire Bats in 2021-22 as the side won promotion back to Thai League 1 at the first attempt under the tutelage of coach Dennis Amato. The team stayed up before the German tactician moved on.

Chusak Sriphum came in to lead the team for 2023-24 before he was replaced by Sugao Kambe a few months in. A returning Bonilla scored the goals to help Sukhothai remain safe, despite some disharmony on and off the pitch, with fans being upset with the club owners.

Aktaporn Chalitaporn was given the job of head coach in June 2024, as the consistent Baggio, in his second spell at the club, joined in the goalscoring effort by Matheus Fornazari. Ekalak Thong-am was appointed as the Sukhothai head coach in March 2026.

Sukhothai FC will play in the Thai League 1 in the 2025-26 season.

My visit

Sukhothai 1 Buriram United 2 (Sunday 6th April 2025) Thai League 1 (att: 6,095) 

One of the great pleasures of watching football has become my involvement in A Thai Football Podcast. The weekly airing encourages all sorts of topics of conversation, with match reports from wherever anyone wants to send one in being welcomed.

Dale, who does an incredible job putting it together, has found contacts from goodness knows where, which has led to friendships being made with other like-minded individuals when catching up whenever visiting different parts of the country. Bill Greaves is a prime example. 

Bill, with his Aberdonian and Canadian drawl, sends in some cracking reports full of humour and smart observations. When my wife, Taew, looked at routes to return from the annual Chiang Mai Cricket Sixes, the fixtures, and destinations aligned perfectly, also offering the chance to see historic Sukhothai as part of our road trip.

Bill, through Dale, got in touch and we enjoyed a phone chat a week before we met up, with his good lady, Toy, sorting out the match tickets. Taew drove us down on Sunday morning along a scenic route, before we checked into our rather underwhelming resort, much to her disappointment. 

My Roving Report for A Thai Football Podcast

Not to worry, after a siesta, we were soon meeting our hosts in a noodle shop for a quick beer. Bill’s original suggestion to go for a burger was scuppered as AJ’s was shut, as was his alternative plan. He didn’t seem too upset as he enjoyed being at the Thalay Luang Stadium with lots of time to spare.

The couple could not have been more friendly or helpful. I had a wander about for photos before returning to the car, which had been parked next to by other hospitable regulars as a small tailgate party ensued with food and drink purchased from the decent choice of stores. 

I did my stuff for the podcast with Bill offering his thoughts before he and Dtoy went inside a little before us, so that he could manage the steps to our seat before it got busy. The atmosphere was building once we joined them, with beers and the spicy local thin sausage, which I quickly took a liking to.

The stadium was also to my approval, with magnificent views of the mountains in the distance and seats close to the pitch without a running track. The locals were out in force and made a proper din against the big boys of Thai football, who were firm favourites to win against their mid-table opposition. 

Love or dislike Buriram, they are an outstanding example of what money can provide with star players, by far the biggest club stadium in the country, and honours galore. The way that referees seemingly bend towards them is another matter, but not unique to Thailand in the way the most powerful are accommodated.

The first half saw almost incessant Buriram pressure. A couple of scrambles in the home area somehow saw the ball being kept out by a mixture of desperation, luck, brave defending, erratic goalkeeping from understudy Supazin Hnupichai, and poor finishing. It was not dull.

The home Fire Bats were either about to be eaten up or come up with the greatest ‘rope a dope’ performance ever. The tiny John Baggio and giant Matheus Fornazari formed an unlikely double act, but on occasions, they caused concern to the visiting rearguard.

It was like an FA Cup tie back home, watching a non-league side take on a team from several divisions higher. That’s how much of a gulf there can be at times in Thai football. That said, at 0-0, Sukhothai always had a chance of a breakaway to snatch a win that would have made for the perfect evening. 

Soon into the second half, Supazin made a super save from which Supachai Chaided blasted the rebound over. A local friend of Bill was not enamoured by the number of foreigners taking the field for Buriram. They are not a Thai club was the gist of his observations.

The deadlock was broken in the fiftieth minute, as the impressive Jefferson Tabinas went on another forceful run down the left-hand side. His powerful cross was put away by substitute Suphanat Mueanta for star-studded Buriram. Shortly after, Goran Čaušić saw a shot smash off the top of the crossbar. 

In the sixty-fifth minute, the reigning champions doubled their advantage. Sukhothai lost the ball in midfield, where it was quickly swept wide on the right. The cross was chested home by Martin Boakye, with my thoughts being on the rest of the game being a case a damage limitation.

The man beside us was further narked when Buriram introduced another foreign star, Guilherme Bissoli, into the action. His team didn’t stop believing and grabbed a goal in stoppage time when the ball was dragged back for Hikaru Matsui to fire past goalie    Neil Etheridge.

However, there was not enough time to raise any more attacks, with the result being about the right outcome. Nobody could accuse the Sukhothai players of not giving their all, but they were beaten by a better side, who edged closer to the title.

We still had plenty to look forward to. Our match tickets gave free admission to a concert in the park behind the goal, which would see the extremely popular Thai band, Clash, playing. Off we went as best we could through the crowds, losing our hosts when we got split up. 

Eventually, we were inside the fenced-off area, but just as the band began to play, the heavens opened, and huge winds blew across the open space. It got very cold, wet, and dangerous, very quickly. It was scary for a while.

Particularly as the poles holding the large Chang beer banners began toppling over, and Bill, in a seat, would not be able to get out of the way. We protected him as best as we could with my large body attempting to perform as a wind break while Taew used an umbrella over him as Toy went to retrieve the car. 

The gig was abandoned, leading to chaos as everyone wanted to leave at the same time. Dtoy managed to get the car near, and I forced open the fencing so my friend could access it quickly. We had a giggle inside the vehicle, but it had been quite an experience.

The traffic back towards the main roads was horrendous, taking us well over an hour before Toy deposited us at the end of the lane by our accommodation. I had a coffee to warm up before bed.

The following morning, we had breakfast and covered the sites of the historical park without paying to go inside them. It was a pleasant little tour offering me some excellent video footage, before we headed to Kamphaeng Phet to meet more friends for another lovely few hours.

Our thanks go to Bill and Toy for their hospitality and for making the visit so special.