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.

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.

An English Footballer in Thailand

Enjoy the video I compiled at the match between 
Sisaket United and Marasarakham in the Thai League 2 in February 2024

featuring English defender Charlie Clough.

Many more Thai football videos, plus those from elsewhere, on my YouTube Channel.

Pattani

Pattani FC is a professional football club from the Thai southern city of the same name. The ‘Queen Cannons’ were formed in 2009, being admitted into the Regional League Division 2 Southern Region, playing home games at Pattani Municipal Stadium.

The side finished fourth in their debut season, and then one place higher in 2011. A runners-up spot ensued in 2012, 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.

That 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 Champions League playoffs followed in 2019, which ended in promotion partly through the goals of Georgi Tsimakuridze, leading to a place in Thai League 3, However, COVID-19 would then intervene.

Again, the Thai League decided to restructure and follow the European football calendar for the 2020-21 campaign. Chakris Tiaiadyo would lead the scoring for the next two seasons as Pattani found themselves competing in Thai League 3 South.

A couple of disappointing seasons ensued, 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.

A trio of Brazilians looked to push Pattani towards the playoff places in 2024-25. 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 to reach the second level of Thai football for the first time. Two capacity crowds showed signs of great potential. Harnarong Chunhakunakorn came in as head coach soon into the 2025-26 campaign.

Pattani FC will play in the Thai League 2 in the 2025-26 season.

My 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 in the car heading towards Betong, but things changed thanks to a conversation.

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.

Songkhla

 

A Potted History of Songkhla FC

Songkhla FC is a professional football club whose history can be traced back to 1999, when they played in the Thailand Provincial League, a competition for clubs outside of Bangkok competing in the Thai Premier League.

Suspension and Return

Tinsulanonda Stadium was used for home matches until 2005. A non-descript period was followed by the club being suspended for failing to meet the regulations. They returned to the Provincial League 2 the following year, going on to finish runners-up in the higher division of the competition in 2007. 

Promotion to the Second Tier

Songkhla went up and finished second in 2008, with a season of two being spent playing at Chiranakhon Stadium in Hat Yai. The side consolidated their position as Witthawat Iamram.

Worawet Chanuthai and then Chayene Santos bagged the goals as the club pushed for promotion while based at Na Thawi District Stadium. They returned to Tinsulanonda Stadium with huge crowds attending games. However, things were to go downhill.

A Buriram Takeover

Buriram FC, formed by Karuna Chidchob, won a couple of promotions to reach the highest level of Thai football in 2011. The club was bought by the husband of the president, Newin Chidchob, who had already relocated PEA from Ayutthaya to become PEA Buriram, later Buriram United.

A Complicated Arrangement

The rights of Buriram FC were sold to Songkhla FC, meaning there was a southern team at the top tier. It also meant two Buriram-controlled clubs. The club in the south was named Wuachon United FC in 2012. The original Songkhla FC was dissolved to join the new club, which was renamed Songkhla United.

The club had attracted a crowd of 30,102 for the top-flight clash with Muangthong United as Jadet Meelarp led the team from the bench. Meanwhile, goals from Kirati Keawsombat and then Manop Sornkaew kept Songkhla United safe.

Dropping Back Down a Level

Franz Schwarzwälder had a spell as coach before the team went down a level at the end of the 2014 season, despite the goals of Kayne Vincent. The side was managed throughout the season by Phayong Khunnaen and then Jason Withe. 

Somchai Makmool took over team affairs in 2015 as Rufino Sánchez top-scored. Willen Mota was a scoring sensation in 2016 for the side coached by Nopporn Eksatra. They reached the semifinals of the League Cup, going out on aggregate to Buriram United.

The End of the Road for Songkhla United

The following season proved to be United’s last. Giorgi Tsimakuridze scored the goals as the team ended up in a relegation place for Watchara Tochanakan’s team while playing at Na Thawi District Stadium. Not that it mattered because the club failed the criteria for a license and was banned for two seasons.

Songkhla FC is Born

Songkhla FC was born in 2018, starting initially in the Thailand Amateur League, playing at Prince of Songkhla University Stadium. In their second season, they finished as champions to win promotion to Thai League 3 South for the 2020-21 season.

Back at Tinsulanonda Stadium, the goals of Abdussalam Saman took the Samila Mermaids to the title under the stewardship of Akaporn Chalitaporn. Their playoff campaign ended in failure before Daiki Higuchi was given the role of head coach.

Continued Thai League 3 Playoff Disappointment

Natan Oliveira was next to put away the chances, before another regional was won in 2022-23 as Jardel topped the scoring charts for the side led by Sarawut Treephan. Again, Songkhla fell short in the playoffs.

The Thai League 3 South title was retained, this time under returning Japanese coach Higuchi, thanks in part to the efforts of Nigerian forward Ekene Victor Azike. Once again, the playoffs ended in disappointment.

Promotion at Last

The 2024-25 campaign saw Songkhla win promotion via the playoffs after defeating North Bangkok University, ending as national runners-up to Rasisalai United.

Songkhla FC will play in the Thai League 2 in the 2026-27 season.

My visit

Songkhla 1 Kasem Bundit University 0

Sunday 5th January 2025 

Thai League 3 Cup Round of 16 

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 345 🎟️ 120 THB (£2.75)

A Great Opportunity on a Tour

Our tour of Laos and Thailand provided immense fun, travelling with my wife Taew, along with her cousin Q and his family. I’d visited football stadiums in cities that I had never visited before and may not have the opportunity to again. However, the announcement of this fixture made me extremely happy.

Crazy Distances for Third-Tier Football

Not that I was the biggest fan of the Thai League 3 Cup, which drew some derisory attendances. I mean, who would expect a team from Bangkok to travel to Songkhla, a journey going on for fourteen hours for a third-tier cup game on a Sunday night? However, it seemed second nature to organise such games in Thailand.

An Interesting Solo Journey

Tinsulanonda Stadium was very high on my bucket list, so I agreed that I would be happy to do anything the rest of our group wanted if I was released for football on Sunday lunchtime. With everything in place, I was deposited at Central in Hat Yai to use the bank and grab some food before walking to the bus terminal.

The driver of our minivan would certainly not be getting a gig at the Comedy Store anytime soon. He displayed a Phatthalung FC scarf above him and drove like the clappers. I wasn’t too upset to get out and start my mini tour of Songkhla's old town, arriving far too early, if truth be told. 

Songkhla's Old Town

I visited an art gallery and wandered through the many narrow lanes, seeing some lovely old architecture and street art with many others doing the same thing. If it was a coffee shop someone wanted, they were in the right city, with lots of them, many extremely trendy offering refreshments.

The old rice mill by the lake was being put forward as a World Heritage site, while a small bus took tourists around. I visited the Songkhla National Museum and the city wall, with every local I met being extremely friendly and helpful, something I’d experienced a few days earlier when we visited other local places. 

Time to Kill and a Disappointing Experience

I headed to the stadium to take photos with time to kill in case access was restricted when spectators arrived for the match. The smiling security guard waved me in as I went into the various stands, with the preparations beginning, and the home side arrived by coach.

On my way, I'd walked along Si Suda Alley, which had several bars opening later, along with the Irish Buzz Stop Restaurant and Bar, which was already serving a couple of customers. I was to regret decideing to return there and maybe have a meal. 

One Thai lady was doing her best to serve a large group of English fellas, who were around 30-years-old. While not causing any problem, they were loud, obviously enjoying themselves, ordering food and lots of drinks. It was clear that I would have waited a long time if I ordered a meal.

Nothing on the menu particularly jumped out at me, so I decided I’d leave them to their fun and have a drink somewhere a bit quieter. Because they considered that I had been unsociable, they called me names, which saddened me, but these things happen.

I mulled over the irony of having a trouble-free tour, including visiting places threatened by terrorism, but then having issues with fellow Englishmen. Instead, had a couple of cold beers watching the world go by and trying to cheer myself up at The Corner Bier before heading back to the stadium, again rather early.

An Underwhelming Experience

Refreshments were confined to a stall once inside the stadium complex before entering the arena. There was no beer for sale. The souvenir stand consisted of a small rack and table, which also sold match tickets. It was all extremely low-key and a bit disappointing.

 

I chose a VIP seat for 120 Baht, again feeling disappointed when it turned out to be downstairs in the main stand rather than the upper tier. The stadium PA played very melodic local acoustic tunes as the teams warmed up before they returned for the match, which I enjoyed.

I thought that a 6 pm kick-off when Thailand were playing Vietnam in the second leg of the ASEAN Cup final on live TV at 8pm might have been a mistake. Surely, an earlier start at Songkhla would have attracted more fans who could then get home to watch the national side.

A Tight Encounter

The game was closely fought in the first half. Thomas Chinonso, the Nigerian Kasem Bundit striker, was pacy and caused the host defence some problems, breaking away and seeing his shot go narrowly over the bar, while Songkhla seemed more methodical but slower in their build-up.

I was surprised to see Jhonatan Bernardo in the lineup for the home side, who led their league table. I had watched him for Udon United at the start of the season, and I hadn't been impressed. My thoughts were confirmed after watching him again. 

Ridwan Ruangchuai was one of the midfielders who impressed me for Songkhla, but I thought that he was lucky to remain on the pitch after he committed a foul. He was the last man, bringing down Chinonso on the edge of the box when her was through.

Referee Pissanusak Sriyai decided the challenge only merited a yellow card. The striker received lengthy treatment in what would be the game-changing moment. Abdulhafis Nibu, Thiraphong Yangdi, and Anwa A-Leemama also impressed me for the home team. 

It was the latter who was denied just before the interval through a flying save from Chanon Aunjaidee in the student’s net. At the break, I decided to move seats so that I could get away easily from an exit to meet my family. The view was far better high up on the open side.

Chinonso wasn’t the same after his injury, hobbling off five minutes into the second half, while his assailant remained on the pitch, having done his job. Ten minutes later, the only goal of the game arrived from Anwa. It meant that it was pretty much game over. The hosts came close to doubling their lead a couple of times, with the threat of KBU extinguished.

My Roving Report for A Thai Football Podcast

Time for Dinner by the Beach

Should the game have gone into extra time, it would have done so without me in attendance. As the final whistle sounded, I was on my way to dinner at Son Kaew Seafood Restaurant. A pleasant meal was enjoyed before Q gave us a nighttime tour of the old town.

We wanted to be back in Hat Yai for a night of sleep, as the following day would see Taew head off and make our way without our hosts, catching the bus to Krabi to enjoy many further adventures. It was only then that she revealed that her cousin’s wife was worried about me going to football alone. If only she knew.