BG Stadium (Bangkok)

Ground: BG Stadium

Capacity: 15,114

Opened: 2010

Club: BG Pathum United

BG Stadium, the home of BG Pathum United, is considered one of the best football venues in Thailand, often used as a neutral ground for cup semi-finals and finals, along with hosting national team games.

This page is dedicated to its background and when it stages games as a neutral venue. The history of BG Pathum United and my first visits is covered elsewhere, as are the home matches I have attended from 2022.

Stadium Background

For many years, the stadium was known as being three-sided before the East Stand was constructed and opened in 2024. It also had an artificial pitch for several seasons. The stadium is in the grounds of Bangkok Glass Public Company Limited.

When opened, the home club was known as Bangkok Glass FC. The venue was known as Leo Stadium for a time. In later years, True BG Stadium. The complex has a football training centre, BG Hall, an indoor arena, and The Rabbits Bar & Restaurant. 

My Neutral Game at BG Stadium

Thailand 1 Suriname 0 

Friendly - Sunday 27th March 2022

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 4,418 🎟️ 100 THB (£2.40)

Having been to Chonburi Stadium the previous Thursday for the match against Nepal, I was delighted to be cheering on my adopted nation once again. I had learned what I thought was the best way to the stadium by public transport after heading to a game at nearby North Bangkok University the previous weekend.

I changed buses at Wat Phra Sri Mahathat to take a service to the opposite Zeer Rangsit, where there was a small mall and market to grab some food and drink. From there, it was a bit of a wait before the busy 538 air-conditioned bus arrived. It dropped me right outside the ground.

I decided to buy a ticket for the normal home end and was soon upstairs on the top deck, which was great for plane spotters but not vertigo sufferers, especially as you needed to be at the back to view the near goal. I didn’t really enjoy it, truth be told, despite the dramatic view.

The Ultras made viewing even more difficult when they arrived with their flags, making a proper noise at the same time. The Thai Power fan group was at the other end. Bordin Phala had the first effort for Thailand, but his low shot was easily gathered by keeper Warner Hahn.

This was before Hahn produced a good low save to keep out Suphanat Mueanta, who then had a low near-post volley disallowed for offside. At this point, I moved downstairs a level to the middle tier, where I felt more comfortable.

The hosts were playing some neat football, with Suriname having their backs to the wall. Theerathon Boonmatan was next to go close, with a bending free kick. Bordin opened the scoring three minutes shy of the half-hour mark when he came inside and fired in a curling shot from twenty-five yards.

Head coach Alexandré Pölking had his charges playing well, and they were on a fine run since being crowned as Southeast Asian champions. But Suriname hadn’t just turned up to sightsee. They almost drew level when Leandro Kappel dragged his shot across the goal shortly into the second half.

Kritsada Kaman was next to go close with a free kick for the Thais before keeper Sivaruk Tedsungnoen made a miraculous save from sub Jeredy Hilterman, who really should have scored from the low cross.

The visitors continued to carve out opportunities, with Tjaronn Chery being found on the edge of the box in acres of space. His low shot was saved by Sivaruk. In the end, the home side won 1-0. It was now time to plan my trip home. Crossing the bridge, a minivan was waiting to take fans back to Victory Monument. 

I decided to bite the bullet and jump out at Lak Si, failing desperately to estimate my stop. It ended in a very long walk along the side of the busy Vibhavadi Rangsit road and along Thanon Chaeng Watthana back to the stop at the end of Ram Inthra near Wat Phra Sri Mahathat BTS, from where a 26 bus was soon along to take me home.

Chonburi Stadium (Chonburi)

Chonburi Stadium, sometimes called Chonburi Daikin Stadium, is a multi-purpose venue opened in 2010. It is used primarily by Chonburi FC, whom I went to see in action, as well as staging occasional international games and the semi-finals of cup competitions.

My Visits

Chonburi 1 TOT SC 1

Thai Premier League - Sunday 2nd November 2014

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 7,666 🎟️ 200 THB (£4.80)

What was a remarkable occasion can be read about on the Chonburi FC page.

Thailand 2 Nepal 0 

Friendly - Thursday 24th March 2022

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 3,386 🎟️ 100 THB (£2.40)

As someone living in Thailand, I was not going to turn down the opportunity of going to cheer on the national team, especially as I fancied a return to Chonburi. Tickets for this game and the following Sunday against Suriname were easy to come by via Thai Ticket Major.

There were several ways of travelling along the Gulf to the city. In the end, friends gave me good advice to try to do it by minibus. Sure enough, there was a service from the specific small van station over the road from Chatuchak 2 Market near where I lived in Minburi.

I arrived with enough time to grab some provisions before we departed, with my drop-off point being opposite Central Chonburi, ideal for my hotel. It took about fifteen minutes on foot from the mall to find my excellent accommodation for the evening at Central Place, which cost 668 THB.

There was time for a nap before setting off for a stroll towards the Chonburi Stadium, which was around twenty minutes away. It was good to see plenty of activities for fans outside, as a real effort had been made.

No stalls were selling beer. Those imbibing were buying from the 7/11 at the far end, where my ticket was for the gate on Soi Nartmontasevee 30. I grabbed a couple of small cans and mingled near the Ultras, who set off a pyro display before they entered the stadium.

The crowd in general was family-oriented. It was good to see the Thai FA offer the fans of a footballing stronghold the chance to see their national team. It was a case of finding the best seat as the ticket wasn’t numbered. I got a decent view towards the back of the curve.

The match itself would struggle to find a highlights package, but it wasn’t pedestrian. Nepal were serious about their task and determined not to lose, using every trick in the book to contain their hosts, and by regularly putting ten men behind the ball.

I later read that the visitors were missing some of their star names, so a little understanding is fair. I’m not sure what to say about the first half, apart from the fact that Thailand was attacking towards our end, or at least should have been. Beer wasn’t allowed in the stands, and Pujan Uparkoti of Nepal was shown a yellow card; these were the only things of note.

Kevin Deeromram for the home side put in a low cross-come shot that away keeper Kiran Chemjong Limbu dealt with after three minutes. The goalie then easily saved a side-footed effort from Picha Autra and then smothered a shot from Tristan Do.

Pathompol Charoenrattanapirom fired high and wide while Chemjong Limbu made himself the centre of attention several times with theatrical catches. Charoenrattanapirom was a little closer soon after the restart from the edge of the box.

A curling effort from Adisak Kraisorn was just too high as Changsuek continued to press. Deeromram somehow sliced wide after forcing himself through on goal on the left-hand side of the penalty area as the pressure mounted, with Manuel Bihr having an effort pushed away.

Pansa Hemviboon saw his header come back off the bar with the keeper motionless before the deadlock was finally broken with twelve minutes left on the clock. Philip Roller cut inside in the box, and his left-footed drive found the top corner of the net via a deflection.

Sasalak Haiprakhon went close with a low drive before a low shot from Chaowat Veerachat in the final minute of normal time, securing the victory. It had been hard work, but Thailand got there in the end.

At full-time, I had plans. HopfAddict looked tempting on the way to the match with its range of foreign beers, but the prices were on the steep side. Instead, I headed to Queen Bar. It had decent reviews, and they had been kind enough to reply to my enquiries on Facebook.

It proved to be an excellent choice. The owner was a lovely man, as were the staff and customers. A decent acoustic guitar singer provided the entertainment. We got chatting, and the boss said to wait, so he could drive me home to my hotel. Outstanding customer service.

It had been another excellent few hours of learning and exploring. The football wasn’t the best, but the people most certainly were.

Many thanks to my good friend, Chonburi FC fan Dale, for providing information for this piece. Dale compiles the excellent and highly recommended fanzine/blog, It's A Habit That Sticks, as well as editing A Thai Football Podcast, which comes out weekly.

Thammasat Stadium (Bangkok)

Ground: Thammasat Stadium

Capacity: 25,000

Opened: 1998

Club: PEA FC, Police United, Bangkok United (former), Dome FC (current). Thammasat is a neutral venue for FA and League Cup semi-finals and finals, as well as the Thailand national team and various international teams.

There are not many grander arenas in Thailand than Thammasat Stadium, with its one drawback being its location and accessibility from central Bangkok.

Background

Thammasat Stadium, opened in 1998, is located on the Rangsit campus of Thammasat University, north of Bangkok. It was originally built for the 1998 ASEAN Games before being used predominantly for football.

Its design is a smaller version of Rajamangala National Stadium, albeit with a cover on both sides. An outstanding feature is its striking corner floodlights and a mini stadium behind the north end, providing a warm-up track for athletes.

PEA FC, Provincial Electric Authority, used the stadium as their home ground in the 2001-02 season for Asian Champions League games, before Police United arrived as the full-time tenant in 2011, remaining there for five seasons.

After they moved south near the headquarters at Boonyachinda Stadium, Dome FC, part of Thammasat University, played in the stadium from 2015, with Bangkok United arriving in 2016. The stadium became a favourite of the Thai FA, who used it for the latter stages of their cup competitions.

The stadium also staged matches in the 2020 AFC U-23 Championship, including the semi-final, which saw South Korea defeat Saudi Arabia. Bangkok United left Thammasat at the end of the 2024-25 season to become a tenant of BG Pathum United at BG Stadium.

My visits

Insee Police United 0 Suphanburi 2

Thai Premier League - Wednesday 27th March 2013

Click here to read about my first call to the stadium.

Dome FC 1 BCG 3

Thai League 4 Bangkok Region - Monday 18th June 2018 (att: 109)

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 109 🎟️ 50 THB (£1.20)

An unplanned second visit is detailed here.

PT Prachuap 1 Chonburi 0

Thai League Cup semi-final - Wednesday 25th May 2022

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 1,877 🎟️ 100 THB (£2.40)

A Long Ride

The Thai FA decided to use Thammasat Stadium as a neutral venue once again after it had staged the FA Cup final the previous Sunday. As well as this League Cup last-four encounter, it would also stage the final just four days later.

I’d baulked at the chance to visit earlier in the season when Bangkok United were in situ. There were far easier journeys to other matches. It really was a trek from Minburi, but my vanity sealed the deal on this occasion.

I’d met up with my Chonburi supporting pal, Dale, a couple of weeks earlier when his team played away to Ratchaburi. I’d enjoyed their attacking style, so when he asked me to compile the match report I’ve repeated below for his website, it was a no-brainer.

Wary of the distance, I set off around 2.30pm, getting on board a minivan at the terminus in Minburi. It was nearly 3pm before we set off on what was to be a laborious journey. Yes, we beat the school traffic to begin with, but got horribly snarled up as we crawled down Ram Inthra Road.

It was painful stuff up Pahon Yothin Road, with all its turn-offs and side sois as the rush hour really kicked in with people leaving work. We really were getting back to normal post-COVID. I asked the driver if he went all the way to the University, but he ended up at Future Park Rangsit.

As in my trips to BG Pathum United, I alighted at Big C, opposite Zeer Rangsit and awaited the 510m bus for the remainder of the trip. Again, we got caught up in traffic. I jumped out at the Thailand Science Park inside the campus, only to see the bus continue towards the stadium.

Getting slightly lost near the mini stadium, which staged games in the Thailand Amateur League and then the site's tennis courts, I eventually headed around to the West Stand, which was divided into two sections between the two sides.

I had a choice of seats and height. The only area with any real population was down towards the front, where the ultras with megaphones and drums assembled. I have to say the stadium offers fantastic views.

Anyway. Onto my match report....

Prachuap advanced to face Buriram in the final of the League Cup with a goal after sixty-four minutes from Brazilian striker Willen Mota in a game of few chances before withstanding prolonged Chonburi pressure to see out the game.

The Killer Wasp had the brighter of the early exchanges with a low cross skimming along the six-yard line, begging for a final touch before both teams began feeling each other out while looking for an opening in a relatively dull first half.

A Prachuap quick counter following a Sharks corner saw Soony Saad fire wide. A lapse from Chonburi’s Songchai Thongcham in his own box was cleaned up by a couple of defensive blocks before a low-bending free kick at the other end from Gidi Kanyuk was well saved by keeper Jirunpong Thammasiha.

Both sides showed more attacking intent straight from the sound of the whistle at the start of the second half. A Sharks move down the left saw a low cross arrive just behind Yoo Byung-soo, whose resultant volley was weak and wide.

Saad’s header was easily gathered by keeper Chanin Sae-ear as play went from end to end. The Sharks' Dennis Murillo was doing a decent job leading the line, heading just over from a cross. His teammate Kritsada Kaman backed this up with a shot over the bar.

Prachuap should really have taken the lead just gone the hour mark when a superb cross from Saharat Pongsuwan picked out the free Apichart Denman on the back post, but his header missed the target.

Despite the small crowd rattling around Thammasat, both sets of fans created a cacophony of noise with drums and chants underneath the large curving roof of the East Stand. It would be those clad in orange who would have cause to cheer when a simple through ball from Prasit Jantum found Mota, who brushed aside the weak efforts of Prasit Jantum to finish calmly.

Prachuap’s players suddenly became more prone to requiring treatment from the physio. I can only assume referee Mongkolchai Pechsri put his foot down with a few words, as it stopped after a couple of times in quick succession, as the Sharks fans and players sounded their disapproval.

Kaman was doing his best to fire up his Chonburi troops and came close to capitalising on dithering defenders, but could not get enough power behind his half-volley to really trouble custodian Thammasiha.

Sharks' pressure mounted, but in truth, their crossing was woeful. The introduction of diminutive wideman Phitak Pimpae created a few problems, but the Killer Wasp backline was having a good night. A scuffed volley from Kaman summed up Chonburi’s frustrations.

Their best chance of levelling came when a superb cross-field diagonal pass from Noppanon Kachaplayuk was chested down by Murillo, but the big Brazilian sliced his left-footed effort badly wide. Despite a string of corners, the Prachuap defence held firm to set off wild scenes among their travelling support.

Now, for a few personal thoughts to go with my report. I’m not sure either side deserved to win in 90 minutes. It was a tight affair lacking in quality. I was surprised when the goal went in. I thought we were certain of extra time and possibly penalties from an early stage.

Venue Thoughts

Onto the venue. Now there’s no doubt that Thammasat is a superb stadium, despite its running track not being ideal for football fans. The stands are steep, and the views are good, but surely there had to have been a more suitable venue in Bangkok for both sets of fans and neutrals to reach. Especially for a 6pm kick-off.

Despite setting off at 3pm, I got to the ground seven minutes before kick-off. The roads were gridlocked in places as returning students from the previous Monday added to the mounting rush hour traffic. Not great panning from the FA.

A Rainy Return Home

The catering was fine outside the East Stand, aside from only one stall selling soft drinks. My chicken nuggets and fries were excellent. I didn’t see any alcohol available. The ticket prices were good, so fair play to the Thai FA on that.

My own fault, but I decided to take the 510 bus after the game back to Rangsit and take a similar journey without the congestion. A huge electrical storm deluged the area, and no taxis were available. Fortunately, I had my poncho with me, but I still got a proper soaking before eventually flagging down a cab.

I eventually got home around 11.30pm after taking a bus from outside Major Cineplex Rangsit, close to Wat Phra Sri Mahathat, from where I crossed the road for the 26 service back home. The air con didn’t do me many favours after being out in the rain!

It was not difficult to see why Bangkok United, who were a good team and attractive tenants at Thammasat, struggled so hard to attract crowds. Every match is an away fixture unless living in Rangsit. But for all that, I’d certainly give it another go and try to suss out the return bus stops!

Bangkok United 2 Lamphun Warriors 0

Thai League 1 - Sunday 6th November 2022

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 1,307 🎟️ 100 THB (£2.40)

Read all about a home game for the resident club of the day.

Thailand 4 Philippines 0 

AFF Championships Group A - Monday 26th December 2022

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 6,567 🎟️ 250 THB (£6)

 

Christmas Bonus

Unlike the previous year, I was unable to find Christmas Day football in my new home, but I got the second best. After contacting fellow Port expat Marco, I set about buying online tickets in advance for 250 Baht on the South Curve.

With plenty of time in hand, I set off at 3pm for the 7.30pm kick-off as the plan was to meet in a bar near the stadium that I had checked out on Google Maps. Well aware that it could be a troublesome journey, I wanted to give myself lots of time.

But there was to be no need for concern. The bus and Skytrain deposited me at Yaek Kor Por Aor BTS station. From there, I anticipated another two buses, one to Zeer Rangsit before meeting up with the 510 into the university campus.

However, a 39 arrived displaying Thammasat on the front. The lovely air-conditioned modern vehicle made up a lot of time, dropping me at the Executive Dome. Last time I walked from there, but with time on my hands, I waited a couple of minutes and hopped aboard the free Yellow Line service going around the grounds.

Pre Match at Thammasat

The stop by the Faculty of Engineering was a mere five minutes to the bar, which was translated as “Talk” on my app, across the busy Khlong Luang Road by a footbridge. It turned out to be an excellent find.

Unfortunately, the draft beer from Stone Brewing was not on, so it was large bottles of local stuff instead, along with pad krapow. Marco joined me for an hour before we walked the ten minutes or so to our turnstiles.

There was an interesting moment when a steward tried to send me to leave my camera at a point outside before a more senior colleague intervened. Pyros were being let off by the Ultras across the way as we went inside.

The beauty of our tickets was that we could sit where we wanted, so we headed high into the corner to grab an excellent view. The attendance was slightly disappointing but not surprising. Oh, for Rajamangala to have staged the match.

The Match

The hosts came out of the blocks quickly and went ahead in the third minute when a free kick from Theerathon Bunmathan was headed home majestically by man of the match Teerasil Dangda, who was outstanding all evening.

The game quickly turned into a procession of attack against defence as the Philippine goal led a charmed life through a mixture of luck, brave defending, desperate goalkeeping and bad finishing, with Bordin Phala causing endless problems out wide.

Adisak Praikorn, alongside Teerasil, was also in excellent form, as chances went begging. Kritsada Kaman had a goal chalked off for offside before Phala cut inside and smashed a shot against the bar with keeper Julian Schwarzer left grasping thin air.

Suphanan Bureerat couldn’t believe his luck as his volley from Dangda’s head down was pushed away by the custodian. Ekanit Panya somehow headed wide when free at the back post from close range as Thailand were rampant.

Praikorn was denied by the legs of Schwarzer before Panya was clumsily brought down in the area four minutes before the interval. Teerasil smashed home the spot kick, before we had a wander and a chat with a couple of Muang Thong Ultras at the break.

The away team stopper somehow scrambled a long shot round the post before a wonderful cross-field pass picked out Teerasil, whose first touch was exemplary as he then laid the ball square for Praikorn to slot home. It was a wonderful goal.

The pressure continued unabated as shots rained in on goal. Phala ran through but was stopped as he was about to shoot, the loose ball falling to Bureerat, who scored with ease. Head coach Mano Pölking had seen enough and decided to save the legs of the magnificent front three as he substituted them.

The game became a bit more like a contest afterwards, with a header from Oliver Bias of the Philippines forcing Kittipong Phoothawchuek to pull off a decent save. A header from sub, Channarong Promsrikaew, forced Schwarzer into another decent save at the other end.

Another replacement, Poramet Arjvirai, intercepted a loose back pass and set up Sarach Yooyen, who somehow contrived to blast over. Either side had a couple of efforts as the game petered out, and away skipper Stephan Schröck continued whining at excellent Japanese referee Yudai Yamamoto.

Homeward Bound

We departed as stoppage time commenced, with the issue of how to find the bus back home. Two proved better than one, as we sussed out the stop for the 510, which took us to Zeer Rangsit, from where a couple more rides got me back to Minburi at just after 11pm.

An excellent home performance, against an albeit wanting opposition, excellent company and a top few hours out. With a bonus of seamless travel, which is a rarity when commenting on Thammasat University.

Bangkok United 2 Port FC 2 

Thai League 1 - Sunday 7th April 2024

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 3,876 🎟️ 100 THB (£2.40)

Another league game, which turned out to be an excellent encounter, can be read about here.

Rajamangala Stadium (Bangkok)

Ground: Rajamangala Stadium 
Capacity: 49,749
Opened: 1998
Teams: Thailand National Team (current level)

Built initially for the 1998 Asian Games in 1998 and the 1999 ASEAN University Games, Rajamangala became the national stadium hosting football, athletics and concerts.

Construction

Rajamangala Stadium forms part of the large complex under the operation of the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), in the district of Hua Mak, in the east of Bangkok.

Concrete was used mostly in its construction, creating a stadium that is both impressive and imposing. It is undoubtedly dramatic, especially when viewed from its approach or by visitors heading into the city from Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Stunning Design

The stands rise and fall like a giant, exaggerated version of the stadium opened in Huddersfield in 2004. At each end are quite narrow tiers of seats, but the tiers rise and rise as they move round the sides until they peak level with the halfway line.

It has been home to the national football team for many matches, as well as being used for other events over the years.

Football Usage

Groups in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup were staged in the arena, including the matches which Thailand played in. Thai club sides have also used the stadium when playing in continental cup competitions.

Krung Thai Bank FC, who would later morph into what is now BG Pathum United and PEA FC, used it in the AFC Champions League and AFC Cup, respectively. Aside from football, it has been used for athletics, pop concerts and political rallies as the SAT tried to use it to its full potential.

The stadium staged the home games of BB-CU as their ground share with Army United was not permissible during their spell in the Thai Premier League, as United were also in that division. Games were played in front of small crowds.

Concerts Galore

Among the musical stars to have entertained the crowds in the magnificent bowl are Lada Gaga, Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Harry Styles, Justin Bieber, One Direction and Blackpink, as well as numerous other shows and exhibitions.

The side tribunes are designated 'East' and 'West'. 'East' is the uncovered popular side; 'West' is the covered side where the more expensive seats are. The two ends are designated 'North' and 'South'.

English Classic

Manchester United defeated Liverpool 4-0 in the Century Cup in 2022 in front of 50,428 spectators. In 2023, tournament football returned to Rajamangla, as group games in the under-17s Asian Cup were staged. The Thailand national team games continued to attract large crowds, creating a vibrant atmosphere.

My visits

Stadium Visit - April 2007

Holiday Opportunity

The following is my description of my visit as part of a ground hop around Thailand in March/April 2007 that appeared in the Scarborough Athletic FC fanzine, Abandon Chip.

"The week after Chiang Mai (an amateur international cricket tournament I had attended), I had time to kill while my hosts Steve and Ea were at work, so I decided this was a great time to adventure without the assistance of local knowledge, which led to the challenge.

The following Tuesday, I took a taxi to the country's major venue, the imposing Rajamangala Stadium. Despite the outer gates being open, the guards wouldn’t let me in before I eventually came across the Thailand Museum of Sport.

Local Kindness

A kind lady let me have a look around while she enquired on the telephone if I could get inside the stadium, once she’d satisfied herself that I didn’t belong to the media. Our esteemed editor obviously hadn’t sorted me any Abandon Chip accreditation.

I’d borrowed Steve’s good camera, which had no doubt raised her suspicions. The stadium didn't disappoint me once inside, and it proved worth the effort in negotiation. 

Thailand U23 0 North Korea U23 0 (Tuesday 31st March 2015) AFC Under 23 Qualifier (att: 20,000)

Local Transport

It was the second day of my holiday in Thailand in readiness for the Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes. After a decent rest at my host Steve’s house, Fah delivered us some fine local food from a nearby street stall in Minburi on the outskirts of Bangkok.

After many visits to the Land of Smiles, I was determined to use local transport, and I’d done plenty of homework regarding buses to be able to do so. Steve and I caught an open-backed songthaew to the main road in Minburi in what proved to be sweltering temperatures.

Canal Boat to the Match

We then continued by catching a number 27 service bus which dropped us opposite the ever-impressive indoor air-conditioned Bangkapi Mall, offering a welcome rest bite from the conditions before heading for our third mode of transport.

This came in the form of the Khlong Saen Saep Express Boat. The short journey dropped us off at Mahadthai, from where we had a look in the Adidas store and a large outlet with sports goods from all the major manufacturers on the corner of Ramkhamhaeng 65 and the main road. The complete journey of around 20km cost about 58p for the pair of us.

Where's the Bar?

The stadium was across the busy thoroughfare, which required the footbridge to cross just under the flyway. Fans were assembling, ready for their team's big game. The other group game between Cambodia and the Philippines had kicked off at 4pm inside, but we decided to wait for the main event at 7pm.

Requiring refreshments and some food, we grabbed some cheap fried chicken from a street vendor, which helped enhance our thirst. Google Maps were not as reliable as we'd hoped, and after a bit of a wild goose chase, we settled for a large beer in the trendy Wink Bar.

Heavy Security

We were looking for a bar selling worldwide craft beers on the map, but we ended up outside the stadium for a tin of Leo before buying our 200 Baht (£4) tickets. These represented decent value for this match, but they covered both games. No match programmes were available.

Extensive searches and several ticket checks were carried out before we headed up to our seats in the open West Stand. I had been in touch with Tom, a groundhopping mate whom I’d last seen at Leatherhead. He was now teaching English in Bangkok and got stuck into watching games around the country. He was at the back of the lower tier and waiting for us.

Good Seats, Dull Game

We found three seats together towards the back, a bit further round, so we could have a good chat. Our side and the two ends began to fill up. The support when everyone sang or cheered in unison was most impressive. Three ultra sections were spread around, supporting the team.

The game itself was short of action and attacking intent for such an important clash, being the final game in the group. Thailand had not capitalised on building their goal difference against the two weaker sides in the four-team group and now required a win to top the section and automatically qualify for the finals.

Tactics Confusion

The North Koreans looked like a far better organised side, and we all predicted that they weren’t about to be beaten. As the match went into the second half, we were surprised and frustrated by the home side's tactics.

It was as though they had no concern. By the eightieth minute, we were getting a bit tetchy and lamented the attitudes on show. The game finished with a whimper without any real goalmouth action. The home side took their plaudits as we trudged out.

Conundrum Solved

Tom joined us for some post-match refreshment as the crowds drifted by. The ‘highlights’ were being shown on TV in the open bar we chose, along with interviews. No one seemed concerned in the slightest.

We had an inkling that we were missing something when Tom found out the news that Thailand had gone through as the best runner-up. The news of earlier kick-offs around Asia had obviously been passed on to the players on the pitch. Fans leaving the stadium kept coming by. They’d stayed behind to celebrate.

Post Match Fun

We went over the road and found a fine upstairs bar overlooking things and with open sides. Each of us had a Thai meal and a large bottle of beer. The total cost was 480 Baht or less than £10. The area around Ramkhamhaeng University and the Sports Authority of Thailand really was a decent find.

Steve and I finished off by jumping in a cab and ending proceedings with a couple of nightcaps outside our favourite Minburi bar, Sudtong Club, to round off an educational and great value-for-money outing.

Bangkok United 2 Buriram United 0 (Saturday 5th August 2023) Thai Champions Cup (att: 10,824)

Early Doors

I arrived by similar means to last time, a couple of hours before kickoff, and bought cheap food from the open market next to the main road. With nowhere seemingly open and selling beers, I put on my saddest eyes. Wink Bar served me eighty minutes ahead of their 6pm opening time so that I could get back over the road for kickoff.

It was great to be back at Rajamanagala. The place had suffered during the pandemic and was getting a blast from some Thai-based westerners on social media owing to the lack of football being played there and a recent postponement featuring Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

Match Action

I saw a shock in the Thai equivalent of the Community Shield as Bangkok United (BU) did a proper job on last season’s treble winners, Buriram United (BR). They thoroughly deserved it was too, as from the outset the winners went about their task, threatening before Brazilian striker Willen finished off a smart move after eight minutes.

BR's new signing Ramil Sheydayev of Azeri origins looked good out wide, but there seemed to be an overreliance on supplying him, which was soon pounced upon, and he gradually became increasingly frustrated throughout the match.

The club had fired forward Jonaton Bolingi in the summer for ill-discipline, but his replacement in the starting lineup, Lonsana Doumbouya, looked lightweight, losing interest quickly after being the recipient of a strong aerial challenge from Suphan Thongsong. International striker Supachai Jaided seemed strangely muted playing just behind him. 

It was a curious performance from the favourites to retain the Thai league title, though Bangkok had won the corresponding fixture the previous season. There are no points at stake in a friendly. Thitipan Puangchan, in a holding midfield role for BU, was excellent, as was the scorer of the second goal. 

Eid Mahmoud, a Palestinian who always impressed me, notched five minutes after the restart. His chance came after more woeful BR defensive work allowed a wide man to skip past the full back and deliver a low cross. The play from the Bangkok side was fluid throughout, with their keeper Patiwat Khammai in good form.

A special mention to the referee, Mr Somsingha, who clamped down when necessary but gave the game a chance to flow, which it did. He also did well, in my opinion, to wave away much of the moaning emanating from the Buriram crew.

Great Facilities Being Used

At full-time, there was a floodlit 6-a-side beach football tournament in progress with crowds around it when I was leaving. Lots of other facilities were also being used. 

It created a vibrant atmosphere around the place, as many athletes from a wide range of disciplines got to use the facilities. Whether it's archery, ice hockey, gymnastics, velodrome cycling, swimming, athletics, snooker, or one of the multitude of other sports with a national authority, then Rajamangala is the place to head.

My return journey was by one of the many buses that pass by along a bustling Ramkhamhaeng Road at the front of the complex. I changed to a taxi near Fashion Island and was home ready for food in just over an hour after full-time.