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.

 

An Insane Sisaket Derby

Behind the scenes of one of Isan’s biggest football clashes, as Rasisalai United and Sisaket United face off in a Thai League 2 battle, from the build-up in town and heavy traffic to the buzzing crowds outside the stadium. Witness the atmosphere, the action, and the drama of this unforgettable matchday. 

Whether you’re a fan of Thai League football, love derby atmospheres, or want to see what makes Sisaket's football culture so unique, this match has it all.

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

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.

Kanthararom United

Kanthararom United FC is an amateur football club, formed in 2017, that hails from the small town of the same name on the road between Sisaket and Ubon Ratchathani. 

In 2017 and 2018, the team entered the Thailand Amateur League without any success, as well as the Thai FA Cup in 2018, when known as NBN Kanthararom United, they lost 3-0 to JL Chiangmai United, with the tie being played at SAT Sisaket Stadium in front of 240 fans.

The side returned to the FA Cup in 2022-23, going out 2-1 away to Khon Kaen in the first round with Jeerawat Thonglue in charge of the team. Fellow amateur club, Mahanakon Khon Kaen ended any hopes of progression in the competition in 2023-24 with a 3-1 victory in the Qualifying Round.

Kanthararom did not enter the following season, but returned in 2025-26, going out once again 4-1 to Khon Kaen in FA Cup qualifying, with the game being switched to Sisaket Rajabhat University Stadium, as Jeerawat remained in charge of the team.

Despite playing in the national cup, Kanthararom do not play regular league football, with much of their activity centred around the small-sided NBN Arena pitch, on the main 226 Road, where local competition takes place.

My visit

Sisaket Rajabhat University Stadium

Kanthararom United 1 Khon Kaen 4 (Wednesday 24th September 2025) Thai FA Cup Qualifying Round (att: 200)

As the amateur team from my nearest town doesn’t have a suitable venue in Kanthararom, they switched the match to the Sisaket Rajabhat University Stadium, a few miles up the road.

They gave it a good go, too, against the pros from Thai League 3 Northeast. Quality and fitness were decisive factors in the end of an entertaining game played on a glue pot pitch in good spirits, which was sensibly refereed.

Khon Kaen went into a two-goal lead with efforts from the impressive Sakunchai Saenthopho in the second minute and then the excellent Charin Boodhad on the half-hour mark after he had earlier missed a penalty, as the rain teemed down before clearing near half-time. It looked like a large score was on the horizon.

However, the hosts gradually got back into the game and missed two easy chances, playing enterprising football at times despite being porous at the back. The second missed chance took some believing as a forward sliding in at the back post cleared the ball from a yard out.

The visiting coach brought on Brazilian forward Caio when Kanthararom looked like they might sneak a goal back. He was excellent, helping Charin to a second. The home team did score when a low cross was put away at the back post by Arnon Thongphanya, before the final kick of the match saw Caio put away a penalty. 

I’d met my mate John before the game for food and drink at Leo’s town, as we knew there should have only been half an hour before the second part of our extravaganza got underway. The weather certainly played a part in the Sisaket United v Padriew City game.

My Roving Report for A Thai Football Podcast

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

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 c100 – 🎟️ Free

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.

Warin Chamrap

Warin Chamrap is a semi-professional football club which represents the district of the same name, which is located just south of the city of Ubon Ratchathani in Northeast Thailand. The club has a heritage that goes back to 1998.

In the Thailand Amateur League in 2022, Warin Chamrap ended as runners-up to JFAM United in the Northeast Southern Zone Group E on goal difference to end any dreams of further progression in the competition.

The club participated in the FA Cup in the 2022-23 season, defeating Phachi City 1-0 in the first round at Ubon Ratchathani Rajabhat University Stadium before going out 4-1 away to Ratchaburi under the watchful eye of head coach Jirayoo Suwandee.

In 2024-25, the team went out in the cup in the Round of 64, 2-1 away to Lampang, before competing in the Semipro League, playing their home games at Ubon Ratchathani University Stadium in their home district. In the semi-pro league, the side finished way short of the title but attracted decent attendances. 

The football gods were shining on Warin for the 2025-26 FA Cup. They received a bye in the qualification round before being drawn out of the hat to play away to Buriram United. While the game ended in a 12-0 defeat the club were given the gate receipts in a wonderful gesture from Newin Chidchob. A crowd of 11,413 attended.

For the 2026 semi-pro league season, the club chose to play their home games at the Ubon Ratchathani Provincial Sports School in the centre of the city, which was a former home of Ubon Kruanapat FC before the side coached by Jetsadakorn Hemdaeng moved to the UBRU Stadium.

Warin Chamrap FC will play in the Thai Semi-Pro League in 2026.

My visit

Ubon Ratchthani University Stadium

Warin Chamrap 0 Vongchavalitkul University 1 

Saturday 10th May 2025

Thai Semipro League Northeast 

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 480 

My pal, John, and I had seen the visitors in action a fortnight earlier away to Ubon Kids City, when after a reasonable start, they ended up getting pumped 6-0. The following week, their home game ended in a 7-1 defeat to Mahasarakhan Siwilai. We pondered what they might produce this time.

Our day out began relatively early, before this 4 pm kick-off, with John collecting me at home before we headed to Ubon to play golf at the Suppasit Prasong Military Golf Course. Fun was had playing a proper course with caddies, and certainly an upgrade on the smaller facility we had been using in Sisaket. 

One thing about playing proper golf when not used to it was the fact that it was a lot more tiring than I remembered. We needed refreshing and energy stocks replenishing. We eventually sat down inside the air-conditioned Tree Cafe Rim Moon that I’d visited a couple of times previously.

It was a Thai holiday weekend, which was reflected by the busy establishment, where excellent local snacks and a bottle of Heineken Zero were enjoyed, with me on a month of abstinence from alcohol to try and shed a bit of timber. 

It was further than we thought to Ubon Ratchathani University, if a simple enough route. The pair of us were surprised by just what a spread-out city it is, with Warin being a continuation of it these days. Many eating and drinking establishments told a tale of a large population south of the River Mun.

The area near the entrance to the campus had quite a collection of businesses, while inside the grounds, we found things to be a little dated and neglected in parts. I’d contemplated going to a game there a couple of years earlier. I would most certainly have needed a driver to the stadium, as the area was huge. 

We arrived at the same time as a bus load of military cadets, while another bus for youngsters would come later. The club had put up signage at the front entrance and along the long route inside the campus to direct those wanting to find the stadium, which impressed me.

As did the setting up of a souvenir stall selling replica shirts at a knockdown price, with the season nearing its end. Everyone seemed very friendly. The obligatory man on the mic talked incessantly while playing modern Thai tunes, creating the semblance of an occasion. 

We sat in the quieter of the two blocks in the main stand, separated by the usual media and officials’ area. Three away supporters who had made the five-hour journey from Nakhon Ratchasima were behind us. My attention was drawn to something quite unusual as the teams warmed up.

I was certain that the goal to the left was taller than the one on the right. Maybe an optical illusion, or the pitch sloping, I wasn’t sure, but it simply didn’t look right. It wasn’t alcohol playing a part, of that much I was certain. 

In the early stages, it quickly became apparent that the pitch was in awful condition, with bumps all over it making control difficult. That wasn’t to say that some of the players on display couldn’t be to blame as well, as what materialised was a quite frankly shocking game of football, yet entertaining at the same time, if that makes sense.

Referee Rutratchapoom Moolpong played his part in this, as in the first half an hour, he hardly gave a foul. Players were lying down injured as he simply waved play on, leaving anyone in little doubt that he wasn’t going to be fooled by those play acting. Sometimes he let things go too far. 

By the time he signalled for the drinks break after thirty minutes, Warin looked alright going forward but hadn’t forced the VU goalkeeper, Phumin Prokkaew, into a save. Home forward Winai Jarukan seemed to know what he wanted to do in terms of chesting the ball down and retaining possession without knowing how.

The University side had gone ahead after nineteen minutes. Their left-sided defender Chayathat Thupmongkhon tried a speculative shot from thirty yards, which caught goalie, Pattarawut Saengsanoh, off his line and out of position and went into the top corner of the net.

VU came close to doubling the lead shortly after. A low cross flashed across the six-yard line, but there was no away team forward able to get on the end of it. They then decided that they would hang on to what they had, to the frustration of the home team players and supporters.

The ref completely changed tack after the restart before halftime as he blew his whistle so regularly, I was half expecting him to play the national anthem on it. Once the teams went down the tunnel, a free raffle was held to win team shirts, another nice touch. 

Play got worse, if anything, after the restart, as dark clouds began to build in the distance, with occasional flashes of lightning. VU were using all the dark arts they could think of to keep the hosts at bay, putting in a desperate display trying to please their coach Therdtoon Kahkai.

Home coach, Jirayoo Suwandee was apoplectic at the performance of the officials as his team still failed to have a meaningful shot on target despite having plenty of the ball and putting on pressure. One had to admire the doggedness of the Vongchavalitkul rearguard. 

Warin defender Chakrit Champasrl lost his rag and got booked for an X-rated foul on Adison Budken, who in turn had been fouling his way through the second half. He hobbled off in agony to be replaced by Chatchawan Chonphakdi, much to our delight in the stands.

The robust defender kicked whatever was near him in the direction he was facing, much in the same way as the last time we had watched him. A player of no discernible talent, but someone committed to the cause, he refused to waver, much like many Sunday League players back home. 

Warin mounted a couple of attacks and added pressure in the box, but the VU rearguard put their collective bodies on the line and stood firm until full-time, much to the delight of the trio sitting behind us. A terrible game of football, but enjoyable in its own way.

We stopped a couple of times on the way back towards home so that I could grab some groceries, since our car was at the repair shop. A good day out.

UBRU Stadium

Warin Chamrap 0 Sisaket City 1

Saturday 16th May 2026 

Thai Semi-Pro League Northeast 

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 789 🎟️ 50 THB (£1.20)

A cracking local derby in the fourth tier of Thai football, with both sides giving everything in a blood-and-thunder encounter that was excellently refereed. The occasion was handled superbly by Warin at the UBRU Stadium in Ubon Ratchathani city centre.

A win was vital if either team wanted to continue their hopes of lifting the title to gain promotion to Thai League 3, while a runners-up berth may suffice. The game was decided by another brilliant goal from Sisaket’s star player, Wanattanan Jhantasorn, with a shot from outside the box.

There was little to choose between the sides, with City perhaps looking slightly more threatening on the break. Their defence was resilient, keeping Warin to a few half-chances, with goalie Peerapath A-Sarast putting in some wonderful acrobatic dives for the cameras.

Free admission and a passionate crowd, including the smart use of a megaphone on the far side, alerting that an ambulance was required for someone taken ill. All licensed football in Thailand must have an ambulance on site. Light years ahead of certain other countries.

A fine day all round, with my wife dropping me in Kanthararom to meet with my pal John. 9 holes of golf at a military course in Ubon provided better value than the performance we put in. A beer and food at Pepper’s American Diner, then a stop at Wrong Way Café for more libation, which was topped up at the stadium. Home for the bore that was the FA Cup Final.