After repairs were made, Kasetsart returned to their traditional home for the 2013 season. However, the club aimed high as the club embarked on a successful season as they reached the play-off rounds for promotion.
They decided to build a new stand in readiness for the potential of Division One football. The team lost out and the stadium was not completed leading to Kasetsart taking a sabbatical from league action in 2014.
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| TOT Stadium. Kasetsart's home from 2017 to 2019 |
Meanwhile, the Kasetsart FC team that eventually finished in thirteenth place was led by Yuthapong Boon-amporn until April 2017 when replaced by Chusak Sriphum. A third different coach; Adul Luekijna took over from August as Jonatan Ferreira Reis.
An improvement of just one place in 2021-22 saw the appointment of interim head coaches Itthipol Nonsiri and Sarawut Janthapan before the seasons end. Anuruck Srikerd took charge in the 2022-23 campaign as Mateus Totô led the scoring. The team escaped relegation on goal difference thanks to a final day win.
Srikerd was dismissed in September 2023 and replaced by Chusak Sriphum who was dismissed a few months later. His successor was Ekaphan Inthasen. His tenure saw a 10-1 mauling away to Nongbua Pitchaya in what was a disastrous season for the club.
Players were left unpaid with the Thai FA helping with payments as Kasetsart announced that they were resigning from the league. Pattaraphon Naprasert was put in charge of the side from March 2024 who finished third from bottom, before they were spared from relegation following Chiangmai FC being demoted for failing to meet license criteria.
Initially, Kasetsart waivered but then decided to accept their reprieve as new investors arrived at the club. Santi Chaiyaphuak was given the position of head coach as performances on the pitch improved.
My visits
Wednesday 27th March 2013
I awoke after a good night in Bangkok in the early part of my three weeks cricketing tour ready to visit some football stadiums. Planning while in the UK meant that I thought my task would be relatively easy. The sun was blazing down, with even the locals commenting on how hot it was.
A good lunch was a necessity as I had slept in through breakfast, so I wandered round to see my old mate Brian Walker at the Crossbar. Like many of my acquaintances, he shook his head when I told him my plans for the afternoon and evening.
Fortunately, my second driver spoke good English and knew immediately where the university was, and even better exactly how to get to the stadium once inside the campus. Sure enough within ten minutes, I was smiling with a group gathering behind the Main Stand before their away game later in the afternoon at Customs United.
Railings separated the ground from the rest of the campus. Anyone would be able to look in when a match was on. Some students were losing weight by exercising at an open-air gym as they looked on.
Football in the top two tiers had restarted after the mid-season international break and I was keen to see as much of it as possible. This League Cup tie stood out for me, with the chance of an upset and being a sensible midweek distance from home.
Some clubs do advance purchase tickets online, which are collected at certain 7/11 convenience stores. Kasertsart were one such club, so I decided despite warnings from seasoned expats to give it a whirl.
It’s fair to say that my idea caused interest in the nearest store operating the system. There was a cheer when the four young eager members of staff eventually sussed it out and gave me my printout after about twenty minutes of trying. My ticket cost THB 100.
Kick-off was 6pm so I gave myself plenty of time having been stuck in teatime traffic in the past. I was actually ahead of time on the 26 bus, so I did some sightseeing and photography at Wat Phra Sri Mahathat temple.
Onward from there caught the light green BTS a few stops south to the Kasetsart University stop from where it was a twenty-minute walk through its impressive grounds to Insee Chantarasatit Stadium, while sadly failing to locate the student union bar!
For anyone wishing to point out the tongue-in-cheek comment. Alcohol and its advertising are prohibited inside Thai educational sites. Instead, I made use of the onsite 7/11 for some pop and nibbles.
Like several work or educational-based clubs, locals also came to watch what was a good evening cup tie. I usually find that floodlights help the spectacle. Several eager folk were using the free exercise machines and some kind of non-contact martial art class was going on.
I’d got myself a good spot in the large stand that had been erected since my previous visit, facing across to the structure hosting the players, TV cameras and officials. I sat and couldn’t quite believe the updates as Port FC slid out to third-tier Muang Loei United on penalties.
The crowd were remarkably silent early on as we watched a cagey opening. Nigerian frontman Raphael Success looked likely up front for the hosts as he shot narrowly over from a tight angle with Khon Kaen’s Brazilian midfielder Douglas Cobo showing signs of experience.
The attendance grew during the first period as people arrived from work. They were in time to see United take the lead with a cleverly constructed goal when a low cross was side footed home by Tanapol Srithong shortly before referee Winat Phophat blew his whistle for half-time.
There was still time in between for Success to tee up Chakrit Wasprasertsuk who skewed his shot badly wide. I remained where I was at the break and spent it catching up on the other scores. Other entertainment was provided by the cheers of nearby volleyball players.
Muang Thong United were on the way to losing to lower opposition in Uthai Thani in their tie. I honestly couldn’t see Kasetsart beating their higher-division opponents who just seemed that bit more streetwise.
The shambles back home in the UK with Prime Minister’s Questions on my App while watching the game seemed to get me more fired up and into the game for some strange reason once the babbling and avoiding any questions had finished.
Kasetsart came out pushing for an equaliser with again Success causing the Khon Kaen defence problems with a great run. Sub, Apiwit Samurmuen failed with his attempt at the near post when fed.
A rasping left footed drive from Success beat United goalkeeper Chirawat Wangthaphan all ends up but came back off the inside of the post. Success then hit the same post with his right foot. He could not believe his bad luck as the game intensified and he was substituted with thirteen minutes remaining.
Surely that was the home side's chances over. Just what was head coach Panipol Kerdyam thinking of? He was vindicated a couple of minutes later when an earlier sub, Sukunchai Saengthopho scored with a low shot across the outstretched Wangthaphan. What did I know anyway!
No further scoring meant extra time. Saengthopho set up a fellow substitute Simon Dia. Somehow the Frenchman managed to miss an open goal from the low cross. Then a prostate Samurmuen hit the post with a shot while swinging his leg as he lay on the ground.
Surely a goal was coming for the university-based club. The pressure continued as Kueanun Junumpai headed wide at the back post from a corner. In the second period of extra time, Khon Kaen’s Yashir Islame played a majestic ball out wide, before getting on the end of the return cross but headed wide.
I could see how Dia had missed his earlier sitter. He had bags of skill but was cumbersome and awkward. He went on a rampaging run but eventually lost control as he was about to pull the trigger. It summed up his cameo.
Junumpai was denied by Wangthaphan as a penalty shoot-out looked a certainty. However, there was a sting in the tail from the visitors as in the second of three minutes additional time a shot from Brazilian sub, Ibson Melo went in across goalie Thirawooth Sraunson off the far post.
The away fans along from us celebrated along with their team. Kasetsart only had themselves to blame after wasting a plethora of chances. It had been a very enjoyable game which improved as it went on. I headed back through the campus to catch the number 26 back to Minburi.
I’d ordered a couple of Minburi City shirts from the online store, one for my pal Steve, so I was delighted with the scheduling of this fixture so I could collect them. It was also a handy venue travel-wise as the number 26 bus dropped me opposite the gates to the campus.
The transport was much lighter than I anticipated, meaning I arrived just before 5pm. My earliness was also aided by a loony bus driver who went at breakneck speed. I nearly headed for the front window when needing the middle doors at my stop after he slammed all on.
I went in search of a bar or options to fill in some time. Sadly, the area around the University seemed still affected by the pandemic. Those establishments showing on Google Maps were not open.
Not to worry. I had a good walk and then grabbed some finger food and drinks from the onsite 7/11 before taking up a seat in the main stand of Insee Chantarasatit Stadium. A pleasant young lady came across and gave me my two shirts. Obviously, I had been the only foreigner to have made an order thus far!
Kick-off was late, no doubt with players trying to make their way across Bangkok after work. Locals and students continued to jog around the track as the game got underway. Indeed, I had gained access to the stand through the same entrance as those exercising.
The scoreboard was in operation, but strangely showing highlights of previous Kasetsart FC matches. The team out on the pitch was the amateurs of the university along with its academy arm.
The home side's players had no numbers on their shirts, so please excuse the lack of names. Minburi had a big squad, including several goalkeepers, as they looked to trim their roster before the commencement of the Thailand Amateur League.
There was a bit of drizzle in the air with the sound of overhead planes and birds adding to the overall scene. It was a slow start to the game before the visitor’s number 23 showed skill before seeing his shot saved.
Minburi’s custodian clattered a home player outside the box on fifteen minutes. The makeshift referee decided that a free kick was enough punishment. It appears that he had some sort of prophecy.
The resulting free kick was put in at the back post by an unmarked Kasetsart player to open the scoring. In an open game City's number 6 seemed to be reading the game well. However, he had a tendency to overplay and then be caught out of position.
The score was 2-0 on twenty-five minutes with a good strike going in at the near post after the scorer had been put in with a neat slide rule pass put in. It became 3-0 twelve minutes later. A through ball was slotted past the away team keeper from outside the box.
The teams gathered for drinks on the pitch at the interval. Kasetsart extended their lead further nine minutes after the restart. A university forward simply brushed aside a defender before firing home. Again, it was a case of extremely poor defending from the City outfit.
Twelve minutes from time it became 5-0 when an excellent quick one-two skipped through the threadbare defence before the move was finished. To add to Minburi’s woes, their number 11 was put through. He rounded the keeper but hit outside of the post with his effort on goal.
The better more organised side had deservedly won. It was nice to later receive a message of apology for the performance from the City media team the following morning. There was no need but it was a nice touch all the same from a classily run club.
Kasetsart University 1 KMUTNB 2 (Friday 7th June 2024) Chang U-Champion 2024 Group B (att: c60)
I was down in the capital for a week having taken a couple of the family grandmothers on their maiden flight and a chance to see Bangkok along with my wife, so a doubleheader offered an excellent opportunity to leave them to it on Friday afternoon while I got my football fix.
The competition, which I attended a game in the previous season, is for university and educational establishments, with twenty-four sides being put in three groups of eight for round-robin games with the top two in each plus the next best two sides going through to the quarter-final stages.
I took a van and then a ride on the Skytrain changing at Wat Phra Sri Mahathat, reflecting on what a difference to the time and quality of travel the new Pink Line had made to the residents of Minburi.
However, the walk through the campus was still the same distance, though the time I saved allowed me to take it casually and purchase snacks at 7/11 along the way. It was free admission, with an excellent view from the steep main stand where I met my mate and fellow Thai-based groundhopper Marco for the first game which started at 2pm.
Two free headers in the first game levelled up the scores in the first match. The standard was reasonable with several of those on show playing in T3 in the season that had recently ended. King Mongkul University of Technology North Bangkok to give the victors their full title, had to replace their keeper when they were one down owing to injury.
The replacement stopper had a fine game making a string of excellent saves after the interval. By then their number 23 had controlled the ball excellently on the edge of the box and rifled into the corner of the net with what proved to be the winning goal.
It turned out that the game was a dead rubber, not that you'd have guessed judging by the commitment being put in as Kasetsart were thwarted time and again, while KMUTNB continued to look dangerous on the break.
We were then granted a ten-minute intermission before the second game got underway.
RMUTT 0 Rajapruek University 6 (Friday 7th June 2024) Chang U-Champion 2024 Group B (att: c40)
This looked being a shocker with not too much going on in the first twenty minutes save some shocking attempts at goal from the more competent and fitter outfit. Rajapruek had lots more about them than their opponents the Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi.
Their shortened title of RMUTT sounding like Mick Lynch should have been their team boss. The side was certainly on strike for large periods as Rajapreuk went down the tunnel at the break with a two-goal lead.
At this point, I had to head off for a meal appointment with Thai family and friends that there was no way I was going to miss. My pal filled me in later on what had happened back at Kasetsart, commenting that he thought it was looking likely to be a starter for ten as far as the winning side was concerned, but they eased off in the closing stages.
I decided to head to Bang Khen and take the Red Line for a change, swapping to Pink at Lak Si and arriving early for my appointment despite walking the last twenty minutes. A very pleasant way to kill a few hours before becoming a tour organiser the following day to see the sights.