VRN Muangnont

 

VRN Muangnont is a professional football club representing the district of Nonthaburi in the Thai capital of Bangkok, who started off like back in 2012 as Singburi Kapoon FC, prior to a second move before their current base and academy was established.

Singburi Kapoon competed in the Central Region of the Thai Division 3 Tournament in 2016, which was in effect the highest competition outside the national league set up. A fantastic tournament played out at the Nong Chok National Football Center ensued for the club.

 

They won their group before disposing of Kasetsart University Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nongkhae, Bang Pa-In School, and Pichaya Kasem Technological College. This set up a final against Vongchavalitkul University, which ended in a 1-1 draw, with Kapoon winning 4-3 on penalties.

Their reward was promotion to Thai League 4 Bangkok Metropolitan Region for the 2017 as the league was extended to four tiers. Now competing as Kapoon Warrior, they ended in sixth place as Ludovick Takam scored the goals for the team who played their home games at Ayutthaya Stadium.

Wittawat Wongnarat top scored for the seventh placed side in 2018, who finished a spot lower twelve months later for the club who had changed their name to Bankunmae FC, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic causing disruption around the world.

Thailand decided to revert to three tiers of professional football and turn to the European based calendar for the 2020-21 season. STK Muangnont was born, moving to the Nonthaburi Youth Centre Stadium, formerly the home of BB-CU in the top-flight.

The club also started their academy with land over the river in Nonthaburi, called Five Zone Field being acquired. STK ended sixth, as Brazilian forward Fabricio Peris Carneiro scored regularly, while Supazin Hnupichai excelled in goal for the team coached by Nikorn Anuwa, who was later replaced by Ittiphol Pimvong.

2021-22 saw Muangnont drop down a couple of places, with Cláudio top scoring after Ekalak Thong-Am took over team affairs for the second half of the season. Surachai Jarisirichoth was installed as head coach for the 2022-23 campaign, lasting a few months until the appointment of Jakkree Nongnoi.

The side ended in eleventh, and then prior to the 2023-24 season, the club changed its title from STK to VRN Muangnont as Akarat Naunla-Ong was appointed as coach who was later replaced by Wichanchai Hasap who in turn stood aside for the return of coach Akarat who led the side to a tenth-place finish.

Following a geographical reshuffle, VRN were placed in T3 West for the 2024-25 campaign, which saw Parinya Jaruhati take charge of team affairs.

VRN Muangnont will play in Thai League 3 West in the 2024-25 season.

My visit

STK Muangnont 0 Bangkok FC 0 (Wednesday 9^th November 2022) Thai League 3 Bangkok (att: 205) 

I’d got to enjoy several Wednesday afternoon fixtures since my move to Bangkok, as it offered me the opportunity to see various places in daylight, and still get back to Minburi to enjoy food and drink at a reasonable hour.

After carrying out the task of booking a nearby hotel for friends heading to my forthcoming birthday and sussing out a van to Pattaya for the following day, I caught a minivan to Chaeng Wattana prior to catching a number 66 bus. 

Jumping out at the intersection of Pracha Cheung and Samakki Roads, I wandered along the road through a quickly developing area, with lots of future potential, as it had plenty of eating and drinking establishments for the locals along with other amenities.

Grabbing some provisions at 7/11 I proceeded to the stadium I’d visited with my pal Steve to see BB-CU on a grand day out that also included horse racing at the RSBC. The venue seemed unaltered since then, making it one of the better third-tier grounds. 

Admission was 80 Baht for home fans, of which I included myself, with an extra 20 Baht in the away section along the same stand. Half chances didn’t quite materialise at either end on a late humid afternoon for the 4pm start.

Brazilian midfielder Guilherme Moreira caught the eye for the hosts who were under the control of head coach Jakkree Nongnoi for the first time. His keeper Siwat Rawangpa caused a flap trying to play out. Fortunately, for the home side, the effort from Bangkok’s Bruno Suzuki was blocked.

I do like the atmosphere that Thai fans create, often in small numbers, but the drumming and chanting from the Muangnont contingent was awful, being out of tune and time. Meanwhile, I was quickly discovering why Rawangpa was a goalie and not an outside player. He was poor with his feet.

STK’s skipper Jeera Jareansuk put in a good cross to find Naoya Tokai in a good position, but he put his header wide. The visitors put together a fine move including play from Bunlue Thongkliang, Wichaya Pornprasart, Suzuki, and Padungsak Phothinak. 

The ball found its way back to Thongkliang who saw his shot blocked. Referee, Niruch Panjontuk, who I thought distinctly average, called a halt halfway through the period for drinks, which stemmed the flow as nothing much else happed until halftime.

At which point I went for a wander to take some photos and have a stretch. Shortly after the restart, an effort from Pornprasart produced a fabulous save from Rawangpa. I had enjoyed the attacking play of Bangkok when I had seen them earlier in the season at Kasem Bundit when they somehow lost after dominating and being 3-0 ahead at the break.

A weak shot from Sattawas Leela failed to trouble Bangkok goalie Yannasit Sukchareon as dusk descended on the arena, with no signs of the floodlights being turned on. Both sides probed and looked for the breakthrough in what was a decent enough encounter.

Dauda Bortu played a one two for the visitors with Phootran Gingpan but was denied by Rawangpa. At the other end, a long punt put in substitute Teerapat Watyota who rounded Sukchareon but put his attempt over the bar.

The lights were eventually pressed into power with just four minutes remaining, as the game flowed from one end to the other. The hosts had an effort blocked while Bortu and Thongkliang set up Gingpan who blasted over for the Fire Bulls.

The final action in stoppage time saw STK nearly grab all three points as Moreira astutely played in Watyota who made a brave challenge with the ball falling to Pokpong Chaveesuk who was denied by Sukchareon.

The last fifteen minutes were good entertainment, not hugely helped by some ropey officiating. I headed away with what I thought would be a simple enough journey back to Minburi, but we live and learn!

Hardly a taxi passed on the main road and the two that did, didn’t want to know, so it was Plan B time. I jumped aboard a songthaew which I presumed would drop me on a main road, so I was therefore a little jumpy when it pulled off in ridiculously heavy traffic, to enter what seemed like a village of housing. 

Not to be perturbed, I alighted with the other passengers wondering what I was doing on it in the first place before walking down alongside the Prapa canal down to the busier Ngamwongwan Road from where I knew that I could catch buses heading east.

Sure enough, the 114 soon arrived which deposited me at Kasetsart University, so it was easy to get a taxi to take me to Minburi, where I wanted to get back to so that I could make a phone call back to the UK. It was a slightly longer adventure than I anticipated, but an excellent few hours out of the flat.

 

Royal Thai Air Force

Royal Thai Air Force FC is a professional football club representing the Air Force, as the name implies. Previously, Air Force United FC were the team of the service. However, they were relocated to Uthai Thani in 2020, which can be read about here and here.

Breakdown in sponsorship and a change in government direction under the new Thai monarchy led to a withdrawal of state backing of the services’ professional sides. The new club had to start life in Thai League 3 in the 2020-21 season.

When the season was aborted early owing to the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, Air Force sat in eleventh position in the Bangkok Metropolitan region, which consisted of fourteen teams.

The team showed a slight improvement twelve months later when they ended the 2021-22 campaign in tenth place under head coach Narong Parachat. Jakkapong Polmart led the scoring twelve months later as Air Force narrowly avoided relegation by which point Montree Praepun had taken over as head coach.

 

The goals of Karam Idris and Peerawat Rarang led to a marked improvement in 2023-24, which saw Thanat Juntaya being given the position of head coach for the second half. The club was placed in the Thai League 3 Central for the 2024-25 campaign as coach Montree returned to the hotseat. 

Royal Thai Air Force FC will play in Thai League 3 Central in the 2024-25 season.

My visits

My other visits to Thupatemi Stadium can be read about here, which includes the previous incarnation of the Air Force club.

Royal Thai Air Force 0 STK Muangnont 1 (Saturday 8th January 2022) Thai League 3 Bangkok Perimeter (att: 265) 

The bottom tier of the Thai League had restarted over Christmas before taking a break for New Year while the national divisions were enjoying their winter sabatical. This was good for a groundhopper such as myself as I had choices three times a week.

On this occasion I had an evening overnight appointment in the city after the game. I headed downtown on the 113 bus but got badly snarled up in traffic on Ramkhamhaeng Road as I had forgotten to equate for it being a public holiday.

A taxi proved my salvation as my driver took me down Thong Lor to drop off my bag at my hotel before I headed up the steps of Phrom Phong station to catch the BTS skytrain on the extended section for the first time to Yæk Kor Por Aor.

Downstairs I soon located the park and ride bus stop and within minutes a bus was taking my further up 21 Phahon Yothin Road before I jumped out near by the nearest footbridge to the venue. 

After buying some provisions at a 7/11 I was soon at the stadium, now minus its livery on the stand wall from the old Air Force Central days. Admission was free, which was both pleasant and a surprise. I headed up the steps into the home section, with the game a couple of minutes old.

It turned out not to be a great spectacle with Air Force not the best side I had ever seen, to put it politely. They give lots of effort but were missing a cohesive plan and often resorted to strongarm tactics. A bit like when I played against the police team in my Sunday League back home.

Muangnot had some skill and tactics about them. A fellow watcher of this division had given me the heads up about them a few weeks earlier when we were at Grakcu Sai Mai. It was no surprise when they took the lead on ten minutes.

A low shot from outside the box was badly spilled by home keeper Wichanon Chomchuen as STK’s Gustavo Rebeiro pounced on the loose ball to head home. It is fair to say that gloveman Chomchuen was not inspiring me with confidence. 

A bad collision but unintentional collision between a couple of opposition players led to some over reactions and unnecessary badgering of referee Aidsara Gaedthai. Eiman Kaabi then saw an effort hot the top of the Air Force bar and go over.

While the action was taking place on the pitch a rather officious security guard was scrutinizing spectators if they removed their face covering or sat too close together for his liking. I thought him a little over the top.

Out of nowhere the home midfielder Rapeepat Nakphet went on a tremendous run before playing a one-two but then scuffing his shot badly when in on goal. Muangnont responded, going close on a couple of occasions.

Seenthong Vichean of Air Force stung the hands of visiting goalie Supazin Hnupichai who parried the rasping effort from outside the box. Back at the other end, desperate defensive blocking from the hosts denied STK.

Kaabi, along with partner Rebeiro were big units. It was the former who went very close with the last kick of the half. As spectators, we were entertained by some local indie rock music over the PA during halftime while the players refuelled downstairs.

The second half saw plenty of changes of personnel as the pace dropped on a hot afternoon while Muangmont still looked the more likely to score. Kaabi seemed especially keen to get into the ear of the referee throughout and his pace never relented in that department. 

We had a short melee and handbags with around fifteen minutes remaining as Air Force became frustrated. Panupong Wongpila could count himself unlucky as he went close with a fine lob for the visitors from out wide.

It was STK who continued creating half chances before over elaborating and either messing up or allowing the Air Force defenders to do their jobs. I dashed off at full time in search of a taxi as time was of the essence, not having any time to have a look inside the neat new club shop.

I hadn’t accounted for being on a dual carriageway, so I had a bit of a wait. Finally, a cab pulled over and took me back to the MRT. The drivers’ who’s first words on discovering I was English were "David Beckham"!

I retraced my journey on the train and had the added bonus of my meeting being put back by an hour so I had time to relax back at my room.