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Phranakhon Rajabhat University is part of the Rajabhat Universities System, which has six such institutes in Bangkok and another thirty-five across Thailand. While they are a place of education, the majority also have a football team as part of it.
As far as my research lets me see, Phranakhon Rajabhat play in university football competitions. The Bangkok campus is located on Thanon Chaeng Wattana in the Lak si district of the city.
My visit
Phranakhon Rajabhat University 1 Minburi City 2 (Thursday 27th October 2022) Friendly (att; c40)
I’m prone to doing crazy things in general, but especially if it involves getting to football. Nevertheless, I still got some strange looks when I announced in my local bar that I would be walking over 18km to this match.
I needed the exercise and thought it an excellent way to discover properly what was along Ram Inthra. I certainly got to see lots of half-built skytrain stations and plenty of construction works as well as several 7/11s where I purchased water and energy drinks.
By the top of Nawamin Road, a couple of young Minburi City players were on their motorbikes and offered me a ride. They were somewhat bewildered when I told them my plan of action, but they seemed like good lads anyway.
At the foot of the Wat Phra Sri Mahathat station, I purchased probably the best chicken in breadcrumbs on a stick I’d ever tasted, and they were cheap too. It was definitely one to remember whenever I was passing in the future.
My actual arrival didn’t go according to plan as I entered via the Satit Phra Nakhon school, going past many students indulged in sport, only to find that there was no way through at the end, so I had to retrace my footsteps.
Eventually, I found the entrance to the venue after buying provisions at the University’s 7/11. I’d passed the ground several times in the past and it looked decent enough with several metal-type bleachers with cover down one side, which is where I headed for.
I received the usual warm welcome from the Minburi officials, and the two players from earlier gave me a wave. The university certainly looked a cracker with great facilities, which is more than can be said about the pitch with no lines, so cones were used to mark the perimeter, and longish grass.
In the early stages, Minburi’s 32 disposed a defender and put in 29 whose chip clipped the top of the home side crossbar. The player wearing 14 for Phranakhon saw his low shot tipped round by the City keeper in the number 13 top.
16 for the host's shot over the high net fencing and into the busy Chaeng Wattana, with someone having to dodge six lanes of traffic to retrieve the ball. That was probably as interesting as the first half got before the players sat on the grass and listened to their respective coaches at the interval.
The visitors took the lead when the seventeen-year-old forward, Saengarun "Saeng" Oadpim kept his cool to finish after nearly being hacked down. The visitors were playing some lovely stuff as 1 showed great skill to cross for 15 who came close to converting at the near post.
But just as they looked comfortable, a strong header from a free kick allowed Phranakhon’s 9 to score, colliding with the keeper at the same time, as both players needed quite a bit of treatment before continuing.
Oadpim restored the Minburi lead, thumping his chance home after more fine work from 1, who was prominent after the break. 15 for the away side also impressed with his guile and control on the ball.
The home team came close as their 13 fired a shot across the face of the goal in the closing stages. At full time I accepted a request for a quick interview on my thoughts of how the game went for the impressive Minburi City social media platforms.
It was time for me to head back, as I walked through the grounds of the university to the main Phanon Yothin Road, where I caught the number 26 bus home. There was no chance I was walking in both directions!