Samut Prakan City FC is a professional football club with an interesting story to its formation in 2018. The origins of Pattaya United FC, who were based in the Nong Prue suburbs of the Gulf seaside town, can be traced back to 1989.
However, owner Tanet Phanichewa decided to disband the club, but keep their license and move them to the south of Bangkok as Samut Prakan City FC. United’s history along with my visit can be read about here.
The club moved into Samut Prakarn SAT Stadium along with Samut Prakan FC. The arena had previously staged top-flight football as home to Osotspa FC who changed their title to Super Power Samut Prakan FC in their second season in residence before morphing into Jumpasri United FC and heading off to Mahasarakham.
The vacancy was obviously noticed by Mr Phanichewa prior to him bringing in new head coach Surapong Kongthep. Investment was made in the team, and City ended the 2019 season in sixth place with Ibson Melo topping the scoring charts.
A Japanese-Thai connection was introduced to the club as new coach Tetsuya Murayama remodelled the squad. His tenure lasted just a few months before being replaced by Masatada Ishii as ‘Sea Fang’ ended again in sixth in 2020-21.
Barros Tardeli had led the scoring while on a one season loan from BG Pathum United. The 2021-22 campaign was a far different affair. Crowds dwindled partly to the COVID-19 pandemic and after early enthusiasm waned.
Yasushi Yoshida was appointed as head coach in December 2021 and despite the goals of Chayawat Srinawong and a late upturn in form, City were relegated on the final day of the season. Wholesale changes were announced at the club in the summer of 2022.
The owners sold City, who would become a feeder club to Chonburi FC, as many of that club's players were sent on a seasons’ loan. Sharks former assistant coach Jukkapant Punpee was appointed in charge of team affairs at Samut Prakhan.
He was replaced by Kritsakorn Kerdpol and then Tana Chanabut as a dip in form saw City in a battle against relegation. The 2023-24 campaign saw a new owner, Samrit Bunditkitsada, purchase the club. He certainly made an impression, not being slow to court publicity.
Vantawut Whangprasert was appointed as head coach, lasting five months before being replaced by Wanderley Junior. His spell didn’t last until the end of the season, with Vantuwut returning to the dugout as City finished fifteenth with Fernando Viana top scoring.
However, that only tells half the story. Players went
unpaid for long periods leading to a clear-out before the 2024-25 season. The
club was locked out of Samut Prakan Stadium over non-payment of rent, meaning
that they became tenants of Customs United in Lad Krabang.
Samut Prakan City FC will play in Thai League 2 in the 2022-23 season.
My visits
Samut Prakan City 1 Police Tero 1 (Saturday 22nd January 2022) Thai League 1 (att: 486)
Based in Min Buri directly north of Samut Prakhan, for a couple of months, I decided that with my newfound knowledge of local transport that it was time to venture a little bit further. SAT Stadium previously looked a bit awkward to get to.
A Saturday teatime kick-off was ideal as was the fixture. It gave me a chance to catch up again with Tero and a few of their fans who are friends with a couple of mine, Sean and Tracey Newby.
Tickets had to be bought online in advance, but that proved no problem. I plumped for the away zone for 200 THB. Buses and their timetable can be unreliable at best in Bangkok, so I gave myself plenty of wriggle room.
In my favour was a previous trip to FC Bangsaotong, not too far west of this venue. Minburi to Bangkapi is always a piece of cake. The 145 from there can be a bit sketchy, but there were no issues on this occasion.
Indeed, it was to be my lucky day as the 133 soon pulled up at my stop at Seacon Square. From there I was taken adjacent to the stadium. A Tero fan getting onboard during the ride confirmed all was good.
It was only around 4.30pm, an hour before the scheduled kick-off time. I immediately took a liking to the outside of SAT Stadium while standing on Thepharak Road behind the main stand. I was taken back to the 1980’s in an instant.
It reminded me of the hemmed in streetscene surrounding many inner-city lower division and non-league grounds of that era. The TV crew vans added to the congestion along with pop up stalls vending food and drink. All that was missing was the smell of burgers and Bovril.
Getting stuck into the beers, along with a complimentary nip or two of whisky from the friendly away hardcore fans, a little too easily, I decided to introduce myself to a group of ex-pat away fans I’d seen at Tero’s home game the week before.
They were an interesting group. Extremely boisterous, including a couple of Hearts fans who’d seemingly fallen out of a time tunnel from the Wheatfield Stand in the late 70s. They were not shy to offer out their thoughts or insults.
A poor Thai couple came walking down the road wearing Port FC shirts. I quickly worked out that this wasn’t the fellas' most favourite club. The kick-off was put back thirty minutes, which added to the session.
We stumbled in as the teams lined up for the King’s Anthem. I was quite impressed with the inside of the venue too. We were down the side towards the corner flag, with a covered seated section further up and then more open accommodation.
The more vocal City fans were based over in the covered stand which ran the full length of the far side. To negate poor views caused by the running track, semi-permanent open stands had been erected square to the goal lines.
Evandro Paulista had the first effort of the game for Tero, with his low shot being safely gathered by keeper Patiwat Khammai. A direct curling free kick at the other end struck the top of the frame of Sinthaweechai Hathairattanakool’s goal.
Paulista gave his side the lead when he rose like a salmon at the back post to head a home a delicious bending cross from Ekkachai Sumrei on seventeen minutes as he climbed above his marker to put the ball in off the post.
Hathairattanakool looked confident in dealing with a couple of threats, but he was caught out lingering with the ball at his feet. Chatri Rattanawong dispossed him but could not slot the ball into the vacant goal from a wide angle.
Daisuke Sakai then stung the palms of the visiting stopper, who nearly palmed the ball over his own line. A wonderful little reverse pass put in City’s Kevin Ingreso. The shot from the BG Pathum United loanee flew across the face of goal.
At the interval we popped back out to the stall and then managed to circumnavigate the stadium booze rules by adding a coke top to disguise the Leos to our pints with permission from the stewards. I guess this camouflage was in case the TV cameras panned round!
Into the second half a combination of ricochets and brave defending somehow denied Ingreso from restoring parity. The hosts’ task was made harder just before the hour mark when Chaiyawat Buran picked up a silly yellow card and was dismissed.
Chayawat Srinawong missed a guilt edged chance to level things up when fed by a perfect cross from Settawut Wongsai along the carpet, but the substitute scuffed his effort wide with the goal at his mercy.
Seven minutes from time Samut Prakan got the equaliser that their performance probably merited. A fine cross curling away from the keeper by Suphanan Bureerat allowed Srinawong to make amends as he headed home.
Tero’s fine away support continued to get behind their side, but they must have feared the worst as pressure continued to mount. Hathairattanakool got a poor punch on a cross, the ball was fired back in where an intended goalward deflection from Aris Zarifovic was gratefully pounced on by the custodian.
Referee Sahapop Sriboonlue blew for full time after five minutes additional time. 1-1 was a fair result. My alcohol content decreed a taxi a good idea. I had an invite to a party at my local bar. A messy evening ensued.
Samut Prakan City 0 Customs United 3 (Sunday 11th September 2022) Thai League 2 (att: 232)
There had been much upheaval at Samut Prakan City FC following their relegation to the second tier, with Chonburi FC taking up ownership and sending several of their players on loan. I was keen to see how it affected things.
Especially as I had been to see local rivals Customs the week before and had left very impressed by their own overhaul during the close season. And best of all, I had sussed out a cheap and easy way to reach the stadium.
Shaking off a bit of a hangover I pressed myself into action. The incessant rain had stopped, it was a lovely afternoon as I headed to the van station at the top end of Minburi Market, from where we were away on a full bus within minutes.
I messaged my Aussie pal Vaughan McClear to tell him my plans and he got straight back to say he would meet me at the ground. The van sped without any traffic issues to Market Village Suvarnabhumi in Bang Na.
A return trip from Chonburi after an international had opened this route to me a few months earlier and it only cost 30 baht. From there I crossed the bridge over the busy Bang Na-Chonburi expressway to have a quick browse around the interesting Kingkaew Market.
Before long the 132 bus arrived and took me the rest of the way for a further 20 baht. So 50 baht all in when a taxi back last time cost me over 400 baht. I arrived with over an hour and a half before the kick off time but this was all part of my plan.
The area around the stadium had intrigued me on my earlier visits, so I was keen to explore, especially some of the establishments shown on Google Maps were no longer in business following the Covid pandemic.
Bang Phli Market just south of the arena was bustling, mainly dealing in fresh foods. The streets of the area, along with adjoining alleys, were my perfect way of seeing what I call real Thailand. Communities getting on with their business and chatting away.
The smiles and hellos I received gladdening the heart as I meandered just generally filling in time, passing a couple of snooker halls, numerous coffee, and smoothie shops, and lots of general stores who somehow keep going, which is always a mystery to me as to how they manage.
But manage they do, as Thais are a resilient bunch. I had been a laid down with a 24 hour bug a few days earlier, so I was keeping street food to a minimum. I went for the rather safe but dull option of toasties from 7/11. Incredible to think I virtually lived on such food before my eyes and mind were opened.
Vaughan arrived and parked up as I finished a beer as I explained to him the story behind the clubs and current form etc. The hosts, who my brother thought David Bowie had written a song about, cam into the game winless, whereas United were unbeated.
Tickets were 80 baht on the Popular Side among the noisy City fans. We grabbed a beer and took up a pew on the back row. While low in numbers the fans made an absolute din with leaders on megaphones accompanied by drums. It was so loud that it was hard to strike up a conversation.
City came close to taking the lead in the sixth minute when a low shot from Warakorn Thongbai was fumbled by keeper Sumethee Khokpho, with Passakorn Sripudpong somehow managing to spoon the follow up over the bar.
At the other end Japanese midfielder Daisuke Sakai saw his effort easily saved by Thatpicha Auksornsri. Yotsakorn Burapha saw a low left footed effort go narrowly wide for the hosts before another effort from outside the box just missed at the other side of the goal.
City were in the ascendency but were missing a finisher. I later learned that their main forward was out injured. His presence could have been a game changer, but we will never know. Customs classy David Cuerva stung the hands of Auksornsri as half time approached.
At the break Vaughan and I replenished our cups, and I had a chat with some pleasant expat City fans who seemed a cheerful bunch. We moved a bit further along after the restart, so we were able to have a proper chat.
Customs looked a different side after the break. They saw a shot fumbled wide by Auksornsri before taking the lead on forty-nine minutes. A corner from Sakai was nodded home at the near post by top scorer Phodchara Chainarong, one of five United players on loan from Port FC. Only his marker Phanthamit Praphanth can explain what he thought he was doing.
Cuerva had a low bending shot pushed around the post before it became 0-2 on sixty-five minutes. A cross at the second attempt from Chainarong was cleverly turned in at the near post by fellow Port loanee Sittha Boonlha.
A low effort from Rachata Moraksa was powerful enough but was straight at keeper Khokpho. With six minutes remaining United expended their lead in somewhat fortuitous circumstances when a shot from Sakai took a wicked deflection off the head of Nattapong Phephat to leave goalie Auksornsri helpless.
Burapha saw a shot well blocked in the final action of the game. A 0-3 reversal was harsh on City, but they missed their chances and were made to pay. United portrayed the qualities of a good team when winning convincingly when playing averagely.
Vaughan kindly dropped me back to Market Village where I caught the van back to Minburi with minutes to spare. The driver had been correct on the way down when telling me I would be OK at 9pm! I spent the remainder of an enjoyable day watching a great England Test match performance. A really good Sunday all round.
Samut Prakan City 1 Rajpracha 0 (Friday 11th November 2022) Thai League 2 (att: 129)
My friend Gary was down from Buriram for a football weekend before meeting up with Ryd, a mutual friend from Scarborough at Suvarnabhumi Airport on the Sunday morning. This was a natural choice of fixture as he had never visited Samut Prakan Stadium.
Neither had Steve, another friend of us both, so he decided to jump onboard once the pair of us had been for a quick look round Minburi Market. My Google map directions were not the best and led to us taking a long route before we eventually got on the main road which heads towards Chonburi.
We still had plenty of time before kickoff, and it was good to meet up with loyal City fan and Twitter friend Phil Williams and his wife Tun as we grabbed a beer before going into the stands. It was only a couple of weeks since my previous visit as the stadium hosted FC Bangsaotong inthe Thai FA Cup.
There had been more in attendance to see a non-league team, which must have worried those in charge of Samut Prakan City. That said, those in attendance really got behind their side who put in a decent performance in response.
Supawat Yokakul in goal for the hosts was first into the action having to tip over an overhit cross from under his own bar. A fine break started by Rachata Moraksa saw Nititorn Sripraman being put in. His effort was saved by Pathomtat Sudprasert with the follow up by Sho Shimoji hitting his own player on the deck and bouncing over the bar.
Nigerian midfielder Evans Aneni was a quality act in midfield for the hosts in what was a most watchable encounter with the red sky in the distance providing a stunning backdrop. The visitors somehow spurned the opportunity to take the lead three minutes before the interval.
A deep cross was laid back by Pinyo Inpinit to Ronnachai Rangsiyo in the middle of the goal just two yards out. He managed to hit the feet of keeper Yokakul. At the break Phil thought that the ball had crossed the line. Either way, it was a shocking effort.
The goalie didn’t reappear for the second half, and surprisingly nor did Aneni. Five minutes after the restart a lovely slide rule pass from Praphanth put in Shimoji who dinked his effort past the oncoming Sudprasert but past the post.
Atthawit Sukchuai for Rajpracha brought out the best of sub keeper Ratchaphol Namthong. At the other end Yotsakorn Burapha controlled a shot and smashed his effort aginst the crossbar with the goalkeeper rooted to his line.
The winner arrived ten minutes from time, when Kriangkrai Pimrat who fed fellow substitute Phanthamit Praphanth who banged his left footed shot away into the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box.
Supawit Romphopak had a chance to level things up but he shot tamely straight at Namthong as City hung on to probably deserve all three points. We all enjoyed the game, the atmosphere and venue.
The way back to Minburi was made interesting by poor directional skills, which saw us get jammed by a khlong bridge next to an interesting bar. The girls working there certainly seemed bewildered. We eventually returned for Gary and I, to have beers with my girlfriend Taew at her Minburi bar.
Samut Prakan City 2 Chiangmai United 1 (Saturday 2nd September 2023) Thai League 2 (att: 494)
Well, I thought I’d seen some stuff over the years, but as I often say in Thailand: never presume. The hosts probably overall deserved the victory gained through a fine early strike from Sangjin Lee and then a header from Fernando Viana. The visitors struck back through Marlon Silva seven minutes after the restart, but that was only half of the story.
The atmosphere had been great despite a small gate, with the locals knowing how to make a din. The game wasn’t the worst either with the home side near the wrong end of the table up against the away team who were near the playoff zone and looked extremely useful when I saw them win away on the opening day of the season.
City had missed a guilt edge chance at 2-0 to finish off the game, but on the hour mark I had Chiang Mai down for at least a draw. Indeed, I was doing “live” reports back to my mate to edit for our Thai Football Podcast which is out on Wednesday, and I was about to offer my predictions when all hell broke loose.
Prakan scored with a well taken lob, but the CMU players were most unimpressed, haranguing the linesman, with referee Satchukorn Saenchu heading over. The officials ushered the players away and then had a discussion of a few minutes. VAR is not used in the second tier of Thai football, but between them they decided to chalk off the goal.
Cue, the management of SPC completely losing the plot with the near side linesman and fourth official before they ordered their players off the pitch and refused to continue. It was a disgrace, embarrassing, and shambolic. I’ve no idea how it was resolved but after a lengthy delay the game resumed.
The final half hour was not good to watch. It turned into a contest of who could con the weak officials the most. My mood wasn’t the best after the incident anyway, so the theatrics didn’t help. CMU had a goal disallowed, for pushing from a set piece, before the whistle eventually went to signal happy celebrations among the home players and fans. It left a bitter taste in my mouth.
It was a shame. City have been taken over by new owners who have given the stadium a facelift and there was a positive vibe about the place. However, they had an incident with officials the previous week, and their opening day win at Pattaya was marred with off field hassle.
Then the previous week to my visit, the coaches had been embroiled in arguments with the match officials in the away game at Nakhonsi United. The Chaingmai game made it three times in four weeks, and they did seem to be attracting bother.
My appearance was opportune for the podcast I was co-hosting as I was originally planning to go to Rayong v Nakhonsi but a friend's plan changed so my wife and I returned from Bangsaray so I could still get to a match.
My journey to Bang Pli was via Bangkapi and then a ride on the new Yellow Line Monorail before disembarking past Seacon Square and catching the 133 bus. I returned by taxi to the village retail park where a minivan and then taxi took me home.
An eventful evening!