AES Moonlight

 

AES Moonlight FC is an amateur football club in the Thai capital of Bangkok who were originally called Lucid Dreams AES in 2020 playing home games at Airport Stadium in Division 5 of the Bangkok Premier League.

AES is a Bangkok based engineering company that sponsored the club which then became part of the Thonburi City FC club playing as a second side in Division 3 of the same competition. In July 2022 the club changed its title from Thonburi City AES to AES Moonlight. 

Owner Sorawit Pop Sueyouyong decided that they should become independent once again with many home games shifted to Grakcu Stadium in Sai Mai as the club competed in the Thai FA Cup in the 2021-22 season, hammering TK Academy in the Qualifying Round.

The club continued to play in the Bangkok Premier League until the end of the 2023-24 season. From September 2024 they played in the Greenfield Super League.

My visits

Camp 1001/Greenkeeper

Thonburi City SEA 4 SPA Srongpol 0 (Sunday 24th April 2022) Bangkok Premier League Division 3 (att: c25) 

A 6pm fixture up Hathai Rat Road was just the job for Steve Walker and I to take in some football after I had dropped off my laptop for repairs at Fashion Island Mall and some food before we commandeered a taxi.

The match was played at the home ground of Srongpol, which AES also used, with the main issue at night of Camp 1001 being the number of mosquitos owing to its location by greenery and water. We applied plenty of repellent on a hot sticky night.

We received the usual friendly welcome from the Srongpol guys who were the first team I had seen in action after moving full-time to Bangkok when they gave me a training shirt as a welcome gift. Not something I can imagine happening in England.

We were treated to a reasonable game at a tightly enclosed venue I had grown to like. To be honest we expected an easy AES victory after seeing SPA take a proper drubbing in Nong Chok against AUU Dream Team earlier in the month.

As it transpired Srongpol had become more organised and put up a decent show, though goals from Panupong Chanhom, Metha Sirisuwansit, Kittipong Sunarak, and Phumiphat Exists made the 4-0 score about right.

Post-match we decided to need to seek out The Craft House for which I had been given a tip when visiting a bar on Seri Thai Road. Craft beer was indeed available in cans and bottles with a decent range to choose from.

It was a sensible visit on this occasion, with prices being at the higher end of the scale but we vowed to return to the establishment on Thai Raman Alley, which we did after a game a mile or so north a few weeks later. Now that was a long and expensive do!

Grakcu Stadium

AES Moonlight 6 TK Academy 2 (Wednesday 28th September 2022) Thai FA Cup Qualification Round (att: 50) 

The early stages of the FA Cup through up some interesting ties spread over two consecutive Wednesdays. Having looked through my options and knowing I was picking my pal Jarvo up from Suvarnabhumi that evening I wanted something relatively local.

This game at Grakcu Stadium, hired by Moonlight for the occasion, fitted the bill perfectly. I had seen Moonlight in action a few weeks earlier at Alpine Football CampTraining but didn’t realise they were previously known as Thonburi City AES earlier in the year when my mate Steve and I saw them take on SPA Srongpol. 

My van driver was a bit on the tetchy side, so I ended up getting out far too early along Ram Inthra necessitating a walk to Wat Phra Sri Mahathat BTS station where a free sky train ride took me to Saphan Mai.

A songthaew took me in the right direction thanks to helpful locals with me walking the final twenty minutes to arrive with the teams ready to take the pitch. Admission was free and I took up a place in the far stand with the visiting entourage from Nakhon Ratchasima. 

The pitch was boggy from the outset and cut up badly as the match proceeded leading to plenty of errors from both sides and an entertaining encounter. In the early exchanges, the “home” player Kittiiphong Areerak had a shot easily saved by Chanayut Tosanthia.

Manuchet Wansa looked strong down the right for AES from the off as did Damrong Aiemdang up front. Areerak set up Wansa who should have scored but fired over in a good position. Despite their good start, it was TK Academy who took the lead.

An innocuous free kick from skipper Kritsada Phinsanthia found Teerapong JomKor at the back post who controlled and scored with his shot taking a slight deflection on the way past custodian Kittin Uttsan on eleven minutes.

Moonlight responded as Sathian Rairat saw his shot from long range saved. The young academy lads were holding a good defensive line but were lacking in physical strength which would be their undoing when Wansa was too quick and strong as he latched onto a through ball to restore parity after swapping to the left, in a game changing move.

He put his side ahead a couple of minutes later before the half-hour mark when his strong low shot was too powerful for Tosanthia. A fine move extended the lead when a crossfield ball by Wansa picked out Rairat who fed Komin Samadpattanakit whose low cross was controlled and smashed home by Aiemdang.

The generally unconvincing Tosanthia made a decent save to deny Samadpattanakit before TK responded with both Apichart Chinsranot and then Annop Meephu with a free kick. At the interval, I popped to the Grakcu shop for a beer where their academy coaches were preparing to welcome graduates on the second pitch. 

Wansa completed his hattrick three minutes after the restart when too strong for his marker before finishing cooly. The Academy contingent around me seemed resigned to their fate, but I guess they could take pride in competing in the competition.

Referee Thapana Thaworn played an excellent advantage to allow a move to continue with Samadpattanakit being denied by the feet of Tosanthia. Senior visitor Phinsanthia saw a free kick pushed onto the angle of the post and bar by Uttsan as his side continued to rally.

It became 5-1 when more good football ended in a cutback from Areerak for Wansa to smash home his fourth of the afternoon in the gloom after sixty-seven minutes. Aiemdang hit the frame of the goal with Wansa seeing his shot saved from the rebound as the pressure continued.

The sixth Moonlight goal was an absolute belter from all of thirty yards when a dipping swerving thunderbolt from Rairat beat Tosanthia all ends up. TK gained a consolation eight minutes from time through a fine JomKor effort. 

At full time I somehow managed to squeeze onto a songthaew out on the main road back to the BTS before chaos ensued when I alighted. There was a queue for the bus, so when a 95 arrived I was happy to get on board. Only to realise it didn’t go to Minburi but it cut off down Nawamin Road.

A taxi took me the rest of the way through murderous traffic leaving me time for a quick change and shower, a beer at my favourite local bar, prior to taking a taxi to the airport to greet my friend and then get stuck into a proper session. A grand day out. 

Yasothon

Yasothon FC is a professional football club representing the province of the same name in northeast Thailand. Originally formed as Yasothon United in 2010, they were placed in the third tier Regional League Division 2 North Eastern Region as an expansion club.

Playing home games at Yasothon Province Stadium, the side ended in a credible third place, which was backed up by fourth position in 2011. A midtable and then lowly position ensued before the club dropped out of the league at the end of the 2013 season. 

They returned, minus the United moniker, after a two-year break and ended the 2016 season in eleventh place. Restructuring of the Thai League saw ‘The Rockets’ placed in Thai League 4 Northeast in 2017, ending in ninth spot.

Attendances were encouraging as supporters cheered the goals of Ousmanou Mohamadou. The Cameroon forward was replaced at the top of the scoring chart by Guinea forward Diop Badara Aly for a couple of seasons, as Yasothon finished third and then eleventh in the table. 

Thai football was once again remodelled to follow the European calendar for the 2020-21 season with changes to the league structure following. Phakhawat Poonachang ended as leading scorer for the Rockets, as they ended third in T3 Northeast under head coach Jakkapob Kattiwong.

Ninth and then tenth place finishes followed as first Pongsak Boontos led the goals chart in 2021-22 and then Amronphun Homduang twelve months later. Tanut Pattaramanee took over as head coach for the 2023-24 season. He, and then Prachumpong Kongchandee, led the side to another lowly finish as Sutthipong Duangthungsa put away the chances.

Jakkapob returned to the role of head coach at the start of the 2024-25 season.

Yasothon FC will play in Thai League 3 Northeast in the 2024-25 season.

My visits

Yasothon 2 Rasisalai United 1 (Sunday 1^st October 2023) Thai League 3 Northeastern (att:400) 

This was a proper explorer’s day out without the aid of the safety belt, diving into the semi-unknown for which I was rewarded with a cracking finish to a game not particularly high in standards of quality on a gluepot of a pitch in deepest the northeast Isan region of Thailand.

I’d done a little research relating to the game, as I do videos as things unfold for our weekly Thai football podcast, and noticed gates at Yasothon had dropped off a cliff since Covid, which perhaps explained the free admission to try and entice fans back, as well as selling club shirts for just 399 Baht (8.90) 

Judging by the noise at full-time, most may well return. Their team, ‘The Rockets’ named as this is the area home to the annual big-money rocket festivals, were second best for long periods in thought and pace.

Before kick-off, the King’s Anthem sounded like it was being played by a brass band from West Yorkshire, which immediately gave me a boost. The gent on the PA did his bit throughout to build the atmosphere in a voice making his sound like a Thai Michael O’Hehir.

Visiting skipper Thitiphong Photumptha put his side ahead after twenty-four minutes when keeper Surakiad Kratumkhan flapped at and missed a corner. The initial header came back off the post before the rebound was headed home by the same player.

The legs of Surakiad denied Nattapon Yongsakool who really should have doubled the advantage. Rasisalai, who must have thought I was stalking them as this was the fourth week in succession I’d watched them, were made to pay in first-half stoppage time.

My video report was submitted to A Thai Football Podcast which was played during Episode 15

It is available to listen to on Spotify, Facebook, and YouTube

Ratthaphum Sophasing glanced home a header from a free kick to send both teams level down the tunnel. I went for a walk hopeful of spotting some kind of transport back to the bus station while exchanging smiles with lots of new friends.

The away side again dominated attacking possession after the restart on what really was a poor playing surface, which again would probably have seen a postponement elsewhere around the world.

 

It was a relief to see a huge storm skirt around town in the distance, as the lightning flashed. Yasothon were forced to change keepers owing to injury. The replacement Jetsada Bunrueng was stocky and short, but surprisingly hardly tested.

The pitch inevitably aided poorly timed challenges often caused by mis-control of the ball, which some players made the most of, leaving referee Rutratchapoom Moolpong to try and decipher a huge game of Call my Bluff. Players really don’t help themselves, but it appears to be seen as an occupational hazard out here if it means getting an opponent into bother.

It generally ends in one side being depleted. This time it was Jumnong Pitchayang of Yasothon who left his mates in the lurch, receiving his second yellow card midway through the second half. However, home coach Saranuwat Nasartsang had an ace up his sleeve when introducing forward Jetsada Artyatha just before the dismissal.

Jetsada was like a bull in a China shop. He was slow but he put his body on the line and most importantly, he got the crowd going and enthused his teammates as he got stuck into opponents and started to make things happen. Fans are the same around the world. They love a trier, especially one that engages with them, and this fella immediately got them on his side.

The away side was still more likely to grab a winner, but the home side was forcing them back. I didn’t think that they had the wherewithal or pace to create a clear chance. I’d moved around behind the goal for the last few minutes, as time was tight at full-time.

Jetsada made a smart run to stay onside and collect a good pass. Keeper Banhan Thubthong advanced and tried to make a diving block, but the ball was dinked over him and crawled over the line in the final of the six additional minutes.

The place went berserk, including those maybe unaware of the free admission who watched from behind the perimeter railings, with some enjoying a boozy tailgate party. Seconds later it was all over.

I had tried to convince a young fella to drive me back to the bus station in his tuk-tuk, but it turned out it was a company vehicle rather than being for hire. It meant a second fifty-five-minute walk of the day avoiding several ratty soi dogs as I proceeded.

And that’s where the exploring part comes into the equation. Thailand and public transport is something of a lottery, especially out in the provinces. I waited for ninety minutes in Kanthararom in the morning for a van service to Ubon Ratchathani.

The first was full and the fella at the ticket desk just shrugged his shoulders when I asked when the next one was due. It certainly makes me smile when I think back to customers haranguing me on the tube if the next train was fifteen minutes away.

From Ubon, I had a forty-five-minute wait for the bus to Yasothon. Thankfully, things are more organised at the bigger bus terminals. The fare was 116 Baht for the 100km journey. However, now lagging time-wise meant I had to forego a visit to a museum on a lake I wanted to see.

The only form of public transport was a motorbike taxi which I’m petrified of. No conventional taxis, buses or tuk-tuks. Grab and Bolt had not yet heard of in the province. It is your own transport or Shanks’s Pony time.

I managed to walk back after the game just in time if the 18.20 service had been punctual. Of course, it was not, which left things tight at Ubon to get across town to catch the last 20.30 train as all buses towards Sisaket stop at 18.00.

Google Maps said it was a nineteen-minute journey to the station. The train left in sixteen minutes. I got on board with two to spare, which offered an indication as to how fast my taxi driver went. Then on reaching Kanthararom, I discovered my good lady had crashed out at home with no Grab available. She rose from her slumbers and brought me a beer. 

A day that I’m unlikely to forget in a hurry. It was magical to encounter met with smiles and genuine curiosity throughout and watching a red full moon rise as I watched the Ryder Cup on my phone in the middle of nowhere. What an incredible world we live in.

Yasothon 0 Sisaket United 1 (Saturday 6th January 2024) Thai League 3 Northeast (att: 300)

An away trip to kick off 2024, as my friend John offered to drive us the 120km north for the match, which pitted the side sitting third from the bottom of the table against the leaders who were backed by around fifty visiting fans. What we got was a shocker of a match on a terribly hard bumpy pitch.

Both sides overplayed passes continually with play scrappy and disjointed, and quite often tetchy. Damian of Sisaket continually played the aggressor, often for no reason apart from wanting to try and show off how hard he was. It gets dull week after week. As does the one-paced build of play his side continually produced.

 

If there is a less entertaining side in the country, then I dread to see them, but despite this, they don’t let goals in. I can only imagine coach Narongthanaphorn must get some kind of guilty pleasure in collecting clean sheets and hanging onto narrow victories against sides that other teams simply batter to one side.

Make no mistake, Yasothon were awful, and surely only the free admittance sees them attract any support. They are a club going through the motions. You can’t get a beer and there is no sign of any souvenir stall, which is rare. It’s a shame as they have potential and a great catchment area. 

Danilo missed a free header from five yards for United while Matias Panigazzi saw his headed effort superbly turned around by the otherwise erratic home keeper Suriya Singkhubit. The only goal came four minutes before the break. An overhit pass hit a bump and stood up for Danilo. 

The keeper was on the edge of his box assuming the ball would reach him. The big Brazilian lobbed him, but the bounce saw his effort come back off the bottom of the bar. Pazigazzi followed up to stoop and head home. 

The Argentinian was the best player at Sisaket by a country mile and put in everything he had week after week. His fellow overseas players should have bought his meals after matches because they are frankly getting away with it. Without him, they would have been even more inept.

The second half was awful. Ineptitude was in evidence all around. There were more petty arguments, mainly involving the two African home forwards and Sisaket’s Brazilian duo. The half was probably best summed up in stoppage time as the visitors invited more pressure towards their own goal. 

The hosts were awarded a free kick just outside the box. They took an age to take it, with the effort eventually being fired twenty yards over the bar. Still, the table says it was three more points for the table toppers.

We had arrived just short of a couple of hours before the 3.30pm kick-off and settled for pre-match food at Hug Restaurant in the old town. What a find it was too, with excellent Italian food made by the Thai owner who had probably served me pizza near Asoke station in Bangkok in the past. 

He and his wife spoke great English and were most amiable. He had a reasonable beer selection and an amazing wine cellar. He told us he would show us his distillery if we called again, which might be in May. 

Yasothon hosts an annual rocket festival which is extremely popular in that part of NE Thailand and sees huge crowds as well as illegal gambling around lots of eating and drinking, two of my favourite hobbies. I might treat my good lady to an overnight stop. 

On our return to Sisaket we headed to Hong Kong Garden for food and drinks, and to watch the Sunderland v Newcastle Cup tie. A fine day out meeting nice people, which included a Russian and his Thai girlfriend who had ridden 90km on the motorbike to Yasothon for the match. 

John as ever was excellent company along with Peter at his fine establishment before my regular Grab taxi arrived to take me home at 10pm.

My video report for A Thai Football Podcast which was played during Episode 29

 

Five Regions Stadium (Bangkok)

Five Regions Stadium is a football venue across the Chaophya River in the district of Nonthaburi in the Thai capital of Bangkok.

VRN Muangnont, formerly carried the prefix of STK, opening the venue as their academy with two full sized pitches, along with a couple with artificial surfaces, changing rooms, accommodation and social facilities. Five Regions Stadium was an impressive venue.

My visit

Bangkapi FC 4 Minburi United 1 (Saturday 7th May 2022) Thailand Amateur League Bangkok Group B (att: c70)

The 2022 Thailand Amateur League group stages some games played on consecutive weekends. This game, paired with the earlier encounter between Bangkok Football Academy and Navaminda Kasatriyadhiraj Royal Air Force Academy FC were scheduled for Thonburi Stadium.

Thankfully, I checked social media on Saturday morning before setting out. I can only presume the original venue was waterlogged in the horrible deluge I got caught in at the Muang Thong United Training Ground Stadium on Friday afternoon.

I’d dipped out of heading to Five Regions Stadium earlier in the tournament. It looked difficult by public transport. That was until I had discovered I could catch a minivan from near home direct to Pak Kret over the other side of the Chao Phraya River.

Another huge storm dropped on us as the van progressed along Ram Inthra. I was tempted to bail out and head home, but the forecast showed signs of improvement and the game was enticing as it would see Minburi United progress with a draw. Bangkapi needed a win.

I walked over Rama IV Bridge and continued to what turned out to be a busy industrial road. Fortunately, a taxi driver was sat on his break at the roadside and made himself available. Google Maps did the trick directing us up narrow lanes.

My driver risked his suspension on the bumpy approach to the ground before depositing me. The venue had two pitches, the second one of which was severely waterlogged. I headed for the covered spectator accommodation, which was not unlike the structure at Airport Stadium in Sam Wa.

A long low cover had a balcony with cover above it in the centre section. There were decent facilities with food and drink available. Over the other side were three small sided artificial pitches with the STK Muangmont Academy buildings at the other side.

A man who along with his wife sported a Port FC training top chatted to me in good English. They lived in Samut Prakan, while his son Suwijak Tipsana was playing for Minburi United. Other members of the family joined them, and they all seemed very pleasant.

I hadn’t even heard of United, despite living in Minburi until the start of the competition as they didn’t appear to play in any league that I was aware of. This put me in a spot. Two local teams. Who to go for? The family won me over, but it wouldn’t end my world either way.

The game kicked off, with it soon apparent that the pitch was verging on unplayable as you can see from this video. Fair dos to both clubs, the officials and groundstaff for wanting to get it on.

It was a decent standard in comparison to other games I’d attended at the same stage. United looked the better of the two sides. The game would change in dramatic circumstances seven minutes before the interval.

Bangkapi left back Kiadtisuk Seenunejan took what looked like a harmless free kick just inside his own half by the touchline. He launched the ball forward. Despite it being boggy in parts, it was firm in others. The ball skipped viciously and proved too strong for keeper Udomchok Sitthimanee.

Seenunejan opens the scoring as Bangkapi's photographer 
Pon Boomdaddy catches me on camera

I was caught on camera behind the happy scorer by the excellent Bangkapi photographer. The goal seemed to galvanise the leading team. A half volley was also shot just wide before the interval.

I’d nibbled on some deep fried fritters which I coated with a bit too much chili sauce. I’m not sure what was in them, but they did the job, before I returned upstairs for the start of the second period. The Muangmont academy players provided entertainment over the back. I have to say they were being trained very well.

The first action of the second half saw a low skidding shot from Bangkapi’s sub Thanakorn Pheuansopa was turned round the post by Sitthimanee. A couple of efforts also went close as the team adopted a shoot on sight policy in the difficult conditions.

Bangkapi were also adept in game management. Their skipper Pramual Sriboon was constantly in the ear of referee Boonsong Prachumrak, who ideally could have been stronger, especially as the game progressed.

Bangkapi thought they’d doubled their lead when a parry was followed up and put away, but the linesman had his flag up for offside. Sitthimanee then pulled off a good save to deny half time sub Phutaress Chantasom as the female fans screamed for their favourites.

It was then the turn of Prachaya Somboondee of Bangkapi to be denied by another save. United seemed to take heart from their keeper and began to launch some attacks of their own before they drew level.

Ra-Chan Pomfhang went on a fine run down the right wing on sixty-four minutes before crossing to the far post by Tipsana who volleyed home past keeper Ruangyot Noppakaow, much to the delight of his family.

For a few minutes I thought that the Minburi side could go on and win. The Bangkapi goal had a close escape before they elder more experienced side regathered their poise going on to retake the lead midway through the half.

Sarayut Trongdee wriggled to the byline. He delivered a hard cross which Seenunejan forced over the line with his body at the back post. It was a classic game. Poor conditions with real jeopardy depending on the result. It remained that way with just two minutes of normal time remaining.

Bangkapi’s players had a habit of falling over to get the physio on. Finally, the ref instructed players to leave the pitch on a stretcher to get on with things. Minburi were chasing the game and their desperation led to the decisive moment.

The ball was lost in midfield, Arthit Permsomboon scooped it forward to put Jettipat Wongyee through on goal, where he made no mistake in making the score 3-1. I headed round to enjoy the last few minutes on the banking behind the goal.

The scoring was rounded off in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Chantasom volleyed home at the far post despite the best efforts of Sitthimanee who apart from the first goal had a fine afternoon between the sticks.

The match was a great advert for local amateur football. I would think that all the players and officials would have been thoroughly worn out on Saturday night. I ordered a Bolt taxi as a kind local shopkeeper gave me a seat to wait on.

I was dropped off in Pak Kred and headed back home by van ready for a clean-up and some refreshments and music in my favourite bar.