Bangkok Casuals League

The Bangkok Casuals League is a football competition staged in the Thai capital boasting a long history with clubs consisting of amateur expat players from around the globe. 

My matches

at Patana International School

Japan All Stars 1 Siam Celtic 2 (Saturday 12th March 2022) AFL Bangkok Casuals League (att: c10) 

I was struggling to find some live action, when Jamie Clarke a locally based coach pointed me in the direction of the AFL Bangkok Casuals League, an amateur competition played between 10 expat clubs. The league admin on Facebook were most helpful in giving me details so I headed towards Bang Na.

All Saturday games were being played on the three perfectly kept pitches at the Sports Complex of Patana School, which I reached by bus, BTS Skytrain and then a 40 minutes stroll in searing heat. Proof of a negative ATK test was required to gain access.

A rugby game had just finished on the multi lined pitch in front of the changing block and stand between Southerners Vets and Bangkok Bangers. I continued to the far pitch which thankfully had some shade for my game.

I chose the Celtic game as it featured Leon Nelson, a former Hillingdon Borough striker who I enjoyed watching. Another former Northern League player and pal, Lee Hall, was playing at the back for them.

 

It was nice to be recognised and made welcome. It was also good to see a decent standard of football. The Japanese took the lead before the hoops equalised with a screamer of a free kick in the afternoon heat.

The competitively played match was settled by Nelson in the second half who lost his marker to let rip with a beauty that gave the keeper no chance. Celtic then saw out the game in a most professional fashion as they retained possession. 

After the game I continued along the vibrant Lasalle Road where it was sad to see people selling off their possessions to survive. Covid really has hammered Thailand’s working class who relied on tourism and its knock-on effects.

I caught a couple of buses home to enjoy and evening in of football, Test cricket and 6 Nations rugby with the Scarborough Athletic v Stafford Rangers commentary on in the background. 

at Phetburi Field

German All Stars 8 Panthers FC 1 (Tuesday 15th March 2022) AFL Bangkok Casuals League (att: c15) 

Another venture offered the bonus of rare Tuesday night football. Wednesday very much the midweek night in Thailand. There was certainly a lot worse ways to get to a game than the Saen Seap Khlong Ferry most of the way following a bus ride and then walk.

The venue was a narrow small pitch at the Greeny Grass Complex on an excellent hybrid surface at a well-appointed venue in the shadows of the raised Airport Line close to Ramkhamhaeng station and a mile or so south of Rajamangala National Stadium. 

It is a former golf driving range. It had a small deep three step cover in one corner and another behind the other goal with the pitch surrounded by high netting. With it being a multi-use facility, the sort of place I’d have dreamed of growing up, the game kicked off at 8.15 after touch rugby had finished.

The pitch was booked for 90 minute slots, meaning they sensibly play 40 minutes each way to allow for stoppages and a shortened half time. In the early stages, I expected a massive hammering. 

The German side had several rolling subs available while Panthers had just one. As well as a lesser mobile side including a goalie who was prone to flapping at anything. A couple of their bigger lads weren’t shy of putting their foot in.

It was akin to a World Cup qualifier. All Stars quickly went 3-0 up. The first tapped by 35 after a couple of minutes following a goalkeeping error. Panthers then missed a one on one opportunity to equalise. 

GAS 40, sporting an afro haircut, was a skillful operator who doubled the lead with a lob. The player wearing 9 for the Germans made it 3-0 with a shot across the keeper who should have done better.

Panthers tried to play football by the seat of their pants and grabbed one back as the skipper in the 10 shirt put into an empty net after intercepting a pass. It was too much for the German keeper, whose fault the goal was. At the interval he had a proper strop and didn’t reappear.

The coach also made me laugh launching into a tirade at the ref for not playing long enough. Fitness and quality proved a massive advantage in the second half as the Panthers players quickly fatigued. Goals from 71, 40 and 7 made the score 6-1 with twenty-two minutes still on the clock.

Numbers 9 and 36, with a back post diving header back across goal that went in in off post rounded off the scoring. 8-1 was being generous to Panthers, with the small pitch no doubt coming to their aid.

With a better custodian it might have been a bit tighter. Star German player for me was the young fella on the right sporting an Afro by the name of Colin. A very accomplished ball player who kept possession for his side. The sort I hated playing against.

I returned home by two buses to complete a cheap night out, what with free admission. I spent some of the saving on a coke and ice cream floater. How nice that was in early March at 11.30pm.

at Playmaker FC

Phoenix FC 4 Les Gaulois 2 (Wednesday 16th March 2022) AFL Bangkok Casuals League (att: c10) 

The same competition offered another handy filler if there was nothing else happening. And it was free admission! The administrator of the Phoenix Facebook page was most helpful with directions and match details before I set off.

Getting to the Playmaker ground was interesting, after a visit to the food court at Fashion Island. I thought I knew the right bus that went close by, which also required a little walk, so I was disappointed when the service I boarded hurtled past the turn off on Nawamin Road. 

Using the footbridge, I then got my walk earlier than anticipated before jumping in a taxi for the remainder of the journey with time marching on. The venue boasted three pitches, with a game in progress on one of them.

My match was on Pitch 3, behind the changing rooms, but with a small open scaffold stand and covered area in the corner which had an outlet for refreshments. A very tidy little set up, like many I was coming across in local football.

 

After introducing myself to the Phoenix chaps, one of whom was looking out for my arrival, I was treated to a most entertaining and enjoyable game with plenty of Anglo Gallic spice thrown in for good measure.

The Englishmen went ahead on eight minutes when not for the first time, number 25 broke the French offside trap before continuing to round the keeper and slot home. The large pitch was conducive to open football which seemed to suit both sides.

 

The lead was doubled after twenty-six minutes after the player wearing 94 chased a ball and won it out wide. With the goalie out of position the attacker scored in empty net from difficult angle. The deficit was halved just before the half hour mark as 99 scored with a speculative lob.

Gaulois broke and missed good chance to restore parity. It was 3-1 when Phoenix’s 27 scored with a superb solo goal. The second half was a tight affair and most competitive. Gaulois had a goal chalked off and were then denied by an excellent save. 

The score became 3-2 six minutes after the restart when a fine slide rule pass sent in the French number 9 to slot home. His side were then prevented from levelling by a brave goalkeeping block before Phoenix missed two good chances within sixty seconds.

The game was becoming increasingly stretched with chances aplenty, prior to the man in the 10 shirt putting the result beyond doubt with a fine effort for Phoenix. Both sets of players looked absolutely spent at full time. 

I’d thoroughly enjoyed the match, before I took part in exercise of my own as I walked the mile or so up Ram Intra 14 to catch the 26 bus back to base.

 

Thonburi Stadium (Bangkok)

Thonburi Stadium is a venue in the Bang Phai district of Thonburi, in the east of the Thai capital of Bangkok. It is predominantly used as the home stadium of Thonburi United in the Thai League.

Some of its funding and maintenance was and sometimes still is paid for by the Thai FA who use the venue to stage neutral games.

My visits

Thonburi United 1 North Bangkok University 1 (Monday 10th January 2022) Thai League 3 Bangkok (att: c200)

To read a description of a rare Monday afternoon fixture, click here.

Samutsakhon City 1 FC Bangsaotong 0 (Saturday 4th June 2022) Thailand Amateur League Bangkok Perimeter Final (att: c350) 

I had earlier visited this fine venue for a Thonburi United home game, but this occasion had considerably more resting on it. In short, the victors would be promoted to the professional ranks for the following season as a Thai League 3 club.

I had prepared in fine style having met up with a former New Zealand Test cricketer the previous evening and enjoyed a very sociable few hours around Sukhumvit in the capital. After breakfast, I took the MRT right around the final stop at Bang Khae where I had a break in the aircon mall, being ahead of schedule.

A bus took me to Nongkhaem District Office from where I crossed the road and bought some beers at the 7/11 for the match. I then took the walk, which was longer than I estimated along Soi Phet Kasem 110. I wasn’t upset to see the floodlights as I turned the final bend.

In the main stand, I sat next to a fellow Englishman whose son was on the bench for FCB. Samutsakhon were backed by a couple of busloads of supporters and had the more experienced side, with some former T3 players in their ranks and were coached by Chanyut Pongpanomwet. 

I had skin in the game as I’d followed FCB through the course of the competition and was friends with their coach Jamie Clarke. His side always played lots of nice football but could sometimes over-elaborate. They were a young outfit, and their lack of nous would prove to be one of their undoing’s on the big occasion.

Their keeper, Chaiyasit Phetrangsee, seemed to have caught a case of the nerves, while the forwards including Kuatrakul Kwankua didn’t really get going, with City goalie Wichan Manmueang hardly having a shot to save despite FCB having plenty of the ball in the final third. 

The goal was highly contentious, to say the least. Even more so after watching replays of the game online later. A low shot from just outside the box was touched onto the post by Chaiyasit. Plchet Inbang followed up to put the ball away. Images would later reveal he was clearly offside.

Samutsakhon’s elder players knew how to close the game out. Their custodian Wichan had to go off with an injury soon into the second half. His deputy Aekkachai Srisaengchan coped well and was protected by his defence. In the end, just one goal was enough to win promotion. 

The Samutsakhon City players quite rightly celebrated in style with supporters on the pitch after the final whistle and trophy presentation. Bangsatong’s boys were in pieces. It was really sad to experience. All good lads, with their dreams of being pros for their team written off.

Samutsakhon had been heavily backed by their local authority, one of which was connected to the Thai FA. As someone in an official capacity at FCB said, there was no way City were going to be beaten. It’s not a great way to secure promotion. 

Jamie had some beers with me and was understandably as dejected as his players. One of whom Adam Mather went back in the taxi with us. Jamie’s regular driver obligingly stopped at a 7/11 for cans before depositing us at the Sportsman on Sukhumvit 13.

Some other lads who played for FCB in the Bangkok Premier League were in there celebrating after playing for Siam Celtic who had won their Bangkok Casuals League final. No foreigners were permitted to play in the Thailand Amateur League. 

A couple of beers in, I got a message from Taew at her restaurant in Minburi telling me Thai friends had arrived and wanted to drink with me. The price of fame! I said my farewells, caught a taxi, and left the others to it.

 

Rangsit University Stadium (Bangkok)

Rangsit University Stadium is a multi-purpose venue on the campus serving its educational establishment, with its main use staging football matches. It was the home of Rangsit University FC which was used for Thai League football.

It carried on staging University matches while the club changed their name to the iCon RSU which instead used Bangkok University Stadium to play its home games when they returned to Thai League 3 in 2023-24.  

My visit

Minburi City 3 Krungthep FC 1 (Friday 29^th April 2022) Thailand Amateur League Bangkok Perimeter Group E (att: 150)

 

I’d grown an attachment to my local team Minburi City, who were well organised off the pitch, if sometimes lacking in ability on it. The Thailand Amateur League offered a long-winded chance of promotion to the professional ranks, and I was delighted to head along to support the team.

It was the start for most of the seventy-five regional groups containing three or four teams. Round-robin games were to be played in each group, with the winners then progressing to the knockout rounds. I received the usual excellent information before setting out on my trip.

 

The games in the competition were being played at neutral venues, quite often with two games on the same day offering plenty of entertainment to anyone who wanted to watch and take advantage of free entry and lots of enthusiasm.

It was a combination of local transport and then a taxi that delivered me to Rangsit University Stadium, of which my previous experiences can be read about here. I was in a reasonable time for kick-off, wearing my Minburi City replica shirt. As I sat down in the stand, a young lady approached me bearing gifts. 

I was awarded a face mask, scarf, and baseball cap, all with the club logo on them, which I found to be extremely generous and made me cheer the team even more. Especially as they were going to need all the help that they could receive over the next ninety minutes.

It looked like it was going to be an extremely tough ask after Krungthep went ahead after twenty-seven minutes through centre-forward Sorrowat Srichompoo. However, Minuri had strengthened their squad and had added experience in the shape of Manop Klaykaew who was to have a huge effect on the contest. 

Minburi equalise from the penalty spot

He levelled things up from the penalty spot eight minutes before the interval before letting his enthusiasm get the better of him five minutes later. He put in a rash challenge in an attacking position which referee Danai Yommool decided warranted a red card. I thought it was an extremely harsh decision.

The player came and sat in the stand and didn’t seem too perturbed which was probably a clearer indication. It was going to be a long second half in extreme heat. I went to the nearby 7/11 at the interval to restock with refreshments before returning to my concrete pew. 

Minburi’s task was assisted when Sornsiri Proaybumrung of Krungthep was dismissed. Back with equal numbers, my local team grew in strength and began to forge some chances. Manit Saengcnan put them ahead before substitute, Natee Thongkaew, rounded off the scoring in stoppage time.

I was delighted for owner Neti and coach Narinsak Norin. The players celebrated by jumping in wheelie bins full of ice and water to cool down. I had my photo taken by the club on the track. It had been an excellent game, and I set about getting a taxi. 

I initially directed to Rangsit market by mistake, when I wanted Future Mall. A minivan taking the shortest route took me back to my condo for a shower and change before going to have food and drinks with friends, including my wife-to-be, even though neither of us knew it at the time.

Army United

 

Army United FC, who were known as Royal Thai Army FC until December 2010, was a professional football club based in the Din Daeng district of Bangkok. The club was originally formed in 1916 and always had a team competing in Thai football.

Most of the clubs players were members of the Army playing at the impressive 20,000 capacity Thai Army Sports Stadium. They folded at the end of the 2019 season owing to changes to the constitution of such sporting entities and their funding.

When the Thai football league system was modernised, Army were in the Premier League. However they were relegated in 1999 and they remained in Division One until 2004-05 when they won the title. Three seasons in the top flight followed before a further relegation was suffered.

This time the team went straight back up at the first attempt in 2010 helped by the goals of Tatree Sing-Ha. In 2011 the club abandoned its policy of only fielding players from the army as the game in Thailand became more professional.

At the same time, Army Welfare Development was formed, playing in the Khǒr Royal Cup before being elected to the Regional League 2 in 2015 as Royal Thai Army FC to offer an outlet to purely army employees.

'The Gentlemen Ranger' reached the FA Cup Final in 2012, but lost out to Buriram United under the stewardship of Paniphon Kerdyam. During the run, Army were given a reprieve from a penalty defeat to Trat when it was realised that the Regional League side had fielded an unregistered player and were kicked out of the competition.

Former Scottish international defender Matt Elliott was in charge of team affairs between January and June 2014, before the ex Tottenham Hotspur and England defender Gary Stevens took over.

Stevens lasted until May 2015 when he was replaced by Issaro Sritaro, who in turn was replaced by fellow Thai and former team boss Watcharakorn Antakhamphu. 

His tenure saw the team go on a poor run which saw them in the final relegation place with three rounds remaining when the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej marked the end of the season with league places at the time being counted as final. Thus Army were relegated.

The 2017 campaign in the newly rebranded second tier Thai League 2 (T2) kicked off with Thanis Areesngarkul in charge of team affairs, but a poor run of results saw him replaced by Col. Kittichet Mahothorn in March 2017.

Daniel Blanco took over team affairs in July 2017; remaining in charge until the end of the season before departing to Krabi. The former Portugal international midfielder Nascimento arrived as the new head coach for the 2018 season.

He was replaced in June 2018 by Adul Luekijna who remained in place to take the side to an eighth-place finish before Daniel Blanco was appointed as head coach for the 2019 campaign. The side finished fifth in the table as Tanakorn Dangthong led the scoring prior to the club folding.

My visit

Royal Thai Army 1 Bangkok United 1 (Saturday 24th April 2010) Thailand Premier League (att: c1,200)

My report written for Scarborough Athletic FC fanzine, Abandon Chip.

Owing to the erupting Icelandic volcano, I was unfortunately detained in Bangkok for a week longer than scheduled. Not wanting to cry over spilt milk and ever looking to broaden my footballing education, I decided that Saturday 24th April 2010 should be spent watching a local game.

I had planned to go to the game in the Premier Division between BEC Tero Sasana and top of the table Chonburi at the Thephasadin Stadium. Unfortunately this venue was next to the old National Stadium in an area of the city disrupted by violent political clashes involving the military and the red shirt protestors. This led to the game being postponed.

Not to be deterred, I hit on a plan B. I took off after lunch with Steve and the other intrepid stranded traveller, Neil Eggar, I found a taxi and set off. My companions gave me the wind up before I set off. My chosen game was to be Army v Bangkok United. They laughed as they said I’d probably picked a grudge match. 

The driver wasn’t sure of my destination so I gave him a station on the underground where I thought I could walk from. After a little conversation in very broken Thai and English, he revealed he was a reserve in the Army and showed me his ID card. 

He reckoned he knew where the stadium was. I also knew vaguely as I’d passed it before on my way to Harrow International School where I help co-ordinate a cricket tournament each November.

My man was spot on and he pulled into a service station just short of the stadium off the expressway a full hour before kick off. I spotted a local in a Bangkok United shirt who luckily spoke English nit noi (a little) and he directed me to the ground. 

A five minutes later saw me entering the sports campus. The guard seemed very friendly which was encouraging. I knew the stadium had a track round the pitch and one side had a roof from research so I wandered round to that side. All around were basic cafes which also served beer.

Outside both clubs had souvenir stalls, but I resisted. I decided to enter the ground and I paid 80 baht (just short of £2) for a seat in the Main Stand. I had the bottle from my water removed by courteous guards. Upon entry I found I was in the home fans section. A VIP area separated us from the away fans further up the touchline. 

There were school children on the far open side. It had been my intention to gain entry into there at some point to take photos and to get on the live TV coverage while speaking to my mates on my mobile while they looked on from home.

The fans were very enthusiastic making loud noises with drums, hooters and the plastic sticks which are found at games. 

Their support never abated. The crowd was mainly aged between 14 and 30 and it has to be said that it was a pleasure to be in the company of the many females. They were certainly more aesthetic than my usual mates at a game. 

A leader got the “Tra Kong Chak”, as Army are known, fans going with a megaphone and nearly everyone joined in. If only I knew what they were chanting so I could have!

The game was very entertaining, assisted by a good ref who worked well with his assistants. Army were bottom of the league but they had the better of the play, eventually going ahead. I was really getting into it by now and I was even greater enthused by finding beer for 30 baht (80p) at half time. 

Even better was when I could take one back upstairs for the second half. It was most welcome as it was thirsty work just watching. I noticed that the sub has to go to the fourth official and show his official TPL ID to sanction a change.

United grabbed an equaliser about ten minutes from time. The same tell tale which is found anywhere in the world signs echoed through the stand: a second or so silence followed by the roars of the away fans who numbered around 300. The total gate probably crept over 1,000. 

I was sick for my new found friends who had been most welcoming with their warm smiles. Full time saw something I am very much in approval of. The teams went across to their opposing supporters and bowed; known as wai-ing in Thailand. 

It is a traditional greeting like shaking hands in western culture). In return the opposing fans applauded the players. Very civilised and far nicer than the abuse they would suffer elsewhere. It IS a game after all.

At full time I went back to a bar that was showing the last half hour of the Man Utd v Tottenham match and got stuck in. Some locals tried to have a conversation but expressions and body language spoke louder than words. 

I went back to the club shop and purchased an excellent quality Army team shirt for 450 baht, which was less than a tenner!. I finished off my beer and went for a taxi back to Steve’s house in Minburi.

The games kick off in Thailand at a perfect time. I was home twenty minutes into the 3pm kick offs from back home with each game being shown live on different channels.

If ever you are in the Land of Smiles, please make an effort and go and watch a local game. You will see 100% commitment offering excellent value for money. 

You will generally get a cheap meal and beer and you can buy a team shirt for £10; which showed just how much all clubs in the western world were ripping off genuine fans. You will also get a warm welcome and your support will be appreciated.

Make sure you do it! To see a brief video I took at the game, click here:

To read about my confusing visit to watch Royal Thai Army FC in 2016, click here: