Chonburi FC

Chonburi FC were formed in 1997 in the city of Chonburi which is on the eastern seaboard of the Gulf of Thailand. The club originally played in regional competition and was formed from the football club of Assumption College Sriracha.

An amalgamation soon took place with the division one side, Sannibat-Samutprakan with the new club being named Chonburi-Sannibat-Samutprakan FC. The club played at the local Princess Sirindhorn Stadium and joined the Thailand Provincial League in 2002 under the name of Chonburi Code Red FC after seperating from Sannibart Samutprakarn FC. At this point the club adopted the nickname of 'The Sharks'.

Suphachalasai Stadium also known as National Stadium played host to

Chonburi AFC Champions League games

Promotion was won into the Thai League in 2006. The side were successful with games being played at the Chonburi Municipality Stadium with AFC Champions League matches switched to the Suphachalasai Stadium (also known as the National Stadium) in Bangkok. The Sharks had success in the Asian Champions League in 2008 as they defeated Melbourne Victory as reigning Thai champions.

IPE Chonburi Stadium

Matches were shared between the Municipality and Princess Sirindhorn Stadiums until the club moved to the Institute of Physical Education Chonburi Campus Stadium (IPE Chonburi Stadium). Chonburi FC continue to be one of the countries most prominent football clubs with a large following.

In the 2011 season Chonburi FC participated in the Thai Premier League.

My visit

The following is my description of my visit as part of a groundhop around Thailand in March/April 2007 that appeared in the Scarborough Athletic fanzine, Abandon Chip

The train transport system in Bangkok is first class if a little sparse. Once it is eventually extended it really will be something to behold. My destination was the old National (Suphachalasai) Stadium near Siam Square. This is a grand old place with steep open seats and one covered main stand which had hosted three previous Asian Games and now plays host to Chonburi FC for their ACL games Now it is all seated it has a 35,000 capacity.

OK, I admit it. I’m guilty of overdoing things at times and I provided conclusive evidence the next day. Steve (my good friend and host) didn’t have a spare key for me so I needed to be at the house for him getting home at 4.15. I hummed and ah’d, before I decided it would be a good idea to have a half day out in Chonburi to visit the reigning champions’ home stadium. Just before my arrival Chonburi FC had won the ACL game against Melbourne Victory which had given me a bit of a laugh when amongst my Victorian friends at the cricket.

I should have pulled out after the taxi to the bus station was held up owing to an accident further up the road, before I got lost trying to find the bus station, eating up more valuable time. However my stubbornness meant I continued onwards. The bus fare was cheap (about £1.50 return for a 90 minute ride) and I had thoughts of crossing off the ground and enjoying an ice cold beer and lunch in a beach bar. The journey was OK but it was taking slightly longer than anticipated. I should have known better as a regular to the city, but the traffic was horrendous. On arrival in Chonburi I realised I would have just over an hour in town before my return journey. Then I realised that Chonburi is not a very touristy place despite been on the coast (I don’t think I saw another westerner during my short stay). Well at least Google Maps showed it was by the Gulf, but as on other occasions I’d miscalculated the size of the town I was visiting.

There were no taxis, maps or anything written in English. I set off walking in what I naively thought was the right direction but soon realised I was going nowhere fast, so I bit the bullet and asked the way to the beach which is where I thought the stadium was. A 7/11 shop assistant told me that any sangthaew (small local bus) outside would take me to the beach. I was soon on board the next service and spying the promising signs of floodlights ahead. I rang the bell and enthusiastically sprinted up the steps which give passengers a safe crossing over the dual carriageway.

I took photos of the sparse stadium through the surrounding railings, which I hoped was my intended target, while never totally convincing myself that I was in the right location. There was no-one around except an old caretaker who’s English was even more lacking than my Thai!

I now had the problem of finding my way back to the bus station as time was getting short. I stood there without the sign of a taxi until I gave in and hailed a motor bike taxi. Yes, believe it or not, this is a very popular form of transport over there. I hadn’t been on the back of a bike since I was nineteen when I was petrified and drunk. We went all of twenty yards before I begged my pilot to stop. I’d rather have been stranded for the night and face Steve’s wrath than ride pillion. I stood there not really knowing what to do. A couple of locals obviously realised that I was having problems and were doing all they could to suppress laughter after experiencing my brief motorbike excursion.

After what seemed like a lifetime I saw a sangthaew approaching so I flagged it down and took a chance on it taking me somewhere near the bus station. I got out in the town centre and went in a shop, showing my bus ticket so to indicate as where I wanted to go. I made it back with two minutes to spare, to my huge relief. I jumped out of the bus early on my return using my knowledge of that part of Bangkok and got into a taxi back towards Steve’s house when my unhappy hosts name appeared on the phone as it rang. I explained I was en route but he seemed very upset. He’d had a bad day at the office so sitting outside his locked house in blazing sun didn’t particularly help. I felt even more stupid when after investigation I’d not found my intended target but I’d gone past it on the way back for my bus. I had taken photos of a college facility! The following day I stayed very close to base.