Dome (Thailand)

Dome FC is a football club that was formed in 2014 to represent Thammasat University, which is located in Pathum Thani in Thailand, a town directly north of Bangkok’s northern perimeter.

The club name comes from the Dome, which is the symbolic building of the university, being the original building on Tha Phra Chan campus, by the Chao Phraya River, close to the Royal Palace in the centre of Bangkok.

The football club initially competed in the Khǒr Cup, from where they were promoted to the Regional League Division 2 Bangkok Region for the 2015 season. A fourteenth place finish was back up with tenth place in 2016.

Following reorganisation of the Thai league system, a fourth tier was added for 2017, with Dome being placed in Thai League 4 Bangkok Region. The goals of Rachanon Srinok helped the team to fifth place under head coach Worraphan Tunton.

However the 2018 campaign saw Dome finish eleventh to be relegated to the Thailand Amateur League. Only two matches were completed in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region 2019 season before it was abandoned owing to the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The competition did not take place in 2020 or 2021. In 2022 Dome finished top of the Bangkok Perimeter Group B. They were eliminated in the first knock out stage on penalties by Samutsakhon City, who would in turn go on to win promotion to Thai League 3.

Dome FC will play in Thailand Amateur League 2023 season.

My visits

Dome 1 BCG 3 (Monday June 18th 2018) Thai League 4 Bangkok Region (att: 109)

Sometimes my adventures while pursuing my hobby don’t work out how I expect when leaving in the morning, and this day out definitely fell into this category.

I was entering into the second half of a tremendous holiday in Bangkok and Isaan. Everything had more or less fallen into place, much to my surprise. Therefore, I could see no warning signs of the cock up approaching as I left Steve’s house in Minburi on another lovely morning.

I had my rucksack with me, as the plan was to head straight to Don Muang Airport after the match. The fact was that my intended match was Rangsit University against Port B in Thai League 4 Bangkok Region.

The website said it was a 4pm kick off when I last checked. I took local transport down to Bangkapi to meet Steve for coffee in the Mall, where my mate asked if I’d checked that the match was definitely on?

I laughed at him. “Of course it is” I replied. We said our goodbyes until the following Saturday when we’d be enjoying the final few hours of my trip, as I headed to take the Saen Saep Ferry down town. I alighted from the packed service at Asok before heading to Phetchaburi underground station.

The plan was to make my way as near as I could to Rangsit University by public transport aside from taxis unless absolutely necessary. I should have stuck to my plan of taking a bus from Chatuchak but I thought I’d save time by jumping out at Phahon Yothin.

I’d been past this stop before when heading to watch an Air Force game by bus. What I hadn’t realised was that was on a different road to the one I required for this present journey. I ended up walking and getting lost several times around the Central Plaza Ladprao.

My spare IPhone gobbled up battery usage quicker than I could use it. I was in a bit of a quandary until I eventually worked out that I needed to cut through the Mall and out of the far side of the Centara Grand Hotel to the main Don Muang road.

Eventually I managed to find a bus stop and a service going north. The plan was to take it past the airport and then commandeer a taxi the rest of the way as the bus service didn’t appear to service the university.

Everything worked fine. I got myself some much needed refreshments at the 7/11 by Don Muang railway station and then hailed a cab. I thought that the hard work had been overcome. How little I knew!

My driver thought I knew exactly where to go; which I thought I did. He was expecting to drop me at a condo. He didn’t understand my exact destination. For the following twenty minutes we went up and down the main road as we missed turnings and I called it wrong.

Finally, we were on track and I expected the left turning down Thanon Ek Thaksin to be a simple enough ride to the university. The Skytrain was being developed along the route and we saw Lak Hok station ahead nearing readiness for the new service. All seemed good.

However, I had not realised that our required road was a flyover above where we were with no access. This led to us trying other turn offs with no success before we took a U turn and went back south of the station.

After what seemed like ages and my driver still somehow finding the strength to smile we turned down a small soi and had to pay a man a toll to cross the khlong before we did a right and got onto Thanon Ek Thaksin.

My pilot was still unconvinced as we went down an interesting road with plenty of facilities for food, drink and relaxation. It had definitely been easier on my previous visit to the venue by taxi, which can be read about here.

Going past the entrance for Muang Ake Golf Club we soon turned into the grounds of Rangsit University. I got out close to the small stadium and paid up. I think the driver was glad to be shot of me, even if he had taken a good fare.

Immediately I became aware that my test of endurance was far from over. There was a distinct lack of footballers on the pitch, that I could see through the trees. Perhaps they were in the tunnel ready to come out for the match as it was nearing kick off time?

The stand was virtually empty with just three or four students in there with a drum. I knew that fourth division games were sparsely attended, but surely the under 23 Port side would attract a few more than this?

I tried to convince myself that I was at the right location and time but in truth I was struggling. There was no team coaches behind the stand and no desk to take admission money. I went out to the front to see the scoreboard on the far side displaying a 3-1 score.

The match had already taken place. I eventually discovered that it had been played twenty four hours previously. This was virtually an exact repeat of my first two visits to Lamphun Warriors. What an idiot!

I was now left with a decision to make. I knew that Dome were at home at Thammasat. However, I was close to Don Muang Airport. I could go for food and drink and get to the airport to hang around. I’d already seen a game in the past at Thammasat.

Within a few minutes I was in the taxi of an obliging driver and heading further north. With a bit of luck, I’d only miss the first half hour. My man did a cracking job, even if it was a longer journey than I’d envisaged.

We went on what I thought was a long way, but I was in no position to ask questions after my calamitous efforts. I was worried when we hit countryside, but my driver was bang on the button and he deposited me right outside the entrance to the main stand.

Team buses were outside, so at least I knew the game was on. I thought it a bit unusual as I dashed through an open gate and up the steps and into the stand. Usually someone took an admission fee. Maybe I was to get a freebie because I was late?

On the contrary, again there were no players on the pitch, but lots of training cones and footballs. The scoreboard had the teams displayed on it. I managed to crank my local phone up to discover it was a 6pm kick off. I was eighty minutes early!

At least I had the opportunity to charge my phones in the press area and to wander around the deserted stadium and take photos. Dome were up against BGC, the under 23 outfit of neighbours Bangkok Glass; whose first team I’d seen at home the previous evening.

Some omitted players sat and smiled at me wondering what a foreigner in a tight fitting Port FC shirt was doing at a division 4 game out of the city. I’d have loved to have been able to explain in Thai, but there again it was nice to leave them in suspense.

The 6pm kick off meant that I’d only have chance to see the first half before heading to the airport for my flight to Udon Thani. Around thirty minutes before kick off I went back downstairs and paid my 50 Baht (around £1.20) admission fee.

The official attendance fee taken from the official league web site was a little on the generous side. We certainly rattled around in a 20,000 capacity stadium, which also staged the home games of top flight side Bangkok United.

The Glass youngsters had vocal backing from one fan down at the front who was soon joined by a mate who bellowed out all the supporters’ songs and chants. Fair play to them. Click here to see their efforts.

BCG soon looked the better outfit of the sides. Supazin Nhupichai made a fine save in the Dome goal before the visitors Samroeng Hanchiaw saw a deflected shot go wide. Then his teammate Phattaraphon Jansuwan went on a fine driving run but was denied by a good block tackle.

BCG took the lead on seventeen minutes when a corner was half cleared from where Park Young Jin scored with a spectacular overhead kick on the bounce. The jubilant Glass fans duo tried to get the non playing squad members to join in; which they did half heartedly.

BCG were by far the better team but the Dome students gave it their best, putting together a lovely move on twenty five minutes as Surachai Thongta put in Teachadol Chuvilart who blazed wide.

The hosts continued to try and draw level but they struggled to find an end product. On thirty three minutes Apipat Saingthong missed a great opportunity after BCG keeper Fahas Bilanglod miskicked but he placed his shot wide.

A huge storm was heading from the south as the half neared its conclusion. That was all I needed, but it would have been typical of the day! As the whistle sounded I headed out to the front and managed to hail a taxi after a few minutes as the rain began to fall.

I would later discover that Phongsakorn Srevaurai had put BGC further ahead before Polpong Pongsuwan reduced the arrears. A goal from Panut Sakonsathian three minutes from full time resulted in a 3-1 away win.

To add to the drama the driver was ready to head to Suvarnabhumi until I put him right. I grabbed some food at the airport and then fell asleep right through my flight. It wasn’t until we got out at Udon Thani that I realised just how much I’d sweated. I certainly received a few glances!

It had been a fantastic day despite all the things that I’d got wrong. It concluded once I’d checked into my room, then had a few beers in the brilliant nightlife area before finding a vibrant late night establishment to watch England defeat Tunisia with a last minute goal in the World Cup.

I certainly didn’t need any rocking to sleep!

Read about my other visits to Thammasat Stadium here.