Pattaya Dolphins United (Thailand)

Pattaya Dolphins United FC is a professional football club from the Thai tourist seaside city of Pattaya that was originally formed as Isan Pattaya FC in 2011. They initially competed in local, cup and Thailand Amateur League football.

In 2016 the amateur competition was known as Thai Division 3. Isan Pattaya played in the Eastern Region and won through to the semi-finals where they were defeated on penalties by Bankhai United.

 

The team won the same regional group in 2017 in part to the goals of Thawatchai Yokyos, Siripong Meesiri and Kritsada Sansud. This was enough for the club to be promoted to Thai League 4 Eastern Region after the professional league structure was expanded.

The clubs’ name was also added to, as they became Esan D-Beach Aura Pattaya for their debut national competition campaign in 2018. The team playing home games at Nongprue Municipality Stadium finished in mid-table.

 

Decent attendances were attracted to watch the team who morphed into Pattaya Discovery United FC for 2019. Narathip Kruearanya took over as top scorer from namesake Treepect from the previous season. United finished in third place.

The increase in gates were undoubtedly aided by the decision of Pattaya United owner Tanet Phanichewa to move his club lock stock and barrel to become Samut Prakan City FC. This left Pattaya Discovery United as the sole professional club in town. Pattaya United's story can be read about here. 

An eighth place was achieved in 2020-21 after the break caused by Covid-19. Pipat Thonkanya led the scoring charts in what was now Thai League 3 Eastern Region following league reconstruction.

For the 2021-22 season the club once again altered its name as Pattaya Dolphins United FC came into being. Brazilian forward Pedro Augusto banged in the goals while Thitikit Samerjai kept several clean sheets in goal as the Dolphins won their regional title.

The Champions League promotion play-offs Pattaya ended in third place on goal difference, just outside the chance of a two-legged game for promotion as crowds continued to grow to watch the team.

My visit

Pattaya Dolphins United 4 Banbueng 0 (Wednesday 26th January 2022) Thai League 3 East Region (att: 323) 

My luck was in as I had to visit my immigration agent in Pattaya to collect my passport and they telephoned me the day before the match to say that it was ready to collect. And with a 4pm kick-off I could get there and back in a day.

I took the songthaew and then Airport Link train one stop to Suvarnabhumi Airport in time to grab a coffee before boarding the excellent coach service down the gulf to the terminus in Jomtien, just south of Pattaya.

 

Another songthaew dropped me at the top of the soi I required. Within a few minutes I had my passport and headed off for a walk along Beach Road before cutting through towards Soi Buakhao where I think there are the best options.

Pattaya had been hit severely by the lack of tourism over the last two years owing to the Coronavirus pandemic. Some businesses had closed with the numbers of customers was low. It did mean there was some great value for money to be had.

Witherspoons, a mickey take of the UK chain of a similar name had done the job for me a month earlier, but I decided to give Easy Corner Bar on the facing corner a go instead. The staff were welcoming, and I got a front seat with a shelf looking out onto the street.

The beer bottles were cheap, and I enjoyed a fantastic chicken massaman curry, which again was exceptional for the price. It was a lovely way to kill a couple of hours as I read my book and listened to pleasant background music. 

The elder lady serving me got chatting as she thought my accent sounded familiar. She had a ‘close friend’ who went to see her whenever in Pattaya from Barnsley. I thought that was pretty good going for a Thai to recognise it.

It was time to book a Bolt taxi. Again, my App worked perfectly with my driver arriving within ten minutes. It was a fair drive, as I remembered from my previous visit to Nong Prue. I had time to visit Wat Suttawas temple before I headed round to the Municipality Stadium.

I bough a ticket for the Main Stand for ฿100 before wandering in search of further refreshments. Behind the far end a stall was dispensing beers and the usual Thai snacks, so I thought it would be rude not to grab a Leo.

Further along towards the entrance to the far side there looked like a large group of expats and what appeared to be another pop-up bar. I finished my beer and wandered back round to find my entrance and grab a good seat upstairs.

Up in the stand there was a good mixture of farangs and locals. It was the same on the opposite open stand backed by the temple. This was where the more boisterous Dolphins fans congregated.

I was surprised to see a beer stall in the far gangway and of mixed mood as to fellow westerners not wearing masks around Thai’s who were fully clad. The stewarding was unobtrusive and sensible, which is always nice to observe. 

The stadium was more enclosed than since I went just to take photos, with the fence behind the far goal and what looked like an administrative building at the other. With plentiful refreshment outlets and a souvenir shop on a table outside, it had excellent matchday facilities.

United came into the game sat top of the table against lowly Banbueng who were now back in their traditional area after a spell in 2018 and 2019 when they relocated to Phuket in a move that would have eventually seen them change their name, but the deal fell through.

 

Dolphins looked a fast competent side from the off with Banbueng not matching their superb green and red outfit. They managed to hold out until the sixteenth minute before their resistance finally gave way when Suppasek Kaikaew made it 1-0.

Visiting goalie Tissanu Khuptanawin went chasing after referee Suksan Thongkoed to try and get the goal chalked off for offside. Another shot hit the goal stanchion shortly after as fans on the far side the ball had gone in. We then had mid-half drinks break on this hot afternoon.

Pattaya head coach, the former Thai international winger Sirisak Yodyardthai made a couple of half-time substitutions to try and turn his sides’ possession into goals. The move paid dividends as four minutes later one of the changes, Yuttana Ruangsuksut doubled the advantage.

The away side had an occasional foray, but the hosts looked competent at the back. Eventually fitness and class told with the second of the interval substitutions Suksan Bunta made it 3-0 with nine minutes remaining.

 

In the second of three additional minutes at the end of the game, Bangueng’s miserable afternoon reached a climax when a low cross was diverted past stranded keeper Khuptanawin by defender Parinya Nusong.

It had been an excellent Dolphins performance in front of a good vibrant and appreciative crowd who created a decent atmosphere, particularly in the stand opposite. I’m sure several holidaymakers went away with good impressions of Thai football.

Now I was left with the conundrum of how to get back towards the city. I had hoped that there might have been public transport or a fans bus or truck, but it looked like every man for themselves. I checked my Bolt App, but no drivers were available.

Standing outside the gates I hoped a taxi might pass. I heard a couple of fellas talking with broad Yorkshire voices, so I decided to try my luck. Yes, they had a taxi on its way, and they would drop me where I wanted to be. What nice gents. 

They were Barnsley fans who spent quite a bit of time in Pattaya. We had a good chat about its features and then about Scarborough football and the player and management connections between the two clubs.

Fond stories about the likes of Ray McHale and then Phil Chambers, who was the dads’ best mate of the younger of the pair. They kindly told the driver to let me out on Sukhumvit Road. From there I walked thirty minutes to the North Bus station on North Pattaya Road.

 

It’s hard to believe Steve and I walked all the way there some years previously from where we stayed on Middle Road. It isn’t a short distance, especially in the days before Google Maps were a feature on our phones.

Sadly, I couldn’t find a bar in the vicinity. Instead, I had to make do with a 7/11 to top up on soft drinks and snacks. Prime Minister’s Questions on the radio from back home offered me some dark entertainment of sorts.

It certainly confirmed that I had made a very timely move in leaving the UK. What a mess. The 8pm service ran to time back to Ekkamai in Bangkok. A 501 bus went past just as I alighted, which would have taken me all the way home for ฿8.

Instead, a taxi was requisitioned, and I was back in time for a couple of beers at my favourite Brothers & Sisters Bar before turning in for the night.