Surin City (Thailand)

Surin City FC is a professional football club based in the Isan city of the same name, which was formed in 2009, initially as Surin FC, with the nickname of ‘The Crazy Elephants’, playing their home matches at Sri Narong Stadium.

The team was admitted into Regional League North Eastern Division, under initial head coach Kittisak Meejaroen, where the goals of Sekson Jansing saw them end in sixth place. A couple of lowly finishes and another sixth spot ensued as goals were shared by Jakkaparn Chaiyasang and Apichat Polpoon.

2013, saw the club add ‘City’ to their title with the nickname being modified to ‘War Elephants’. The side ended in fourth, and then fifth, prior to dropping down the rankings for a couple of seasons.

Thai football was reorganized to have four tiers for the 2017 campaign, with City being placed in Thai League 4 (T4) Northeast, where they ended in fourth position as Sathorn Junsoem found the net the most often.

Top scorer in 2018 and 2019 was Watthanapon Chinthong as Surin ended fifth and then seventh. At this point the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and at the same time the Thai League was reduced to three professional levels, while the calendar corresponded with its European counterparts for the 2020-21 season.

Surin ended in fifth place in Thai League 3 Northeastern Region as Chitsanupong Minphimai put the goals away for the side coached by Watcharapong Samanthong. He was replaced for the start of the 2012-22 campaign by Tanut Pattaramaneesre.

Sixth spot resulted, with the reliable Chinthong again on the mark as the club continued their policy of not employing any foreign players. 

Surin City FC will play in Thai League 3 Northeastern Region in the 2022-23 season

My visit

Surin City 1 Sisaket United 0 (Sunday 26^th February 2023) Thai League 3 Northeast (att: 208)

A day familiar like all others as many other seasoned football supporters will testify. A great day out spoiled slightly by the match. Yet, within minutes of getting home, plans are being made for the following week.

Going to a game at least once a week is the aim, and this looked like a piece of cake a few days before as I had a choice of four, all at venues I had never previously visited. But Surin was the one I wanted to go to, for several reasons.

I had stayed for one night in the city during a tour of the area in 2018, so I was keen on a revisit after previous happy memories. It was the pick of the games with Sisaket requiring a win to push for the regional title, and they were my biggest local club when based in the province.

However, there was the nagging doubt whether I could get back after the game, with knowledge being so sparse on the internet. I asked Taew, my good lady to try phone numbers at Surin Bus Terminal but they could not help. 

I tried the United and a fans page on Facebook to ask if there was supporters transport, but I got no reply. I also tried expat pages on the same medium in both cities, but the answers were not filling me with confidence. It looked like I would be heading to Ubon Ratchathani for my fix.

On Saturday teatime after attending a spiritual festival at a relative’s house in the village I asked Taew to try the bus station at Sisaket for me. My eyes lit up when she said that the last one back from Surin was 6pm.

 

Sunday morning, I had completed by early morning bicycle ride, listened to some of the Test match from Wellington and got myself ready, for my wonderful lady to take me to Kanthararom where I left her to go shopping while I headed round to the bus station.

Before long, my small nus arrived to take me to Sisaket for 53 Baht, perfectly timed to give me a few minutes before my minivan set off to Surin. The bus was cramped, but the driver got me a single seat. The fare was 75 Baht, and it took just over two hours.

The main road between the two places was having lots of works done to it, including what looked like a new flyover. We also stopped at a couple of small towns to drop off passengers and goods. It was interesting if nothing else.

On arrival I made sure that the last bus was at 6pm, before I commandeered a tuk tuk to take me to Thanon Sirirut, AKA Soi Kola where I knew of a couple of bars that opened at lunchtime. I was back on my stomping ground from five years previously adjacent to the Thong Tarin Hotel.

 

In fact, it might have even been the same bar I had watched the opening game of the 2018 World Cup in. Whatever, the A&A Fantasy Bar did the job with a Hawaiian Pizza, and three bottles of Beer Lao, before I sorted a Grab taxi to the stadium.

The 50 Baht entry to the ground was paid at the gate to the complex, from where spectators were free to wander about. I went over and said hello to a group of away fans gathered near the team bus before seeking out further refreshments.

 

Despite having several stalls, nowhere served beer. A coke it would have to be as I grabbed a photo of Neto, one of United’s overseas contingent, before I joined the rest of the visitors in the stand. They made up around half of the attendance.

Sisaket had the strong wind at their back in the first half, with the first effort seeing a long low range shot from Phutchapong Namsrithan being tipped around by home goalie Jeerasak Phananut, which hardly raised a cheer, as the game at this stage was creating no crowd noise whatsoever.

Sri Narong Stadium located to the south of the city, near the airport, was a typical Sports Authority of Thailand venue, with a running track, one covered stand and an open terrace opposite, virtually identical to the two sides in Sisaket, right down to the paintwork, which started orange, but has since faded and now looks more like pink than its original shade.

It was certainly showing signs of age, and the pitch wasn’t any better, being hard and bumpy, which along with the wind added nothing to the spectacle. Romário Alves’s wild effort for United interested only the ballboy’s. 

Up at the other end a low effort from Watthanapon Chinthong was easily gathered by Sisaket stopper Itthipon Kamsuprom. The home side continued to play the conditions well and look dangerous on the occasional counter.

A fierce cross on the left from Aphidet Sawaengsuk found the head of Adisorn Bunloet, whose downward effort was saved. United’s Phattharpong Phengchaem, who was tricky throughout, had a cross shot that went wide of the post.

Some excellent work from Neto Santos, who had a good game in general, saw a cross find the unmarked Cristian Alex at the back stick. The third of the Brazilians somehow headed wide with what look liked an open goal.

This was the third time I’d seen United, and Alex’s attitude hadn’t impressed me in two of the matches. He lumbered about and did a lot of moaning. Before the end of the half, Santos teed himself up for a volley that flew side. Sisaket had not taken advantage of the conditions. 

At the interval I got chatting to an away fan, went for a walk to take a look at the Provincial Sport Stadium next door, which looked barely used, though later research pointed to concerts, took some photos around the stadium, and nipped over the road to grab a small can of Singha.

I rejoined the couple next to me in the stand for the second half, the wife of the partnership being a jolly soul, who seemed to enjoy my frustrations at the performance. United were playing alright, but barely threatened. I’d seen games like this play out many times before. 

It was no shock on sixty-five minutes when Heman Kittiamphaipruek didn’t notice Chinthong nip in as he dithered. The defender kicked the forward where he assumed the ball would be. Referee Manuschai Chawong was bang average all afternoon, but he was spot on awarding a penalty.

The visiting team complained for quite some time, realising that they were making a proper mess of things. The officials were unmoved as the prolific Chinthong dusted himself down before firing the kick straight down the middle past the diving Kamsuprom.

 

It woke the away supporters up who for some reason felt aggrieved, while Alex continued whinging at everything. Sisaket decided that it was time to try and do something about it, but the hosts were not going to let go of their advantage.

Surin went close to a second when Amnat Sooknoi took a free kick finding Noppadol Rojchanakongyoo, whose flicked header went just over the bar. The away team plugged away, but nothing was going their way as they become more and more frustrated. 

Meanwhile, I had my eyes on other things. I had a train tracker on my phone, which indicated that the last train back was running at least twenty minutes late. I decided to order a Grab taxi when the board went up to indicate five minutes additional time.

When there was a stoppage in play, I went to watch the end of the game near the exit in the open area behind the goal. Surin deservedly hung on, while I jumped into my ride, which delivered me at the station with fifteen minutes to spare.

The fare was 20 Baht, and it took less time than the minivan. Taew sorted me a taxi, which was eventually located when I arrived back in Sisaket, for me to be taken home ready for some food, drink and to get warm on what had become a cold blustery night.

Now, where are the next week’s fixtures!