How did you travel to the match on Sunday?
Myself and my four companions (three burly Brits and a four year old girl) hired a six-seater taxi which took us on a return trip from central Bangkok to Chonburi.
Why did you choose to travel this way?
We looked at various options, such as mini-vans and supporters buses but given that two of us were working on the Sunday morning we decided to opt for comfort and convenience over cost.
How much did it cost you?
It wasn't cheap. 2,500 Baht between the four of us (the young un' got a free ride).
What was the reaction of the Army fans to you travelling with them?
I've known them for some time so am well used to their banter/ abuse.
What did you do at the stadium pre match?
The usual; sat on the grass and sank a few cold beers.
Were you wearing club colours?
I was indeed, though I opted for the Orange and Black away shirt of a few seasons ago as I thought it would make me slightly less conspicuous.
Did you have any problems getting in to the away end?
None at all, a quick pat around the waist and then I was waved through.
What is the view like from the away end?
Not the best, pretty standard for away fans though
Who did you stand/sit with during the match?
The lads I came down with plus one other mate who had traveled down earlier in the day.
Did you have any problems with those Army fans who hadn't travelled down on the same transport as you?
No problems, though Thai people can be hard to read as a smile could well be masking simmering resentment.
How did your opinions of the match differ from theirs?
They were convinced that our goal was offside, I thought the opposite.
How did you react when we scored?
Given it was right at the end of the match, I punched the air and then headed to straight for the exit.
How did those around you react to your reaction?
I didn't stick around long enough to find out!
What was the overall feeling amongst the Army supporters after the match?
They were fairly wound up; this was mainly due to the sending off (which in fairness, was a ludicrious decision). I heard talk of them tearing off some of our seats and there being fights after the game but I didn't witness any of this myself.
How did your experience on Sunday compare with your usual matchday experience at Chonburi Stadium?
I always have a good time when I make the journey down, though the Army games are always extra special given the rivalry between me and my work colleagues.
How do you think Chonburi treats away fans compared to your experiences travelling away with the Sharks?
Pretty well on the whole, we didn't have any problems (other than them taking away a smuggled-in can of Chang).
How was the journey home?
All good fun, many drinks had been taken by that point so it was a good deal rowdier than the journey up! The most surreal moment was when stopping off for a KFC and being informed that they had run out of fried chicken (What next ? Starbucks having no coffee?).
What was the highlight of the day for you?
Probably the lads in my taxi finally agreeing to stop at some toilets before we got to the ground, If I had to wait a few minutes longer then I may well have embarrassed myself!
What was the funniest thing that happened during your trip?
Earlier in the day I had managed to obtain a Chonburi calendar/ poster which I was very enamored with and was very wary of loosing. Once we got back to Bangkok we stopped off for one final drink and whilst sat down my mate's daughter nabbed the poster and was dragging it along the floor around the table. This resulted in me chasing her around the table for a number of minutes with a terrified look on my face much to the bemusement of the fellow diners in the restaurant. Luckily I managed to retrieve the poster and it now takes pride of place on my bedroom wall.
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