by Antony Sutton
October, 2009
Sunday morning I was down the Thai Port shop checking out a couple of things. Even at the relatively early time of 10 am there were people hanging around and buying things. They were due to play PEA that same day but I had to be elsewhere.
Muang Thong Thani is pretty new I think. I don't recall it from my early days in Bangkok anyway. Bloody miles away it is as well. From the centre of town anyway.
Met up with the lad behind the Muang Thong United blog and bored the poor lad senseless with my desire for a beer. Serious question. Do they drink beer up that way?
I was in the Thunderome more than 2 hours before kick off and meeting up with Dale we reminisced about the last time we had got into the ground so early. For both of us it was a while back.
Large following from Chonburi of course. If they can take a couple of dozen to Vietnam for an AFC Cup tie in the middle of a typhoon they're always gonna take alot more just up the road.
The Muang Thong United fans filled the new stand, one with executive boxes, but gotta say they looked a poncey lot with all them brollies. It was bloody hot agreed but lads, mai mee lom!
The kick off was delayed. Some police dogs came on the pitch and, such is the funfair atmosphere that seems to surround many Thai games, people queued to to take pictures of the mutts. In fact the whole day there were people snapping and filming (!) and them there You Tubes and Flickrs have a lot to answer for!
Second half was delayed for about half an hour for nothing. The terraces behind the enclosure was chocca and some fans spilled onto the pitch. The police got involved and a few plastic water bottles were thrown.
My bloody feet were killing me so I took advantage of the extended break to rest my weary bones. But every few moments there would be a roar that would ripple along the terrace and everyone would stand up to see what all the fuss was about. Usually it was about nothing.
And nothing kept the second half delayed.
Behind one temporary stand was a mini construction site but true to Thai form, in the fading light a group of Thais gathered for a bite to eat. For verily it is written Where three or more Thais are gathered they shall eat and they shall say aroi as often as possible. Be it the Oriental Hotel or the Thunderdome it's all the same.
Monday morning I was up with the local pigeons at the crack of dawn, formatting, cropping and editing before heading off to the Thai FA where I was due to meet a senior TPL official.
So there I am sat in the lobby of the FA in a pair of shorts, t shirt and a handycam when suddenly in comes Teerathep. And Pipat. And Rangsan. And others. The Thai national first team squad and the SEA Games squad all piled in.
To be followed by assistant manager Steve Darby who invited me into the press conference. So there I am squeezed against a wall surrounded by camera crews from all the major Thai channels, the players all sat down and at the head of the table Steve and various FA bods including Worwai.
And me in my shorts and handycam. I looked like an Aussie backpacker out looking for Khao San Road and had got off at the wrong bus stop.
Steve and the players were off to a sponsored event at such a such a time and said I was welcome to join them so I arranged to meet him back in the lobby while I went off in search of the TPL official.
By the time I returned everyone had already gone!
As had my phone credit which meant I wasn't able to contact Muang Thong United to let them know I was running late for my appointment there.
Arranging to meet people is always fraught with danger but I gotta say this trip went pretty bloody smoothly. Everyone I wanted to meet was met with the exception of Muang Thong United while nattering with Steve and Pipat was an unexpected bonus.
Thanks to, in no particular order, Khun Vijit at TPL, Khun Jew and Janat at Muang Thong United, Dale and Nui for sorting tickets and beer, Kosin, Pipat for pretending to understand my poor Thai and Greg for ordering 12 inches for his missus with a straight face.
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