by Alec Peeples
Located just a few hundred meters from the airport, welcoming arrivals as they enter “The Gateway to the Golden Triangle”, lies Singha Stadium – home of Chiang Rai United. Set against a backdrop of mountains and rice fields, the grey, brutalist exterior is a sharp contrast to the sea of orange greeting you inside.
Founded in 1262, Chiang Rai is a city with a rich history. As the original home to King Mangrai, the first king of Lanna, the local population take their history very seriously. The Chiang Rai locals are as fiercely independent and resilient as they are hospitable and helpful. In many ways Singha Stadium is the perfect representation of not only the club, but also of the proud city in which it’s located – a place that can at first seem staunchly guarded, but peeling back the exterior reveals an inviting locale that embraces its historical independence.
My first impression of Singha Stadium was not overly positive, but back in the states I had spent several years cheering on my local club as they played their matches on a converted baseball diamond. I knew I’d have no problem getting past the rough exterior and finding a second home amongst the Orange Beetles. Indeed, it took little time to warm to the atmosphere - only 2 matches until I staked out what would become my permanent seat, beer sloshing as I sang with the “Behind Goal FC”.
And yes, you read that correctly - beer in hand! You see, it was several months into my Thai League fandom before I could attend an away match. I had grown accustomed to buying my beer at the concession, and then heading to my seat. It was an unpleasant surprise to find that many other grounds do not allow beer in the seats. Fear not, at Singha Stadium 60 thb (or is it 80…?) buys you a large bottle of Leo or Singha, a cup of ice, and the freedom to drink it in the comfort of your seat. I wish I could say the other concession offerings spark as much joy, but they are a bit lackluster. If hunger strikes, my advice is to trust only the french fries.
Singha Stadium fits a little over 11,000 people, though you rarely see half of that other than the premier matches (I believe 2019’s 4-0 thumping of Buriram was the first and only sellout I’ve witnessed). Nonetheless, I do think it’s the best ground in the league. There are no bad seats, and plenty of covered options for the wet matches. Away fans are put in a corner behind the goal, but it really is a great seat (virtually the same view as my seat of choice).
Perhaps best of all, there is no running track! The home fans are passionate even when crowd size is low, and the close proximity afforded by the lack of running track leads to a great atmosphere. Whether it’s the fans giving it to the referees, the visiting squad giving it back to the home crowd, or the home players whipping the crowd up, there is always excitement.
To cover the random bits and pieces - parking is plentiful (though usually gridlocked leaving because it all funnels through a single u-turn), Grab is available if you don’t have your own wheels, and the stadium is about 15 minutes outside of town. There are no bars or restaurants in walking distance, but it’s worth turning up early to beat the lines. Ticket prices for away fans are somewhere in the 100 thb range.
With it’s chilled out nature, welcoming locals, area students putting on traditional Northern shows at halftime, and of course the pretties in the parking lots hocking the latest air conditioner and Toyota promos, a day out at Singha Stadium should be a must for everyone at some point in their Thai League fandom.
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