Tinsulanon Stadium
by Malcolm Imray
17th October, 2012
Please could you give a brief description of the stadium
The stadium is very similar in design to Army or Air Force with a running track around the pitch, a covered main stand with the rest of the arena uncovered. There are fitted seats in the main stand and the uncovered side opposite the main stand too. I’d say it’s slightly bigger than the two stadia I’ve mentioned and at a squeeze it probably could accommodate 35,000 spectators as has been estimated for previous games.
How does it compare to other TPL stadiums?
Its size is certainly befitting of a TPL stadium. As I hinted before it’s an old fashioned style of venue unlike the newer built stadiums at Buriram United and Muangthong.
Are there any unique feature at the ground?
It is a stone’s throw from the beach which is quite unique for a TPL stadium although like many of the others, it is part of some kind of educational institution which makes the immediate stadium surroundings rather bland.
What have Wuachon Utd FC done to make the stadium seem more like home? (They ground share with landlords Songkhla FC)
The stadium still mainly has the décor of Songkhla FC, but outside there are plenty of advertising billboards promoting Wuachon United. Apparently there will be a free music concert for all to coincide with their last game of the season against Bangkok Glass.
Do they have a club shop?
Didn’t see one. I only saw a vendor at a table selling Wuachon memorabilia, but as I had no intention of buying anything, I didn’t have a closer look.
How easy is it to get to the ground from the town centre?
I was staying at a hotel 10 mins walk away so I didn’t require any transport. The stadium is roughly 2km from the centre of town.
What sort of condition was the pitch in?
It was in good condition and reasonably big too. You won’t have to worry about it being like the swamp of Samut Songkhram.
What are the facilities like at the stadium?
The food is what you’d expect everywhere else in Thailand. The seat that I was sat on was comfortably and had plenty of legroom. Toilets were rather small but it wasn’t a problem as there weren’t an abundance of people waiting to "offload" litres of beer at half time.
What is the away section like?
Unfortunately I can’t answer that as there were no Esan United fans inside the stadium for me to judge where the away end was situated.
What is the view like from the stands?
I sat high up at the halfway line opposite the main stand. Had an unobstructed, clear view.
How much is it to get in?
It was 120 for the main stand and 100 for the uncovered ends.
Do Wuachon Utd produce a programme?
Nothing provided.
What were your impressions of the home support?
They were fairly subdued. There was the token cheer group beating along to the regular chants but other than that the majority of the crowd sat mainly in silence. There were about 3 - 4,000 of them in attendance.
Was there anything about them that makes them different from the usual Thai football crowd?
I’ve found on my trip to the south, that hardly any southern football fans (Krabi, Trang, Wuachon) drink beer whilst visiting the football. There were no beer vendors outside any of the three stadiums. The Southern football fans seem a lot more reserved compared to other Thai fans which surprised me as I’ve read a couple of occasions recently of bottle throwing incidents involving hostile southerners at home matches.
What sort of welcome can the Chonburi fans expect from the locals?
I’m sure it will be friendly enough, but like all Thai football crowds that can change instantly during the 90 minutes of football.
What was the highlight of your visit to the ground?
There was not one highlight that stood out for me. Overall as a ground hopper, I enjoyed the experience of visiting a new town and stadium.
Was there anything you didn’t enjoy?
Just a minor grumble that there weren’t vendors selling beer around the stadium and that the consumption of alcohol was prohibited inside. All other food and beverages were permitted though.
Would you go again?
I wouldn’t go out of my way to go to Songkhla again, but if I was in the area for some reason then possibly.
Anything else you’d like to add?
It would have been a good weekend away for Chonburi fans particularly if it had been played on a Saturday. You’d certainly need to take a flight to Hat Yai Airport which is about 45 minutes away. Unfortunately it’s an end of season affair on a Wednesday night which doesn’t really justify taking time off work or spending money making the trip.
No comments:
Post a Comment