PAT Stadium

The ground on Rama IV Road sits quietly in Khlong Toei, far from the tourist thoroughfares. PAT Stadium does not shout for attention. It is a working venue for Port FC, a club that shares its name and its history with the Port Authority of Thailand. The club opened the ground in 1967 as Tha Ruea Stadium, adopting the name PAT Stadium when the facility came under direct management. The pitch is natural grass, and there is no running track to slow the game down.

What you see in the stands is a local crowd.

There are four open stands, and the atmosphere is intimate. A photograph of the pitch shows a solitary floodlight towering over the green, casting a sharp circle of light against the night sky. Another image captures the supporters at the side, many wearing the blue and orange stripes of Port FC. They stand shoulder to shoulder, with a large residential block rising directly behind the seats.

The capacity of the stadium is touch and go. Some records place the number at 6,250, while others suggest it holds over 12,000. An attendance record of 6,916 was set in a 2011 match against Buriram PEA, which suggests the lower figures may be the official limit.

The ground has seen its share of changes. It was renovated in 2009, 2011, and again in 2020 to update the facilities.

The club calls the place "The Football Palace", a nickname that sounds grand until you stand outside and see the brick and concrete.

It is not the Rajamangala Stadium, which hosts the national team, and the contrast is clear.

There is no running track, and the fans are close to the action.

The ground is a place where the history between the club and the city is plain to see, without the need for a grand monument.