Getting there from downtown Bangkok: easy – a taxi ordered by the hotel. And there was quite a distance to go, as Thammasat Stadium is located about 50 km from the center of Thailand’s capital, and depending on the time of day, the ride can take over an hour and a half.

We made it – it was a new experience for the taxi driver too, and he had to ask the locals how to get close to the stadium entrance – preferably the ticket booths. The experience was further enriched by the need to get out of the car and visit nearby shops to break a 1,000-baht bill so I could pay him, otherwise, he wouldn’t have had enough change.

There were no crowds in front of the ticket booths, and I quickly managed to buy a ticket for the TRUE stand for only 100 THB. Then just a ticket check and a stamp on the wrist – most likely to prevent the transfer of the ticket to unauthorized persons.

Inside the stadium – just like in front of the booths – there were no crowds. However, the fan support was loud and well-organized. Among the leaders of the fan club were women – a sign of the times. I admit that for several minutes I couldn’t figure out “who’s who” on the pitch. For some unknown reason, the home team, whose primary club colors are white and blue, were wearing red kits, while the visiting team, whose main color is red, came out in white.

Bangkok United ultimately won the match, although they had to chase the score for a long time – but as we know, support from your own ultras gives you wings.

A true, though quite unexpected adventure began for me after leaving the stadium – not a single taxi in sight, and very few civilian cars on the road. So I decided to approach some locals, and I came across a group of young people who looked like students. They didn’t speak English, but luckily “taxi” is an international word. They stopped a woman riding a scooter – a campus caretaker (at least that’s how I interpret her role) – who took me a few kilometers to a sort of taxi stand. There, I began arduous negotiations with drivers who clearly didn’t feel like doing a 50-kilometer run back to the city center on a Saturday evening. So I resorted to the ultimate argument – thankfully, most people on the planet love money.

On one hand, I’m glad I’ve ticked off another country and stadium. On the other – I won’t be eagerly scanning the horizon to plan and experience another groundhopper adventure in Thailand. This one was more than enough.