Chonburi F.C.

History

Early years (1996–2000)

In its early years, Chonburii-Sannibat Samut Prakan Football Club was Assumption College Sriracha's football team. The team was managed by Annop Singtothong, Thanasak Suraprasert, Sontaya Khunpluem, and Wittaya Khunpluem. The team competed and were victorious in many youth tournaments, one of them including the Institute of Physical Education's youth football tournament.

In 1996, Sannibat Samut Prakan Association competed in the Khǒr Royal Cup and came in second place. The directors of the football team then negotiated for a merger which resulted in the creation of Chonburi-Sannibat Samut Prakan. The team then competed in Thai Division 1 League or Thai League 2 today.

Provincial league

Later, the Chonburi Sports Association had been given the chance to compete in the Provincial League in 2000. As a result, Chonburi's provincial football team was separated from Chonburi-Sannibat Samut Prakan thus renaming themselves as Chonburi Football Club which competed in Thai Division 1 League. The team that competed in the Provincial League acquired their players from Assumption College Sriracha and Chulabhon's College Chonburi. They ended their first season in the Provincial League in third place.[[File:Chonburi Home Kit 2008.jpg|thumb|Chonburi 'Home Kit' in 2008 with old logo]] In 2005, Chonburi won the Provincial League title by beating Nakhon Ratchasima at the Nakhon Ratchasima Municipal Stadium, and gained promotion to the 2006 Thailand Premier League with the Provincial League runners up, Suphanburi. This title was the first major success of the club.

In 2006, Chonburi were invited by Football Association of Singapore (FAS) to play in the 2006 Singapore Cup and reached the cup final, defeating local sides Home United, Albirex Niigata (S) and Balestier Khalsa along the way. In the final, they lost 2–3 to Tampines Rovers in extra time after leading 2–0. Chonburi then finished 8th in the 2006 Thai Premier League season.

First major success (2007–2014)

Top flight league title

In 2007, Chonburi were again invited to participate in the 2007 Singapore Cup, but were defeated in the first round against Balestier Khalsa, in a replay of the previous season's semi-finals where Chonburi lost 3–2. Chonburi than went on to win the 2007 Kor Royal Cup. Coming to the end of this season, Chonburi went on to become Thailand Premier League champions for the 2007 season. This was the first trophy in major league for the club and head coach Jadet Meelarp won the 'Coach of the Year' awards and Pipob On-Mo got 'Player of the Year' awards. The club than qualified to the 2008 AFC Champions League after winning the league.

In July 2008, Chonburi made another important big step into the future. In addition, the previous sponsor, Hemaraj Land and Development PLC signed a major sponsorship deal which comes into force from 2009. The contract will run for three years and will amount to the sum of 18 million baht (about 350,000 Euros). This may indeed be the largest completed sponsorship of a Thai football club which was ever completed.

At the end of the 2008 season, there was only enough for runner-up. The main reason for this was certainly the profligacy. With two games left in the season you still on the first place in the table, but a 0–0 draw against Samut Songkhram made to naught in the penultimate round of the dream title defense. Jadet Meelarp was dismissed. His successor is officially announced in mid-December 2008. Kiatisuk Senamuang was appointed the head coach of Chonburi.

AFC Champions League debut

In the 2009 season, Chonburi played in the 2009 AFC Cup and was drawn in group G alongside Vietnamese club Hanoi ACB, Hong Kong club Eastern and Malaysian club Kedah FA. Chonburi manage to record 5 wins and only lost 1 game which was against Eastern at the Mong Kok Stadium on 5 May 2009. The club than see themselves qualified to the round of 16 facing off against Indonesian club PSMS Medan which Chonburi thrash them 4–1 and qualifying to the quarter-finals where they would face Vietnamese club Bình Dương. However Chonburi suffered a 4–2 lost on aggregate thus knocking out from the tournament. The game against Medan was also the last game of star studded player Surat Sukha, who moved to Australia to signed with Melbourne Victory. Chonburi than finished the 2009 season being league runner-up again where they won the 2009 Kor Royal Cup.

Thai FA Cup champions

In the 2010 season, Chonburi finished the season in third place in the league in which the club went on to advanced all the way to the 2010 Thai FA Cup final facing off against Muangthong United on 28 November. The match were levelled at 1–1 bringing the game to extra time where Pipob On-Mo scored in the dying minute of the match in the 120th minute to bring the match to 2–1 thus helping Chonburi to win the 2010 Thai FA Cup.

In the 2011 season, Chonburi than played in the 2011 AFC Cup as the Thai FA Cup champions which see the club drawn in group H alongside Indonesian club Persipura Jayapura, Indian club East Bengal and Hong Kong club South China. Chonburi managed it with 4 wins, 1 draw and 1 lost thus qualifying to the round of 16 as group leaders. In the round of 16, they faced off against another Indonesian club Sriwijaya where Chonburi won 3–0 and qualifying to the quarter-final meeting against Uzbekistan club Nasaf Qarshi. As both team were on a 1–1 aggregate over two leg, the game went on to penalties shootout in the second leg at the Markaziy Stadium in which the opponent went on to win 4–3 on penalties thus seeing Chonburi knocked out from the tournament. Chonburi than finished as league runners-up again in 2011 where they also won the 2011 Kor Royal Cup.

Chonburi than started off the 2012 season where they played in the 2012 AFC Champions League qualifying play-off against Korean club Pohang Steelers but lost 2–0 thus being place in the 2012 AFC Cup group stage instead. They were than drawn in group G alongside Myanmar club Yangon United, Singaporean club Home United and Hong Kong club Citizen. Chonburi managed to pick up 4 wins and 2 draws finishing at group leaders and seeing themselves advanced to the round of 16 where they would faced Iraqi club Al Zawraa. Pipob On-Mo scored the only goal in the match helping Chonburi with the win to advanced to the quarter-finals facing off against Syrian club Al Shorta. Chonburi managed to picked up a 5–4 on aggregate over two legs and qualifying to the semi-finals. However, Chonburi hopes of being in the final was crushed after they lost 8–2 on aggregate to Iraqi club Arbil. Chonburi than finished off the 2012 season as league runners-up and also won the 2012 Kor Royal Cup.

Relegation and second division champions

In the 2023–24 season, Chonburi finished in 14th place by sitting in the relegation zone 2 points away from escaping relegation. The club was than relegated to the Thai League 2 ending a 19-year tenure in the top-flight. Chonburi than played in the Thai League 2 ahead of the 2024–25 season where the club went on to become Thai League 2 champions gaining promotion back to the top flight after spending a season in the second division.

Team image

Former crest

Video games

In August 2013, Top Eleven, a popular football management simulation developed by Nordeus, introduced official club items for Chonburi to its in-game club shop. These items included the club’s official logo and home and away jerseys, allowing Top Eleven managers to purchase and represent the Thai club within the game’s virtual environment.

Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors

Academy development

Chonburi is well known for producing football talent as well as using their youth players in the first team. In the 2007 Thailand Premier League in which they have been crowned champions, over 80% of their first-team players came from their youth program. However, in the past, their youth players stayed at boarding schools in Chonburi province such as Assumption College Sriracha and Chulabhon's College Chonburi.

Today, Chonburi has a football academy where academy players train and live every day at. The idea of creating a football academy was spearheaded by former Chonburi head coach and current technical director Witthaya Laohakul, who stressed the importance of creating and producing quality football players for the first-team. In 2009, Chonburi decided to remodel its academy and youth program by building an actual football academy in Ban Bueng District. The new academy is located far away from Chonburi surrounded by paddy fields and was once rented out to JMG Academy. In addition, this new football academy includes a dormitory and football training facilities for the academy players.

Chonburi recruits academy players by scouting them from tournaments as well as offering trials. Worachit Kanitsribampen is one of the first successful players to come out of Chonburi's newly restructured academy. As of 2025, Chonburi Academy are one of only four academies in Southeast Asia to be conferred a Two-Star academy status alongside Johor Darul Ta'zim Academy, NFDP Mokhtar Dahari Academy in Malaysia and Lion City Sailors Academy in Singapore.

Stadium

At the start of the 2007 season, Chonburi used the Chonburi Municipality Stadium as their home ground which can hold up to 5,000 capacity. Due to disagreements with the local authorities, the club played its home games at the Princess Sirindhorn Stadium in 2009 before moving their home ground again with IPE Chonburi Stadium as their home ground in 2010.

With Chonburi winning the league title in 2008 which sees them qualified to the 2008 AFC Champions League, Chonburi played their home ground at the National Stadium which reach FIFA stadium requirements standard to host an AFC tournament. The club also used the stadium for their home games in the 2009 AFC Cup.

Permanent home ground

In the 2011 season, Chonburi move to Chonburi Stadium after the stadium was completely build and reach the FIFA requirements to host their home games in the AFC Cup thus becoming a permanent home ground for the club. The stadium can hold up to 8,000 capacity.

In 2019, Chonburi used the Sattahip Navy Stadium as a temporary venue while the Chonburi Stadium is being renovated.

Stadium and locations

Affiliated clubs

• ENG Manchester City (2007) Chonburi have maintained partnerships with Manchester City for player development and technical cooperation, following the takeover of the Premier League club by former Thailand Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. During this period, youth and reserve players were loaned to Chonburi and coaching expertise was shared, contributing to the club’s professional development and their first Thai Premier League title in 2007.

• JPN Vissel Kobe (2012) :Chonburi announced a business partnership between Vissel Kobe of the J1 League in 2012. The deal will facilitate player and staff exchanges both at the professional and youth level, as well as friendly matches, the creation of new football schools, and marketing opportunities.

Players

Current squad

Note 1: The official club website lists the supporters as player 12th man. Note 2: Players who are AFC Champions League quota foreign players are listed in bold.

Out on loan

Management and staff

Management

Technical staff

Honours

League

• Thai League 1
  • Winners (1): 2007
  • Runners-up (5): 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014
• Thai League 2
  • Winners (1): 2024–25
• Provincial League:
  • Winners (1): 2005

Cups

• FA Cup
  • Winners (2): 2010, 2016
  • Runners-up (2): 2014, 2020–21
• Kor Royal Cup:
  • Winners (4): 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012

Player records

As of 27 January 2026

• Biggest wins:
  • 7–0 vs Uttaradit (4 July 2018)
  • 7–0 vs Kalasin Sauropod (8 November 2020)
  • 7–0 vs Khon Kaen United (25 September 2021)
• Heaviest defeats: 9–0 vs JPN FC Tokyo (9 February 2016)
• Youngest goal scorers: Nititorn Sripramarn ~ 17 years 11 months 3 days old (On 4 July 2018 vs Uttaradit)
• Oldest goal scorers: Therdsak Chaiman ~ 40 years 8 months 24 days old (On 22 June 2014 vs TOT)
• Youngest ever debutant: Pacharaphol Lekkun ~ 16 years 7 months 25 days old (On 29 January 2023 vs BG Pathum United)
• Oldest ever player: Therdsak Chaiman ~ 42 years 2 months 14 days old (On 13 December 2015 vs Saraburi)

Former players

For details on former players, see List of Chonburi players and Category: Chonburi players.

International capped players

Managerial history

Chonburi managers by years (2004–present)

Continental record

Season by season record

• P = Played
• W = Games won
• D = Games drawn
• L = Games lost
• F = Goals for
• A = Goals against
• Pts = Points
• Pos = Final position
• TL = Thai League
• T1 = Thai League 1
• T2 = Thai League 2
• DQ = Disqualified
• QR1 = First Qualifying Round
• QR2 = Second Qualifying Round
• QR3 = Third Qualifying Round
• QR4 = Fourth Qualifying Round
• RInt = Intermediate Round
• R1 = Round 1
• R2 = Round 2
• R3 = Round 3
• R4 = Round 4
• R5 = Round 5
• R6 = Round 6
• GR = Group stage
• QF = Quarter-finals
• SF = Semi-finals
• RU = Runners-up
• S = Shared
• W = Winners

References

References

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2. link. (2 January 2010)
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5. "ส่ง2สโมสร แข่งสิงคโปร์คัพ".
6. "ชลบุรี เอฟซี กับแชมป์ไทยลีกที่จะกลายแค่เป็นตํานาน".
7. link. (28 August 2009)
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12. ""เทิดศักดิ์" ติวเข้ม ช้าง เอฟเอ คัพ ฟุตบอล คลินิก".
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14. "THE CLASS OF '18 : เจาะเบื้องหลังการสร้าง "ฉลามเลือดใหม่"".
15. "อะคาเดมี่ชลบุรี สร้างนักฟุตบอลไปเล่นยุโรป".
16. PCL., Post Publishing. "Bangkok Post". bangkokpost.com.
17. "OFFICIAL : ฉลามชลเปลี่ยนชื่อรังเหย้า 'ชลบุรี ยูทีเอ สเตเดี้ยม'".
18. "เจ๋งเป้ง! ผลผลิต'ฉลามจูเนียร์'จ่อเทสต์ฝีเท้าแมนฯซิตี้".
19. "J-League's Vissel Kobe announces business partnership with Thailand's Chonburi FC". Goal.
20. "'ฉลามชล' รุกคืบจับมือ 'วิสเซล โกเบ' ร่วมพันธมิตรลูกหนัง".
21. (20 March 2014). "Thailand – List of Champions". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
22. "Thailand – Chonburi FC – Results, fixtures, squad, statistics, photos, videos and news". soccerway.com.