Futsal, an exciting “fast and fun” indoor form of 5-a-side football (soccer), has continued to grow in popularity among residents of Bangkok and its environs.
More about futsal
Futsal is an indoor form of football (soccer). Its name is derived from the Portuguese futebol de salão and the Spanish fútbol sala/de salón, which can be translated as 'indoor football'.
Futsal is played between two teams of five players, one of whom is the goalkeeper. In addition each team may have seven substitutes. Unlike some other forms of indoor football, the court uses lines for marking, and does not use walls or boards.
Futsal is played with a smaller, denser ball with less bounce than a football. The emphasis in futsal is on improvisation, creativity and technique.
Other forms of indoor football games, which are played by somewhat different rules, exist and may be referred to as indoor football, five-a-side football or indoor soccer. Those games predate the formulation of official (Fifa) rules of futsal. |
There’s just not enough space here to cover all of the capital’s futsal courts, the number of which seems to grow on a daily basis, so we’ll look at three venues, which are all reasonably close to central Bangkok.
Futsal @ 50 (Sukhumvit Soi 50)
Futsal @ 50 (Tel: +66 [0]83 922 5050) is my own personal Wednesday night workout, so please excuse the entirely subjective view that it’s an excellent venue (tried and trusted, no less).
You pay about 1,000 baht (US$32) per hour before 5 pm, after which you pay 1,200 baht per hour. You need a minimum of about three a side - anywhere from four to five players per team is manageable.
A team of 10 players scheduled to play at 2 pm pays 1,000 baht, which means each player needs to contribute 100 baht. A team of 12, which handily gives you two teams of five each with a substitute, or even better three teams of four, will also only cost 100 baht each after 5 pm. So the more players, “the merrier”, but you ought to be a little careful things don’t get too overcrowded when it comes to safety.
Three teams of four allow one team to get a good lungful of air in between time on the pitch. You can play “winner stays on” or just play in rounds of 5-10 minutes.
Note that at this time of year it can get pretty steamy. Obviously, the heat and humidity means that players are probably less likely to pull muscles. However, certainly for older players, including myself, a warm-up, including a range of stretches, is recommended.
Another pre futsal match game we sometimes play means you can only score in the opponent’s “D” (penalty) area, promoting short passing and control.
The venue also supplies colored bibs for players needing to more clearly identify team members. The owner sells some sports drinks from 15-25 baht per bottle. Parking is “on road” so it might be best to consider parking at the nearby branch of Tesco-Lotus next to Onnuch BTS skytrain station. The nearby motorcycle taxis will run you to ‘futsal' for just 10 baht from there.
This venue uses a form of synthetic ground covering, similar to what was once known as “Astroturf”. Since it is not legal to slide tackle in futsal, there’s no reason to get injured, although it’s not unusual, if a reasonably committed player, to get a form of burn should you, for whatever reason, hit the floor. It makes sense to wear a light set of shin pads, although many players choose to forfeit this protection.
 Nanbaten (Onnuch Soi 70)
Nanbaten (Tel: +66 [0]81 552 2556) is similar in format to Futsal @ 50 and charges similar rates. Before 7 pm, you pay 900 baht an hour, while after that the rate rises to 1,000 baht per hour.
The venue organizes lots of promotions, such as futsal training opportunities for children on Sunday mornings. The set up is similar to Futsal @ 50, including artificial turf. Although the venue is a little bit further from the town, some people like its fairly quiet location.
If you can read Thai, there is a lot more information available from the venue’s official website at http://www.nanbaten.com. While this writer has not used this venue personally, he has received recommendation from, amongst others, players from Woodstock FC, winners of the inaugural Nanbaten Futsal Cup.
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 A kick in the grass
One of the newer futsal venues I have come across has a slightly different approach.
With an accompanying restaurant, Meetfield (Tel: +66 [0]86 306 0005) comprises two small grass pitches with futsal goals.
The burns I refer to earlier are less likely to occur on natural grass, but of course Thailand’s often fairly severe rainy season may put a dent in this operator’s potential revenue. It will be interesting to see over the coming months whether or not he decides to cover his assets.
The upside of this venue is its general location, which is quite quiet and relaxing. The restaurant means that accompanying friends or relatives have somewhere to hang out and have a drink or meal.
Please note that at Meetfield, you usually need to the venue for a minimum of two hours (at 2,500 baht), although this may be negotiable with the operator.
Little feet
If you have young children or even adult beginners who want to learn more about the game or pick up the basics, there are quite a number of choices in Bangkok. Several venues organize some form of coaching activities, as well as, occasionally, even free pick-up games.
However, probably one of the most active football coaching outfits is the Bangkok franchise of the British company Brazilian Soccer Schools. Their website provides comprehensive details of the numerous coaching activities the company runs for children across Bangkok.
Note that language is no real barrier if opting to use this school since owner/operator Stuart Welham has English, French, Japanese, and native Thai speakers among his team of qualified coaches.
 
Thai talent on show
Thailand has come third on four occasions at the AFC Futsal Championships. The country is currently ranked 11 in the Federation of International Football Associations (Fifa) futsal world rankings. Until now, the regular 11-a-side teams have yet to reach such dizzy heights. The country has also come second twice at the Asian Indoor Games Futsal Championships in 2005 and 2007.
Coming up: The AFC Asian Futsal Championship 2008, Bangkok May 11-18. |
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