From a “dream carrier” song thaew (open-air passenger truck) to huge public support and admiration, it is the story of an underdog team that relied on their determination to carry them to national stardom.
Mon Thong Wittaya School is a communal school in tambon Mon Thong of Bang Nam Priao district in Chachoengsao, reports the Bangkok Post.
It is located on a 35-rai Ratchaphatsadu land plot, and teaches around 500 students in middle and high school with 15 classrooms in all.
BBC Thailand reported that Sumet Ridmat, president of the school’s football club, said the community has been known for its sports for a long time, which led to the idea of establishing the school team.
This then emerged as a seven-player team, led by captain Worakorn “Te” Changkhiandee. It has been coached by Sakon Kliangprasert since 2021.
Giant killers
Before coaching Mon Thong Wittaya, Mr Sakon was the man behind the success of the Surasakmontri School team. This team is a three-time winner of the 7HD Champion Cup, one of the country’s biggest high school football tournaments open to seven-player teams.
Under his coaching, the Mon Thong Wittaya School team won several tournaments before competing in this year’s 7HD Champion Cup tournament.
The team beat several major teams, including some from “elite” and “prestigious” education outlets like Assumption College Thonburi, Depsirin School, and Assumption College Sri Racha, and advanced to the final. The team has been the “giant killer” in the league and became an internet sensation overnight.
What is the “dream carrier?”
The vehicle which the team used during the tournament has been dubbed the “dream carrier” car.
The old blue song thaew, owned by Mr Sakon, was a modified Isuzu truck that had served high school teams for years, including the current Mon Thong Wittaya School team.
The team arrived at the venue in Bangkok from Chachoengsao using this old song thaew, driven by none other than the coach himself.
“This car has a long history; everybody who steps up on this car is more likely to win a championship from the tournament they enter,” said Mr Sakon.
What happened in the final?
After winning against the Assumption College Sri Racha team 6-3 in the semifinal, the Mon Thong Wittaya School football team was set to meet the Chai Nat Provincial Administrative Organisation School for the final on Nov 8.
Their internet popularity drew massive crowds to Supachalasai National Stadium in Bangkok, where the match was held. The 20,000-seat stadium exceeded its capacity due to the overwhelming number of spectators, with some fans watching the match from the running track.
Some social media commentators have criticised Channel 7, the league organiser, for poor crowd management. Some spectators put the players under pressure by yelling at them during the match.
The team finally finished as runners-up in the 7HD Champion Cup 2025, losing to Chai Nat Provincial Administrative Organisation School 2–1 in the final.
Mr Sakon said the public would see more of the Mon Thong team, as it would return next season.
What happened after the final?
Despite the loss, support continued to pour in for Mon Thong Wittaya School. Many have offered to lend support on team development and school renovation.
Deputy Prime Minister Capt Thamanat Prompow also pledged support for the football team, presenting it with a B150,000 education scholarship and 10 footballs from the Capt Thamanat Prompow Foundation.
But the “dream carrier” may need to retire after all. Kulpornpath Wongmajarapinya, chief executive officer of Thai Smile Bus (TSB) Company, also presented the school with an electric-driven bus, aiming to replace their ageing vehicle that went viral.
Ms Kulpornpath said the team’s story was inspiring, especially the warmth between the teammates and their coach.
“TSB believes in supporting youth development as it is a long-term investment for the nation,” she said.
Some critics said the Mon Thong team has laid bare the nation’s failure to provide structural support for football.
Rawee Tawantharong, adviser to the Society of Online News Providers, said teams like this need a strong support system.
This only happens when football management moves from the patronage system to professional management.