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Meet Wittawat Wiboonkiaw, the United fan who spent a fortune to share a hotel with his heroes | Main Stand

Asia is home to some of the biggest Premier League fanatics in the world. But not every fan from this continent has the finances to fly over to watch their beloved team play. 

 

Even for some of the most die-hard supporters, their only chance of seeing their favorite superstars up close is during the clubs’ pre-season tours.  

One of Thailand’s most passionate Manchester United supporters, Wittawat Wiboonkiaw, is in that same boat. Nicknamed ‘Pae,’ the 33-year-old Bangkok native only gets to meet past and present Red Devils on their sparse summer visits.

But unlike the majority of the fans on this continent, Pae has gone the extra mile to make every moment count with his beloved players.

Giving Eric Cantona an early birthday cake, check.

Attending David Beckham’s sponsorship event, check.

And most recently, staying in the Manchester United team hotel, check.

Based on the effort he’s put in just to be around club members, even rival supporters respect his love for his team. 

After hearing his stories from various media outlets, it’s time Main Stand speaks to the ‘super-fan’ himself. When did his love for the club begin? What are some of his craziest experiences? And what is his ultimate goal as a United fan? 

Find out in our exclusive interview.  

 

Boyhood club

“I started supporting Manchester United from as early as I could remember,” shared Pae. “I grew up watching them throughout the 90s. They were the most successful team at the time, with the best players. I idolized the likes of Peter Schmeichel and Eric Cantona.” 

Pae didn’t just tune into Manchester United’s games as a casual football fan. He also grew up playing the sport for his school team. The Bangmot Wittaya goalkeeper tried to replicate Schmeichel’s saves every time he was on the pitch. 

“I played goalkeeper for my local school team. Back then, Schmeichel was considered one of the best in the world. I would watch him on T.V. and try to play like him.”

Despite modeling his game off of the Great Dane, Pae’s favorite United player of all time was actually a forward. 

“It has to be Eric Cantona,” Pae revealed. “His presence on the pitch, his charisma, his leadership. He had it all. I just love what he stood for.” 

Pae’s first chance to meet his beloved club finally arrived in July 2001, as Sir Alex Ferguson’s men came to Thailand for their pre-season campaign. Despite the fact that Schmeichel and Cantona had both left the club by then, Pae was over the moon when he heard his team was coming to his own back door. 

However, his excitement soon hit a brick wall when his family didn’t have the finances to afford a ticket to the match. 

“I was disappointed at the time,” reflected Pae. “But I understand it from my parent’s perspective. I’m not from a wealthy family, so my parents didn’t see the need to spend thousands of baht on a football match.” 

Pae would eventually get his first experience of attending a United game 12 years later. After Ferguson’s retirement, David Moyes led his side to play a one-off friendly against Thailand’s Singha All-Stars. 

Although the match ended in defeat, it was a victory for Pae as it marked the beginning of many more adventures with United. 

 

Cantona’s birthday bash

Five years from the first time Pae got to see his favorite club in the flesh, meeting footballers became somewhat of a normality for him. 

“Thanks to my love for sports, I decided to become a sports reporter. One of the first stations I worked with was True Visions, which is a national broadcasting network. It allowed me to go regularly cover games and various sponsorship events.” 

“I was able to attend Teddy Sheringham’s fan meeting event in 2016. The following year, Thailand’s football association invited Park Ji-Sung and Dwight Yorke to the opening of their new training center at Bangkok Thonburi University, and I was there reporting on the event too.” 

However, Pae met those United players in work mode. As a result, he had to give up his inner fanboy temporarily, which erased the element of excitement of the occasion. 

His moment to revive that feeling would finally come in 2018. 

“I remember it was around Songkran (Thailand’s New Year festival) that year. I was scrolling through my phone and saw an image of a fan with Eric Cantona.”

“At first I didn’t think too much of it, but then something caught my eye.”

“The fan in the picture was wearing a shirt that only hotel employees had. After doing some digging, I found out that it was a hotel in Chiang Mai.”

After finding out his favorite player was on holiday in his country, Pae was like a kid on Christmas morning. He immediately booked the next possible flight up north. 

“I booked the flight to Chiang Mai that same evening I found out what hotel he was staying in. At the time, all I was thinking was ‘he’s here and I’m not going to miss my chance,’ I didn’t need to think twice.” 

“I was also lucky that there was only one ticket left on the Air Asia flight. It took off from Bangkok around seven that evening. I landed an hour later and headed straight to the place.”

But things didn’t go as smoothly once he arrived at Tamarind Village hotel. 

“My original plan was to just wait in the hotel and hope to run into Cantona in the lobby. But because it was quite a high-end hotel, only guests were allowed inside. This meant that I had to book a room.”

Pae spent close to 5,000 baht (appx. $136 USD) that night for a room that he wouldn’t even get to sleep in. 

“I didn’t want to miss the chance of meeting him (Cantona). I checked with one of the hotel employees to confirm he was staying in the hotel that night.”

“So I camped out in the hotel lobby the entire night. I waited patiently for it to be morning and that he would come down for breakfast.” 

After nearly 10 hours of sitting around, Pae’s tired eyes spotted a bulky figure wearing a light blue round-collar shirt with navy blue cargo shorts heading in his direction. 

It couldn’t be anyone else. 

“I politely approached him, told him who I was, what I been through to meet him, and asked if I could get a picture with him and his autograph,” recalled Pae. “It all happened quickly. Cantona was very friendly about it and we both went our separate ways.” 

“But as I left, I remembered that Cantona was born in May. It was still a month away, but he was my idol and I couldn’t miss the chance to wish him an early happy birthday.” 

“It must have been 7 or 8 a.m. at the time, I got absolutely no sleep, but didn’t feel tired. I left the hotel and walked over a kilometer to find a dessert store open then.” 

“Luckily by the time I arrived, Cantona just finished his breakfast. I walked towards him with a cake in my hand, lighted up the candles, and sang him happy birthday. I think he was probably a bit caught off guard by the whole situation but he took it really well and thank me.” 

“Til this day, that was one of the best moments in my life.”

It all went perfectly according to plan for Pae that day. But not every encounter with a Manchester United player is a memorable one. Unfortunately, he would learn that the hard way later that year. 

 

The (un)chosen one 

In November of that year, Pae’s job as a sports reporter earned him another chance to cover a United player’s commercial event in Thailand. However, this wasn’t just any former player - it was David Beckham.

The legendary winger is no stranger to Asia. As AIA’s global brand ambassador, he’s accustomed to commercial visits in this part of the world. 

“Beckham came to AIA’s Youth Football Clinic event later that year (2018). When I heard about it, I was first to volunteer to go cover the event for my station.”

“I was quite meticulous in the way I approached the event though. As a reporter, I couldn’t just barge into him and ask for a selfie, I had to do my job first.” 

The afternoon consisted of Beckham running a few basic drills for the kids, giving away signed shirts, and taking some pictures with the general public. Nothing too out of the ordinary. 

As the day concluded, it was Pae’s turn. 

“Towards the end of the event, Beckham allowed reporters to take pictures with him. So one by one, the tens in numbers that were there, queued up.”

“I remember I was far back in line. Probably the last four in the list.” 

But the cordial atmosphere soon turned into an unfortunate experience for Pae. 

As Beckham was giving photo opportunities, a staff member reminded him he was late for his next event. This got the United legend off his seat, as he hastily left leaving Pae and three others waiting in line bewildered. 

“That entire situation hurts more than a heartbreak honestly. My legs were shaking, my arms were trembling. I was the most excited I’ve ever been just waiting in line.”

“He was literally standing a couple of feet in front of me. It was my only shot, I could sense it coming.”

“Then, all of a sudden, he just walked off without saying anything. It was brutal.”

It was an unfortunate situation and a small stain on Pae’s United fandom. However, there would be another twist in the tale, and a fond memory that will stay with him forever. 

 

Dream Hotel 

Shortly after his missed opportunity with David Beckham, the COVID-19 pandemic struck. All player holidays, commercial events, and international pre-season tours were put on hold.

As a result, the sour taste lingered in his mouth for years. Pae needed to wait until the summer of 2022 for his redemption.

In March of 2022, Manchester United announced they were playing a friendly against Liverpool in Bangkok, in an event dubbed ‘The Match: Bangkok Century Cup.’. 

However, Pae was hesitant to buy the overpriced tickets, which were sold at up to 25,000 baht ($680 USD). 

“I think the prices are too high for average fans. When United came in 2013, I remember the most expensive seats were 5,000 ($136 USD). You get the worst seats with that price in 2022.” 

“I wouldn’t spend over 20,000 baht just to sit and watch my favorite players from afar. That’s why I decided not to buy the ticket.”

But when one door closes, another door opens. 

Although Pae didn’t plan to attend the match, the fan in him couldn’t let the chance to meet his heroes slip away. 

“A few weeks ahead of the match, I found out what hotel the United players were staying in. I had no choice. I didn’t want to miss my chance to meet the players.” 

“Unfortunately, I was in the same situation as the time I visited Cantona in Chiang Mai. I checked with the hotel and they didn’t allow non-guest members to hang around. I had to spend big once again.”

The Athenee Hotel is regarded as one of the most high-end in Bangkok. So, to no surprise, it was selected as United’s primary place of residence for their first Thailand tour in a decade. 

Room prices at 10,000 Baht per night and surge to the upper 100,000 for the plushest options. 

“To be honest, it didn’t take long for me to make up my mind. Obviously, spending 10,000 on a hotel room wasn’t ideal. But the love I have for the club is priceless. I didn’t want to miss out on an opportunity to see the entire United team up close in person.” 

July 9th came, the Erik Ten Hag era began, and a trip to Bangkok was on the cards as the Red Devils kicked pre-season. 

With superstar Cristiano Ronaldo not making the trip, Pae had his sights set on trying to get a picture with long-serving goalkeeper David De Gea. 

“I arrived at the hotel at a similar time to the United players, who were making their way up to their rooms. There were hundreds of people waiting outside but because I checked in, they let me in.”

“I didn’t get a chance to take any pictures with anyone right when I arrived because the United players entered before me.” 

As Pae carried his belongings and made his way inside one of the four polished elevators in Athenee’s lobby, he pressed the ‘17’ button to head up to his room. 

But before reaching his floor, the elevator halted at the sixth floor. The loud ‘ping’ was followed by the doors swiftly opening on cue. 

“Hannibal Mejbri, Anthony Elanga, Anthony Martial, Alejandro Garnacho, and half of the United team looked straight at me in the eye.”

“I realized the elevator stopped on Man. United’s team floor.” 

Pae’s heart raced faster when the players smiled and strolled into the elevator. 

He politely greeted them before asking if he could take a quick selfie with the entire gang. The blurriness of the picture reflected his level of excitement. 

When Pae put his hand down from taking the picture, they arrived at his floor. He lumbered his way out, still with a grin from what just happened. He’s been in the hotel for less than 10 minutes and had already met the team. 

“I walked into my room and ignored the beauty of it. I was too excited about what just happened. It was so surreal. I’m confident to say I was the first United fan in the entire hotel to meet the players. They just arrived minutes ago!” 

The sheer joy of seeing his favorite players in person had Pae wanting more of the experience. If this is the type of access he was going to get, one night wasn’t enough. 

“I initially planned to just stay for a night and hopefully run into players in the elevator, lobby, or common area. After experiencing that moment. I didn’t think staying one night would be enough!” 

“I decided to just go with my gut. I didn’t want to have any regrets at all. I asked myself ‘I’m already in the hotel, why not make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?’ and booked another night immediately.”

In less than 30 minutes inside Athenee, Pae had already spent close to 20,000 baht ($545 USD). 

He went back down and camped around the lobby, waiting for the players to leave for training. But the number of fans and the guards who blocked off the way denied the chance of an exclusive photo opportunity with the players.

One by one, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, David De Gea and marched straight onto the bus for training. 

“It was tough to get any sort of personal interaction with players in the lobby area. Security was tight, and fans showed up in numbers. It’s impossible.” 

“But I knew I still had a long road ahead. So I went up to grab dinner.” 

Pae thoroughly enjoyed his meal at the outdoor pool area. After that, he sat around for hours, texting his friends, talking to other United fans, and just taking in the moment.

But as Pae was about to get up and leave, the corner of his eye caught Manchester United’s media team members carrying cameras and lighting equipment to the pool. 

He immediately sat back down and waited around to see what it was all about. 

But minutes soon turned into hours - five to be exact. However, to his luck, his patience paid off. 

“Three United players arrived back after training to do interviews at the pool. Harry Maguire, Bruno Fernandes, and David De Gea.” 

“I was screaming my heart out inside when I saw the trio walk down on the other side of the pool.” 

But Pae managed to control his emotions and not barge into the players. Instead, he waited another hour for it all to be concluded before planning out how he would proceed. 

Harry Maguire and David De Gea weren’t in the best of moods. Whether it was due to the arduous 11-hour long flight or the timezone difference, they didn’t stay around the photos and went straight back to their rooms. 

That left Bruno Fernandes. The club’s new number 8 was in festive spirits. Pae politely asked for a picture with the Portuguese maestro before he made his way back down to his room. 

“I was over the moon,” Pae tried to sum up his feelings that night. “That entire day was such as unforgettable experience. But I still felt like something was missing. Growing up playing goalkeeper, I still wanted to take a good picture with David De Gea.” 

After a good night's sleep and waking up to an early breakfast at 7 a.m., Pae took a lift back to his room to plan out his day.

All of a sudden, like a repeat of the day before, the elevator paused at the sixth floor. The doors swung open. 

“David De Gea walked in,” Pae shared with excitement. “It must have been one of the most exciting moments in my life.” 

“I nearly broke down in tears but kept my composure and politely greeted De Gea, before asking if I could get a picture with him. He was cool about it all. So I handed my phone to the security who accompanied him.” 

“The fact I shared the same elevator with De Gea will go down as one of the greatest moments in my life.” 

“That moment itself made spending close to 20,000 baht worth it. People can criticize me all they want regarding how I could have saved it or spent it wisely for something else. But for me, I’ve worked tirelessly in my profession and have the right to spend my hard-earned money for my happiness.” 

Pae would go on to meet several other members of the United first team throughout the day. A dozen pictures and autographs later, the next morning arrived and it was time for him to check out. 

The lifelong United fan exited the hotel, having gone through things that the biggest of die-hard football supporters could only dream of. 

Pae has been through the highest of highs and lowest of lows. From flying over to surprise Eric Cantona, to being left out of David Beckham’s photo session, to eventually meeting the whole Manchester United team on their pre-season tour. 

So what’s next for the super-fan? It has to be a trip to Old Trafford, right? 

“I’ve tried my best to make every chance count. I think I’ve done some of the wildest things. Sometimes I even think to myself that I’m crazy.”

“Watching a match at Old Trafford is my ultimate goal,” Pae concluded. “I’ll make sure it happens sooner rather than later.” 

Author

Thesis Laohajaratsang

MAI KOI KENG PA SA THAI KAM WA MAO SA KOD Young NGAI

Photo

Arnakorn Jarueksil

Main Stand's Photographer

Graphic

Apisit Chotphiboonsap

Art Director of Main Stand