Golfing in Thailand

Golf is one of the most popular sports in Thailand. The game arrived in the country a century ago and was quickly taken up by the elite and the fashionable. Among the first sponsors of the game ware the armed forces and government institutions, which built and continue to own some of the finest courses in the country.

Golf's popularity rose dramatically and the country now has over 200 golf courses, many of them championship standard. The world's top designers have made a significant contribution. Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones Jr, Pete Dye, Gary Player and many others have perfected modern layouts, using the best grasses and latest techniques.

The result is some of the most attractive courses in Asia, with excellent facilities, memorable signature holes and regular maintenance to keep them in top-class condition. Every course has its caddies; it's mandatory to employ one for your round. They are Thailand's secret weapon in making golf such good fun. These brightly clad ladies, in smart uniforms and straw hats, know lots about the course, smile almost all the time, and very good at reading putts.

There are at least a few courses in or within easy reach of all major cities. Most of the newer courses offer accommodation on site or nearby, plus recreational facilities for the whole family.


Nature Study

For the more adventurous, there are older, natural courses in remote areas around the country owned by the Royal Irrigation Department, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, all offering good value. So for golfers who not only appreciate a challenging course, but an exotically different one too, there is an extraordinary choice.

The best time to plan a golfing trip is the cool season, from November to March. From April to October it is hot and wet, but even in the rainy months the downfall usually comes in the afternoon, and for only a few minutes. Most courses have good drainage systems, and the rains should not interrupt your game for long.

Thailand's national parks and wildlife sanctuaries are some of the best and most extensive in Southeast Asia, and although abundant wildlife is found everywhere in the kingdom, they are the best places to see rare and protected species.

Almost all parks have on-site accommodation and food, trails of varying levels of difficulty, and many organise trips, recreational and educational activities.


Adventure with the ARMY

The Royal Thai Army has opened up its hitherto off limits training camps to visitors, offering both sporting activities such as riding, golf, and sharp-shooting, and adventurous activities modeled on military basis training.

Activities including rock climbing, jungle trekking and survival courses are available at the units listed here. All are supervised by qualified and experienced Army men. Participants must be physically fit. Fees vary but arrangements must be made in advance. For more information, contact the Royal Thai Army's Tourism Promotion Working Committee, Tel: 0 2297 5715-8. Fax: 0 2682 8702.


Star - gazing

Star -gazing For visitors, star-gazing in Thailand can be a revelation. Astronomy is one of the kingdom's favourite pastimes, brought to the country from Europe by one of its greatest kings, King Rama IV, or King Mongkut. The revered monarch was so enthused with this new knowledge that he ordered an observatory built at his hilltop palace in Phetchaburi Province. He quickly became adept and predicted a total solar eclipse near Prachuab Khiri Khan on August 18, 1868.

Almost everyone was sceptical, including the court astrologers who believed such an event was impossible. So a great expedition was organised to which many foreign scientists were invited. There, the king's prediction was dramatically confirmed - a sixminute solar eclipse that had the court astrologers calling out in awe.

Today star-gazing is very popular and practiced by anyone with a telescope or binoculars. Many of the country's national parks organise stargazing activities and you can even join the Thai Astronomical Society on one of their regular trips. These usually go to a remote location such as a hilltop in a national park or an island in the Gulf where the night sky is at its clearest.

You can bring your own equipment or use their giant telescope. Or of course you could follow in the hallowed footsteps of King Mongkut. His Phetchaburi observatory is open to the public and so is Phra Chomklao Science Museum at Wah Kor in the adjacent Prachuap Khiri Khan Province.


Walking into History

Central plains:
Visitors can stroll into a thousand years of history at the historical parks of Sukhothai, Lop Buri, Si Satchanalai and Ayutthaya.

Out of the historical parks, Phra Pathom Chedi in Nakhon Pathom is an aweinspiring sight: The tallest Buddhist monument in the world, and also where Buddhism was first taught in this Buddhist country.

The north:
One can enjoy the culture just by walking down the street of Chiang Mai. Here at Wat Pa Pao in Chang Phuak (White Elephant) District, for example, are gorgeous examples of Burmese and Shan temple architecture. A short walk southeast of the old town are the weather-worn earthen ramparts erected by Chao Kavila, the warrior who in 1776 drove the Burmese out and restored the city to its former glory. Westward is Doi Suthep, a mountain named after the hermit whose modest cave is just above Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.

There are many temples in Chiang Mai, Chaing Rai, Lamphun, Lampang, Mae Hong Son and Nan where visitors can enjoy the learn about the northern history and architecture.

The northeast:
History-lovers may prefer to wander among the ruins of the mighty Khmer empire of the 11th - 12th centuries. The best known is Prasat Hin Phimai, just outside Nakhon Ratchasima, the largest sandstone sanctuary in Thailand of classic Khmer design.

The most spectacular monument is Prasat Phanom Rung in Buri Ram, a towering structure seated on top of an extinct volcano, which took over 17 years to restore. Southern Isan is dotted with Khmer shrines in various states of repair.

The south :
A must-visit is Phra Borom That Chaiya in which authentic Srivijaya architecture is preserved in perfect condition, or Wat Phra Kaeo and Wat Hua Wiang, also in Surat Thani Province. Srivijaya was a group of small communities scattered along the Malay Peninsula from Sumatra in Malaysia to the southern part of Thailand from the 7th to the 13th century. These communities shared common cultural ground in terms of Buddhism, trading, governance, and architecture. Some archaeologists believe that a nerve centre of Srivijaya could be Chaiya in Surat Thani Province, since a number of Srivijaya artifacts and architecture have been unearthed there.