BANGKOK, THAILAND —
True and ThaiBev are investing more than Bt180 million to host Thailand’s largest professional sport event with highest cash prize in the True Thailand Classic 2016 Presented by Chang.
It is tri-sanctioned by the European Tour, Asian Tour and Thailand PGA event which will attract professional golfers from around the world to battle for the US$1.75 million (about Bt63 million) prize fund.
The tournament is a co-operation between the public and private sectors which are True Corporation, Chang Beverages, Sports Authority of Thailand, Black Mountain Golf Club, Charoen Pokphand Group, Bangkok Bank Plc, Toyota Motor Thailand, and Thai Airways International.
The cooperation is to boost the competition and to provide an opportunity for 16 Thai golfers who have already won the Chang-SAT Thailand PGA Tour 2016 to attend the international professional-level competition.
The Thai golfers will also be given a chance to enroll in “Just Believe in Your Dreams” by CP, with one special ticket to join the competition to win a Wild Card. Thai youth golfers will also be given an opportunity to join the Pro-Am, AM-AM, and Golf Clinic activities.
The tournament will be from March 10-13 at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, Prachuab Khiri Khan province. Live broadcast can be viewed at True Sport HD, True Sport 5, and True4U.
“True Group is determined to bring the world-class activities to Thai audience. For “True Thailand Classic 2016 presented by Chang”, which True has become the crown sponsor for second year, Panther International – a company under True Group – has joined with Dhospaak Co Ltd to invest more than Bt180 million to organise the country’s largest professional golf tournament with highest prize money.
The pros to attend the tournament include Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain and Sweden’s Johan Edfors while Australian Andrew Dodt, who won the inaugural tournament last year, will be playing alongside Thongchai Jaidee, Thailand’s number one, and Kiradech Apibanrat.
“The tournament will be live broadcast to over 223 million homes in more than 50 countries around the world,” said Birathon Kasemsri Na Ayudhaya, Head of Commercial & Business Development, TrueVisions Group Ltd, and the tournament organiser.
“Golf is an important sport that ThaiBev has continuously supported to raise the bar of the golf industry in Thailand and to improve the potential of the Thai golfers to be in the international tournaments.
“The company has regularly supported and organized golf projects for Thai youth and professionals. The latest project is Chang PGA Thailand Tour Road True Thailand Classic 2016 Presented by Chang will select 16 Thai golfers to play along with professionals from around the world in the European-standard tournament.”
“This will be a great opportunity for the Thai players to be screened to the next level. The tournament will be an important move that ThaiBev and True Group to provide for all Thai golfers,” said Vichate Tantiwanich, Senior Vice President Corporate Affair, Thai Beverage Plc.
“The Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT) has always supported professional sports particularly organizing world series competition such as “True Thailand Classic 2016 Presented by Chang” to be a part of the “Race to Dubai” tournament which is one of the top European tournaments.
Organzing the groundbreaking tournament in Thailand will be a great opportunity for Thailand to experience the international level tournament and for Thai golfers to play along with international professional golfers from around the world. The SAT also has a long-term plan to work with private sector to support world series tournaments more often, to give a chance for Thai athletes to have a first-hand experience with the pros, to show off the potential of the country as an international event host, as well as to mark Thailand as a destination in sports tourism map,” said Sakol Wannapong, Governor of Sports Authority of Thailand.
“Charoen Pokphand Group is proud to be a part of the historical golf tournament to be held in Thailand this year. The “True Thailand Classic 2016 Presented by Chang” is a part of “Just Believe in Your Dreams” project by Charoen Pokphand Group to give an opportunity to the young and professional Thai golfers to have a first-hand experience in the international tournament.
The tournament will inspire the young players to be interested in sports more. A Wild Card will be rewarded to a talented and hard-working Thai golfer who will be going to the next level to the international tournament. Charoen Pokphand Group is proud to be a part of the historical event to select youth golf players from TrueVision Junior Golf Tour to rub shoulders with pros before the competition in Pro-Am event and to attend a post-tour following the pros’ golf track in AM-AM activity. There will also be a Gold Clinic activity where pros will be giving advices for novices to improve their techniques,” said Mr Abhaichon Vacharasinthu , Vice President in Corporate Relations and Co-ordination Charoen Pokphand Group.
