Look East Journal

Polo | Membership

Thailand’s affiliation with polo goes again to the times it was referred to as Khlee, and had identical origins as Polo
in Persia.

Add pictures right here: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1GvzRicZnfkbdlE9gbRtY2ZjVXJR6wbwP
Photographs:

http://www.lookeastmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Thai-Polo-Membership.jpg

Look East Journal

https://www.lapolo.in/media/None/THAI_POLO.jpg

http://www.lookeastmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/1356.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/16/68/06/16680675a19f2d0152bbf6f0f3ae9b62.jpg


Picture caption: Gamers in motion on the Thai Polo Membership

Polo | Membership

Earlier in Thailand, individuals have been conversant in an Indian sport well-known as Khlee. This sport was believed to have the identical
origins as that of Polo in Persia.

It’s thought of that it was the British who launched Khlee round a century in the past in Thailand within the type of Polo.
In
1890, His Royal Highness Krom Luang Devawongse Varopakarn, the Minister of International Affairs, accepted the proposal of
an
Englishman, Franklin Hurst, for organising a racetrack and a sports activities subject in Bangkok. Whereas an additional want for
enchancment was felt, Hurst rented a chunk of land in Sra Pathum the place the occasional horse races, gymkhanas, cycle
races and polo matches have been held. This sporting space later turned the Royal Bangkok Sports activities Membership.

There are particular narratives that present proof that Polo was performed on the Pramane Grounds (Sanam Luang) earlier than the
1920s. It was in 1924 that the Bangkok Using Membership leased a plot of land off the Wi-fi Street from the Crown
Property
Bureau. This later got here to be often known as the Bangkok Using and Polo Membership, the place varied equestrian sports activities have been
performed.
Considered one of these was polo and was identified to have been performed thrice every week. Polo matches additionally came about within the
north of
Thailand, on the Chiang Mai Gymkhana Membership. This Membership was based in 1898 by the British residents of the northern
metropolis
in addition to Lampang, Nan, Phrae and Nakhon Sawan.

Nonetheless, Polo suffered a setback and noticed a decline in its recognition on the time of World Battle II as many international
patrons
needed to go away the nation and therefore golf equipment providing polo services began to say no in membership.

GAINS IN POPULARITY

In 1998, the 13th Asian Video games Bangkok acted as an entire turning level. Because the individuals of Thailand rejoiced within the
victories, the Sport of Kings gained unprecedented assist. This may be attributed primarily to the devoted and
passionate group of Bangkok expatriates.

Because the individuals started to know the game and developed a way of fascination, they started committing their time
to
their ardour for the sport. Folks confirmed extra enthusiasm in studying concerning the guidelines and rules. Gamers have been
travelling all through Europe to compete in worldwide tournaments.

Ranging from 1994 on the Bangkok Equestrian Centre, to the primary out of doors polo subject and membership on the prestigious
Siam
Polo Park, the game has rightfully gained the royal seal of approval.

THE THAILAND POLO ASSOCIATION

The Thailand Polo Affiliation was based by Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha in August 1998. It was given a nationwide standing
as
the Thailand Polo Affiliation, on January 14, 2004, formally registered with the Sports activities Authority of Thailand.
Vichai
based the Affiliation with the ambition to popularise the game in Thailand and to develop the talents of the
gamers
within the nation so as to have the ability to compete efficiently internationally. This offered a significant increase in
establishing
a agency base for polo in Thailand.

The Thailand Polo Affiliation has organised and supported tournaments in Thailand and has despatched native gamers to
a number of
worldwide competitions, together with the South East Asian Video games.

The target of the affiliation is to assist promote the game and enhance consciousness and curiosity on an
worldwide
scale.

Elephant Polo

Elephant Polo in Thailand was promoted by the Anantara Resort which, in 2001, held the primary King’s Cup Elephant
Polo
Event at its resort in Hua Hin. Between 2006 and 2010, the match was held on the Golden Triangle within the
north
of Thailand. However in 2011, the sport moved again to Hua Hin. This occasion turned out to be an enormous publicity effort by the
Anantara Group and a number of other well-recognised manufacturers sponsored the match. A variety of worldwide in addition to
native
celebrities have been noticed within the VIP stands. The cash raised was donated to quite a few organisations that battle for
and
are devoted to the safety and preservation of the Thai elephants.

The foundations in Thailand for elephant polo, diverse barely in comparison with these of Nepal, one other place identified for internet hosting
elephant polo. In Thailand, a polo sport lasted for 2 seven-minute chukkas or halves versus 10 minutes in
Nepal,
and in addition a 15-minute interval when the groups modified pitch ends. The groups have been made up of three (or 4)
elephants,
and every of the pachyderms had each a participant and a driver using on its again and neck. The playfield–100 x 60
meters
lengthy with two goal-mouths.

Polo on elephant mounts is a uncommon sport. An elephant of any peak, weight and intercourse could be chosen to take part in
the
sport. In an effort to replenish their power and make the animals sturdy for the sport, the animals have to be fed with
sugarcane or vitamin-packed rice balls throughout recess time. In modern occasions, the sport was performed with a
commonplace
polo ball however within the historic previous, elephant polo was performed with soccer balls which the elephants favored to stamp on
and
burst.

The sport was performed whereas using the elephant, the participant instructing the mahout which technique to steer the elephant. To
flip an elephant left or proper, the “drivers” used an elephant goad, a hook hooked up to a brief stick. The hook was
used
to drag on the elephant’s ears, and the elephants turned both left or proper relying on which ear is pulled at.
The
ears of the elephants can be frayed from all of the pulling that they suffered.

Elephant polo begins within the centre circle when the elephant-riding umpire throws the ball between the 2 opposing
elephants and riders contained in the ring. A minimum of one elephant, through the play, should stay in every half always.
This measure was taken to keep away from elephants from bumping into one another. If a participant occurred to fall off its
elephant or
the stick is damaged, the sport was stopped and restarted with a throw-in.

END TO ELEPHANT POLO IN THAILAND

King’s Cup Elephant Polo was performed thrice a 12 months in Thailand, Sri Lanka and in Nepal. In every match, two groups
competed towards one another. Every crew consisted of 5 males and 5 elephants. Sponsors included Johnnie Walker,
PWC,
Peroni and IBM. Nonetheless, PETA claims that no less than eight different company sponsors have ended their assist for the
occasion
attributable to its allegedly inhumane nature.

PETA has referred to as elephant polo as merciless and barbaric. Allegations of animal cruelty surfaced in Thailand through the
2018
King’s Cup Polo in Thailand. The Thailand Elephant Polo Affiliation introduced in October 2018 that it’ll finish polo
matches in Thailand.