At six in the morning, Heo Kwang-eum turns off another day in Thailand in the coronavirus quarantine – in the truest sense of the word. He is one of the dozen South Korean visitors who spend two weeks playing golf in isolation at a resort an hour north of Bangkok.
With the resort’s bars and other facilities closed, there is no prospect of a gathering for Heo and other visiting golf fans to beat the day’s missing birdies, bogeys, and shanks, but the vibe remains high.
At Artitaya Country Club, visitors were tested three days after arriving last week and will have to undergo at least two more tests before they can exit quarantine.
It’s like the emperor’s golf, “said Heo, who wore a pink golf shirt and shorts a muted pink. “Think of 41 Koreans playing golf as you roam the course, which is served by over 100 staff. It’s like the emperor’s golfing,” said Heo, wearing a pink golf shirt and muted pink shorts.
Heo said other countries should also take over the Thai campaign and promote tourism by shortening the days of detention and allowing people to walk or jog within a border.
Heo said other countries should also take over the Thai campaign and promote tourism by shortening the days of detention and allowing people to walk or jog within a border.
“It’s extremely difficult to play golf in Korea these days because of COVID,” said Heo, who planned to spend another month in Thailand on business after the quarantine was over. “It’s a golf paradise here.”
The price of the package of 2.49 million won ( US $ 2,240) paid by golfers is reasonable compared to the cost of a 14-day isolation period in a regular hotel room, Ku Jung-Keun, general manager of Artitaya Country Club, said Reuters.
“The golf quarantine offers three safe (coronavirus) tests and time to golf. Doctors also offer daily health checks for guests,” said Ku.
The next group is leaving in two weeks, says the manager of the golf club in Seoul, Hong Soon-bong.
“We have around 100 rooms for up to 150 people. We receive three times more inquiries (than in normal periods) about the package,” said Hong. “Our company has reported little to no sales since the COVID outbreak last February,” he said. “It was very difficult, but this opportunity gave us hope again.” “Doctors also offer daily health checkups for guests, “Ku said.
