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Bangkok is home to some of the world’s finest luxury hotels and resorts featuring the finest amenities and service:

Banyan Tree Resort

Banyan Tree Bangkok

Located on South Sathorn Road, this 5-star resort is located in the heart of Bangkok featuring world-class service. With a full-service spa and professional hospitality, Banyan Tree was voted a top business hotel by Business Traveler. Rooms range from Spa Suites with full access to spa treatment including 24-hour service, Club Suites for executives, Premier rooms and Deluxe View suites which offer a view of the city and a full living room.

The roof-top Vertigo Grill stands atop 60 floors with a sweeping view of the city and an exquisite seafood menu featuring items such as grilled scallops in toasted hazelnut and coriander butter in addition to a full-service Moon Bar. Visitors can also dine on genuine Thai cuisine at Saffron, the hotel’s signature restaurant.

Services include a fitness center, swimming pool, gallery, shopping companion, 24/7 IT support, business center and meeting rooms.

Grand Hyatt Bangkok

Grand Hyatt Bangkok

Located in the heart of Bangkok’s commercial district near the Erawan Shrine, this 5-star business hotel offers scenic views of the city, spacious rooms and plus features for the upscale traveler.

Grand rooms feature walk-in closets, marble baths, high-speed internet and satellite TV and daily fresh fruit and flowers. The hotel provides a full fitness center, 24-hour guest services, a full meeting and conference center, as well as a full selection of quality restaurants ranging from authentic Italian cuisine at Spasso to a hotel bakery and tea room to traditional Thai at The Dining Room.

Inter-Continental Bangkok

Intercontinental Bangkok

Centrally located in the city, you will be immediately notice the impressive Intercontinental lobby and the friendly, traditional Thai hospitality.

Featuring over 300 deluxe rooms and 39 suites, each room features a well-appointed interior with marble bathrooms, high-speed internet and round-the-clock service. Home to one of Bangkok’s best steakhouses, the Fireplace Grill serves dinner daily while an espresso bar is open for casual dining. The Royal Health Spa provides Thai massage treatments, along with a rooftop swimming pool and updated fitness center will help you relax on your trip.

With over 20 large meeting rooms and a ballroom with a capacity of over 1,000 guests with the latest LCD projection technology, the Intercontinental is an ideal location for international business gatherings. Executive support services provide on-demand secretaries and technology solutions for your business needs.

London Olympics

At the conclusion of the Beijing Olympics, Thailand’s Olympic winners returned to enthusiastic cheers. Leading the way, gold medal boxer Somjit Jongjorhor and gold medal weight lifter Prapawadee Jaroenrattanatarakoon were featured in a Bangkok parade upon their return. Fellow medalists Buttree Puedpong, who won a silver medal in tae-kwon-do, and Manus Boonjumnong, who won silver in his boxing weight class after winning gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics, joined the gold medalists in the celebration. Somjit praised his fans in the southern provinces, as the athletes dedicated their efforts to the nation. Younger athletes such as Parapawadee looked ahead to the 2012 London Olympics, and to the Asian Games in 2010.

Holidays shape the rhythms of Thai cultural life year-round. Many of the holidays have traditional, religious Buddhists roots but are now celebrated universally.

The holiday calendar begins with Wan Khuen Pee Mai, New Year’s Day and then proceeds to Magha Puja, the full moon celebrating in late February. April 13 marks the celebration of Songkran, the Thai New Year, which is a widely-celebrated holiday.

Thai Holiday Parade

In May, Labor Day falls on the 1st of the month, while Coronation Day celebrates King Bhumibol on May 5.

August 12 marks the celebration of the Queen’s birthday as Mother’s Day, and honors the contributions of women to Thai society.

In the fall, Chulaongkorn Day honors King Rama V of Siam, known as Chulalonkorn the Great Beloved. December 5 marks the National Day as a celebration of King Rama’s Birthday, and serves as national father’s day. Constitution Day on December 10 marks the ascension of the constitutional monarchy in 1932.

If you’re traveling to Thailand, make sure to check the holiday calendar; year-round cultural celebrations are lively, energetic events shared by the entire country.

Thai golf has a rich heritage dating back to the reign of King Rama V. Golf in Thailand has evolved from a game for nobles to a popular sport with some of the finest courses in Asia.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of visiting golfers come to Thailand to play on the hundreds of signature courses created by legends such as Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. The courses are considered among the finest in Asia, and host professional tournaments including the Volvo Masters, Honda Classic and the Johnny Walker Classic, among others.

Talented golfers have emerged from the country including professionals Thohngchai Jaidee, winner of the Asian Golf Tour in both 2001 and 2004. In 2004 and 2005 he won the Carlsberg Malaysian Open on the European PGA Tour.

Thailand is home to hundreds of quality golf courses, throughout the country including Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket. Among Thailand’s best golf courses are:

Blue Canyon Country Club

Blue Canyon Golf Course

Situated on the rolling hills of Phuket, Blue Canyon has hosted multiple professional tournaments, including the Walker Classic, and offers two 18-hold championship courses.

The Canyon course has won numerous awards including Asian Golf Course of the Year and Top Golf Hole of the Year. Designed by renowned Japanese designer Yoshikazo Kato, the 7,179 yard course features a natural landscape with challenging hazards and narrow fairways.

Laem Chabang International Country Club

Laem Chabang Country Club

Located in the hills of Pattaya, the Laem Chabang golf course is a challenging course designed by Jack Nicklaus. Natural lakes, rocks and trees create a beautiful setting for the 7065 yard course. The Club also features a 9-hold practice course, and is open 7-days a week for public golfing.

Alpine Golf and Sports Club

Alpine Golf and Sports Club

One of Bangkok’s best golf courses, the Alpine is a well-kept course that has hosted multiple professional tournaments. In 2000, Tiger Woods won the Johnny Walker Classic at Alpine Golf. Opened in 1996, the course is designed by Ronald Garl and features a well-crafted layout. The members-only course can be reserved for play Sunday through Saturday.

Thai Country Club

Thai Country Club

Designed by Dennis Griffiths, the Thai Country Club is among Bankok’s finest courses that has hosted the Asian Honda Classic and the Volvo Masters. A well-kept course, the Club features elevated greens, natural ponds and a steady, rolling path. Slopped greens create a difficult, visually beautiful course with world-class professional caddies there to over advice upon request. Consider one of Asia’s best golf courses, the world-class Peninsula hotel manages the course, which also features a full-service spa for relaxation before or after your play.