Darts in Bangkok

Many people think that if I’m good at archery I’m also good at darts. Although they are both precision sports, they differ quite a lot. While archery is a much more physical sport which requires an arsenal of accuracy accessories such as sights, stabilizers, dampers and what not, in darts all you need is a dart and a flick of your wrist. Of course, mastery of darts doesn’t come easy and the fact that you can throw a dart into a circular target doesn’t mean you’re good at it.

Although darts in Thailand is mostly perceived as a “bar game,” it is also a professional competitive sport with regional and worldwide events being held on a regular basis. The vast majority of bars in Bangkok have soft dart targets, played with dull plastic tips and a plastic board with many small pits into which the dart tips stick when they hit the board.

Most recently, the Asian Darts Association organized the 7^th ADA Tour in Taipei, Taiwan, and, although the Philippines and Japan won most of the “fights,” Thailand’s Team won the fourth place in the International Team Challenge Event. Among the Thai players who got somewhat closer to the podium during individual events we can mention Thanawat Gaweenuntavong, with an 8^th place in A-Fight Apple Cup Singles, and Somchai Mekner, with a 7^th place in C-Fight Apple Cup Singles. Also, Thanawat Gaweenuntavong, Watanyu Charoonroj, and Attapol Eupkaree achieved 8^th place in the Phoenix Cup Triples 701. Overall, Thailand had limited success at the 2011 ADA Tour and maybe if they had brought along a women’s team too, they might have improved the Kingdom’s regional ranking.

After the last Soft Darts World Championship, out of 112 possible places, Thailand stands as follows: Watanyu Charoonroj ranks 9^th, Thanawat Gaweenuntavong 11^th, Attapol Eupakaree 39^th, Natthakhom Daochan-ngam 56^th, Viriya Jumjod 87^th, and Sunthit Berananda 112^th.

Things are a bit brighter here in Bangkok, where both expatriates and locals have gathered together around the Darts Thailand Club to indulge in their love of darts, beer and beautiful women.

Johnny Witkowski, a 55 years old American who has been playing darts for 41 years (twelve of which in Thailand), is the current organizer of the club. Together with Keiran Browne and Jayke O’Reilly, he has set up a web portal which provides detailed information on the games, standings, and schedules of the club games. Still, Johnny noted that “Darts Thailand is an independent darts news source and not an official darts association or organization. Darts Thailand is all about promoting people having fun playing darts – getting darts players together for events – especially at the basic newer player level.”

Through Darts Thailand, Bangkok boasts a number of different leagues and divisions which play three times a week:

Tuesday LSDL (Lower Sukhumvit Darts League) is basically the “fun league” designed for new to intermediate players and, as the name describes, is limited to host bars within the lower Sukhumvit area. Currently there are two divisions dividing the levels of play.

Thursday BIDL (Bangkok International Darts League) is open to all players and now has some of Thailand’s top ranked players. It is a more serious league with two divisions dividing the levels of play. This league continues to invite more of the large Thai enterprises with darts clubs such as the addition of Thai Airlines in the current season.

Friday BMDL (Bangkok MickeyMouse Darts League) is not so serious, as the name describes, but its members put up the most competitive darts games. This game does not involve the mathematics required in the “01” games and, as a result, more new players are willing to give darts a go in this league.

The best part is that the total cost to players is zero baht. It is the same for the host bar! Bangkok darts leagues are structured to benefit the player as well as the bar that hosts a darts team. Operational and administrative costs are covered by league sponsors which today, in Bangkok leagues, are primarily the Thailand Darts Association and a few host venues that can be seen on each league’s webpage. The number of minimum players per team is kept intentionally low to allow as many host venues to participate in any or all leagues.

Still, you will need a set of darts! We recommend Darts Supplies which sells precision darts sets, including three darts made of 90% tungsten, at 1.000 baht. Or, you could always get your darts from Tesco!

“Darts for the majority of players around the world is all about socializing with people from all walks of life not only at the oche (darts throw line) but in socializing interaction before, during and after match play,” confessed Johnny Witkowski.

The Thailand Darts Association is the official darts organization recognized and registered with the Thai government and its president is Mr. Vichai Govindani.

Photographs courtesy of Gary Dale Cearley.

Originally published in “Bangkok Trader” (Vol. 5, No.9, September 2011)