Thana City Country Club on Bang Na-Trat Road. The club's golf course opened 25 years ago.

BTS Group Holdings Plc has completed an investment of 1.2 billion baht to upgrade facilities at its affiliate Thana City Country Club by adding a hotel and enlarging the golf course, aimed at cashing in on high demand for recreational activities and business events.

Eastin Thana City Golf Resort Hotel is scheduled to open next month. The 194-room hotel will be managed by Eastin, part of Absolute Hotel Services Co, said Surapan Somthai, executive general manager of Thana City Country Club.

"The hotel is the first Eastin resort in Thailand that serves both sport lovers and holidaymakers," Mr Surapan said.

The hotel is the company's biggest investment since the golf course opened 25 years ago, spanning more than 2,000 rai along Bang Na-Trat Road. The property is owned by BTS Group Holdings, controlled by business leader Keeree Kanjanapas.

Mr Surapan said Thana City started investment and renovation plans five years ago and the work is complete. The investment includes enlargement of the golf course, adding a new sports club and the hotel.

The golf course has been enlarged from 6,800 to 7,008 yards, with new greens and tee boxes, and was landscaped to be more challenging for players.

Mr Surapan said the move aims to transform the focus of the property from a golf destination to an integrated facility for golf, sports, health, recreation, family time, business events and tourism.

"Located near Suvarnabhumi airport and having a high-speed train project linking the three airports [Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, U-tapao] in the future will bring great business opportunities for us," Mr Surapan said.

The megaprojects created under the Eastern Economic Corridor will promote business events such as meetings and exhibitions, which will benefit the company.

To cope with business events and travellers, the group is carrying out feasibility studies to build an exhibition hall project that may not be as big as Impact Muang Thong Thani, another property owned by BTS Group.

"This additional project is expected to be carried out in the next five years," Mr Surapan said.

For sports, the group will penetrate overseas markets, particularly by attracting golfers from China, Japan and South Korea, after renovating and adding facilities.

The new tennis courts will draw more foreign clients as groups of tennis players from Japan and South Korea camp at the club during December and January.

Meanwhile, Thana City is placing greater emphasis on families and sports-conscious people.

For the rest of the year, the company will concentrate on rebranding Thana City Golf and Sports Club as Thana City Country Club.

Thana City will hold three roadshows next year, up from one a year, targeting East Asia.