Hit the bullseye with Bangkok’s archery scene

Bangkok has a lot to offer in the activities available, and this is no different for the archery scene as well. The portrayal of the skilled archer whose precision is unmatched finds itself embedded in the movies and stories we consume.

The image of the archer, such as the precise William Tell, the eagle-eyed Legolas, the agile Katniss Everdeen, and the cunning Robin Hood, are settled within our minds as definitions of a great archer.

An ageless tool

As an ageless tool, the history of archery is widespread and encompasses a variety of cultures around the world. If a constant in the world is that as every nation has had its swords and doughnuts, then every nation has developed archery as well. With that, the earliest record of archery even predates civilisation as there are debates of whether it started around 10,000 years, 20,000 years, or even as far as 70,000 years ago!

On top of being an effective hunting tool that allowed humans to acquire game with less concern of physical danger, the bow also became an effective implement of war, which allowed you to hurt and kill someone without the need to get closer. As such, the bow was used to great effect in the steppes of Mongolia and the muddy fields of Agincourt, only to be taken over by firearms completely in the last 500 years.

Despite all that, the bow persists as many people in the world still use it, whether it would be the hunter who stalks his prey quietly, the steadfast Olympian hitting their mark, or the recreational archer who enjoys the satisfaction of hitting anything.

Bangkok also has its archery scene where various athletes and casual archers are involved in a community of precision and self-improvement. Aim and loose yourself as you propel yourself deeper into the world of archery in Bangkok!

Top 5 archery ranges in Bangkok

Become Robin hood with these best archery ranges in Bangkok!

1. Recurve Archery Club – RCA Club

Recurve archery involves the use of the recurve bow, a bow whose limbs are curved away from the archer when it is unstrung. Compared to a straight bow, whose limbs are straight when unstrung, recurve bows have more energy stored in each draw in a similar or smaller size.

Modern archery involves more use of recurve bows due to their higher power and accuracy, and the Recurve Archery Club (RCA Club) has it as their namesake.

With that, RCA Club offers an archery range for 1 hr for 300 baht, which includes the range (100 baht) and the equipment (200 baht). However, if you have never experienced archery, RCA Club offers 450 baht, which includes a trainer, range, and equipment altogether.

Despite the name, the range does not limit itself to recurve archery, where various forms of archery could be practised as well. Bringing your equipment is possible, and if you desire, there is a shop where various recurve, and compound bows (bows that utilise a cable and pulley system to bend the limbs), arrows, and parts are sold.

For a solid archery experience for both casual and professional archers, this range provides.

Address: 209 ซอยรามคำแหง21, รามคำแหง Wang Thonglang, Bangkok 10310

Opening Hours:

2. Teerabow Archery

Teerabow Archery is another solid pick for an archery range in Bangkok, as it serves as an option for archers who wish to have range time or aspiring competitors. Located near the Museum of Contemporary Arts in Chatuchak, the range offers a variety of options for packages and uses for the range as well.

To begin with, the range places greater emphasis on the development of the youth where there are courses for the beginner archers and onward for the aspiring competitor archer.

With that, it can be said confidently that this archery range is friendly for the casual archer, with friendly staff and a great environment.

The archery range provides recurve and compound bows, although users are encouraged to bring their bows as well. A variety of interesting bows and equipment will be seen there, but you should not fret as the bows they provide are high quality and maintained as well.

A special offering that Teerabow Archery provides is the ability to use the range during the “Night Shift,” where you could be shooting at targets between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM. Remember to book before using the range during this time.

With a solid range and friendly staff, this archery range is a definite must-try for archers in Bangkok.

Address: 94 Kamphaeng Phet 6 Rd, Lat Yao, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900

Opening Hours:

3. ArcheryThai

ArcheryThai serves as a storefront for some of the highest quality bows, arrows, and equipment you could find in Bangkok. The shop is located behind the Thailand Outdoor Shop and comes into two areas: the store and the range.

Inside the store, you will find a wide selection of products to buy, but if you want to avoid coming to the area to purchase them, you could order them online as well.

Regardless, the archery range can be rented out at a rate of 60 baht per hour, and if you are taking the equipment plus the range, it would be 200 baht per hour.

ArcheryThai offers training courses as well, with a discovery course for 1 hour at 380 baht for beginners dipping their toes into the archery water. From that, there will be an introductory training course and an archery bridge course for advanced archers who wish to train and improve their skills before the competition, at 4000 baht 5 times for a total of 10 hours. If you are averse to group training, then one-on-one coaching is possible at 500 baht.

ArcheryThai is a great venue in the emphasis on training that they offer; however, ArcheryThai also serves as a great store in which you can find high quality and brand new bows, arrows, and equipment as an amateur and far forward as a professional as well.

Address: QJHC+4FG, Lat Phrao 116 Alley, Khwaeng Phlabphla, แขวง วังทองหลาง Bangkok 10310

Opening Hours:

4. Rama 2 Archery

Embrace your inner Ramakien, and you embark on an epic of your own. Rama 2 Archery offers a nice venue to practice archery. At BB Stadium on the Rama 2 road, Rama 2 archery offers a great 30-metre range with friendly instructors that capture the engagement of the visitors.

Rama 2 archery has a greater focus on recurve bow archery, but you are still allowed to bring your equipment. There is also a store available where you are free to buy bows, arrows, and various equipment that you feel you are lacking or would like to upgrade.

This range offers a training course as well as access to the range and equipment, but there is a special feature that this venue offers. This speciality comes in the form of archery trap shooting, where you will shoot at clay pigeons launched across the air. This will test your precision intensely, along with your reflex and technique.

With that to offer, if you desire a great skill test alongside the controlled precision archery experience, Rama 2 archery at BB Stadium should be your destination.

Address: 67, 43/65-67 ซอย เทียนทอง 4 Samae Dam, Bang Khun Thian, Bangkok 10150

Opening Hours:

5. Siam Kyudo Kai

Archery is an art form, but the Japanese, as with most things, have taken this concept to a new extreme. Kyudo was born out of Kyujutsu, an art practised by samurai of feudal Japan, and currently is practised all over Japan and some places outside.

The philosophy behind Kyudo is more of a meditation, and this reflects the strict techniques that the practitioner must perform before and even after they loose the arrow. This contrasts with most other forms of archery, where in Kyudo, there is more emphasis on the moral and spiritual development of the practitioner, although accuracy and precision are becoming more prevalent today.

For those who wish to practice the strict yet meditative sport of Kyudo, Siam Kyudo Kai presents that option for you in Bangkok.

Being a Kyudo society in Bangkok, Siam Kyudo Kai differs from most clubs where it is more exclusive. The club has practice sessions every Sunday at the archery field at Huamark Stadium; however, one cannot participate until they have attended an “Open house” session that occurs once every two months.

Despite the difficulty, once you join this club, you will find yourself in a tight community of highly motivated Kyudo practitioners. Furthermore, you will find that your skills will grow as well as your spiritual health.

Address: Various locations (Check the website for addresses posted).

Opening Hours: Times depend on the events and occassions (Check the times attached with the events on the website).

Vigilance – Safety and precaution in archery

Some factors play a hand in archery, such as your physical fitness and the available equipment. While these two factors are malleable, there is one factor that should always remain solid, and that is your mindset. Archery is a sport in which danger is a lingering presence; thus, a solid foundation of vigilance should be the primary tool you bring to the range.

Some general rules of safety to follow in archery include and are not limited to not pointing a loaded bow at anything and anybody other than the target, keeping the loaded bow pointed downwards unless ready to shoot, and not drawing the bow until you are ready to shoot.

Furthermore, as enticing as it is to try, never dry fire a bow. Usually, when an arrow is loaded and shot, most of the energy is transferred into the arrow as it is launched. When dry-firing, meaning that no arrow is loaded when you shoot the bow, all of the energy is directed into the bow’s limbs, which would risk snapping. Although you may get away with it, you may not be lucky the next time.

With a solid foundation of vigilance being important, do not let it discourage you from enjoying archery. As long as you are following the instructor’s rules and not acting wildly with the bow, archery is a relatively safe sport. With that, the final rule to remember is to have fun!

Having trouble deciding what to do in Bangkok? Read HERE to see the top must-do activities here!