There is no doubt that, ever since their invention, people have always had an affinity towards firearms and with the large variety of non-military-grade weapons now available for purchase through the internet, it’s very easy to come into possession of a pistol or a rifle, either manual load or automatic. Of course, laws vary widely from country to country, with some countries making it rather difficult for their citizens to obtain the possession of guns for either self-defense, or target shooting or even hunting whereas, in other countries, it is just as easy to get a gun as it is to get a driver’s license.
Things are pretty clear in Thailand with regards to owning a gun. If you are a Thai national and meet all the conditions required by law – which basically comes down to being a citizen in good standing and in the possession of some noticeable wealth – then you can get a new Glock or a Beretta for up to one hundred thousand baht (or less than half of that for a second hand model). I have personally never heard of any foreigner who legally owns a gun in Thailand, but it seems to be the custom for a foreign man who is married to a Thai woman to have the gun legally registered in their wife’s name.
Since hunting is mostly illegal in Thailand and practically reserved to the very higher echelons of Thai society, then the only reason why you’d want to have a gun in Thailand would be to protect your home, your family and yourself (special permits are needed to actually carry the gun in public) or to use it for target shooting sport. However, since the risks of owning and keeping a gun at home are high and the costs of buying a decent quality pistol or rifle are enormous when compared to Western standards, you’re better off not getting one at all.
If you’re worried about home security, then there are far easier ways to make sure you won’t lose your property. Home alarm systems, CCTV cameras and not to mention the obvious government-ensured public banks are just a few ways to make sure your money won’t leave your pockets. If you’re passionate about target sports and want to keep up with your shooting skills, then you can easily visit a gun range (some are even run by the Thai military), but be prepared to fork out a fair few thousand baht for gun rental and live bullet ammunition at those locations.
Or, even better than a local shooting club, forget about playing the lone 007 act, just call up all your friends and go to a paintball or BB gun field where you can put on military style fatigues, paint your face for camouflage, and be the Rambo you always wanted to be. It’s much safer and, without a doubt, far more fun! If you live in Bangkok and don’t feel like driving all the way to Pattaya or Hua Hin for your dose of war games, then Combat Zone is the place for you.
Sattawit Hanmatheekuna, the owner and manager of Combat Zone, has been involved in various shooting sports for over twenty years. “I fell in love with paintball a very long time ago when I first tried it out in Pattaya,” he remembers. Claiming to be the “best international paintball and BB gun field in Thailand,” Combat Zone is even recommended by TAT (Tourist Authority of Thailand) as an adventure activity one should undertake while staying in Bangkok.
In the many years that they’ve been operating, Combat Zone has managed to build a good reputation for both safety and entertainment. The protection masks they use are especially made for paintball and are of the very same brand-name that the aficionados of the game also use in the United States. Moreover, the masks are light, cover the player’s entire face and prevent moisture from forming up inside the mask, thus they avoid fogging up the visor.
Referring to the kinds of paintball guns used at Combat Zone, Khun Sattawit explained that they “use the Tippmann Model 98 Paintball Gun which is produced in the United States. It gives players the feeling of being in a real fighting situation with its semi-automatic system. You can continually shoot without having to pump the gun to reload.”
Paintball can also be a great family activity and since even children aged just 8 or older can join in the fun, no one will be left out. Apart from foreigners on vacation, many Thais are also keen to participate in the “survival games” and competitions that are organized at Combat Zone.
The costs involved reflect the quality and the quantity of the ammunition. For a full paintball package you pay 350 baht (100 balls included) and every time you want to recharge, you fork out 150 baht for each batch of 100 balls. Since the paintball guns are semi-automatic, you can run out of ammo pretty fast – so aim carefully before you pull the trigger!
If you prefer chasing your friends with a BB gun in your hands, then it would cost you 150 baht for a round (200 baht at night) plus an extra 200 baht for a pack of 4000 balls. Once again, the longer you keep your finger on the trigger, the faster you “lose” the “bullets.
Combat Zone has two fields in the Thai capital and you can shoot paintball and BB guns at both of them. The fields stay open every day of the week until late in the night so you can easily avoid Bangkok’s daytime heat and you can also engage in this fun activity even if you work until late in the evening.
The first field is across from Seacon Square on Srinakarin Road 40 (Soi Suppaphong 3/8). If you need more information, check out their website or contact them via email at cz62[at]hotmail[dot]com or by phone on: 089-7713354.
The other field is in the Kaset-Nawamin Road area on Soi Pho Kaeo 3 Yaek 7. Visit their website and use their Google map to find the place or contact them at combat132508[at]gmail[dot]com. In case you get lost on the way, you can call them on 082-6315888.
