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The Horseshoe Point Resort and Country Club located just some 10 km from central Pattaya is an estate whose boundaries encompass over 530 hectares of land (for those of you unfamiliar with this unit of measurement, let’s just say it is one ‘hectare’ of a lot).
A weekend spent there as part of the ‘Y4Y’ music festival gave us a chance to explore this oasis of peace and tranquillity, not that far from the maddening (yes, we do know it is actually ‘madding’) crowd.
Within the grounds is a boutique style hotel and a ‘ranch’ of some 30 hectares, plus the ‘Three Kingdom s Theme Park’ which we shall return to later.
Within the same building as the hotel is an indoor arena used for horseshow displays and there are several other such show grounds scattered around the ranch, plus stabling for several hundred horses.
These stable areas are kept as several small units allowing ample space for each horse and several paddock areas are also set aside to permit grazing and exercise.
Amongst the activities on offer are horse riding (naturally) including instruction in dressage, trail riding, jumping and polo (the Siam Polo Park is adjacent).
 Special attention is given to children’s riding with special pony club activities provided every Sunday morning.
To explore these grounds cycles may be hired or one may just wander on f oot admiring the tranquillity afforded and the variety of flora and fauna inhabiting the shaded paths.
After a healthy but warming walk, visitors may then relax in the hotel swimming pool or with a cooling drink at the poolside bar and restaurant.
Fuller meals including an excellent buffet breakfast are provided in the main restaurant overlooking on one side the arena and on the other the pool.
The whole estate although open to the public is still privately owned and managed by the Srifuengfung family whose heritage of Chinese-Thai descent can be seen throught the estate and particularly in the aforementioned ‘Three Kingdoms Theme Park’.
This was constructed by the current generation of the family as a tribute and memorial to their father, the late Mr Kiarti Srifuengfung.
Mr (Khun) Kiarti born in Thailand of mixed Thai and Chinese parents was a totally self made businessman rising from a hauler of rice sacks to become one of the founders of the Bangkok Metropolitan Bank as well as the creator of one of Thailand’s largest glass making companies – a full life not least part of which was flying with the U.S. Air Force ‘Flying Tigers’ during the 2nd World War.
His last wish was that a memorial should be built that would allow others to understand and appreciate aspects of Buddhism, Thai and  Chinese culture and philosophy.
The park consists of one large pagoda in the centre of an arc plus two smaller pagodas at either end. Joining these buildings and forming the shape of the arc is a covered walkway.
Across the base of the arc runs another covered walkway with a back wall divided by a central gateway (the main entrance to the park).
Both parts of this back wall are covered from end to end in hand painted tiles .
These tell in pictures the story of the Three Kingdoms legend from Jianxi province of China, relating in the period from 220 to 280 AD the dynastic split that created them, the various wars and conquests between them and their eventual re-unification .
The tale is a popular Chinese epic and was originally compiled during the Ming dynasty by Luo Guan Zhong. It remains the greatest and best known Chinese classical novel.
The whole wall is in fact the world’s longest corridor of hand painted tiles.
The central pagoda is divided into four floors, the lowest level being dominated by a huge statue of Mr (Khun) Kiarti Srifuengfung down one side of which is reproduced his open letter to his descendants outlining his philosophy on life and his advice to them including words of wisdom such as “Work with what you have and when you have made enough, work to give it back to the society and country that gave it to you”.
On the second and third floors are a series of hand painted si lk panels depicting the life of Kong Ming otherwise known as Zhuge Liang the original ‘Hidden Dragon’ a great statesman, engineer and military strategist and the hero of the 3 kingdoms lege nd.
The top floor has an outside balcony from which a superb view of the whole park can be seen
The East Pagoda is called the Kuan Yin Pagoda and is dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy, Kuan Yin. A large statue of her, cast entirely of white marble is the central feature inside this tower and is a popular place of worship for visitors
The West Pagoda known as The Foundation Pagoda is dedicated to the Sirfuengfung foundation for charitable activities. Inside it can be found figures of 18 Chinese saints.
 Running between these end pagodas is a pathway which intersects with another leading from the entrance gate to the central pagoda. At their junction is a water feature in the shape of the Ying-Yang symbol with the two colours (black and white) being represented by two large stone balls each suspended on top of and rotated by a small water fountain.
On the right of the Kuan Yin Pagoda is the Shrine of Guan Yu, admired by many Thai and Chinese as the God of Honesty
Many other smaller statues and works of art are to be found in the grounds of the park, all representing the highest aesthetic values of some of the most creative and innovative artists in Asia today
In creating this park, the children of Khun Kiarti have certainly lived up to his exhortations and have truly given back to the society and country something that all can admire and be proud of.
Further information on the Horseshoe Point can be found at www.thehorseshoepoint.com and on the Three Kingdoms Theme Park at www.3kingdomspark.com
To view any of the above photos in full size, just click on it.
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