Cricket Association Of Thailand

In a country where football, Muay Thai, tennis, and golf have high visibility, it may be surprising to note that cricket has been played recreationally since 1890, the era of King Chulalongkorn, Rama V, both in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. It became organized as a competitive sport with the formation of the Thailand Cricket League (TCL) in 1971. It has expanded from an initial six Bangkok teams to a present 19 teams playing in three divisions; and from time to time, since the 1980s, including a team from Chiang Mai. Adult cricket is now being played not only in Bangkok and Chiang Mai but also in Khon Kaen, Hua Hin, Easter Seaboard, and more recently in Phuket. In 2004, with the blessing of the Sports Authority of Thailand, the TCL has renamed the Cricket Association of Thailand.