딸과 함께한 아버지 칠순,
파타야 18홀의 감동 A Daughter's 70th Gift,
Father's 18 Holes in Pattaya ของขวัญวันเกิด 70 ปีจากลูกสาว,
18 หลุมที่พัทยากับคุณพ่อ

✈️ Prologue: The Impossible '3+1' Puzzle

Back in Korea, I was stressing over planning my father's 70th birthday trip. Our family is... unique. My father, myself (the daughter), and my husband (son-in-law) are all 'golf addicts' who hit the course every weekend. But my mother has never even held a golf club and prefers quiet relaxation.

"It's Dad's 70th, we can't just play golf for 3 days straight in Pattaya. What about Mom?", "But if we give up golf, Dad will be so disappointed..." 3 golfers and 1 non-golfer. This '3+1' combination seemed an unsolvable puzzle.

I stumbled upon the name 'SapaiThai' while searching online. "Thai local experts," "Custom consulting" caught my eye. Half-doubting, I sent an email: "Uh... I have this family of 4... is a trip even possible?"

SapaiThai Wrote a Scenario for 'All Four'

The next day, the reply from SapaiThai wasn't just a quote. It was a 'scenario'.

"J*E-nim, this can be the perfect trip for all four! We'll split into a 'Golf Team of 3' (Father, You, Husband) and a 'Healing Team of 1' (Mother). The golfers can bond—father-in-law & son-in-law, father & daughter, husband & wife—over 18 holes. At the same time, your mother can enjoy the most relaxing 'Mother-Daughter Healing Day'. Then, everyone meets for the grand finale dinner!"

I got goosebumps. SapaiThai booked a seemingly impossible 3-person, prime-time tee time at 'Siam Country Club Old Course' and arranged a 'private van with driver' for 4 people + 3 golf bags. And for my mother, they booked a 4-hour package at the 'Oasis Spa' and 'Afternoon Tea at the InterContinental' for the exact same time.

🚨 Incident: "Mom's Passport Expiry Date...!"

Two weeks before departure, I screamed at 10 PM. I discovered my mother's passport was expiring in 5 months! (You usually need 6+). My mind went blank. Even with an emergency passport, would we make it?

I tearfully contacted SapaiThai in the middle of the night. "What do we do? I think we have to cancel..." 10 minutes later, a calm reply came. "J*E-nim, stay calm. Thailand often allows entry if the passport is valid for the 'entire duration of the trip', even if it's under 6 months. I am checking the boarding rules for your airline (Thai Airways) with our local partners right now."

That night, SapaiThai confirmed an internal guideline from the airline that 'boarding is permitted with a confirmed return ticket'. This wasn't just a booking agent. This was a partner who was 'sharing responsibility' for our trip.

⛳ That Day's 18 Holes: Father, Son-in-Law, and Daughter

After all that, we made it to Pattaya, and to 'Siam Country Club'. Standing there with my father and husband was surreal. Three caddies were assigned, and the three of us hit our first tee shots onto the perfect fairway.

My father's shots were especially crisp. "Dad, nice shot!", "Oh! My son-in-law has improved!", "J*E, you're better than a son!" My father's laughter filled the course. My husband was beaming, getting tips from his father-in-law.

At the 14th hole, a par 3, my ball landed 3 feet from the cup. My father patted my shoulder and said to my husband, "See that? That's my daughter." The photo my husband took of us (this post's main image) captures all the happiness of that day.

💆‍♀️ Same Time: Mom's 'Most Perfect Day'

While we were sweating, what was my mother doing? A private van took her to 'Oasis Spa', where she was treated like a queen for 4 hours.

As our round was ending, a photo arrived in our family chat. "I'm in heaven. Take your time." It was a selfie of my mother, holding a champagne glass with the sea behind her. The three of us saw it and cheered, clinking our cold beers at the clubhouse. A perfect victory.

"On my 70th, with my daughter who plays golf and my good son-in-law..."

On the evening of our last day, we went to 'The Glass House' restaurant, which SapaiThai had recommended as "the perfect place to celebrate the 70th for all four of you." Dinner right on the beach, watching the sunset, was like a movie.

When the small celebration cake, pre-requested by SapaiThai, arrived, my usually stoic father raised his wine glass and looked at my husband and me. "On my 70th, to come play golf with my daughter who plays and my good son-in-law... it feels like a dream. My daughter, my son-in-law, you are the best! 💖"

At those words, all the stress from the past months and the passport panic melted away. My mother chimed in, "The spa was a thousand times better than golf!" and we all burst out laughing.

Epilogue: A 'Masterpiece' More Than Just a Trip

In the airport van on the way back, my father and husband were already planning their next 'match' at a 'Chiang Mai' golf course. My mother laughed and joked, "We're going to that spa again next time. Your treat."

Thanks to SapaiThai, I had the most fulfilling trip, both as a 'daughter' and a 'wife'. Thank you sincerely to the SapaiThai team for calmly solving a crisis and for making all four of us so completely happy.