Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO of the Asian Tour visits a school in Thailand with the donation. Asian Tour

As Miguel Tabuena shot a brilliant eight-under 64 at the International Series Thailand to take the early Round 1 lead, Asian Tour commissioner and CEO Cho Minn Thant was busy behind the scenes with his charity cap on.

The International Series has once again chosen the Bright Dawn Foundation to be the benefactor of its CSR initiative in Thailand as competition got under way at Black Mountain Golf Club.

The Thai children’s charity has now received $50,000 from The International Series, which launched in Thailand in 2022, with this year’s cheque handed over by Cho.

Bright Dawn’s mission is to improve the lives of low-income Thai children around rural Hua Hin through the provision of healthcare and educational support to the primary schools they attend.

Donny Nimmo, CEO, Bright Dawn Foundation, said: “Our gratitude towards everyone involved in selecting us as beneficiaries cannot be overstated – this is a significant sum that will vastly improve the lives of the children in our care. Getting this money from the Asian Tour is honestly a godsend.”

Set up 13 years ago, the charity now supports 700 children across five schools. This week’s donation of US$25,000 will support ongoing healthcare and education programmes, including annual medicals and provision of eye tests and glasses to those who need them.

Nimmo added: “We are looking more at agriculture, cradle to grave, with market gardens and a fishpond. They grow fruit and vegetables, which the kids see the lifespan of from planting through to being served in the school canteens. Anything we think can be used as a practical vocational skill.”

Committed to the communities of the places it visits, The International Series’ CSR initiative offers US$25,000 to a broad range of initiatives targeting education, environmental sustainability, golf development programmes, and the well-being of communities in the short and long term.

The series will visit a further seven countries following Thailand, with its aim to donate to local causes to help further the development of each region.

Cho said: “It’s hugely important for us at the Asian Tour and The International Series to be able to contribute to the communities that support us.

“The Asian Tour has been coming to Black Mountain for the last decade. In fact the first tournament here was in 2009. We visit Hua Hin on a regular basis. We have several tournaments per year here, we host qualifying school here and to give back to the community that supports us so much over the years is fantastic.

“It’s really good for us to visit the school and see what they do with our own two eyes. To see the kids in the school in the playground, learning how to use computers, seeing the facilities that have been provided through the Bright Dawn Foundation is remarkable. It’s a great initiative and it’s great for us to be here.”