Royal Bangkok Sports Club

[lambous]

Hey everyone,

Anyone a member of the RBSC? Is it value at 10,000 B's per year? How many visitors are you allowed to bring? What are the drink pices like? Do you have to pay any additional green fees to play gold, lawn bowls , watch horseracing etc. decent gym there? I don't know anybody who is a member there at present, will this be a problem? any feedback would be much appreciated.

[p_brownstone]

Hey everyone,

Anyone a member of the RBSC? Is it value at 10,000 B's per year? How many visitors are you allowed to bring? What are the drink pices like? Do you have to pay any additional green fees to play gold, lawn bowls , watch horseracing etc. decent gym there? I don't know anybody who is a member there at present, will this be a problem? any feedback would be much appreciated.

I have been a Member for over 30 years and it is excellent value.

Unfortunately you will have no chance of joining - the waiting list is closed.

You can apply to join the Polo Club - with premises in Soi Polo off Wireless Road - which is a subsidiary of the RBSC but I have no idea how long the waiting list is there, or how much it would cost you in Entrance Fees and Subscriptions.

Facilities there are good too but there is no Golf or racing and as a Member of the Polo Club you cannot use the facilities at the RBSC.

Patrick

[thaihome]

Hey everyone,

Anyone a member of the RBSC? Is it value at 10,000 B's per year? How many visitors are you allowed to bring? What are the drink pices like? Do you have to pay any additional green fees to play gold, lawn bowls , watch horseracing etc. decent gym there? I don't know anybody who is a member there at present, will this be a problem? any feedback would be much appreciated.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Are you being asked to join? I always assumed it was somewhat exclusive. 10K a year sounds pretty low. I would have thought it was several 100K.

I have been there with a member a couple of times. The golf course is interesting and I had fun playing it. It is certainly convenient. Can’t say it is exactly plush. The member I knew (unmarried middle age American-Chinese) very much enjoyed belonging and it was important part of his social life.

TH

[_Echinochloa_]

I think the Polo-Club is Baht20,000 per year.

[p_brownstone]

Hey everyone,

Anyone a member of the RBSC? Is it value at 10,000 B's per year? How many visitors are you allowed to bring? What are the drink pices like? Do you have to pay any additional green fees to play gold, lawn bowls , watch horseracing etc. decent gym there? I don't know anybody who is a member there at present, will this be a problem? any feedback would be much appreciated.

Are you being asked to join? I always assumed it was somewhat exclusive. 10K a year sounds pretty low. I would have thought it was several 100K.

I have been there with a member a couple of times. The golf course is interesting and I had fun playing it. It is certainly convenient. Can’t say it is exactly plush. The member I knew (unmarried middle age American-Chinese) very much enjoyed belonging and it was important part of his social life.

TH

Actually if you are a Resident of Thailand - Thai or Farang - your friend is breaking the rules by introducing you as a Guest and allowing you to use the Sports facilities.

Residents of Thailand may only be introduced as Guests for Lunch or Dinner.

There can be quite serious repercussions if a Member breaches this rule - particularly if Guests are introduced to play Golf or swim.

Patrick

[thaihome]

Actually if you are a Resident of Thailand - Thai or Farang - your friend is breaking the rules by introducing you as a Guest and allowing you to use the Sports facilities.

Residents of Thailand may only be introduced as Guests for Lunch or Dinner.

There can be quite serious repercussions if a Member breaches this rule - particularly if Guests are introduced to play Golf or swim.

Patrick

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My friend understands the rule is he can invite Foreigners (even if resident) but not Thai citizens. this was a couple of years ago, so maybe they have recently changed it to residents cannot be guests.

TH

[ProfessorFart]

You should be asking 'do I want to be a member of such an outdated establishment'?

Sounds stuck in the 1890's to me. Do Gentlemen have to wear spats whilst on the Links every Friday and Monday?

[p_brownstone]

You should be asking 'do I want to be a member of such an outdated establishment'?

Sounds stuck in the 1890's to me. Do Gentlemen have to wear spats whilst on the Links every Friday and Monday?

Sour Grapes Professor?

It would have been far more humourous had you quoted Grouch Marks:

"I would not join any Club which would have me as a Member"

Patrick

[p_brownstone]

Actually if you are a Resident of Thailand - Thai or Farang - your friend is breaking the rules by introducing you as a Guest and allowing you to use the Sports facilities.

Residents of Thailand may only be introduced as Guests for Lunch or Dinner.

There can be quite serious repercussions if a Member breaches this rule - particularly if Guests are introduced to play Golf or swim.

Patrick

My friend understands the rule is he can invite Foreigners (even if resident) but not Thai citizens. this was a couple of years ago, so maybe they have recently changed it to residents cannot be guests.

TH

The Rule - which has, so far as I know, has remained unchanged since I became a member - states "Residents of Thailand", specifically to encompass Foreigners and Thais.

Though obviously it's much easier for the management to identify a Thai as a non-member than it is to suss out a Farang resident of Thailand who visits as a Guest only occasionally!

My own status was actually questioned by a busybody "Khun Nai" type while I was playing Golf there just a few weeks ago - it was quite a pleasure to shoot her down by stating that I had been a Member far longer than she had.

(Actually Ladies are not "Members" per se, they have the status of "Ladies Privilege" and cannot vote or introduce Guests - something which irritates my daughter who recently had to join as an individual when she reached the age of 21)

Patrick

Edited January 12, 2005 by p_brownstone

[ProfessorFart]

No sour grapes at all here Patrick. I just see no place for exclusivity and snobbery in the modern World. Pointless and outdated.

[boris]

No sour grapes at all here Patrick. I just see no place for exclusivity and snobbery in the modern World. Pointless and outdated.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have been a member of RBSC for 15 years.Although it has a reputation for being hi-so, there is in practice very little snobbery and far fewer khun nai types around than one might have imagined.In fact I get the impression the majority of members are decent middle class Thais, not all well off by any means.I rather liked its old fashioned down at heels quality but this is changing with the current updating.The rather tired joke is that RBSC is for old money and the Polo Club for new money, although RBSC members also have use of Polo Club facilities.The food quality has been rather poor but with the new facilities opening, I hope this will improve.P_brownstone is completely correct in his interpretation of guest rules.

I pay no heed to PF's comments, just another example of english lower middle class chippiness.In any case the chances of him (or any one of his type) being elected a member are about the same as me being decapitated by an errant frisbee.

[chuchok]

Try the British Club .Excellent facilities and you can bring a dark skinned Thai national as a guest and nobody will look sideways at you...no geegees though.

[boris]

Try the British Club .Excellent facilities and you can bring a dark skinned Thai national as a guest and nobody will look sideways at you...no geegees though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As it happens I'm a member (very recent) of the British Club as well.Actually there is a very real problem in bringing in Thai guests specifically to the Churchill Bar because of embarrassing comments from a small group of expatriates (fairly downmarket types with ugly adenoidal English regional accents) who seem to be permanently ensconced there.

Not sure what the "dark skinned" reference is to.

[chuchok]

Try the British Club .Excellent facilities and you can bring a dark skinned Thai national as a guest and nobody will look sideways at you...no geegees though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As it happens I'm a member (very recent) of the British Club as well.Actually there is a very real problem in bringing in Thai guests specifically to the Churchill Bar because of embarrassing comments from a small group of expatriates (fairly downmarket types with ugly adenoidal English regional accents) who seem to be permanently ensconced there.

Not sure what the "dark skinned" reference is to.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Really? I have never seen or heard this before. I hope you gave them the "excuse me, what are you referring to routine” People like that are not needed in any society.

I have been a guest there many times and found the food and the company very good.

As for the dark skinned comment, I was referring to Isaan lasses that are the brunt of many jokes on this forum.

[chuchok]

"ugly adenoidal English regional accents"

Like Liverpool and Birmingham?

[ProfessorFart]

Boris grows more trollish by the week........

[paulfr]

Isn't membership at the British Club some 60-70,000 Baht ?

Pretty pricey if you dont swim, squash or play tennis.

[palm]

>>There can be quite serious repercussions if a Member breaches this rule - particularly if Guests are introduced to play Golf or swim.

What do they do, spank you with a cummerbund?

[boris]

Boris grows more trollish by the week........

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Call it whatever you like but my comments were entirely accurate as any observer in the know would agree.Let me put it very simply for bears of little brain.All clubs are exclusive to some extent.That is the whole point so that like minded individuals can join together.It doesn't matter whether it is Thai Visa,RBSC,a Yorkshire working man's club or MU supporters club.There are plenty of clubs that wouldn't have me as a member just as RBSC would never have someone like you.I don't get all chippy and class conscious about it, nor should you.

[ProfessorFart]

Whos getting class concious?

All I'm saying is that you're a troll looking for a rise with all this snobby crap!

[boris]

You should be asking 'do I want to be a member of such an outdated establishment'?

Sounds stuck in the 1890's to me. Do Gentlemen have to wear spats whilst on the Links every Friday and Monday?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Let me remind you of your initial contribution on the RBSC, an institution of which you know nothing.OK I admit teasing you a little but your response merited it.Just try and get over your chippiness.RBSC is exclusive but not snobbish, but whether it is or not is frankly irrelevant for someone based in vibrant multicultural Tottenham.Suggest on your trips to Thailand you stick to what you know best, Pattaya beer bars etc.

[ProfessorFart]

Lawks! Of course Squire! Your RSBC membership gives you exclusive knowledge of all things Thai, that a Comprehensive boy like me who goes to Pattaya can't hold a candle to.

Sorry Mr Boris Sir. I forgot my station for a while Guv'nor!

Edited January 16, 2005 by ProfessorFart

[boris]

Lawks! Of course Squire! Your RSBC membership gives you exclusive knowledge of all things Thai, that a Comprehensive boy like me who goes to Pattaya can't hold a candle to.

Sorry Mr Boris Sir. I forgot my station for a while Guv'nor!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually I don't feel superior to you or anyone else.All joking apart can't you see that your original comment reflected more on yourself than anything else?Think about it.

[hitzatak]

So... Am I allowed to bring my foreigner guest to Polo to use the gym? Do I need a pass? Pay anything?

[DonJuanDemarco]

I am so curious about these types of place. Do the members take turns manning the entrances to prevent the 'wrong types' of people from getting in or do they allow the wrong types to work as staff in order to keep the wrong types out? Who gets to decide who is member quality and why would someone who can afford the fees be considered not member quality?

[sorensen]

Time for a picture...taken from my balcony. ...and no, I am not a member.

[mrtoad]

I really can't see why people are getting all up tight about it. I have been a number of times for lunch and dinner, and always had a very pleasant time. I really didn't find it all snobbish, and it really is no different to any other private club that I have ever been in, or have been a member of. I believe that some overseas clubs have reciprocal rights, I know this is the case for Polo, maybe Patrick can confirm that. As for British Club, it's just an average members club IMO. However, if people have the spare cash to pay for the membership, why shouldn't they be able to enjoy it, without being called a snob? Just smacks of jealousy to me.

[rgs2001uk]

Are red shirts (kwam ching wan nee) de riguer or not?

[Arkady]

The waiting list at RBSC was completely cleared a couple of years ago. They had closed the list about 15 years earlier and had been admitting people from it in dribs and drabs, until they decided to clear the lot in one go. A friend of mine received a letter saying his application of 20 years earlier had now been approved and he was invited to come to a meeting with his spponsor and seconder. In the meantime, the new member fee had gone up to 1 million baht, his kids had grown up and moved abroad, he had moved out of Bangkok and his sponsor and seconder had both died. Although the demise of the latter didn't affect his admissability, he declined the offer as he and his family had no further use for the membership. I think the waiting list may have been reopened briefly at about the same time but is now closed again. Basically membership of RBSC is now hereditary and members' children can join automatically at 21. The only other way for outsiders to join is via a quota for high ranking officials to be invited to join by the General Committee. There seem to be very few of these invitations issued and nearly all the new crop of members join are sons and daughters of existing members. Nevertheless, there is a non-voting membership that is available to expats working Thailand which costs 125,000 baht plus VAT per year. There are quite a few non-voting members and it is quite easy to obtain this membership. They can use all the facilities of the RBSC and the Polo Club but they cannot introduce guests to play sports, vote or be on any committees. Until the 60s the British accounted for the majority of members of RBSC and its quaint customs and things like ladies' privileges reflect the culture of the British Raj before the Second World War. The reason there was a rule limiting any one nationality to a third of the General Committee (recently increased to 50%) was to avoid the accusation that the British dominated the running of the club. In the old days Chinese were only admitted as servants, something the rugger and cricket playing Siamese aristocrats amongst the membership were apparently as keen, if not more so, to enforce as the British. The British dominance at the club declined naturally in the 60s as British colonial and trading interests in SE Asia were diminished.

The British Club used to be a sort of drinking annex to RBSC. Only senior British expats were allowed to join the British club until the 60s and since they were all also members of the RBSC there was no need to have any sports facilities or a swimming pool, although I believe it had a tennis court since the early days because it acquired the land of a tennis club and merged with it. Nowadays there are virtually no restrictions and any Brit, Aussie, Kiwi or Canuck can join as long as they don't throw up or verbally abuse the chairman on new members' night. Aussie, Kiwis and Canucks are regarded as honorary Brits, whereas other Commonwealth nationals can only as non-voting members under nationality quotas. Membership could not be opened up to all Commonwealth nationals for fear of being overran by Indian Subcontinent nationals. As the club has struggled with declining membership in recent years it has been opened up more and more to non-voting membership. At the last count I think Thai non-voting members are allowed to account for 42% of the membership. Perhaps it will end up like RBSC as a hereditary club for Thais. A few years ago the British Club embarked upon a renovation campaign and decided somewhat bizarrely to demolish the charming colonial style bar and replace it with a hideous modern style restaurant with garish decoration and clunky furniture that can hardly be lifted. The bar was squeezed in a much smaller space where the restaurant had been. Much of the budget was paid to a crooked contractor who ran off without finishing his job, much of which had to be redone by some one else anyway. The motive for this ill fated renovation was unclear but the club is a somewhat less interesting place as a result. Although a few years have past since this thread was opened there is a still a group that occupies the bar most afternoons and evenings in varying states of inebriation and sometimes collapse. Most of the newer members, particularly the Thais, don't want to take the chance of nasty looks or remarks and go to the garish new restaurant instead, which at least ensures that some one uses it. Those who have complained about the behaviour of this group have sometimes received threats of violence outside the club, although these are probably not to be taken seriously.

In spite of all I enjoy my infrequent visits to both these clubs and the colonial atmosphere they inspire. This atmosphere is somewhat less as a result of recent renovations at both clubs. However, at least the renovation at RBSC is elegant and functional, whereas the renovation at the British Club is hideous and served no practical purpose except for the lining of the contractor's pocket.

[p_brownstone]

Excellent Summary by Arkady; at least about the RBSC - don't know about the British Club.

I would only add that the reason there was a rush of New Members accepted a few years ago was because the Entry Fee went up significantly - to Baht 1,000,000.- (it's now Baht 1,500.00.- for a New Member).

At that time the Waiting List was full, but a lot of those on the List withdrew their applications - many had been on for years and decided that they were too old or no longer interested, so paying so much for a Sports Club membership was not worthwhile.

I don't know how many Applicants withdrew but it meant that the Waiting List had vacancies so it was re-opened VERY briefly. The available slots were quickly filled and the List is again closed.

Most New Members are the sons and daughters of existing Members who are accepted when they reach the age of 21 - however only the children of those who have been Members before a certain date are accepted automatically (can't recall the date exactly - somewhere in the '80's I believe). Offspring of newer Members are only put on the Waitng List - they may also be made Members of the Polo Club but I'm not sure about that.

Every month there are a small number of Applicants taken from the Waiting List and accepted as Members, there are also a number of people who are transferred from the Polo Club each month, again fairly few, but I have no idea how the Quotas are arrived at.

And yes, Ladies are not full Members - they are called "Ladies Privileges" and have no Voting rights - something that intensly irritates my 25 year old daughter - than God she's in London and never here for an AGM - her comments would possibly get us both banned!

Patrick

Edited September 17, 2009 by p_brownstone