Foreign Correspondants Club

[vvvnow]

I have ben advised by more than one person (in fact 2 whole living breathing people) to join the Foreign Correspondants Club when I begin work in Bangkok, for a good start on business and decent social contacts (not to put down the indecent social contacts I expect to make, probably on the order of 10 or 20 times the number of decent ones, but I digress...)

Anyone belong to, know about, despise, etc. the Foreign Correspondants Club in Bangkok?

As a follow up, how about the British Society/Club?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

In my view the British Club is the better. Very clubby ...owns its own premises. Lovely facilities.

[bangkok-bob]

I'd like to join the BritClub, but the huge fees are prohibitive.

[tomy]

I'd like to join the BritClub, but the huge fees are prohibitive

another farang rip-off another farang in a foreign land

[monitorlizard]

I am not a member of the Brits Club but I have to agree that it is nice. I would have joined but I heard they are ripping out the grass tennis courts. A real shame in my opinion. The pub looks nice.

However, there is a way to reduce the fees for those married couples with a wife that is under 30. People under 30 are given a reduced rate. So, I imagine one could put the membership under the wife's name and join. No mention that BOTH have to be under 30.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Are they cutting down the geriatric influence ? I heard they were thinking of changing the name to Club Dead ( j/k )

[vvvnow]

So no-one knows diddly around here about the Foreign Correspondants Club? Thanks for the info on the Brit Club...

[dr_Pat_Pong]

FCC membership is primarily made up of journo's. Journo's are none too timid about taking a mild shandy on a hot day

[Pablo H]

vvvnow,

I could be wrong, but I could be right. To contact the FCC try this tel no: 02-630 0043. The address as far as I know is FCCT, Penthouse, Maneeya Centre Building, 518/5 Th Ploenchit. Thats just down the road from the Erawan Shrine, heading east towards Soi Lang Suan. It's been a long time, so I advise you call them first to confirm that they are still there.

[loburt]

Most members of the FCC are in fact NOT journalists. I'm a member. All are welcome and memberships are not that expensive. The FCC can sometimes be a great place to meet, and other times it's as dead as a door nail. No way to predict.

Socially, the best nights are Friday nights. The bar has a generally interesting mix of journos and non-journos. The music alternates weekly between a jazz group called The Rol Trio, which is excellent, and a pianist named Bob who is extremely talented but at times seems to be stoned out of his mind and goes off on weird, esperimental musical tangents that are grating and annoying. They should tell that guy to shape up or get rid of him.

The other good nights are program nights. Generally Wednesdays, but sometimes other nights also. If it's an interesting topic with interesting panel members, then the club is packed. And frankly, for interesting discussions on what's going on in Thailand and the region, it can't be beat.

If you become a member then they e-mail you a weekly bulletin letting you know what programs and events are coming up.

Yes, they are still in the penthouse of the Maneeya building. And it's possible to stop by one evening and check it out without being a member yet to decide if you might like to join. The atmosphere is very casual.

Hope you join.

[bapak]

See their website at: http://www.fccthai.com/

Bapak

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Most members of the FCC are in fact NOT journalists.

I stand corrected Loburt. My sketchy knowledge of the club goes back to the time when it was at the Dusit Thani Hotel ( a long time ago ) it seemed to have a lot of journo's in those days.

[Art]

I found this 2003 thread through a search and I thought it worthwhile enough to bump up so others could read it.

I have been a member of FCCT for a year and find the club very worthwhile for the reasons expressed in this thread. It's correctly stated above that most members are not journalists. The clubhouse is on the top floor (Penthouse) of Maneeya Center, which is connected to the Skytrain Chit Lom station by a Skybridge.

Famous people who have recently spoken before the FCCT include Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Hans Blix, former United Nations chief weapons inspector for Iraq, Shirin Ebadi, Nobel peace laureate. Rupert Everett, actor and activist, Tom Ridge, director of the U.S. Homeland Security Department, Xanana Gusmao, president of East Timor, and The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a former US Presidential candidate.

The web site is at: http://www.fccthai.com and you can click at the bottom of the home page for the weekly schedule. The phone number is 02-652-0580-1.

Art

[Rinrada]

And for Visa runners looking for a change in P.P.there is also the......

...The FCC Cambodia

which is located down by Siso-w q.....

No charge to use the bar /have a meal.

I spent many happy evenings in there dodging things in 92-93

The FCC Story

The FCC story begins in June 1992 when a group of intrepid and inspired folk decided to share in Cambodia's redevelopment after years of suffering and sadness.

Combining sensitivity, style and design with a deep rooted understanding and appreciation of Cambodia's unique and magical past, Indochina Assets Limited — the FCC's holding company — prides itself in welcoming dignatories, celebrities and numerous travelers and local patrons to its establishments.

http://www.fcccambodia.com/

[udon]

You could join the GOM club, it's free to join and you just have to be a grumpy old man, 55+ like moi.

We meet every nite in a dif gogo bar.......

[OldAsiaHand]

I was a member of the FCCT for eight or nine years and there was indeed a time when it was a significant organization here. As Thailand became less and less important on the world stage, however, the quality of the membership went downhill fast.

Worse, the few real press members left in the club (who under its rules are the only people eligible to be officers) started squabbling among themselves and factional rivalries sprung up that pretty much ruined the place. There were more coups and counter-coups (with staff being fired and rehired each time) than I can really remember. I'm no long a member myself and few of the other old hands I once saw there are members any longer either. The third-rate so-called 'correspondents' who ended up running the place are like the nitwits who take over condominium boards so they will have someplace to throw their (light) weight around. I'd advise you to give it a miss.

[loburt]

I was a member of the FCCT for eight or nine years and there was indeed a time when it was a significant organization here. As Thailand became less and less important on the world stage, however, the quality of the membership went downhill fast.

Worse, the few real press members left in the club (who under its rules are the only people eligible to be officers) started squabbling among themselves and factional rivalries sprung up that pretty much ruined the place. There were more coups and counter-coups (with staff being fired and rehired each time) than I can really remember.  I'm no long a member myself and few of the other old hands I once saw there are members any longer either. The third-rate so-called 'correspondents' who ended up running the place are like the nitwits who take over condominium boards so they will have someplace to throw their (light) weight around. I'd advise you to give it a miss.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, I think your knowledge of the club is out of date. True, there were a few years there when things were going badly, as you mentioned. But those days are over. There's new leadership, people are working together and the atmosphere is much improved.

The top few positions such as President, VP, etc. are only open to journalists. But other officer positions, such as director of membership, publicity, etc., are open to all.

As for the quality of the membership, it's pretty high. If you look at the directory you will many prominent names, aside from some very fun people. It's still the most vibrant correspondent's club in the region.

[camerata]

I have ben advised by more than one person (in fact 2 whole living breathing people) to join the Foreign Correspondants Club when I begin work in Bangkok, for a good start on business and decent social contacts (not to put down the indecent social contacts I expect to make, probably on the order of 10 or 20 times the number of decent ones, but I digress...)

For good business contacts, you'd be better off joining the American, Brit or Aussie chambers of commerce. They all have regular networking events.

[alaina]

Only been there once for an art show. The opening of the show brought lots of people who had never been there before, mostly friends of the artists.

While we were chatting with each other and meeting friends of friends, the feeling of the place was not great. It seemed like the regulars of the place greatly resented our intrusion and were not friendly.

It would be great to have a place to meet some decent foreigners, but I couldn't get out of this place fast enough.

Just IMHO.

[Butterfly]

After the Elite card, and the ThaiVisa Card, why not a ThaiVisa Gentlemen Club

[bkkmadness]

After the Elite card, and the ThaiVisa Card, why not a ThaiVisa Gentlemen Club 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We'll need to find some gentlemen first.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

An impossible dream

[HarryHacker]

..the thought of joining a club made up of some of the Farang gutter journalists that reside here in Thailand would make me

[camerata]

After the Elite card, and the ThaiVisa Card, why not a ThaiVisa Gentlemen Club 

We'll need to find some gentlemen first.

Some years ago Bangkok had the International Businessmen's Association which used to meet in a room above the Moonshine Bar in Soi Cowboy. The problem was many members arrived already well lubricated and on one memorable night when a feminist from Empower gave a talk on prostitution the meeting almost disintegrated into fisticuffs.