Gymkhana Club Chiang Mai 2012

[Mapguy]

What is going on at the Gymkhana Club?

I have heard that the board of directors/committee of the club asked for a special meeting called an "EGM." This is only done in case of some sort of emergency. Then, this "EGM" has been cancelled or postponed. I know a member or two, but they don't know what is going on.

So, does anyone know what is going on? Apparently the members have not ever really been told!!

[Loaded]

I think it was postponed because members didn't receive 30-days notice of the meeting

[Thailand]

I think it was postponed because members didn't receive 30-days notice of the meeting

Sort of takes the E out of EGM

[Mapguy]

How is Gymkhana doing these days? Current crises?! Condition of the golf course? Driving range situation? Cooking? Property taxes?

[Sao Jiang Mai]

I am afraid that I am letting the club down. Two three months ago I promised to set up a social sub committee but have been a bit too busy. Will try to get some more activities going next year when times free up. Financially we are OK, not bad. It is just a bit dead as we live off golf...and there is so much more to the club that we can work on. No idea about EGM.

[femi fan]

I am afraid that I am letting the club down. Two three months ago I promised to set up a social sub committee but have been a bit too busy. Will try to get some more activities going next year when times free up. Financially we are OK, not bad. It is just a bit dead as we live off golf...and there is so much more to the club that we can work on. No idea about EGM.

No, i'd not heard of any EGM either.

One idea for your social sub-committee if it gets off the ground would be for bowls or petanque to be put in. I know that was on the agenda a few years back but it didn't generate enough votes i don't think.

I've seen a lot more golfers this year than any previous year i've been here. Don't know if that is actually indicative of improved numbers or not. It also has a better vibe nowadays after the previous two warring chairmen are now not on the committee any more.

I hope the club made some good money from the balloon festival last weekend.

What ideas do you have for extra activities?

[uptheos]

One idea for your social sub-committee if it gets off the ground would be for bowls or petanque to be put in. I know that was on the agenda a few years back but it didn't generate enough votes i don't think.

I attended some meetings regarding the bowls and thought it was a good idea.......still do

I can't recall why the idea was dropped, as I think there would be enough interest.

[Loaded]

The restaurant serves good Thai food at very reasonable prices. However, the current set up within the inside dinning area doesn't encourage couples or small groups. There are only large Chinese-style revolving round tables. If the place was mine, I would knock through the wall connecting the billiards room, remove the billiards table and revamp the dinning area while retaining much of the original teak company era decoration. Without too much investment, it could be turned into quite an attractive restaurant "The Gymkhana".

[Sao Jiang Mai]

Greed about bowls and petenque. Was also thinking fun croquet days in winter. Also more evening events with wine tastings under the raintree or social Sudnays for the family - get a lovely lunch with some kiddyplay things and parents can sit and sip g+ts on the veranda. Thought we could do a monthly party for members and friends, get Rimping or Wine Gallery or someone to put on some stuff for some inexpensive tickets...You know, things! Also want to start thinking about renting grounds out for events, easy month if they use outside catering and staff - ours are not quite up to scratch yet - for weddings etc.And want to encourage social groups to meet there; mummy groups, writers' groups, IT groups, that sort of thing. Thoughts?

[Mapguy]

Ah, bowls! I do remember the situation well. Part of the motivation was to provide some activity for women or others to old to walk 18.

There was a plan to place a court adjacent to the clubhouse where the practice green and the 6th green are. The 6th hole, one of the two par 5s, would have been shortened a bit (but still a par 5). There would have been a protective net to protect players from long hitters on the 6th fairway.

VERY informal agreement (chat stage only, really) was obtained from some Aussie and other bowlers, but that never amounted to anything when the topic of the initial investment needed and fees was brought up.

Bowls takes up lot of room. There really is no "official" area of play. It varies. Still it takes up a lot of room, and it requires care putting a court in and maintaining it.

An alternative could be croquet. It is a truly vicious game, and it still takes up a fair amount of space.

Another alternative taking up much less room (and possible in the area to the north of the big tree as well as off the south side of the veranda would be boules (petenque). Quite popular among Thais. Both locations would be very handy to the bar.

Ah, a late revision with thoughts about another game: horseshoes. That ought to appeal to some Americans, at least. Easy to lay out pitches, and the game doesn't take up much room.

All of the above have some potential for more social interaction and boosting membership.

Then again, perhaps back to polo?! Would anyone be up for replacing divots?

Edited November 30, 2012 by Mapguy

[femi fan]

Bowls does take up a lot of room, which is why i mentioned petanque if the bowls couldn't work.

I love the idea of croquet! And yes, agreed, a most vicious game, but if jugs of pimms are always at hand, then firstly one can laugh at the vicious moves, and secondly the hitters of vicious balls might miss...

To add to sao chiang mai's list: car boot sales?? Driving range is always closed on sundays.

And, if you do get round to setting up the social committee, perhaps an email to all members asking for ideas?

I agree with the round dining tables, hardly ever see them being used. Change them yes, but leave the snooker table where it is! That's a great room, full of history with all the books and the snooker/billiards there.

Games table/area for chess, mah jong etc?

Live bands on, say, sunday evenings? Under the big tree and that area?

[MESmith]

Thaivisa parties?

[cmsally]

As long as that sign which is in overuse isn't adopted, "@"

If it ever becomes something such as Gymkhana@Tree or

Golf@Gymkhana or LetsGetSocial@Gymkhana those guys around the corner will be

spinning in their graves at the total naffness of it !!

[Mapguy]

Thaivisa parties?

There's a thought. Lots more room to park and to party than at the Bell. Pedr already caters Sixs, and Gymkhana needs the cash. They ought to be able to cut a deal.

Then again, some reveler might wander off and drown in a pond...but, still, crossing Loy Kroh after the party is a challenge for some!

Edited November 30, 2012 by Mapguy

[MESmith]

Thaivisa parties?

There's a thought. Lots more room to park and to party than at the Bell. Pedr already caters Sixs, and Gymkhana needs the cash. They ought to be able to cut a deal.

Then again, some reveler might wander off and drown in a pond...but, still, crossing Loy Kroh after the party is a challenge for some!

Not so far for the pallbearers

[JohnLee]

How is Gymkhana doing these days? Current crises?! Condition of the golf course? Driving range situation? Cooking? Property taxes?

The have been busy with a large influx of Asian (tourist) golfer, in fact too much for the old place and setup to handle at times, so the income has been up on last year. So what do the 'dears' on the committee do, reduce the restaurant hours to 11am-2pm and 4pm to 9pm!! It is killing the spirit of the place!! Come before 11am and the restaurant is like a graveyard, Just what are they about! It is a private club being run like a public bar down Loy Kroh road. In fact not as good as that. They say it is to save money since the minimum wage rule came into force. So they save money by reducing the restaurant and bar opening times. Poor olde Gymkhana!! Can it hold on until June when the next AGM restores (I hope) some life back into the 'Jewel of Chiang Mai'. Look in next week for another thrilling? episode.

[PostmanPat]

How is Gymkhana doing these days? Current crises?! Condition of the golf course? Driving range situation? Cooking? Property taxes?

The have been busy with a large influx of Asian (tourist) golfer, in fact too much for the old place and setup to handle at times, so the income has been up on last year. So what do the 'dears' on the committee do, reduce the restaurant hours to 11am-2pm and 4pm to 9pm!! It is killing the spirit of the place!! Come before 11am and the restaurant is like a graveyard, Just what are they about! It is a private club being run like a public bar down Loy Kroh road. In fact not as good as that. They say it is to save money since the minimum wage rule came into force. So they save money by reducing the restaurant and bar opening times. Poor olde Gymkhana!! Can it hold on until June when the next AGM restores (I hope) some life back into the 'Jewel of Chiang Mai'. Look in next week for another thrilling? episode.

Its actually worse than that! Apparently the full time staff are now expected to leave at 2pm and return at 4pm if they want to pick up their "full time" wage. I understand its to do with both the minimum wage requirement but also if a person works longer than eight hours they now have a legal entitlement to overtime pay, and Gymkhana are seeking to avoid paying overtime!!

[femi fan]

Can i ask if you two, or anybody, knows who exactly made such decisions?

I wonder if the members will speak out on this? i am a member, but i don't really know what avenues are available to make one's voice heard. The only democratic thing i see in the place is every now and again when one can vote for new committee members and a new chairman, but there's always a limited choice for who to elect, and i wonder how they became candidates anyway?

This club has always bumbled along quite nicely, but decisions like these clearly go against the whole interest fabric and spirit of the place.

It's also presumably a good way of pissing off the staff, some of whom have worked there a long time.

All of this is on top of the situation where they allow groups of six to play on the course.

And then there's the warring between certain members and ex-chairmen, and so on. It's a poor indictment of how humans cannot put their egos and stupidity aside in the name of the collective will of the membership, and the founding members.

If any member can advise me the best way of making my voice heard before june, please let me know.

[JohnLee]

Can i ask if you two, or anybody, knows who exactly made such decisions?

I wonder if the members will speak out on this? i am a member, but i don't really know what avenues are available to make one's voice heard. The only democratic thing i see in the place is every now and again when one can vote for new committee members and a new chairman, but there's always a limited choice for who to elect, and i wonder how they became candidates anyway?

This club has always bumbled along quite nicely, but decisions like these clearly go against the whole interest fabric and spirit of the place.

It's also presumably a good way of pissing off the staff, some of whom have worked there a long time.

All of this is on top of the situation where they allow groups of six to play on the course.

And then there's the warring between certain members and ex-chairmen, and so on. It's a poor indictment of how humans cannot put their egos and stupidity aside in the name of the collective will of the membership, and the founding members.

If any member can advise me the best way of making my voice heard before june, please let me know.

They do have a suggestion book in the restaurant, no sure how much it is actioned, you can also email the committee, there again, do they see these emails. The office manager seems to be a convenient filter for all things anti policy, probably because she has a big hand in their issuance. But I agree there appears to be a apathy around the members.