British Club Bangkok introduces new dress code

[mrtoad]

To be honest, it's hardly a hardship to wear smart casual. I think proper tailored shorts, and suitable footwear should be permitted but these dress codes are hardly that bad. PLenty of other places people can go, if they want to dess down.

What!! and meet the likes of you!!!

well, next time I'm in BKK and you around - anyway Smokes, you can wear your Scottish Skirt at the BC. The interesting bit is national dress, from my observation the national drss of Russia at present is badly fitting speedo's - so one wonders if that would be allowed?

[uptheos]

So if I walk in there with my bare feet before 6 pm I will be in trouble ?

Just leave them at the door.

[Arkady]

I think dressing appropriately should be expected in any establishment.

OK you may wear shorts and singlet in a Soi Cowboy bar (and expect to be treated as something of a Yahoo of course) but mid-scale or higher places - please!

I have not been to the BC for 35 years or so but I am a regular at RBSC and Polo Clubs where thankfully they have a Dress Code in most Outlets which is rigorously observed by Members - though without any real thought; comes naturally I guess.

'though I did have to ask the Manager at the Polo Club Restaurant at lunchtime one day to have a Farang removed until he dressed properly - he was a Guest of a Member, but in the Dining Room wearing Shorts and - worse - a very loose sports type singlet. Totally inappropriate for the venue.

As the BC has apparently realised, if you let standards slip they will continue to slide fast downhill until someone finally says "enough".

Patrick

Actually I agree with the concept but I was dismayed by how poorly they wrote it up and illustrated it on the website. The idea was to simplify things but they have actually made it more complicated and it looks very fuddy duddy and ridiculous to an outsider. The all male committee has also given scant consideration to what constitutes smart casual dress for women these days. They should have consulted their grand daughters. The previous dress codes, which have been changed every 2 or 3 years, were too complex for the staff to enforce, so they didn't bother to try, and this one is likely to end up the same way.

Standards are generally higher at the Sports and Polo Clubs but they could take a leaf from the British Club's book by banning mobile phone use in the F&B outlets and not have crass soap operas blaring out on the TV at full volume for the aurally impaired.

I once tried staying at the RAC club in Piccadilly but found it too much of a hassle to wear a jacket and tie to go to my poky little room with a view over a blank wall. So I have never bothered to use any reciprocal membership right again.

[Mousehound]

I still have a bowler hat and beautifully slender black umbrella - part of my city uniform from when I worked in London (1968). I now know why I kept them and look forward to wearing them when I visit the BKK BC.

What what!

[samran]

You've hit the nail on the head Arkady. Fuddy Duddy sums up my impression of the BC. Haven't been there for about 10 years, and even with kids (they have reasonable facilities) I've got no real urgency to go back because of that. Much more interested in wangling a membership at RSBC or Polo when I can afford it.

[Arkady]

You've hit the nail on the head Arkady. Fuddy Duddy sums up my impression of the BC. Haven't been there for about 10 years, and even with kids (they have reasonable facilities) I've got no real urgency to go back because of that. Much more interested in wangling a membership at RSBC or Polo when I can afford it.

It's a good location with good facilities and a nice historic building. I somehow feel a lot more could be done with it to attract a slightly younger crowd without driving away all the old farts but they are the ones in charge. What more or less worked in the 80s and 90s doesn't work any more because families have moved out as the international schools moved out and most now live in condos that have decent pools, tennis courts and fitness centres. To get in revenue the caps on other nationalities having non-voting memberships have been raised as far as they can be without risking a rebellion by the non-voters with help from influential friends and turning it into a Thai club. Much of the development budget in recent years has been wasted on refurbishments and changes that added little or no value and were poorly supervised with money paid to consultants and contractors who disappeared with advance payments, leaving their shoddy work to be undone and finished by others. Half a dozen general managers have come and gone in as many years and now they have given up looking for one completely and given the title to the Thai accountant who is unknown to most members because she is not in the club at evenings and week-ends. Ultimately it will hit another financial crisis and probably become a Thai club prior to being sold off to a condo or office developer.

For RBSC I think you need to start off at the Polo Club and wait for a few years to be upgraded to full membership. I was a non-voting RBSC member originally paid for by my company and one day a letter arrived with a one off, never to be repeated offer to non-voters of 10 years standing or more to convert to full RBSC membership at a 50% discount. Due to the completion of the new building they were able to increase capacity and were able to clear the 20 year old waiting list. Since many had died or lost interest in the interim their unclaimed places were taken by others and then the waiting list for direct entry to RBSC was closed again. Direct entry without going via the Polo Club is essentially hereditary. Sons of members who joined before a certain date can be put up for full membership on reaching the age of 21 and women can be put up for non-voting ladies' privileges. Apparently the same thing has happened to most of the former colonial clubs in India.