Daylight Robbery at Phoenix Golf Club

[Burl Ives]

As of 1st November the new owner, a rich Thai lady who owns a steel company,( allegedly a close friend of Mr T, or maybe even his proxy) has decided it’s time to screw the member at this esteemed golf course (which was under bankruptcy proceedings for about the last eleven years by Siam Commercial Bank).
First thing she does is spend a fortune beautifying the pace by painting the roof of the club house and planting hundreds of trees and shrubs. Then she decides to improve the playing conditions on Ocean course, so it’s out for a while. Low season ends and she thinks right time to get my money back, so she starts by attacking the members.
Firstly Carts per golfer are compulsory, so that adds 300 ฿ to 9 holes and 600 ฿ to 18 holes. Secondly the green fee goes up by 100% and the caddy fee up by 25%.
If that wasn’t enough, we now have to pay 24,000 ฿ /year annual membership maintenance fee and to add insult to injury a further 200,000 ฿ for transfer of Life Membership (up from 20,000 ฿).
I believe similar stunts were pulled at Crystal Bay and Sri Racha Golf courses when the ownership changed. Does anyone have any solid information about the court cases or where we might find any information??

Thanks,

Burl Ives

[Puyai]

Already a thread going and by the looks of it you have some people in the same situation.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/678452-shocking-price-rises-at-phoenix-golf-club-pattaya/

I wouldn't play the course out of principal now.

[Arkady]

Same sort of thing happened at Lakewood on Bangna Trat Road many years ago when taken over by another Thaksin crony. Transfer fees were also bumped up to B200,000 which made the memberships worthless as a marketable asset - just a liability to pay membership fees. A group of lawyers led a protest against it and achieved some small concessions but not much. Except for Krungthep Kreetha members don't own the land and that makes membership unavailable to foreigners anyway. You just own a temporary right to use the club on certain terms and conditions that can be changed or cancelled without notice.

[Toosetinmyways]

Same sort of thing happened at Lakewood on Bangna Trat Road many years ago when taken over by another Thaksin crony. Transfer fees were also bumped up to B200,000 which made the memberships worthless as a marketable asset - just a liability to pay membership fees. A group of lawyers led a protest against it and achieved some small concessions but not much. Except for Krungthep Kreetha members don't own the land and that makes membership unavailable to foreigners anyway. You just own a temporary right to use the club on certain terms and conditions that can be changed or cancelled without notice.

Talked to a couple of Thai friends and they say this course is in very poor condition now. This is backed up with a thaigolf web site course reviews.

Typical second owner who think they can make money. When they can't they reduce the maintenance.