Phuket golf club members outraged by fee hike

[webfact]

Phuket golf club members outraged by fee hike

Eakkapop Thongtub

 

Vice Governor Siwaporn Chuasawad (in uniform) receives the complaint on Monday (Mar 13). Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

 

PHUKET: -- More than 180 members of the Blue Canyon Country Club have called on the Phuket Governor to step in over a hike in annual membership fees of more than 300%.

 

The agitated swingers filed a complaint, addressed to Phuket Governor Chockchai Dejamornthan and filed with the Phuket office of the Consumer Protection Board, at Phuket Provincial Hall on Monday (Mar 13).

 

Present to receive the complaint were Vice Governor Siwaporn Chuasawad, Phuket Provincial Office Chief Administrative officer (Palad) Tawanawat Kongkaew and an official from the Damrongdharma Centre (provincial ombudsman’s office).

 

The group argued that the club did not inform members before introducing the fee rise, and that members did not accept the hike.

 

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-golf-club-members-outraged-by-fee-hike-61391.php

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-03-15

[ChrisY1]

Easy fix....don't play there any longer....numbers are obviously down, so raise the fees..normal Thai business procedure!

[Ralf61]

By-bye Thailand, Hello Vietnam and Cambodia...

 

Some years ago, I read somewhere else:

Newsperson: "What do you intend to do in the case tourist numbers will halve?"

Thai (without thinking over for one lonely second): "Double the prices..."

 

No kidding, that one was real!

[tracker1]

Bring in two tier priceing like the National Parks that will sort out the problem !

[Benchod]

They haven't raised fees in the 13years I've been a member.. Long overdue.. How many of these cheap charlies have investment properties back home they haven't raised rents on?? none want to pay higher fees but all demanding better facilities/course... 

 

[o2eZy]

Hyatt regency in Coolum Beach with resort membership was when I applied some years ago 130000bht with yearly subscriptions of 26000bht and this was a 5***** course ..Australian PGA was played there for years .....

the average yearly fee's on suburban  golf courses in Queensland Sunshine Coast are roughly 26000bht/yearly ...

had a golfcourse called Perigian Springs did the same as this Blue Canyon Club and members just left and the course went into liquidation and now is a housing estate 

good luck with this 

[robblok]

17 minutes ago, Benchod said:

They haven't raised fees in the 13years I've been a member.. Long overdue.. How many of these cheap charlies have investment properties back home they haven't raised rents on?? none want to pay higher fees but all demanding better facilities/course... 

 

Then let them raise it with the cost of inflation and a bit extra.. I doubt that is 300%

[Ricky HKT]

26 minutes ago, Benchod said:

They haven't raised fees in the 13years I've been a member.. Long overdue.. How many of these cheap charlies have investment properties back home they haven't raised rents on?? none want to pay higher fees but all demanding better facilities/course... 

 

Blue canyon management increased annual dues 3X in Feb 2017 and said "pay in one month or your account will be suspended." (To reinstate your account you must pay your annual dues AND an additional 8000 bht fee). Management then increased the membership transfer fee from 140K bht to 250K bht. So, even if you can find a buyer, you lose 110K bht (which the club gains).

When the members complained there was NO RESPONSE AT ALL from management to emails, calls, etc.

The members do not object to reasonable and fair dues/fees increases, which are "on par" with other golf clubs on Phuket Island. But the manner in which these increases were presented (a notice of increased fees was posted and handed out) and the lack of communication by the management is unacceptable to many. 

 

[DavisH]

2 hours ago, tracker1 said:

Bring in two tier priceing like the National Parks that will sort out the problem !

Not played golf in Thailand lately?

[Benchod]

"Land prices in Phuket have tripled the past ten years with...." According to AREA

 

Average salaries have more than doubled since 2003...

 

3 hours ago, robblok said:

Then let them raise it with the cost of inflation and a bit extra.. I doubt that is 300%

 

 

[natway09]

Obviously did not read the fine print before teeing off but over 20% increase a year seems a bit much.

More golf memberships for sale

[sanukjim]

7 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

Easy fix....don't play there any longer....numbers are obviously down, so raise the fees..normal Thai business procedure!

Why is that a lot of Thais and farangs running buisnesses,or sports clubs think that "When the low season is here,or business is down" that they must raise the prices to keep the same income.I guess that it is to keep up with their new car payments.I just stay away when that happens.

[digger70]

For me no probs,no play golf.so easy.

[chilli42]

It brings me to tears when disadvantaged gentlemen and ladies like this are treated so shabbily by the powers that be.  Where will they find the money to carry on?  Of course they could always play golf at another club. 

[Henderson]

3 hours ago, digger70 said:

For me no probs,no play golf.so easy.

Now you should comment in all those other posts which you care nothing about, good luck with that.

[grumpyoldman]

Lady on the far right seems to think it's quite hysterical.

 

FORE !

[fruitman]

8 hours ago, grumpyoldman said:

Lady on the far right seems to think it's quite hysterical.

 

FORE !

It seems that her left hand is trying to lift her skirt for the picture...

[stephenterry]

While it is not good business practice to just up fees without any consultation, feedback, and member management, one should really ask whether 70k in 2017 is a reasonable or unreasonable annual subscription for this club, in comparison with others of similar stature. Similarly with the transfer hike, which falls into the same bad business practice model.

 

Another question to ask, is why management are not being seen to be transparent with the members ? - that is worrying, and could point to bad fiscal control at best.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sphere]

I'd get revenge (and value for my money) by taking 3x number of shots to complete every round. 

[metisdead]

A troll post has been removed. 

[Old Croc]

5 hours ago, Sphere said:

I'd get revenge (and value for my money) by taking 3x number of shots to complete every round. 

Been practising?

[Soupdragon]

Are there any advantages to the club if the membership left en masse.  Could they be free to develop the real estate as the please ?

[NamKangMan]

On ‎15‎/‎03‎/‎2017 at 2:12 PM, ChrisY1 said:

Easy fix....don't play there any longer....numbers are obviously down, so raise the fees..normal Thai business procedure!

 

The Chinese don't play golf. 

 

I have said before, we can expect price rises, and a decrease in choice and availability here, across all goods and services, as the majority of tourists to Phuket are now Chinese, and as the western expat numbers dwindle.

[NamKangMan]

30 minutes ago, Soupdragon said:

Are there any advantages to the club if the membership left en masse.  Could they be free to develop the real estate as the please ?

 

I gave this a thought as well.

 

Raise the fees through the roof, so much so that new members are not attracted, and existing members leave.  The Club goes broke.  The land is then sold off to developers for condo's / houses / hotels / resort etc. 

[Blindedbythelight]

On 15/3/2560 at 11:16 AM, robblok said:

Then let them raise it with the cost of inflation and a bit extra.. I doubt that is 300%

Why do you care what they do. Its a golf course; not a apartment of housing complex.

If they don't want to pay; they can go somewhere else. Many courses in Thailand.

Private business, they can do what they want. If half the members don't sign up again.

They are still doing OK.

And maybe the group that are in the picture are trouble makes and they don't want them as members.

They look like cheap Charlies. Maybe don't even tip the caddy girls.

[robblok]

25 minutes ago, Blindedbythelight said:

Why do you care what they do. Its a golf course; not a apartment of housing complex.

If they don't want to pay; they can go somewhere else. Many courses in Thailand.

Private business, they can do what they want. If half the members don't sign up again.

They are still doing OK.

And maybe the group that are in the picture are trouble makes and they don't want them as members.

They look like cheap Charlies. Maybe don't even tip the caddy girls.

I just dislike unfair business practices, otherwise I don't particularly care. 

 

You are partly right they can go somewhere else.. but they have bought a membership under certain conditions.. and paid a lump sum that is now valued a lot less because of those increases.  To me its a thuggish way of doing business. Letting someone pay al lot of money to become a member and then all of a sudden raise membership fees with 300%.  I would have had a different opinion if there was no high entrance fee, that is what makes moving hard. 

[Blindedbythelight]

7 minutes ago, robblok said:

I just dislike unfair business practices, otherwise I don't particularly care. 

 

You are partly right they can go somewhere else.. but they have bought a membership under certain conditions.. and paid a lump sum that is now valued a lot less because of those increases.  To me its a thuggish way of doing business. Letting someone pay al lot of money to become a member and then all of a sudden raise membership fees with 300%.  I would have had a different opinion if there was no high entrance fee, that is what makes moving hard. 

Ok but 300 % of a low price is still low.

[robblok]

1 minute ago, Blindedbythelight said:

Ok but 300 % of a low price is still low.

That might well be, but its not what was told them when they stepped in. These kind of rises are not normal, and should not be expected when you buy yourself in like that. 

 

Without the buying fee i would 100% agree free market and so on.  

 

Just imagine you told me you would supply me with a crate of champagne every month for 100$ if I pay up front a buy in fee for 100.000$ now the low price of the champagne is related to the buy in fee. I think that is a great deal and agree.. knowing that there will be normal price rises. Now all of a sudden you charge 300$ still cheap.. but maybe now too expensive if you take the 100.000$ buyin fee in consideration and I cant change that easy or sell this easy. Its a captive audience. 

[Blindedbythelight]

7 minutes ago, robblok said:

That might well be, but its not what was told them when they stepped in. These kind of rises are not normal, and should not be expected when you buy yourself in like that. 

 

Without the buying fee i would 100% agree free market and so on.  

 

Just imagine you told me you would supply me with a crate of champagne every month for 100$ if I pay up front a buy in fee for 100.000$ now the low price of the champagne is related to the buy in fee. I think that is a great deal and agree.. knowing that there will be normal price rises. Now all of a sudden you charge 300$ still cheap.. but maybe now too expensive if you take the 100.000$ buyin fee in consideration and I cant change that easy or sell this easy. Its a captive audience. 

So why go to the Police ??   Are they stealing money ?

[robblok]

45 minutes ago, Blindedbythelight said:

So why go to the Police ??   Are they stealing money ?

I have no idea why they go to the police.. does not seem the right place to go to. There are other places for consumer protection that would be much better. Maybe they went there for the publicity, that is something that seems to work here to get things going.