Dear Members,


It’s challenging again when the pandemic of Coronavirus or COVID-19 has been back with a larger impact to us. The Club has watched the situation carefully and implemented necessary measures based on BMA guidelines with an intention to serve members with safety as much as possible. We appreciate cooperation from members who followed our guidelines and provided useful information to us during this difficult time. As the situation is changing all the time, please stay updated by following only Club’s official channels which include Club’s website, Facebook Page and Line Official. Please keep in mind that wearing a face mask properly is a compulsory practice set by the government, and within our Club’s premises too.


On behalf of the General Committee, I would like to use this space to clarify member’s enquiries regarding the entirely closure of the Old Clubhouse, pending the resolution from Members on the decision whether to renovate or reconstruct such building.


The Old Clubhouse has shown signs of deterioration over time and the decision to close the Old Clubhouse was mainly for members’ safety. In 2011, the General Committee used to propose to construct a new Clubhouse as such building could not completely accommodate Members’ usage requirements. The then Committee decided to close the upper verandah of the Clubhouse on racedays. After the voting, the Motion to construct a new Clubhouse was defeated by a majority vote of the Members. Later, in 2014, a budget of Baht 142.9 million (without contingency) was approved by a majority vote for the renovation, refurbishment and redecoration of the Old Clubhouse, but no construction took place the following years which led to further deterioration to the core structure. STS Engineering Consultants Co., Ltd. was engaged to provide a structural assessment and perform load tests. The results revealed unsatisfactory safety standards with the safe service load at less than 100 kilograms per sq.m. which is lower than the standard as required by the law at 400 kilograms per sq.m. This led to the immediate closure of the 2nd floor of the Old Clubhouse while the solutions were being discussed. The Club has consulted with the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, and reported the findings from STS Engineering to reaffirm the decision to close the Old Clubhouse entirely as it was unsafe to utilize. For the sake of transparency, the Club has reported these findings with members through various channels.


The Town Hall Meetings were conducted twice to clarify the cause to close the Old Clubhouse, broadcasted live and recorded on Facebook whereby consultants from STS Engineering and the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, were invited to respond to members’ enquiries. Members’ constructive comments will prove invaluable in dictating the future of the Old Clubhouse.


The Club was further delayed in taking action due to some members’ request for the Faculty of Arts to inspect whether the Old Clubhouse is a heritage site, and another request sent to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to open access to the building. The Club had to coordinate with relevant agencies to determine the outcome which is an arduous process as the land is under lease by the Crown Property Bureau (CPB), and notice must be given prior to inspection by the Public Works Department, BMA. These agencies hold authority over the General Committee and until they come to a conclusion, the less options are available as time progresses.


The General Committee wishes to address that we have no intention of solely opting for demolition and reconstruction of a New Clubhouse, and seeking to gain profit from this operation as these claims are baseless. The General Committee would like to reiterate that the safety of members is of the highest priority and the resolution must be derived from a majority vote from as many members as possible. Spending expenditures must follow the regulations of the Club and be conducted with transparency.


The General Committee will further update the progress after getting any conclusion from The Department of Civil Engineering and the CPB. The full version of this update statement can be found in this magazine, as well as in other channels distributed earlier, for your information.


On the last note, on the auspicious occasion of Her Majesty Queen Suthida’s birthday, I would like to invite Members to present their best wishes during 1st – 4th June 2021 at the RSC building and Polo Club Verandah.


Long Live the Queen!


Kittipong Decha-umphai


Chairman