Sports Editor;
This year Eastern Star golf club has increased its annual member’s green fees by 50% to 18,000 baht and demanded payment in full up front. Before you had the option to play and pay each round which was great for people that only visit Thailand for short periods. As a result a lot of members decided not to pay and just use the course as a visitor because they are not in Thailand all year round. If those members want to sell their membership, Eastern Star is insisting that the purchaser/seller will still have to pay the full years green fee of 18,000 baht regardless.
If the transfer takes place even on the 31st of December this year they still have to pay for the full year, before Eastern Star will process it. Next year it will be 36,000 baht and so on, assuming they don’t increase the fees.
The point being is that non paying members will lose all the transfer value of their membership over the next few years if they don’t sell it and will be heavily penalised if they do. So if you would be kind enough to print this it may help some members to realise what is going on and try to sell their membership while they can.
Carl While
