Bangkok's 4 premier private members' clubs

For those seeking a more refined leisure experience, several exclusive private clubs in Bangkok offer an alternative to traditional embassy groups, expat networks, and business chambers.

Leading the pack are these four elite clubs. They maintain a strict selection process for members, but if you meet the right criteria, you might just gain access.

The ChindAsia Club

Entrepreneur Hillman Lentz, a lifelong cigar enthusiast, once exclusively smoked renowned Cubans. However, his perspective changed the day he ventured beyond his comfort zone and tried a Nicaraguan Perdomo.

“It had superior construction, richer tobacco, and a longer draw — a completely different experience,” he recalls.

Impressed by the brand's quality, he secured the rights to distribute it across Asia, the Middle East, and Australia, eventually opening a club where he could fully indulge his passion.

Entering ChindAsia, one is reminded of a traditional American hunting lodge — dim lighting, brown leather furniture (crafted by hand in Thailand), and the distinct, lingering scent of cigar smoke.

“No phones allowed here,” Lentz states. “If your phone rings, you buy a round for everyone. When it’s busy, it can get pricey, but since 50% of the proceeds go to charity, no one minds.”

The club is designed to offer members a place to unwind with a premium cigar, savor a fine single malt whiskey, and enjoy engaging conversations with fellow members. A well-stocked bar downstairs is complemented by a room where each member’s smoking jacket is stored, an essential for any serious enthusiast.

The cellar is a spacious humidor housing private collections of premium liquor and rare cigars, while the upper levels feature a lounge and exclusive meeting rooms.

“Thailand now has the second-fastest growing cigar culture in Asia, just behind India, and Perdomo is seeing a rise in membership as a result,” says Lentz. “Members receive cigar boxes, discounted drinks, and full access to the club. We aim to open 10 more locations soon,”

“Private wine and bourbon tastings, along with other events, are regularly hosted, but above all, it’s a perfect spot to relax with a fine drink and a great cigar.”

The British Club

Founded in 1903, the British Club was one of Bangkok’s earliest establishments, designed to provide a social hub for members in the tradition of British colonial clubs across Asia.

The club still occupies its original land, though the current building was completed in 1915. Initially, membership was restricted to individuals from Commonwealth countries such as Britain, Canada, New Zealand, or Australia. Women were not allowed until the 1980s.

Today, the club welcomes members of all nationalities, though a quota system is in place to maintain balance.

The club offers all the classic British comforts — hearty pub fare, quality beer, billiards, darts, and football on TV inside. Outdoors, members can enjoy tennis, squash, football, field hockey, or work out in the swimming pool or fitness center.

With several cozy lounges, meeting rooms, a business center, and plenty of space both inside and outside for socializing and unwinding, it’s one of the most popular venues in town for events ranging from mahjong games to Canada Day festivities. There are also numerous reciprocal clubs worldwide.

Membership fees vary widely, depending on factors like age, marital status, whether you have children, and whether you wish to have voting rights.

The Pacific City Club

When a group of businessmen couldn't find an ideal venue in Bangkok to recreate their exclusive club experience from Hong Kong, they decided to create their own.

Established in 1996, the Pacific City Club occupies 2,700 square meters on the upper floors of a downtown skyscraper. Inside, you'll find a well-stocked library and bar, custom artwork adorning the softly lit walls, dark leather sofas, and warm, aged blonde wood floors that creak gently underfoot (unless you're walking on plush rugs).

The club boasts two restaurants — Chinese and French — and members are allowed to store their private wine and spirit collections within the club.

The club also features a fully equipped gym and a luxurious spa. The private elevator, as club manager Alexander Scheible explains, is reserved for “VIP guests who prefer discretion, like high-ranking government officials or celebrities.”

The club also features several fully-equipped meeting rooms that can be adapted to accommodate both large and small groups, along with numerous private corners where you can enjoy a bottle of wine and have an intimate conversation.

“We pride ourselves on exceptional service and maintain a high staff-to-member ratio. For example, when we receive a request like, 'I need a meeting room for 50 in 20 minutes,' we already know their preferred snacks and water, and how to set up the room exactly as they like,” says Scheible.

The Royal Bangkok Sports Club

As the grandest of all Bangkok’s private clubs, the Royal Bangkok Sports Club emerged from the Bangkok Gymkhana Club in 1901.

Boasting an expansive horse racing track, a golf course, and various sports fields at the heart of the city, it stands as the most exclusive of all Bangkok’s private clubs. Some of Thailand's wealthiest and most influential people have yet to gain membership due to a lengthy waiting list — it can take up to 10 years to secure a spot.

Once you're accepted, your children, and their children, will be granted membership as well.

Details are somewhat scarce. Attempts to reach the club for more information went unanswered, and the club's website offers limited insight. However, we managed to speak with a current member who provided us with the necessary details.

To become a full member, you need to pay a membership fee of 2 million baht. Alternatively, you can join as an 'associate member' if you marry into the club, which only requires a modest fee of a few hundred thousand baht.

Full members are the only ones with voting privileges, though in a nod to less progressive times, women are not permitted to vote.

In addition, there is a relatively low monthly maintenance fee, only a few thousand baht. The club also has a number of reciprocal affiliations with clubs worldwide.

An anonymous member shared, 'The facilities are excellent — gym, tennis, swimming, squash, lawn bowling, golf, boxing, rugby, football, and more — and the food is both amazing and incredibly affordable.'

The club has earned a reputation as a posh gathering spot for the elite, but our source mentions that while this may be true for some members, 'There are also plenty of down-to-earth people who drive Toyotas and shop at MBK.'

Greg, originally from Canada, moved to Bangkok in 2001.