The Lighthouse Club, Bangkok Branch
Welcome to the Lighthouse Club in Bangkok, a Thailand chapter of The Lighthouse Club founded in the U.K. more than 50 years ago. Briefly:
The Lighthouse Club Bangkok is the premier social networking organization in Bangkok for people involved in property development, including engineering, construction, architecture, real estate, investment, law, and related fields.
The Lighthouse Club Bangkok also raises money for various charities such as schooling for the children of construction workers who are found hanging around construction sites.
The Lighthouse Club Bangkok Committee, through its regular meetings, has established a full calendar of sports and social functions, including the large monthly socials at various venues, our many golf outings, and rugby. From time to time we have also formed a darts league team, run tenpin bowling competitions, quiz club, speaker dinners, and industry visits. Please see our Calendar of Events page for more information.
You can also stay in touch via our Facebook Page.
The Lighthouse Newsletter 2024 discusses the past year 2023 and the outlook for 2024.
The Lighthouse Club Membership Form for January-December 2024 (Clicking on the link will display the form. Then you should download it or save it or print it from within your browser.)
The Lighthouse Club was formed in Newcastle-upon Tyne in 1956 by Edward Ward and his colleagues attending an exhibition at Whitley Bay. The name "Lighthouse" coming from St. Mary's Lighthouse in Whitley Bay. The essence of the club was to promote the goodwill and co-operation between persons involved in the construction industry. The Lighthouse Club's motto is "ALLIS CUM HUMANITATE", which means "consideration for others".
Over the decades, the Lighthouse Club has evolved into a highly active social networking organization which also sponsors charity work.
In the beginning, the Lighthouse Club maintained a fund to help construction workers who were injured on the job, and their families, until insurance payments were finally received. Over the years, this has expanded into other forms of charity related to construction.
The Bangkok branch was established in 1991 when Nigel Pearson, a former member of the Hong Kong branch, persuaded 6 other prominent personalities of the Bangkok construction scene to combine efforts and create a branch membership.
After several months with membership standing at 45 people and great interest showing in the Club, the inaugural Bangkok Lighthouse Club Dinner was held on 27 May 1992 and was attended by 110 members and guests. The annual dinner grew in numbers, attracting nearly 600 members and guests in 1996, though this declined sharply with the 1997 Asia Economic Collapse.
The monthly meetings have been held continuously from 1992 to date, even during the post-1997 recession when the Lighthouse maintained a glimmer of hope for those of us scattered around in the ashes of the economic collapse, resulting in some interesting discussions in meetings. As Thailand's economy recovered after the millenium, the Lighthouse Club's membership has grown continuously. The officers have changed periodically but the organization has proven its resiliency and continuity.
The club's activities have expanded into monthly golf outings for years now, late lunches on the last Friday of every month which have been booking full in advance recently (as of the time of this writing in 2016), and various other activities.
We welcome sponsors of events. The Bangkok branch has monthly meetings which are already booked with sponsors through 2009 and into 2010, but there are many other events you can sponsor at any date and time.
A second branch in Thailand, the Lighthouse Club Phuket, has also been established and started meetings in May, 2006. See a YouTube video of the Lighthouse Club's Phuket branch featured on Phuket TV two years later, which covers a monthly meeting, a golf outing, and a dinner in June, 2008. The Phuket branch has an offshoot page on this website at www.LighthouseBKK.com/phuket
A third branch in Thailand, the Lighthouse Club Pattaya, was started in 2008. The first function had a turnout of 50 members, and the Lighthouse Club Pattaya already has sponsors for future functions. Please contact Mark Thompson for more information.
A review of the year 2015 and a humorous history of the Bangkok Lighthouse Club is in the December 2015 Christmas Newsletter
The Club motto "Aliis cum Humanitate", which translates as "Consideration for Others", was instrumental in the setting up of the Lighthouse Club Benevolent Fund in the early 1960's which provides for financial assistance for members involved in construction related accidents.
The Lighthouse Club Bangkok established its own Benevolent Fund in 1993. The objective of this fund has been currently to promote a safer working environment in Thailand through training, printed safety literature, and other means.
A larger focus has been on the underprivileged construction workers' children. A unique school has been constructed on the huge Rom Klao National Housing association site in Bangkok. This started during the construction of the new Suvarnabhumi international airport. This school now provides education and community services.
Another school is funded to support the work of Father Joe, at the Chaeng Wattana School (previously named the Laksi School).
The Phuket branch is helping children found running around construction sites by sponsoring their attendence in school. This is led by Mark Kennedy of Bovis Lend Lease and his wife K. Nung with a subcommittee of Phuket LHC wives. This was featured on the cover of the September 2008 edition of the monthly magazine The Lighthouse published by the Lighthouse Club Asia Pacific Region.
The Lighthouse Club of Bangkok is dedicated to continuing its commitment to promote comradeship between its members and prospective new members by holding regular informal get togethers, maintaining a varied and interesting sports and social calendar, and providing communication through the newsletter and website.