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[johnbits]

I stopped at several gyms in BKK, but they wanted 1000 baht a day for a short term membership, way too high.  I worked out in the free outdoor gyms, but they really aren't that good.  At least for weights, they did have a running walking track.

In the USA a one month membership would cost $30 - $40.  I personally only pay $50 a year, but that is only because I  bot the membership in 1975 and it is a lifetime membership which now is to LA Fitness.  I mention this as maybe they have some sort of related club in Bkk?

I spend time in both Bangkok and Phetchabun, but the later is much smaller and maybe harder to find a reasonable gym.

I tried looking for a mostly local Thai gym, but they were hard to find.

So if I want to join a gym for 1-2 months, any suggestions, and if it is chain, are memberships good throughout thailand or only for the one gym you join?

So any suggestions?

[bonobo]

CaliWow is good at all branches, but other than Bangkok, I think they are only in Chiang Mai and Pattaya.  I am not sure if any of the other chains have many branches, and they will be more expensive.

Your best bet would be to find a local gym and bargain with the management, I think.

[vtjforyou]

C wow is the best if you know how to bargain.

[Shurup]

Cal WOW has gyns in more places than just mentioned above, but I couldn't remember, the locations are on my membership card I believe.

I bought a life time for 10,000 baht, a good deal, too bad they don't offer them anymore, or so they say. Don't know what their daily rates. Maybe worth buying a monthly pass or even yearly if you need it for a few months, maybe well worth it.
When you bargain with them, they will try to sell you a lots of s*** it addition. Tell them you don't want yoga or anything else, just gym access.

Edited by Shurup, 2011-12-29 07:17:59.

[bonobo]

Shurup, on 2011-12-29 07:17:24, said:

Cal WOW has gyns in more places than just mentioned above, but I couldn't remember, the locations are on my membership card I believe.

I bought a life time for 10,000 baht, a good deal, too bad they don't offer them anymore, or so they say. Don't know what their daily rates. Maybe worth buying a monthly pass or even yearly if you need it for a few months, maybe well worth it.
When you bargain with them, they will try to sell you a lots of s*** it addition. Tell them you don't want yoga or anything else, just gym access.

You got my curiosity up, so I went to their website (boy, is that ever an annoying website!).  I was correct in my earlier post.  Other than their Bangkok clubs, they are only in Chiang Mai and Pattaya.

[Bangkok2012]

Hi JohnBits,
I know all about your problems. I myself have spent countless hours searching the internet for good places to work out in Thailand. Besides the price of the big chains are ridiculously high, it is also more or less impossible to find out what the prices is. Therefore, I dropped the idea of working out in a gym in Bangkok, until I accidentally ran into a gym in Sukhumvit soi 50. The center is associated with a tenniscourt, they have no team training, but their equipment is new and the center is clean.

They charge150THB per hour to work or 300 THB for a whole day.

its called the fifty thennis and fitness club

Edited by Bangkok2012, 2011-12-29 09:48:54.

[patongster]

Gyms are usually way to expensive in Thailand, especially in Bangkok with the major chains like Cal WOW and Fitness First. Best gym I ever trained at was Tony's Gym Pattaya 3rd road, the 24 hour one. Great hardcore gym at a reasonable price.

[MrMuddle]

johnbits, I've lived in Phetchabun, for many years, and have never seen a gym in town. I bought my own equipment, weight machine, speed walker, exercise bike, from Big C. Total cost was under 18,000 baht.

[johnbits]

Bangkok2012, on 2011-12-29 09:47:34, said:

Hi JohnBits,
I know all about your problems. I myself have spent countless hours searching the internet for good places to work out in Thailand. Besides the price of the big chains are ridiculously high, it is also more or less impossible to find out what the prices is. Therefore, I dropped the idea of working out in a gym in Bangkok, until I accidentally ran into a gym in Sukhumvit soi 50. The center is associated with a tenniscourt, they have no team training, but their equipment is new and the center is clean.

They charge150THB per hour to work or 300 THB for a whole day.

its called the fifty thennis and fitness club

Thanks Bangkok2012

I will check out fifty thennis and fitness when I am in BKK, I expect I won't be a long time in Bangkok, so a daily rate sounds best.

[johnbits]

MrMuddle, on 2011-12-29 16:15:16, said:

johnbits, I've lived in Phetchabun, for many years, and have never seen a gym in town. I bought my own equipment, weight machine, speed walker, exercise bike, from Big C. Total cost was under 18,000 baht.

Thanks Mr.Muddle

I have seen an outdoor workout area, but as is typical, it isn't well maintained.  I did buy an exercise cross trainer for my GF, I will check out the rubber bands that one can take with you.  Then I can use that when I travel around.  I often spend 30-90 days in Thailand, so I feel I need something to stay in shape.

If I were to live in Phetchabun for a long time, I would do the same as you, just buy a set of equipment from Big C.

[johnbits]

patongster, on 2011-12-29 10:11:54, said:

Gyms are usually way to expensive in Thailand, especially in Bangkok with the major chains like Cal WOW and Fitness First. Best gym I ever trained at was Tony's Gym Pattaya 3rd road, the 24 hour one. Great hardcore gym at a reasonable price.

Thanks Patongstger

If I am in Pattaya, Tony's gym sounds like a great choice.

I was surprised to learn gyms are so expensive in Thailand, I would have expected they were cheap.  But I don't see many of them, and the ones I did check into were expensive.  I might not mind if I were staying a year, but for a month I will find some other alternative.

[David48]

One suggestion sort of in line with post #6 (Bangkok2012) is to think outside the square.
many of the hotels which I have stayed in open up they Gyms to non-guests for rent/membership.

Might be worth while visiting a few in the area that you stay and ask if they have this option.

When I stayed at the a hotel in Sukhumvit Soi 2 their website showed a gym, but there was none.  When I asked, they replied that you could buy daily vouchers for the Marriott for about 150 baht a day, giving you daily access all areas (pool etc) but not valid on the week-end (from memory).  Valid for a year.

Oh was the Marco-Polo Hotel !

[2008bangkok]

Your best looking for a public swimming pool normally run by the goverment, they normally have gyms for 1000 baht month and swimming 1000 baht 1700 joint..
Its funny how all thehe gyms are so expensive and probably totally out of the price range of a average thai person

[robblok]

If you really got roots here in Thailand and some money to spare and living in a town house. Do what i did 6 years ago. Buy your own power rack  and with bench and Olympic bar and weights. Then add something for cardio and your set for life. I got a great setup at home and it saves me the time of going to a gym.

This is however only possible if your someone with experience and do some serious training. Not for people who liked to be looked at they should go to a gym.

[AlexDorneles]

I found a very decent gym with a nice rooftop pool by the BTS Sala Daeng station. Their daily pass is only 500bth. I think this is the best gym for short term stays in BKK. Better than any hotel for sure. The gym is Clark Hatch Fitness Centers.

Caliwow as mentioned above and Fitness First are better but for stays under 3 months it will get pricey. I also found a very high end gym called True Fitness, this is probably the best gym in Thailand if not south east Asia. I was able to bargain their monthly fees to about US$70 a month for a 6 month contract, it is cheap compared to a high end gym I used to go in the US.

[wana]

AlexDorneles, on 2012-02-10 20:47:16, said:

I found a very decent gym with a nice rooftop pool by the BTS Sala Daeng station. Their daily pass is only 500bth. I think this is the best gym for short term stays in BKK. Better than any hotel for sure. The gym is Clark Hatch Fitness Centers.

Caliwow as mentioned above and Fitness First are better but for stays under 3 months it will get pricey. I also found a very high end gym called True Fitness, this is probably the best gym in Thailand if not south east Asia. I was able to bargain their monthly fees to about US$70 a month for a 6 month contract, it is cheap compared to a high end gym I used to go in the US.

if you can lift rusty old weights and dont mind doind a bit of hardcore training there is  outdoor places all over bangkok
not much music.zero girls  and the guys there dont always  chit chat much but ive found a few great places if your serious
about fitness and can train in an environment like that

there is one in lumpini park ,one in the park opposie wat po
another one near china town  and a few others i dont go to much but have
pull up bars and some heavy weights an d a few almost upside down
sit up machines which the thai boxers  and off duty army use to get strong in the mid section

plenty of places to do a bit of training if you really want it !

[robblok]

@wana,

Harcore is the way to train, if there is just an olympic barbel and powerrack you can do most important exercises. You dont go to a gym to talk but to work out. Ill bet you that most guys there are in better shape as those int he more expensive chains.