1. NAME

The name of the Club is the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand, and the initials are FCCT or F.C.C.T.

2. HEADQUARTERS

The headquarters of the Club are established on the top floor, Penthouse, of the 

Maneeya Center 
518/5 Ploenchit Road
Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
Phone:    +66 (0) 2 652-0580-1 
Fax:        +66 (0) 2 652-0582
E-mail:    info@fccthai.com
Website: www.fccthai.com

3. PURPOSES

The aims and purposes of the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand, hereinafter referred to as the FCCT, are as follows:
1). To promote the professional interests of foreign correspondents working in Thailand.
2). To foster good relations between foreign correspondents and journalists and the Thai authorities and Thai press.
3). To assist foreign correspondents and journalists visiting Thailand.
4). To provide facilities for press conferences, seminars and other informative programs of interest to foreign correspondents.
5). To provide a social meeting place and entertainment, on a non-profit basis, for members and their guests.

4. LIMITATIONS

The FCCT has no political, racial or religious objectives. In pursuing its aims, the FCCT shall confine itself to acts directly affecting foreign correspondents and the journalistic profession. The FCCT shall not lend its name to any cause, campaign, commercial venture, ideology or religious precept, nor shall it take sides in any internal political affairs or international relations affecting Thailand or any other nation. Nor shall members include mention of, or association, with the FCCT in any individual communication without prior authorization of the FCCT.

5. MEMBERSHIP

The categories of membership are as follows: 

1. Correspondent Members
A Correspondent Member shall be an active and currently employed person, whether staff, retained, or freelance, representing mass media. Such mass media, whether press, radio or television, must have its headquarters outside Thailand, while the newsperson must be currently living or stationed in Thailand. Such mass media may be a newspaper, news agency, news syndicate, news service, online news agency or magazine, radio and/or television organization, news picture agency, news magazine, periodical or other news organization. A Correspondent Member shall be engaged in news, feature or interpretative coverage of current events for foreign audiences. The major portion of the newsperson's income must be provided through creation of an editorial or news product for dissemination outside Thailand. Persons meeting the above qualifications, but living or stationed in the subcontinent or Indochina may apply for correspondent membership in the FCCT. Similarly, persons based in other areas of the world but spending a significant amount of their working time in Thailand may apply for correspondent membership in the FCCT 

The membership committee shall use guidance set forth in the By-Laws to determine eligibility for membership under this category.

2. Journalist Members
Those eligible must be members of the editorial staff of a newspaper, periodical or online news service published in Thailand; or news correspondents for a radio or television station broadcasting in Thailand; or freelance print, broadcast and photojournalists whose articles are published or broadcast in Thailand and/or abroad, or online.

3. Local Journalist Members

Those eligible must be members of the editorial staff of a newspaper, periodical or online news service published in Thailand in the Thai language; or news correspondents for a radio or television station broadcasting in Thailand in the Thai language; or freelance print, broadcast or photojournalists whose articles are published or broadcast in Thailand and/or abroad, or online in Thai.

4. Associate Members
Eligible as Associate Members are the accredited press representatives of official and semiofficial information services, diplomatic missions, and international organizations. Also eligible as Associate Members are members of the general public who are actively interested in the news gathering and presentation efforts of the FCCT, and who are deemed by the Executive Committee to be contributing to the journalistic profession by their interest and support.

5. Life Members
Life Members may be drawn from any of the above three categories. Applicants will be subject to the consideration and approval of the Executive Committee, and once accepted, will be looked upon as one of the major foundational supports of the FCCT.

6. Corporate, Government, Diplomatic and Multilateral Organization Members
Corporate, government, diplomatic and multilateral organization membership in the FCCT is extended to local or international corporations with offices in Thailand; Thai government ministries, departments and agencies; embassies and diplomatic missions in Thailand; and multilateral organizations (such as the United Nations, the Mekong River Commission, etc.) with offices in Thailand, whenever three or more individuals in any one group apply and qualify for membership. Such memberships are transferable within the same group during their period of validity. Corporate, Government, Diplomatic and Multilateral Organization Members must have a genuine interest in supporting and furthering the aims and objectives of the FCCT.

7. Overseas Members
Any member in good standing of the FCCT who no longer resides in Thailand and wishes to continue an association with the club may convert his or her membership classification to that of Overseas Member. Non-members whose principal residence is outside of Thailand may also establish membership under the same category, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, by paying the appropriate registration and subscription fees.

8. Temporary Members
Temporary membership in the FCCT may be extended to visitors to Bangkok under the following terms and conditions:
(a) The candidate must be sponsored by two members in good standing, at least one of whom must be a Foreign Correspondent.
(b) The candidate must not be a resident of Thailand.
The duration of temporary membership will be not more than three months. Temporary Members will be registered in the membership database and issued a temporary membership card.

9. Country Members
Country Membership in the FCCT may be extended to those residing outside of a 50 km radius from the center of Bangkok.

10. Senior Members
Upon reaching the statutory retirement age in Thailand, any member in good standing (with the exception of Temporary, Life, Honorary and Honorary Life Members) may convert his or her membership classification to that of Senior Member. Non-members who have reached the same age may also establish membership under the same category, subject to the approval of the Executive Committee, by paying the appropriate registration and subscription fees.

11. Student Members
Those eligible are persons enrolled in a recognized degree or diploma course of study at an accredited college, technical school or university, who are not otherwise fully employed, and who have a genuine interest in supporting and furthering the aims of the FCCT.

12. Non-Governmental Organization (Local) Members
Those eligible are persons employed by or otherwise associated in a significant capacity with a recognized non-governmental organization based in Thailand and operating exclusively there or there and in neighboring countries. Non-Governmental Organization Members must have a genuine interest in supporting and furthering the aims of the FCCT.

13. Non-Governmental Organization (International) Members
Those eligible are persons employed by or otherwise associated in a significant capacity with a recognized non-governmental organization headquartered outside of Thailand and operating in more than one nation or region including at least Thailand or neighboring countries. Non-Governmental Organization members must have a genuine interest in supporting and furthering the aims of the FCCT. 

14. Floating Members

Floating memberships may be negotiated with the office for all categories except Honorary Life, Life, Overseas, Temporary, Country, Senior and Student. The contracting organization, whether it be an embassy, company, news organization, NGO or other entity, agrees to take out a fixed number of memberships for or held in the name of the contracting organization and used by anybody from that organization on a self-administered basis. Registration fees are paid only once for block memberships.

15. Other Members
As defined in Section XVII in the By-Laws.

6. OFFICERS

Management of the FCCT shall be vested in a 13-member Executive Committee composed of: (1) a President; (2) a First Vice President who shall be Finance Committee Chairman; (3) a Second Vice President who shall be Program Committee Chairman, all of whom must be Correspondent Members in good standing. 

(4) A Corresponding Secretary; and (5), (6), (7) three Directors, who must be Correspondent or Journalist Members in good standing. 

8) A Treasurer; (9) a Recording Secretary; and (10), (11), (12) three Member Directors in good standing drawn from any membership category except Overseas or Temporary. 

The Immediate Past President shall serve as a member (13) of the Executive Committee and shall be Professional Committee Chairman. Honorary Life Members shall be eligible for election to posts of Director in the membership category in which they previously belonged. Vacancies will be filled by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee.

The Executive Committee when placed in a situation in which it is without an immediate Past President as a result of the re-election of the incumbent President, is empowered to appoint a Correspondent Member to assume the vital duties of Chairman of the Professional Committee and member of the Executive Committee with all rights and privileges appertaining thereto for the duration of the term of office of the Executive Committee concerned.

7. TERM OF OFFICE

The FCCT Executive Committee shall serve for a term of one (1) year following annual elections. Officers may be re-elected for a second term, but no officer shall serve more than two (2) years consecutively in the same capacity.

8. ELECTIONS

The annual election of officers shall be held on a date selected by the executive committee within 90 days of the closure of the preceding financial year on 31 December. The Executive Committee shall inform all Correspondent Members and Members of the FCCT in writing of the date of the Annual Elections not less than thirty (30) days in advance of the election date.

9. MEETINGS

Special meetings shall be called by the Executive Committee, or by order of the President when requested in writing by not less than eight (8) Correspondent Members in good standing. Within ten (10) days of assuming office, the incoming Executive Committee shall hold its first regular business meeting and shall meet regularly thereafter at least once each month. Unless herein otherwise provided, questions which may arise at the Annual General Meeting, at any duly called Business Meeting or at a meeting of the Executive Committee shall be decided by a simple majority vote of eligible voting members.

10. QUORUM

A quorum for transaction of business at the Annual General Meeting and at any duly called Business Meeting shall consist of a majority of the eligible Correspondent Members who are in Bangkok on the date of the meeting or are properly represented by proxy or by Absentee Ballot provided for that purpose. A quorum for transaction of business by the Executive Committee shall consist of at least three (3) Correspondent Members and two (2) members of the Executive Committee. 

11. PROXY/ABSENTEE BALLOT

A Correspondent Member in good standing absent on the date of the annual elections, or date of voting constitutional, procedural and policy matters, may vote by absentee ballot provided for that purpose or by proxy, provided that the proxy holder is a Correspondent Member in good standing. No one Correspondent Member may hold or exercise more than three (3) proxies.

12. DUES

An Entrance Fee and annual dues for Correspondent Members shall be established by the Executive Committee and approved by a majority vote of Correspondent Members in good standing. Special assessments for clubhouse operations or other club activities may be established by the Executive Committee provided same are approved by a majority vote of Correspondent Members in good standing. Registration fees, entrance fees and annual dues will be set from time to time by the Executive Committee as conditions require.

13. FISCAL YEAR 

The fiscal year of the FCCT runs from January 1 to December 31.

14. AMENDMENTS

The FCCT Constitution may be amended by a three-quarters majority vote of eligible Correspondent Members present or represented by proxy at a duly called business meeting. The Executive Committee shall provide 30 days notice of the time and place of the meeting, and the text and an explanation of the amendment. Constitutional Amendments, which may be required to comply with changes in Thai laws, may be voted upon at any Special General Meeting called for that specific purpose.

15. ASSETS
In the event of dissolution of the Club, the Club's assets, by decision of the Finance Committee, shall be handed over to a comparable association or a charitable Organization. Monies held in trust on behalf of the Davis-Latch Memorial Fund and IMMF Educational Fund shall be regarded as separate from other Club assets, shall be strictly employed for the stated purposes of these foundations and may not be utilized or attached for any other purpose, whether on a short or long-term basis. The disposal of such monies in the event of the termination of the fund shall be regarded as distinct and separate from the club's other assets and shall be disposed of in accordance with the rules governing the fund.