Classic Cars of Lanna meeting.... ugh...

[Trujillo]

Classic Cars of Lanna (Classic Cars of Lanna website) has a monthly meeting and today was at a restaurant in Hang Dong. I had never attended a meeting before as my car was not really ready to be put on display, but today was going to be my debut. 

 

Unfortunately, I have to say, if you invite a group of people to your restaurant, please have the presence of mind and courtesy to be prepared for service. 

 

I arrived at 10am per the instructions on the website and the front large table was already full of people so I found a place in the next alcove and had to sit with an elderly couple at their table.

I did say hello as I arrived to a local auto mechanic I recognized, but he didn't say anything and didn't extend any welcome, so I decided to go make myself known to the wait staff and I asked an employee for a menu and then told her (in Thai) where I was sitting. After a good 15 minutes (with no sign of anything resembling service happening), I asked the couple next to me (who had finished their coffees already) if they were waiting for food, and they said yes. The man had just gone up front to inquire about this, I presume, and they both had rather sour looks on their faces. 

 

I could see no joy in this situation so I got up, went to my car, answered a few questions from a lone foreigner looking over the cars, and drove away to try and get something to eat. I found a chain coffee shop up the road that had a bacon and eggs breakfast for 98 baht, and was served right away. 

 

I realize that the wait staff were overwhelmed and that the foreigner behind the counter wasn't prepared at all (even though he knew a large group of people would be coming). At least you might have had a big pot of coffee ready and perhaps an easy, set meal for the 20+ people who came for the meeting. Or have ready a self-serve buffet.

 

It was a disappointment not only because of the ridiculous situation at the restaurant, but that there was no organization at all, and as a new person, I didn't see how I fit into the crowd of people who all apparently knew each other already. 

 

In the future, I might suggest that if you want to have a meeting with over 20 hungry people, you pick a venue that is ready and able to take care of the group, and not just pick some place that's run by some foreigner you know. You might also have some kind of sign-in for any new people arriving, which would allow the old faces to see who is attending for the first time, and try to make them welcome. 

 

[CharlieH]

Troll post and response renoved.

[Kelsall]

Sometimes I'm baffled by the lack of service in Thai establishments. 

 

BTW, some nice looking cars on that website.

[boonrawdcnx]

Working almost all my life in the hospitality industry and managing the production of up to 15.000 meals a day - I wonder how it would even be possible for a restaurant to be able to screw up a function of 20+ people, pre-announced - not just dropping in unexpected.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

 

[Trujillo]

Per the instructions on the website, I RSVP'ed via email that I would be at the breakfast, but not sure if I would carry on with the subsequent meeting at someone's house in the mountains. I submitted this three days before the event, but oddly (perhaps), never got a confirmation email in reply. 

Left me feeling sort of like I'd sent my email to a black hole. 

 

Maybe it's actually a pretty tight-knit group and you have to already know someone from the inside to get in. 

 

Oh well, live and learn. ...

[MrSanders]

I don’t get this. Why put it on the web in an “all are welcome” manner, then show zero hospitality? I mean, if you ask people to turn up, you have to have a means of identifying the group organiser (wear a damned hat!) and he has to say hello, find out who you are and what you are driving, and introduce you to the group, which have to be sitting together as a group. Otherwise how the hell is a newbie supposed to know what’s going on? A group like this could be really useful for people with classic cars since you need to know where you can get good work done, who can find spares, that kind of stuff. Classic owners should provide a mutual support network. Seems they can’t even be bothered to say hello in a cafe. Socially challenged, snobs, or what?

Edited February 25, 2019 by MrSanders
Typo correction

[VocalNeal]

17 hours ago, Trujillo said:

but that there was no organization at all, and as a new person, I didn't see how I fit into the crowd of people who all apparently knew each other already. 

Can happen in any country, any pastime. really it's up to the newbie to make the effort.

Edited February 25, 2019 by VocalNeal

[iang]

https://www.chiangmaicitylife.com/social-pics/classic-cars-lanna-outing

Edited February 25, 2019 by iang

[MrSanders]

13 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

Can happen in any country, any pastime. really it's up to the newbie to make the effort.

Don’t be daft. It takes knowhow to keep these vehicles on the road and a decent group of people is a knowledge base that is only stronger by being bigger. So it’s in all members’ interests to seek out new members and make them feel welcome. There seems to have been no attempt here to introduce new people into the group. Nor even answering email. What I am hearing about here is a piss-poor show, apparently by a clique of show-offs, most of whose cars aren’t actually classics at all. Sorry guys, a 20-year old clunker isn’t a classic.

[VocalNeal]

19 minutes ago, MrSanders said:

Don’t be daft. It takes know how to keep these vehicles on the road and a decent group of people is a knowledge base that is only stronger by being bigger. So it’s in all members’ interests to seek out new members and make them feel welcome.

 

 

^ sadly wrong and only your opinion.

 

Have you joined the Thailand Classic car Club or done anything other than attend one event. If you surf there are two classic car clubs.

 

What car did you drive to the show? Classic?

 

I notice you didn't post this in the Motoring Section!!!

 

 

Edited February 25, 2019 by VocalNeal

[Trujillo]

"...really it's up to the newbie to make the effort."

 

I wondered how long it would take for someone to blame me for the lack of welcome and organization. Cheers. 

[VocalNeal]

Well how much effort did you make? After all they didn't personally invite you?  It was an open invitation to a restaurant. Did they know how many would show up?

 

Was it announced as a new membership drive?

 

I think your expectations were a bit high.

[cmsally]

Is the Classic Car Club of Chiang Mai the same as Classic Cars of Lanna ???

[Trujillo]

"Well how much effort did you make? ...It was an open invitation to a restaurant. Did they know how many would show up?"

 

Oh my. As they used to say, "Reading is fundamental"...did you skip over the RSVP I posted about? Yes, they knew I was coming three days before the event. Yes, they knew roughly how many people were coming. 

 

But of course, as you point out repeatedly, it's all my fault. I should have just muscled my way to the kitchen, cooked my own food and stood on the main dining room table and shouted, "It's me! I'm here!" while kicking the other diners' plates into their laps. Thanks for the tip. 

 

 

 

 

 

[elektrified]

21 minutes ago, cmsally said:

Is the Classic Car Club of Chiang Mai the same as Classic Cars of Lanna ???

I doubt it. One of them is run by a mechanic I know. Membership is entirely Thai.

[Trujillo]

The Classic Car Club of Chiang Mai's Facebook seems inactive. 

 

When you say the membership is entirely Thai, does that mean they don't welcome foreigners with classic cars? 

[VocalNeal]

1 hour ago, Trujillo said:

But of course, as you point out repeatedly, it's all my fault. I should have just muscled my way to the kitchen, cooked my own food and stood on the main dining room table and shouted, "It's me! I'm here!" while kicking the other diners' plates into their laps. Thanks for the tip. 

 

What a stupid response. No wonder they didn't welcome you.

 

You sent an RSVP did they acknowledge that?

 

Maybe I missed the bit where politely you said hello and introduced yourself to all the guys sat at "the head table" before sitting down on your own in the alcove.

 

But never mind. As i said you can join the Classic car club of Thailand and meet, maybe not in person, some kindred spirits. My mate has a Rover 90 or maybe it is a 75. he goes on rallies with them out of Bangkok. At least one of the Chiangmai/Lanna guys will be in the Thai group as well if they are real classic fans.

 

There is another farang forum for Thailand. They have a thread for classic cars and at least one of the guys live up north there.

[Trujillo]

 

 

"You sent an RSVP did they acknowledge that? "

 

You keep amazing me by commenting on my posts without reading them. I'll wait until someone from the group replies. 

[JimmyJ]

11 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Well how much effort did you make? After all they didn't personally invite you?  It was an open invitation to a restaurant. Did they know how many would show up?

 

Was it announced as a new membership drive?

 

I think your expectations were a bit high.

(After reading the whole thread) I disagree with all of your comments.

And also agree with the OP - you are not paying attention to what he has posted.

 

Everything the OP stated is perfectly reasonable and actually understated.

Based on his account, by any standard the club is thoughtlessly and inefficiently managed.

Edited February 25, 2019 by JimmyJ