Popular Post Prubangboy Posted February 15 Popular Post Share Posted February 15 I have steadfastly dodged popping in to the expat society (or whatever it is) in Chiang Mai for 18 straight months. Even with the tantalizing offer of a discount buffet. It's down to sheer, ignorant predjudice on my part that they're going to be stiffs and do-nothings -based on nothing. Do you share my view? Based on what? Have you ever attended such a meeting? How wrong am I? 1 3 2 1 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post flyingtlger Posted February 15 Popular Post Share Posted February 15 7 minutes ago, Prubangboy said: It's down to sheer, ignorant predjudice on my part that they're going to be stiffs and do-nothings -based on nothing. It sounds like you've already made up your mind.... 1 2 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CharlieH Posted February 15 Popular Post Share Posted February 15 Good to see someone with such a positive outlook and open mind and not pre-judging people and places. Are you not kind of in one right here ? 1 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post sirineou Posted February 15 Popular Post Share Posted February 15 12 minutes ago, Prubangboy said: Do you share my view? Based on what? I did, until I learned about the discount buffet. How much of a discount are we talking about? 1 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post fondue zoo Posted February 15 Popular Post Share Posted February 15 12 minutes ago, Prubangboy said: a discount buffet You had me at "a discount buffet". Sure I'm a stiff, and it's true I do enjoy a bout of extreme "do nothing". But discounted buffets.. come on. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prubangboy Posted February 15 Author Share Posted February 15 (edited) 20 minutes ago, Prubangboy said: It's down to sheer, ignorant predjudice You're gamely fighting a fight I already won against myself. What are people's (who've been or never been) perceptions of these clubs? Is it OK to have a broad opinion of something without extensive, first hand knowledge? If I went to the buffet would that sole appearance fully legitimize my thoughts, or would I need to do a tour, including Roi Et? Edited February 15 by Prubangboy 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ikke1959 Posted February 15 Popular Post Share Posted February 15 WE have been a member of an expat club too, but we quit this year after 3 years membership. Reason is simple.. but too far from our home and the activities are more for the elite class than for common people. Besides that as we have drive 60 km to the activity and 60 km back in the dark I can't drink alcohol as in Thailand you never know what to expect on the road and as a foreigner with alcohol there are more problems.. So for us it has no value...Although we liked it somehow, but because we were almost never at the activities, we didn't get to know a lot of people and so we felt a bit lonely..Anyway we will see... living in our place is good too I don't need expats 3 1 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prubangboy Posted February 15 Author Share Posted February 15 I think the buffet is 200 baht. But BritmanToo goes to a German buffet for that amount. So is that really a discount? Partic if it's a watermelon/overripe pineapple/hard cantaloupe fruit selection as per a usual discount hotel buffet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fondue zoo Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 Make up an outrageous but plausible back story/history, to tell other expats. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimTripper Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 (edited) Most people don't need the club. They are at foreigner bars, eateries and such every day where there are other expats around. I had a neighbor who ate at the same foreigner type restaurant practically every day where the food was overpriced, Ok, but not great. It was more about hanging out with similar people then the food or drink. At first it seemed dumb to me that he was always there with so many local thai eateries nearby (which I always ate at) until I caught on to what was really going on. Edited February 15 by JimTripper 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post simon43 Posted February 15 Popular Post Share Posted February 15 I didn't move halfway around the world to mix with other expats - in general, I have found expats in Thailand to be either bad, mad or a mixture of both! 3 2 1 4 1 1 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Prubangboy Posted February 15 Author Popular Post Share Posted February 15 In Chiang Mai, they have something even stupider, called The Algonquin Club. Surely, only Gammaglobule alone here will know that the Algonquin club was a fabled round table of wits, from which the phrase, "Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses" emerged. You have to be invited to join. I got an invite. I looked at their website. They had a lecture from a guy calling himself "the bad boy of finance", so basically blowhard-central. The person who recco'd me (my estate agent) said it was about a thou a year to be part of the magic. You can google it yourself to laugh at it. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post SAFETY FIRST Posted February 15 Popular Post Share Posted February 15 (edited) 39 minutes ago, Prubangboy said: Expat Clubs -Why don't you go? Many years ago I became a member (life) of Pattaya Expats Club, I went for a while, probably because I was bored and wanted to learn more about my neighborhood. We are lucky these days social media, forums like Asean Now where we can ask questions, so many knowledgeable members. I'd say some expats are bored only trolling on forums annoying others, these are the guys that attend. Edited February 15 by SAFETY FIRST 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gottfrid Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 29 minutes ago, Prubangboy said: I have steadfastly dodged popping in to the expat society (or whatever it is) in Chiang Mai for 18 straight months. Even with the tantalizing offer of a discount buffet. It's down to sheer, ignorant predjudice on my part that they're going to be stiffs and do-nothings -based on nothing. Do you share my view? Based on what? Have you ever attended such a meeting? How wrong am I? No, you are not wrong at all. In fact the opposite, as you are as right as one can be. You are a member on this forum, and then already have experience. You know it´s not prejudice or ignorance. Everyday we get first hand experience by reading about how much most members see all as wrong in Thailand, and how much problems they have understanding and accepting the people of the country where they chose to relocate. I totally share your view, and I have not moved to another country to engage in communities of people that I moved away from. There are plenty of good Thai´s that have much to offer and are able to have great conversations as well as a lot of fun. What is the fun in meeting all the grumpy and sad as well as lost people you read from everyday? Yes, I have attended. Actually gave it 2 chances as I though I might have been wrong. I wasn´t! So, now it will never happen again. It´s enough to 1 time a year stand the New Year dinner buffet, that usually is full of clueless foreigners in a country they say they love but don´t understand. 18 minutes ago, CharlieH said: Good to see someone with such a positive outlook and open mind and not pre-judging people and places. Are you not kind of in one right here ? It´s not pre-judging. We get the unhealthy dose of foreign intelligence and believes every single day on this forum. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAFETY FIRST Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 (edited) 17 minutes ago, simon43 said: I have found expats in Thailand to be either bad, mad or a mixture of both! Sadly most these days. Edited February 15 by SAFETY FIRST 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoner Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 24 minutes ago, ikke1959 said: and the activities are more for the elite class than for common people. what kind of activities we talking about ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post jerrymahoney Posted February 15 Popular Post Share Posted February 15 Expat Clubs -Why don't you go? It's full of expats. 1 2 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post huangnon Posted February 15 Popular Post Share Posted February 15 It's healthy (imo) to socialize with other people from your own culture and share interests, make friends, play sports, exchange info, etc. Not sure I'd personally want to join up to any dedicated "club" to do this right now, but maybe when I retire in a couple of years.. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyF Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 37 minutes ago, CharlieH said: Are you not kind of in one right here ? Are you not kind of proving his point? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAppletons Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 I'm a lifetime member of the Chiang Mai Expat Club. I used to go to the twice monthly breakfasts (when they were at the River Market) to socialize with others who I knew would be there. I stopped going for two reasons: (1) the people with whom I enjoyed socializing are no longer here; and (2) the breakfast time conflicts with the time I now frequent the gym. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prubangboy Posted February 15 Author Share Posted February 15 14 minutes ago, TheAppletons said: I'm a lifetime member of the Chiang Mai Expat Club. What happens at the meetings and would it be of interest for a first time visitor? What's the nationality mix? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post TheAppletons Posted February 15 Popular Post Share Posted February 15 Just now, Prubangboy said: What happens at the meetings and would it be of interest for a first time visitor? What's the nationality mix? In Chiang Mai there are meetings (monthly, I believe) and there are breakfasts (twice monthly.) The meetings are where club business is discussed (finances, events, guest speakers, etc.) It's a more structured event than the breakfasts and - personally speaking - I can't imagine it would be of interest for a first time visitor unless you were planning to be a participating member long term. The breakfasts are purely social so you show up, check-in, pay, then head for the buffet line. Take your plate, choose a group of people with whom to sit, eat and discuss whatever comes up. Pretty casual and this is where I would suggest one begin as a new visitor. Nationality mix: Americans, Western Europeans, Australians, Japanese mostly. (Disclaimer: I haven't attended in about five years. What I have described above may not be accurate today.) 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post OneMoreFarang Posted February 15 Popular Post Share Posted February 15 (edited) I guess it might be interesting for someone who is new in town. It seems to me that some people love their role to tell everybody else how much they know and how things work and all that. Lots of YouTubers are like that and I am sure there will be people like that in local clubs. I try to avoid them, because often they think they know a lot more than they actually do. Personally, if I want advice, I ask people who I know already and who I know are not just people who talk a lot without knowing what they talk about. Many of us know many people who know many people. Personal advice from someone recommended is always the best. Edited February 15 by OneMoreFarang 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post retarius Posted February 15 Popular Post Share Posted February 15 I agree with the OP. Pretty much every expat I've met was either an astronaut, starred in a movie with Tom Cruise, was a star footballer with Millwall, was a successful entrepreneur and business man controlling the lives of thousands of employees, was almost was recruited into the Beatles or the Rolling Stones in 1960, or won a solo around the world rowing race in 1967, or was in some other way totally wonderful before he came here where he turned into a drunken fat slob. 1 2 1 1 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneMoreFarang Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 I think this forum often show how to do and how not to do it. Ask a reasonable question and you will get answers. Some good, some not so good, but mostly there is good advice in there. And then there are the new posts like: Let me show you how to do this or that. Or Mr X in Thailand or something like that. Mostly useless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidAlexander Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 They have the breakfast buffet at Duke's twice a month now I believe. Went six years ago in the first month or two of living here and met a guy and his Thai wife I've been good friends with ever since. You never know.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerrymahoney Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 When I first moved to Thailand 20 years ago I used to run into both expats and Thais who figured I had money to invest. My standard line was: What you say may be a good deal for me. But the only thing certain is that it would be a better deal for you. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post worgeordie Posted February 15 Popular Post Share Posted February 15 Are they still the haunt of "Financial advisors " , like the club in Chiang Mai , where one such man scammed several people then buggered off to the UK to ply his trade, and the guy selling shares in Racehorses ,the biggest problem attending those clubs is to know who to trust ...... regards worgeordie 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmd5855 Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 34 minutes ago, retarius said: I agree with the OP. Pretty much every expat I've met was either an astronaut, starred in a movie with Tom Cruise, was a star footballer with Millwall, was a successful entrepreneur and business man controlling the lives of thousands of employees, was almost was recruited into the Beatles or the Rolling Stones in 1960, or won a solo around the world rowing race in 1967, or was in some other way totally wonderful before he came here where he turned into a drunken fat slob. Met an old American in Korat, drunk or extremely tired and emotional. Said he were an ex-mercenary started off in Rhodesia ending up a door gunner on the shuttle Atlantis during the 'Moon Wars'. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roo860 Posted February 15 Share Posted February 15 (edited) 1 hour ago, Prubangboy said: In Chiang Mai, they have something even stupider, called The Algonquin Club. Surely, only Gammaglobule alone here will know that the Algonquin club was a fabled round table of wits, from which the phrase, "Men seldom make passes at girls who wear glasses" emerged. You have to be invited to join. I got an invite. I looked at their website. They had a lecture from a guy calling himself "the bad boy of finance", so basically blowhard-central. The person who recco'd me (my estate agent) said it was about a thou a year to be part of the magic. You can google it yourself to laugh at it. https://algonqu.in/ Seems like my sort of company, wonder if they have topless waitresses?😆😆 Edited February 15 by roo860 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.png.3b3332cc2256ad0edbc2fe9404feeef0.png)
.thumb.jpg.a649cacedeeccbc218adc073bf668ef2.jpg)
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now