Expat Clubs -Why don't you go?

[1FinickyOne]

I went a few times years ago - - - when I thought the speakers might be interesting... not too much so. until they took questions and people would stand up and start telling their life story 

 

If you are talking about the Saturday morning buffet breakfast put on by Dukes - yes, I would go to that again. 

[steven100]

crikey  ' .....   can't I just go and have the buffet and ignore the stiffs and everyone else .....  just eat my buffet and then leave ..  

[riclag]

8 hours 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. 

Sometimes hanging out with expats can be difficult ! You know who you are.How many times have I looked blank to your conversation? How many times have I asked you to repeat , what you’ve said

 

[nglodnig]

1 hour ago, georgegeorgia said:

in  fact I shut my phone to look out the bus window on my way home.

I was bored reading it 

You must be a really slow reader 🙂

[zzaa09]

9 hours ago, simon43 said:

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!

Indeed. 

Goes without saying.

Though, I'm sure that too many will miss these realities. In most of these like circles.....that's all they know, thrive to keep company with their own kind. 

 

I'll pass, thanks.

[Kinok Farang]

Went twice when i first came here 19 years ago.

Then i found it strange that at 1pm on a Sunday lunchtime 100's of men sitting down drinking tea and coffee when back home all the lads would have had a pint in front of them.

I made the assumption that they were all stiffs and do nothings based on doing nothing.

[JimTripper]

14 minutes ago, Kinok Farang said:

Went twice when i first came here 19 years ago.

Then i found it strange that at 1pm on a Sunday lunchtime 100's of men sitting down drinking tea and coffee when back home all the lads would have had a pint in front of them.

I made the assumption that they were all stiffs and do nothings based on doing nothing.

Why do they need to always be drinking beer?

[proton]

would never go anywhere to see expats, usually avoid them if spotted at central or Big C, pretend teachers, sex addicts, drunks, liars and miserable looking married sorts being dragged round the shops by some tart with more gold and tattoos than brains.

[wimpy]

Prefer socializing with my dogs.

[JimTripper]

24 minutes ago, wimpy said:

Prefer socializing with my dogs.

Not really.

[JimTripper]

21 hours ago, stoner said:

what kind of activities we talking about ? 

Let me get back to you on that.

[Scouse123]

22 hours 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?

 

 

 

I wouldn't go because it's usually full of 70-80 year old men whinging that bar prices have gone up by 2 baht, their pensions are frozen, and that their 21-year-old hooker GF has left them for pastures new, and the whole place smells of stale urine.

[Prubangboy]

My wife is a letter grade better looking than me.

 

Hoping for any more is inviting disaster.

 

 

-Wrong post, whatever.

[Skipalongcassidy]

22 hours ago, Prubangboy said:

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?

Actually it is held at New Yorker owned restaurant that serves one of the best breakfast buffets available anywhere... please DO NOT attend... we prefer nice people.

[Prubangboy]

2 minutes ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

please DO NOT attend... we prefer nice people.

As an active member, you should be trying to coax me to come.

 

'Can't help but notice how evasive you are on the dodgy fruit issue.

 

Who got to you?

[jippytum]

Too many old expats asking the same basic questions. A bit like this forum. 

[Skipalongcassidy]

8 minutes ago, Prubangboy said:

As an active member, you should be trying to coax me to come.

 

Why on earth would I do that... the venue is a sellout every time and it is a nice friendly environment... most would recommend that you take your snotty attitude elsewhere...

PS... the fruit is always fresh and tasty.

[georgegeorgia]

1 hour ago, Scouse123 said:

 

I wouldn't go because it's usually full of 70-80 year old men whinging that bar prices have gone up by 2 baht, their pensions are frozen, and that their 21-year-old hooker GF has left them for pastures new, and the whole place smells of stale urine.

Just right for him.

Fits the age group 

[Prubangboy]

39 minutes ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

 

 

25 minutes ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

the venue is a sellout every time

 

Now you're just comically lying.

[JimTripper]

45 minutes ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

Actually it is held at New Yorker owned restaurant that serves one of the best breakfast buffets available anywhere... please DO NOT attend... we prefer nice people.

Well, you would hate to be too exclusive 🤣

[Prubangboy]

47 minutes ago, Skipalongcassidy said:

one of the best breakfast buffets available anywhere... 

And yet, and yet.....I have my doubts that this is strictly true -that the stalwart New Yorke hotelr is somehow miraculously punching above its 195 baht weight and then into the Four Seasons stratosphere.

 

But then again: "Tasty" fruit? - how do I get involved?

[Kinok Farang]

1 hour ago, proton said:

would never go anywhere to see expats, usually avoid them if spotted at central or Big C, pretend teachers, sex addicts, drunks, liars and miserable looking married sorts being dragged round the shops by some tart with more gold and tattoos than brains.

I belong in the last category.

Oh,and the 3rd.

[Jaxxper]

I belong to one of the expat clubs in Pattaya. Really eclectic group of people from carpet fitters to engineers to Doctors.

i find it a benefit because of the following:

1. Meet new expats

2. Get to hear some interesting presentations

3. Get discounted breakfasts

4. Learn from tribal knowledge of the group

5. See interesting articles on the news letter about immigration, expat taxes and recommended vendors and service providers.

6. Book and DVD library

 

For the annual membership of Thb 500 it in my opinion is worth being part of that community.(certainly get that back in club discounts every year)

just my view. Try it where you are, you might like it. 

 

 

[Prubangboy]

2 minutes ago, Jaxxper said:

 

Try it where you are, you might like it. 

 

 

I would love to, but SkipCassidy says I have a better chance of snagging a Taylor Swift ticket.

 

Just absolutely packed out. Unlike the website pic.

[Kwaibill]

I came to Thailand to experience Thai people and culture, not hang with the same old crowd.

[NoshowJones]

I used to be with one in Bangmunnak every Sat afternoon, now they are all dead or gone away. I admit it, I sure miss the company of guys from the UK.

[uttradit]

3 minutes ago, NoshowJones said:

I used to be with one in Bangmunnak every Sat afternoon, now they are all dead or gone away. I admit it, I sure miss the company of guys from the UK.

They now catch planes and have fights.

[Wrwest]

On 2/15/2024 at 10:43 AM, Prubangboy said:

What happens at the meetings and would it be of interest for a first time visitor? What's the nationality mix?

For those newly arriving in Chiang Mai, the Chiang Mai Expats Club provides a table at the monthly breakfasts so that questions can be asked. Immigration, banking, weather, driving/license requirements, medical care/insurance, travel, shopping, lodging, different areas of the city benefits and potential drawbacks, general Thai cultural observations, etc. are questions oft on newcomer folks minds. This is true of vacationers, as well as, those contemplating retiring here. Yep, you can get answers on this site but, be aware ... the Duke's Breakfast Buffet cost is 395 baht, discounted to 295 for Expat Club Members (one time lifetime membership is 1000 baht). Scroll though the posts and you see a different cost cited and the German buffet is not a breakfast, cost cited by the restaurant is at 230 baht, 280 baht on Sundays (and yes a great value).

[Wrwest]

19 hours ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

What happened to expats here in Thailand, it never used to be like this, many years ago expats were fun to be with but sadly they are now what you have described, I've read so many other comments from members with similar feelings. 

 

Its horrible now posting or commenting on this forum, you get attacked at times.

I'm Australian, I can take the attacks and criticism but it's really weird reading all the hate comments. 

 

I've been a member of AN for over 6 years. 

Sadly today I blocked a couple of annoying, antagonizing members after learning you can block members, what a wonderful feature. 

 

It seems some of the Brits are angry here in Thailand, Dan About Thailand, he's English but has made a vlog, saying that the Brits can be the biggest moaners in Thailand.

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/yoRspYqpyd15V5Kc/?mibextid=oFDknk

 

As an American Cousin, I do understand and sympathize with Brits who have benefits frozen for living outside British territory. I would be grumpy also if my SS inflation adjustments were frozen.

[Freddy42OZ]

Have any of you watched the new TV show set in Hong Kong called "Expats"?    That is how I grew up.  With maids, private schools, exclusive country club memberships, lots of black tie High Society balls.

When I hear the word expat I think of people who are highly paid professionals, on expat packages.  Most of whom are posh and sophisticated.

I don't really think of retired blue collar workers as expats.