Now starting: Chiang Mai Expats Dining Group

[Old Curmudgeon]

 

By invitation only.
No cost to join.

 

Small group: limited to 8-16  (1-2 round tables).
One lunch or dinner meeting per month.

At relaxed and comfortable restaurants in Chiang Mai.
Comfortable restaurants, not cheap restaurants.

 

I am starting to work on a plan for an expats dining group like this in Chiang Mai.
I have arranged and managed two similar groups in two other cities in years past (not in Thailand).

 

Not a business.

No commissions or anything like that.

Just an informal gathering.

 

Right now I'm looking for comments and critique on the plan.
If you are interested to discuss, please use private message to exchange email address with me.

After refining the plan, will post here for public viewing and further comments.

 

Thank you.

 

[BritManToo]

Might be a good idea to state age range, employment status of your target group, and some of the restaurants you intend to use.

[Old Curmudgeon]

15 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

... age range, employment status of your target group, and some of the restaurants you intend to use.

 

Very good points.

Thanks, @BritManToo for posting.

 

Target group:

- Long stay expats, retired or similar - 50+

- No tourists.

- No digital nomads.

 

Employment status:  Does it matter??

 

Possible restaurants (subject to change):

- Duke's

- Red Lion

- Route 66

- Sausage King Garden

- Kham Saen restaurant (at Khum Paya near CBD).

 

[JBChiangRai]

There is one running in Chiang Rai into it’s 7th or 8th year, it meets 2nd Thursday of each month and is an open invitation to everyone.

 

It usually gets between 10 and 25 attendees and is at lots of different restaurants. Often some kind of special deal is organized.

 

It’s a great way for new residents to meet people and tell each other lies.

 

My advice would be to open it up to everyone.

[scottiejohn]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

Might be a good idea to state age range, employment status of your target group, and some of the restaurants you intend to use.

Might be a good idea to state who is NOT allowed to attend?

[Dante99]

18 hours ago, Old Curmudgeon said:

By invitation only.

who is doing the inviting?

[Celsius]

18 hours ago, Old Curmudgeon said:

Target group:

- Long stay expats, retired or similar - 50+

- No tourists.

- No digital nomads.

 

How about a dress code? We all know how long stay expats dress.

 

What about a BO? 

 

Drunks allowed?

[Old Croc]

It's normal for an individual to choose their friends, those who meet their standards and are like thinkers.

However, for a person to use this open forum to selectively

recruit people that he decides are suitable to dine with him at a closed social function seems to be at odds with the aims of this forum.

[GypsyT]

noun: curmudgeon; plural noun: curmudgeons

1. a bad-tempered person, especially an old one.

    

   I give you points for honesty and warning!

    

    

[CM Dad]

I have lived in CM for more than thirty years and am a member of a dining group.  We are a mixture of foreigners and Thais and we call ourselves friends.

[john donson]

you eat for free with a deal with the resto to bring other paying customers?

[Wrwest]

23 hours ago, Old Curmudgeon said:

 

Very good points.

Thanks, @BritManToo for posting.

 

Target group:

- Long stay expats, retired or similar - 50+

- No tourists.

- No digital nomads.

 

Employment status:  Does it matter??

 

Possible restaurants (subject to change):

- Duke's

- Red Lion

- Route 66

- Sausage King Garden

- Kham Saen restaurant (at Khum Paya near CBD).

 

Smash Daddy's

Salsa KItchen

 

just a thought

[newbee2022]

Included Meridien, ShangriLa?

The sky is the limit ???

For me it's important to get healthy food.

[Old Curmudgeon]

1 hour ago, john donson said:

you eat for free with a deal with the resto to bring other paying customers?

 

Wrong.

 

Clever guess, but wrong.

I pay exactly what everyone else pays.

 

(I should have specified that in my opening post.)

[roo860]

1 hour ago, Bill97 said:

Then you would soon be visiting a dentist for multiple teeth repairs 

I reckon there'd be a few who would do the honours 👌👌

[SassyM]

Good idea.

[1FinickyOne]

7 hours ago, CM Dad said:

we call ourselves friends.

Sure, but what do you call the others in the group? 

 

Do you have American Indian names - That's

 

"John, eats like a pig"

 

Mike Never shuts up

 

Freddy Bad Breath

 

Arnold Prostate 

 

 

[driver52]

On 10/28/2024 at 8:21 AM, JBChiangRai said:

 

It’s a great way for new residents to meet people and tell each other lies.

......sadly probably true 

[ChaiyaTH]

On 10/28/2024 at 1:41 PM, Old Curmudgeon said:

 

Very good points.

Thanks, @BritManToo for posting.

 

Target group:

- Long stay expats, retired or similar - 50+

- No tourists.

- No digital nomads.

 

Graveyard might be a place to find people. What is the point anyway to meet with random other people, to go to a place that is more of quality and service to begin with? Isn't that what you do with your other half, friends or a date?

 

Thailand is already a super low entry and social country, if you can't chat up a stranger here it will happen nowhere.

[BKKKevin]

Good idea…

This would make for a great Facebook group…

I would broaden it to include day trips…

[JimTripper]

On 10/28/2024 at 1:41 PM, Old Curmudgeon said:

Target group:

- Long stay expats, retired or similar - 50+

- No tourists.

- No digital nomads.

 

Interesting that you don't want digital nomads...

 

They seem to have a specific vibe that curiously does not mix with the locals or typical retirees/expats well (a millenial thing 🤷🏻‍♂️). I saw this in a condo building and also the co-working space cafe's in town.

 

They are able to carve out a defined "space" without getting involved in the surroundings an odd manner.

 

The Op is looking for something similar to the Soiree' my neighbor held a few years back.

 

One thing I would make perfectly clear in advance [based on that experience) is, who is paying? Is it a host treat, dutch, or strict pay for what you order? It's not hard or impolite. When you give the invite or directions you specify a cover charge or indicate seperate bills.
 

Would save some headaches (or worse) at the end of the evening.

 

[Insert a picture of my drunk neighbor banging on my window for money after everyone has left here].

[Old Curmudgeon]

On 10/30/2024 at 8:13 AM, BKKKevin said:

Good idea…

This would make for a great Facebook group…

 

Thanks, @BKKKevin, and what would be the benefit of a Facebook group?

 

(I'm not on Facebook, so I have no idea.  Am I missing something wonderful??)

[Old Curmudgeon]

On 10/30/2024 at 8:28 AM, JimTripper said:

 

Interesting that you don't want digital nomads...

They seem to have a specific vibe that curiously does not mix with the locals or typical retirees/expats well (a millenial thing 🤷🏻‍♂️). I saw this in a condo building and also the co-working space cafe's in town.

They are able to carve out a defined "space" without getting involved in the surroundings an odd manner.

 

Thanks, @JimTripper, for those comments about digital nomads.

I've observed similar, but can't quite explain that "odd manner".

 

Would make a most interesting discussion topic here, if you (or anyone else) cares to start a thread.

Perhaps a title something like:

   "Digital Nomads vs. Long-stay Expats".

 

Quote

Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet,
Till Earth and Sky stand presently at God's great Judgment Seat;
But there is neither East nor West, Border, nor Breed, nor Birth,
When two strong men stand face to face, though they come from the ends of the earth!

 

- Kipling

 

[JimTripper]

2 hours ago, Old Curmudgeon said:

Thanks, @JimTripper, for those comments about digital nomads.

I've observed similar, but can't quite explain that "odd manner".

 

Would make a most interesting discussion topic here, if you (or anyone else) cares to start a thread.

Perhaps a title something like:

   "Digital Nomads vs. Long-stay Expats".

Digital Nomads are actually quite social, BUT only within the chosen group, thus:

 

Millennials are those born between 1981 and 1996, currently ages 26–41. These individuals were shaped by digital communication technologies and are known for their intrinsic desire for a sense of communal, democratic innovation where one is always expected to share new ideas and work as a team player. The only reason I somewhat understand them is because I grew up in the SF Bay Area where the culture thrives.

 

Also, it's the "entitled generation", but that start more towards 1996-2000, Generation Z.

 

That said, I think everybody should be invited to the group, no exclusions. In the odd event diffrrent groups did show up together which would be interesting, although unlikely.

[JBChiangRai]

9 hours ago, JimTripper said:

That said, I think everybody should be invited to the group, no exclusions. In the odd event diffrrent groups did show up together which would be interesting, although unlikely.

 

I think that is spot on and very important.

 

The "Ostraka" monthly dining group" in Chiang Rai is in it's 8th year specifically because it is non-judgmental and open to everyone.  Next month is at Accha Indian Restaurant in Chiang Rai and it's always 12 noon, always the 2nd Thursday of the month.  It's easy for people to remember though they may need to ask at which restaurant it is at.

[BritManToo]

10 hours ago, JimTripper said:

That said, I think everybody should be invited to the group, no exclusions. In the odd event diffrrent groups did show up together which would be interesting, although unlikely.

I wouldn't join any group that would allow me to be a member.

[JimTripper]

4 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I wouldn't join any group that would allow me to be a member.

 

It seems like "oriented" groups fizzle out for some reason. Maybe it's similar to looking in a mirror.

[suzannegoh]

19 hours ago, Old Curmudgeon said:

 

Thanks, @JimTripper, for those comments about digital nomads.

I've observed similar, but can't quite explain that "odd manner".

 

Would make a most interesting discussion topic here, if you (or anyone else) cares to start a thread.

Perhaps a title something like:

   "Digital Nomads vs. Long-stay Expats".

 

 

 

This is largely a generational thing.  Older people have always complained about younger generations.

[Old Curmudgeon]

22 minutes ago, suzannegoh said:

 

This is largely a generational thing.

 

A respectful reminder that this topic is about a dining group for expats.

 

I suggested  @JimTripper start a new topic about Digital Nomads vs. Old Expats.

But he preferred to post his views on this thread instead.

 

I, for one, would be most interested in a Nomads vs. Expats topic,

just not on this thread.

[Bill97]

Terrible idea, can’t imagine why anyone I know would go.