Next meeting - Bangkok Expats' Association

[MekhongKurt]

Just a reminder that tomorrow, Sunday, August 3rd we're having another meeting of The Bangkok Expats' Association at The office Bar & Grill just off Sukhumvit Soi 33 starting at 11:30 A.M. and set to last until about 2:00 or 2:30 P.M.

I have membership forms now, so if you come by and I don't offer you one, please just ask me.

Looking forward to seeing everyone there!

Mekhong Kurt

[used_motor]

How was the 2nd meeting????

[MekhongKurt]

Hi used_motor --

Thanks for asking.  The meeting went well, with 11 "old" members and 6 new ones coming.  As is natural, those members who already have known each other a long time congregated around one table while the newcomers sat with me at the bar in the beginning, we ended up merging the two groups and having everyone to introduce himself.

One very good point was brought to my attention: Tuesday, August 12, is Her Majesty's birthday, so The Office Bar & Grill will be closed.  Therefore, the meeting for that day will be changed to the following day, i.e., Wednesday, August 13th.

A new member suggested we follow the example of the Pattaya Expats' Club and have a "theme meeting."  He cited a recent occasion on which that club announced a housing theme, and he reported that the club got over 100 new members on that day alone.

I'll be discussing the concept of a theme meeting with Bob, the proprietor of the meeting venue and the other acting officer.  Once we settle on a theme for a meeting, I'll post an announcement here.

From reports from members, it is evident there is still some confusion about the association's existence.  I'm working on that, via posting here, and on www.nanapong.com and www.nanaplaza.com.  I've sent an e-mail to the folks at www.eThailand.com, who apprently were told the association was cancelled.  I will continue getting the word out, and I hope you and others will let any potentially interested people know that we do indeed continue to meet.

Any chance *you'll* be dropping around???  

[used_motor]

I have every intention of coming and may be able to help out the theme thing. Check out my website:

http://snurl.com/expatmotors

[SeaVisionBurma]

I do apologize if I'm missing something obvious - but I must also say I'm a little confused.

How many Expat Clubs/Associations are there?

There's another fellow advertising a meet at Subway (perhaps the same fellow in another thread who had resigned from running the same/different club/association)

Plus this gathering at the Office Bar & Grill.  Mekhong Kurt I see you are offering to clarify things which would be good.  There are a few interested folks around but perhaps like me they're not sure WHERE they should be contacting?

Would the REAL Slim Shady please stand up?  :cool:

[MekhongKurt]

Hi All --

SeaVisionBurma wrote to say "There's another fellow advertising a meet at Subway (perhaps the same fellow in another thread who had resigned from running the same/different club/association)" and asking for clarification.

I was unaware until this moment that someone else was advertising a meeting of a similar club elsewhere.

Here's the short version of the Bangkok Expats' Association:  I met a guy through the owner of The Office Bar & Grill, quite by coincidence.  He had an idea to start what he called "the Bangkok Expats' Club."  He disappeared without explanation after the first meeting, and has not so far responded to e-mails or messages left on his answering machine.  He did send out a group e-mail hours before the second meeting announcing (1.) he was no longer associated with the club, (2.) anyone wanting to take over should contact him, and (3.) in a P.S. he said the second meeting was cancelled.

The venue owner called me -- I hadn't checked my e-mail that day -- and I went over to his bar.  We talked it over, and decided to go ahead.  The original guy had asked us to be temporary officers, to which we had agreed.  The other guy stressed he wanted no part of being an officer as he felt as founder for him to do so would create a conflict of interest for himself.

We've had several meetings since then, and have signed up several new members.  So, we are moving ahead.  As for the change we made to the name "The Bangkok Expats' Association," under Thai laws governing the establishment of a nonprofit organization, the word "association" is required to be in the organization's name.  As we are in the process of registering the association with the Ministry of Culture, we made the name change to conform with the law.

SeaVisionBurma, if you wouldn't mind, would you please e-mail us and tell us where you have seen the advertisements for the other club or whatever it is?  Our e-mail address is [email protected].

And thanks for your posting!!!

Mekhong Kurt, Acting President

The Bangkok Expats' Association

[MekhongKurt]

used_motor --

Thanks for your posting, and I really DO hope you make the next meeting.  I would like to present the association members the idea of having a meeting with buying vehicles as a theme -- and you could certainly offer a lot of insight into the intricacies of doing that.

I am on a tight schedule at this moment, but I did take a quick look at your site and bookmarked it to be sure I'd have the URL so I can look at it further later.

Hope to meet you soon!

Mekhong Kurt, Acting President

The Bangkok Expats' Association

[used_motor]

I'll try my best to be there on Sunday morning, the only problem is that Top Gear is on the BBC at 11.30 and I love watching the show.

Is there a meeting this Sunday.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Hi Mekhong Kurt,

Maybe easy just to post the links for the threads which gave me the confusion.

Earlier Expat Club announcment - Chief steps aside?

and

Latest News, Job/Job search section

I hope your Clubs all work out - I'm going to give it a miss until there is some clarity!

Good luck all...

[Oneman]

This is a just a topic bump -- not a meeting announcement.

Is there an active expats' club in BKK? The last post on this topic was over three years ago. I know two clubs are active in Pattaya, but wondering if any in Bangkok.

.

[Berty]

Crikey this is an OLD thread. Them meetings died a death many a moon ago...

[dantilley]

There are loads of Expat meetings in Bangkok, many called [something] Young Professionals, but you don't necessarily need to be young or indeed professional to go to them! A few of the best ones as follows:

European Young Professionals

German Open Young Professionals

Hash House Harriers

American Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Committee

Edited February 17, 2007 by dantilley

[Mr_Dave]

There are loads of Expat meetings in Bangkok, many called [something] Young Professionals, but you don't necessarily need to be young or indeed professional to go to them! A few of the best ones as follows:

European Young Professionals

German Open Young Professionals

Hash House Harriers

American Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Committee

Hmmm ... those are just "a few of the best ones", eh?

Where, please, are all the others?

Dantilley, since you kindly suggested those clubs, I'll ask your opinion before I gamble 20 baht on subway fare to get there, and another 20 to get back home.

Here's the situation: Age 60+, white hair (getting thinner by the day), double chin, bifocals, and a hearing aid (but only one, and it's very small).

Oh, yes, and rather well-off financially, in a modest way, of course.

Do you really think I'd fit in comfortably at those "young professionals" meetings?

As for the drinking club with a running problem, a man can get a drink just about anywhere in Bangkok, without needing to run first.

So, at this point, looks to me like no other social meetings for retired expats in Bangkok.

And those that were started several years ago never survived.

Am I the only one wondering about this?

In Pattaya there are two expats clubs, both of them large and active.

But in Bangkok, nothing.

Are Bangkok expats different than Pattaya expats?

Do Bangkok expats tend to be anti-social or agoraphobic?

Are Bangkok expats totally wrapped up in family matters with their Thai wives?

Or do Bangkok expats only wish to get unwrapped at Lolitas or Star of Light and then go home?

I've been living in Bangkok several years already, but I still can't figure this out.

Can someone explain?

.

[backflip]

Pattaya is a much smaller community and, frankly, less intellectually stimulating. The expat's club help fill the void providing support for each other and the community. If you've gone to an expat meeting in Pattaya, they are well-attended. However, even though it has a much larger population, the BKK expat club draws a dozen people. It's not clear what it would take to get BKK expats involved. When TV held a party 18 months ago with cheap drinks and free food, only a couple hundred people showed up. A couple blocks away with unfree food, and not-so-cheap drinks, hundreds of expats show up each night. Go figure.

[dantilley]

There are loads of Expat meetings in Bangkok, many called [something] Young Professionals, but you don't necessarily need to be young or indeed professional to go to them! A few of the best ones as follows:

European Young Professionals

German Open Young Professionals

Hash House Harriers

American Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Committee

Hmmm ... those are just "a few of the best ones", eh?

Where, please, are all the others?

Yes, those are the best ones that I've been to.

Pretty much every major chamber of commerce has a monthly networking event, but they tend to be more business oriented. The Australian (Auscham) events are a bit more casual and social though. A bit of Googling can easily find out the web addresses for most chambers of commerce.

As for a group catering to 60+ retired expats, I don't know of any. But then I'm not 60+ or retired so I haven't really been looking, I dare say there may be one or two around. Also you may be interested in joining the British Club (http://www.britishclubbangkok.org/) - they have a high number of more mature members, and you don't have to be British to join. It's not the cheapest place to join though, but you did say you're reasonably well off so maybe it would be OK for you.

[Valjean]

You might try some of these sorts of things - look for expat activities. Maybe there are others - photo, cooking, fitness, etc. These two come to mind...

Siam Society

Neilson Hays Library