Possible Meeting Place

[MrE]

Having just arrived in town, I have been staying at a nice hotel (Palm Garden) on the outskirts of Chiang Rai (about 1.2 km from the King Mengrai Monument). Although it is not a huge place, they have a separate "hall" where there have been social events in the past ten days. I saw the posting about where to meet people and thought this would be a good place to have scheduled events. The room could probably seat 60 people, maybe more. It is fully air conditioned and has a huge screen which I am guessing could be connected to cable TV. There is also a huge sound system and a small stage which to me says live music possible, and a karaoke system. The restaurant is excellent so there could be meals or snacks served. I have no idea what they would charge but for people who might want to get together somewhere other than a bar, this could be good. The main thing is that the couple who run the place are very service orientated which makes me think that whatever someone wanted to organize, could be done with a minimum of aggravation. Since I don't know anyone in town, I would like to see something happen here. Anyone got any ideas?

[Musongman]

Seems like a cheap plug for the "nice hotel"??

[villagefarang]

So did they hire you for your, "over forty years management experience consulting mostly in the hospitality, food & beverage and retail sectors in the US, UK and Europe", or are you doing this out of the goodness of your heart, or are you just a lonely guy? These days it looks like the local hospital is the in place for meeting people. Just a thought.

Edited May 11, 2010 by villagefarang

[kandahar]

Seems like a cheap plug for the "nice hotel"??

If it is, it is well-deserved, I believe. It is a decent place. I know of several dedicated customers of that hotel. They speak highly of the service there.

I have an in-law who worked there for quite a while. She was impressed with how the place was run and she was impressed by the honesty, efficiency and concern of the owners.

But as for getting the group together, I doubt it will happen, other than the new Expat's monthly meeting, which does seem to have drawn a few of us out of our hiding places. I would suggest to the OP that he attend one of those meetings and see if he meets the kind of people that he hopes to meet. I have not attended but I hear it is an okay gathering. And maybe, they will move their meetings around from place to place, so the local Farang get a better feel for what some of the local hotels offer. I might even show up if my schedule slows down a little.

If the OP doesn't attend the Expat's meeting, then I would advise him to attend the CR Hash House Harriers events. Now that is a fine group of characters, each and every one worth knowing. It typically isn't stressful, it is filled with leisurely walks and fun conversation and there is a short period of refreshments at the conclusion. The real beauty of the Hash is that a participant gets to see, close up, a lot of the countryside that he/she would normally not visit. There is so much beauty outside of the city and the time is well spent. Looking for a good building site for a new home? You will discover several. Looking for a close-up look at Thailand farming and even a question and answer session with some local farmers? You will find that, again and again. And the local country folk we meet are always very pleasant. Mostly, the Hash is a very leisurely social event, where you share a conversation with one or more individuals for a while and then, as paces start to vary because of terrain changes, you find yourself changing conversation partners as well, as you overtake people in front of you or are overtaken by people behind you. The conversations allow plenty of time to make decisions about whether or not you would want to spend more time with those individuals and add them to your "friends" list. The group is a pretty good mix of Farang, representing a variety of countries from around the world.

You will meet "soap", "jubby", "svenivan", "scorpio1945" and many more. If it is a VERY good Hash, you might even meet "VF". (Not likely, but possible.) At the finish "Circle", there is a recap of who's who, who did what and who didn't and, no matter who is in charge, we all get addressed at some point by "Soap". You really haven't experienced being addressed until you have seen "Soap" in action. That alone makes my month. Someone usually brings a dog. Someone usually wears the wrong shoes. Someone usually locks the refreshments in a car and the early finishers have to wait for the key custodian to come wandering in at the rear of the column. Someone usually slips and falls into a creek, down an incline or off of a bamboo bridge. There are a lot of "usually". But the most consistent thing is, I ALWAYS have a nice time, as does my wife. We have met some nice friends through the Hash. If the OP doesn't get a nice group together at Palm Garden, the Hash is a nice alternative, albeit outdoor, option.

Edit:

And a P.S. to the OP. Welcome to CR. I hope to see you around.

Edited May 11, 2010 by kandahar

[villagefarang]

There you go being all sensible, and helpful, and all. A stain on the long established reputation of this backwater forum. I don't know what we are going to do with you. Where are all the cynics and naysayers? Stand up and be counted, men.

[villagefarang]

You will meet "soap", "jubby", "svenivan", "scorpio1945" and many more. If it is a VERY good Hash, you might even meet "VF". (Not likely, but possible.)

I do my best to fly under the radar but there is always some mischievous soul eager to out me to the mob. Twice a year is about all I can take and even then I'm gone before the 'circle'.

[sceadugenga]

You will meet "soap", "jubby", "svenivan", "scorpio1945" and many more. If it is a VERY good Hash, you might even meet "VF". (Not likely, but possible.)

I do my best to fly under the radar but there is always some mischievous soul eager to out me to the mob. Twice a year is about all I can take and even then I'm gone before the 'circle'.

I must have been at the wrong place last month, can't recall meeting any of these.

I introduced my dog to number of people but no one owned up to being a ThaiVisa member.

But then I'm a bit like that myself...

[villagefarang]

You will meet "soap", "jubby", "svenivan", "scorpio1945" and many more. If it is a VERY good Hash, you might even meet "VF". (Not likely, but possible.)

I do my best to fly under the radar but there is always some mischievous soul eager to out me to the mob. Twice a year is about all I can take and even then I'm gone before the 'circle'.

I must have been at the wrong place last month, can't recall meeting any of these.

I introduced my dog to number of people but no one owned up to being a ThaiVisa member.

But then I'm a bit like that myself...

With that huge guard dog in tow, no wonder no one owned up to being a TV member. He scares me, too.

[sceadugenga]

Don't knock Yoyo the wonder dog, that bit of Doberman in him isn't just for show you know.

[kandahar]

You will meet "soap", "jubby", "svenivan", "scorpio1945" and many more. If it is a VERY good Hash, you might even meet "VF". (Not likely, but possible.)

I do my best to fly under the radar but there is always some mischievous soul eager to out me to the mob. Twice a year is about all I can take and even then I'm gone before the 'circle'.

I must have been at the wrong place last month, can't recall meeting any of these.

I introduced my dog to number of people but no one owned up to being a ThaiVisa member.

But then I'm a bit like that myself...

So, that was you with the little dog. I had no idea you were one of the usual suspects. I'll remember this next time, maybe. I don't have much recollection of you on that day but the wife says for sure that she remembers the dog in this pic.

All four of the first mentioned Hashers were there. VF didn't make an appearance. I see that as a fault in him for not showing up but he sees it as something he "did", instead of something he didn't do. He refers to it as a "planned disappearance" instead of a failure to appear. That is just one man's way of looking at life, I guess. We all find different ways to stay sane.

[jubby]

You will meet "soap", "jubby", "svenivan", "scorpio1945" and many more. If it is a VERY good Hash, you might even meet "VF". (Not likely, but possible.)

I do my best to fly under the radar but there is always some mischievous soul eager to out me to the mob. Twice a year is about all I can take and even then I'm gone before the 'circle'.

I must have been at the wrong place last month, can't recall meeting any of these.

I introduced my dog to number of people but no one owned up to being a ThaiVisa member.

But then I'm a bit like that myself...

Hi Jules, I certainly had a chat with you but you warned me off patting the Dog as It could be a bit unpredictable. My words not yours ;-)

I had seen the Dog several times on ThaiVisa.

I looked for you after the Walk but suspect you disapeared before the Circle. Don't be afaid , come into the Circle

As much as the Circle freaks out VF , its pretty harmless; and usually takes the shape of anything other than a Circle. Don't know why, lack of education or a lack of Discipline maybe ;-)

[sceadugenga]

I chatted to several people most of whom I warned against getting too familiar with dog, he tends to be timid and snap if liberties are taken.

I enjoyed the day, it was a hard trek for someone as out of practice as me and I walked most of the way with an Australian girl who confessed she was surprised at the difficulty herself.

I only socialised briefly at the end of the hike, I was tired and my wife was sending out search parties as I'd left my phone in the car. The pooch had a great time, he doesn't get off the lead much, the village dogs have marked him down as unfinished business and he's a bit small for fisticuffs.

I'm not sure if I'll make it this weekend, it's further away... I could have almost walked to the last one, and I'm just back from Australia, those international plane flights knock me around a bit these days.

If you were the taller sandy haired guy I thought you may have been kandahar...

Edited May 11, 2010 by sceadugenga

[jubby]

I chatted to several people most of whom I warned against getting too familiar with dog, he tends to be timid and snap if liberties are taken.

I enjoyed the day, it was a hard trek for someone as out of practice as me and I walked most of the way with an Australian girl who confessed she was surprised at the difficulty herself.

I only socialised briefly at the end of the hike, I was tired and my wife was sending out search parties as I'd left my phone in the car. The pooch had a great time, he doesn't get off the lead much, the village dogs have marked him down as unfinished business and he's a bit small for fisticuffs.

I'm not sure if I'll make it this weekend, it's further away... I could have almost walked to the last one, and I'm just back from Australia, those international plane flights knock me around a bit these days.

If you were the taller sandy haired guy I thought you may have been kandahar...

Indeed, It was quite a Hardtrek . Most of us walked it for sure. They cut out a few bits to make it easier for us. The Aussie 'Girl's a regular, she's good company. Khandahar was the Guy with the Cowboy hat & spurs ;-) . Straight out of a western Movie. Soap , I think , is the big Guy in the yellow shirt trying to get everyone into a Circle and failing. His English needs a bit of work, as does mine . There both good company too.

Not sure who Scorpio ?! is. I'm the hansome Blonde Guy with the very small beer belly, people used to say I don't look my age usually have a Kid or two on my shoulders and wear a Wet T-shirt.

They say the next Hash is 6km's and all Flat. I'll believe it when I see it

forgot to mention Sven. he was the Guy with the Horns and battleaxe.

Edited May 11, 2010 by jubby

[kandahar]

I chatted to several people most of whom I warned against getting too familiar with dog, he tends to be timid and snap if liberties are taken.

I enjoyed the day, it was a hard trek for someone as out of practice as me and I walked most of the way with an Australian girl who confessed she was surprised at the difficulty herself.

I only socialised briefly at the end of the hike, I was tired and my wife was sending out search parties as I'd left my phone in the car. The pooch had a great time, he doesn't get off the lead much, the village dogs have marked him down as unfinished business and he's a bit small for fisticuffs.

I'm not sure if I'll make it this weekend, it's further away... I could have almost walked to the last one, and I'm just back from Australia, those international plane flights knock me around a bit these days.

If you were the taller sandy haired guy I thought you may have been kandahar...

Well, the next one is almost a week away. Maybe you will have recovered by then. The next one is very near my house. But I won't walk to it. Maybe we will ride the bikes though.

I'm not the taller, sandy haired guy. But I'm pretty sure I'm always the guy with the most beautiful wife. That makes me easy to find.

We passed you and your friend as we all struggled up a fairly steep, long grade. That must have been about two thirds through the thing.

We didn't address your dog. The wife is afraid of dogs and I usually let the dog make the first move. Your dog was fairly busy checking out the creek as we passed him. Most dogs seem to think they have known me for years. I get along with dogs pretty well.

[villagefarang]

So Scea and Yoyo were both wearing leashes of sorts, one red and one black. You might try a different pair of shoes next time but I like the shades.

Looks like Jubby had the family with him but he was a little camera shy himself.

Kandahar was indeed wearing a cowboy hat.

[sceadugenga]

So Scea and Yoyo were both wearing leashes of sorts, one red and one black. You might try a different pair of shoes next time but I like the shades.

Looks like Jubby had the family with him but he was a little camera shy himself.

Kandahar was indeed wearing a cowboy hat.

We were photographed?

I took a few snaps myself, you can get an idea of the terrain here.

[villagefarang]

You must not be on their mailing list. How did you ever escape that one? At least the new scribe is using bcc, so you can't see everyone on the list anymore.

[sceadugenga]

Agreed with the shoes, I bought a suitable pair of New Balance knock offs in Aussie last week. The shades are industrial, they've been filling in since I broke my good pair and I've still not replaced them.

Not sure about my photo doing the rounds on the internet, sceadugengan and dog's tend to be a bit anti social anyway.

[villagefarang]

Not sure about my photo doing the rounds on the internet, sceadugengan and dog's tend to be a bit anti social anyway.

In that case I won't copy and post it here.

[MrE]

Seems like a cheap plug for the "nice hotel"??

So did they hire you for your, "over forty years management experience consulting mostly in the hospitality, food & beverage and retail sectors in the US, UK and Europe", or are you doing this out of the goodness of your heart, or are you just a lonely guy?

No, No, Yes and No. But thanks for reminding me where to meet all of the malcontents and reprobates - ThaiVisa Forum. It always seems that if you have something positive to say here, you get nothing back but insults.

[villagefarang]

Not insults so much as questions. Out of the blue, with no previous contribution, a newbie is offering up an advert that sounds like a marketing promotional.

As a new guy, if you had simply asked where people of the Rai are already meeting, you may have gotten different responses. Kandahar and others did go out of their way to offer up places for you to meet people if that is your goal.

If you are not interested in what is already on offer then it again sounds like you were simply out to sell a product. Malcontents and reprobates we may well be, but we are also worldly and perhaps somewhat jaded by our long and interesting lives. We don't know you from Adam, so we ask questions. What is the big deal?

Just chill out. Nobody insulted you. I simply quoted your own words and questioned whether you were still doing what you claimed to have done for over forty years. The lonely guy line was from a song that was floating around in my head.

[jubby]

Not insults so much as questions. Out of the blue, with no previous contribution, a newbie is offering up an advert that sounds like a marketing promotional.

As a new guy, if you had simply asked where people of the Rai are already meeting, you may have gotten different responses. Kandahar and others did go out of their way to offer up places for you to meet people if that is your goal.

If you are not interested in what is already on offer then it again sounds like you were simply out to sell a product. Malcontents and reprobates we may well be, but we are also worldly and perhaps somewhat jaded by our long and interesting lives. We don't know you from Adam, so we ask questions. What is the big deal?

Just chill out. Nobody insulted you. I simply quoted your own words and questioned whether you were still doing what you claimed to have done for over forty years. The lonely guy line was from a song that was floating around in my head.

I had to look up reprobate. never been called one before. Sh%t, I've been called a few things.

anyway, someone who behaves in an immoral way - often used humorously. I guess I'm a reprobate too

You do tend to have a habit of rubbing people up the wrong way, unintentionally VF

I guess they just don't understand you

[villagefarang]

I had to look up reprobate. never been called one before. Sh%t, I've been called a few things.

anyway, someone who behaves in an immoral way - often used humorously. I guess I'm a reprobate too

You do tend to have a habit of rubbing people up the wrong way, unintentionally VF

I guess they just don't understand you

That's me, misunderstood. I'm not into rubbing anyone but my wife, however.

The thesaurus relates some very interesting terms with reprobate: rogue, rascal, scoundrel, miscreant, villain, wretch, rake, degenerate, libertine, debauchee, cad, knave, rapscallion.

Being a reprobate doesn't sound half bad to me.

[jubby]

I had to look up reprobate. never been called one before. Sh%t, I've been called a few things.

anyway, someone who behaves in an immoral way - often used humorously. I guess I'm a reprobate too

You do tend to have a habit of rubbing people up the wrong way, unintentionally VF

I guess they just don't understand you

That's me, misunderstood. I'm not into rubbing anyone but my wife, however.

The thesaurus relates some very interesting terms with reprobate: rogue, rascal, scoundrel, miscreant, villain, wretch, rake, degenerate, libertine, debauchee, cad, knave, rapscallion.

Being a reprobate doesn't sound half bad to me.

Rapscallion a new one on me VF. Guess I'll have to google it too reprobate that I am

[sceadugenga]

I described one of his posts as curmudgeonly the other day.

[jubby]

I described one of his posts as curmudgeonly the other day.

Who ? VF or the Op ? ............. It would fit VF but he's not 'ill-tempered' unfortunately.

[villagefarang]

I described one of his posts as curmudgeonly the other day.

Who ? VF or the Op ? ............. It would fit VF but he's not 'ill-tempered' unfortunately.

We all have our faults.

[brahmburgers]

There you go being all sensible, and helpful, and all. A stain on the long established reputation of this backwater forum. I don't know what we are going to do with you. Where are all the cynics and naysayers? Stand up and be counted, men.

Seems like a cheap plug for the "nice hotel"??

So did they hire you for your, "over forty years management experience consulting mostly in the hospitality, food & beverage and retail sectors in the US, UK and Europe", or are you doing this out of the goodness of your heart, or are you just a lonely guy?

No, No, Yes and No. But thanks for reminding me where to meet all of the malcontents and reprobates - ThaiVisa Forum. It always seems that if you have something positive to say here, you get nothing back but insults.

Hi MrE, welcome to C.Rai. Many regulars on the T.Visa/C.Rai forum trip over their unfunny shoelaces, trying desperately to be witty. When that fails, they trudge around looking for dirt clods to toss.

[villagefarang]

And then of course there are the dour, humorless old curmudgeons. We are a colorful and inclusive bunch.

[jubby]

Welcome Back Brahms . Where you been Hiding . It would help if you could find a 'term' for these individuals. I could then Google it and see if I fit the description

That reply from VF was quite Witty though, you have to admit it

Oh and its 'Colourful' VF

Edited May 16, 2010 by jubby