Chiang Mai Area

[francois]

hi' all

it looks like that we are more that what I thought first living around or in Chiang Mai ..

I do live in town, not far from monmuang road, and you?

inside town, or outside, sansay, mae rim, mae jo, sarapi, sangkampaeng, etc ....

could you tell ?

and ... anyone interested to create a meeting point ?

francois

[p1p]

About 10kms out of town on the Hang Dong road.

Yes, I would be interested in setting up a meeting point, probably best in town to make things easier.

Suggestions??

[chanchao]

Ah.. Me too. ;-)

[Guest IT Manager]

Now and then. Not often, and not regular.

Definitely not at night.

Not in a bar

There is a good restaurant called Mango Tree I would be happy to meet in.

[p1p]

Mango Tree's a fine place to meet.

Suggestions on time, frequency etc.

Personally I would prefer an early evening get together. Drinks after work sort of thing.

[chanchao]

Mango Tree's a fine place to meet.

Suggestions on time, frequency etc.

Personally I would prefer an early evening get together. Drinks after work sort of thing.

Sounds cool.. Let's make the frequency something really difficult to remember and then get real anal with people who show up at the wrong time. Like every first and third Friday of the month that falls on an even-numbered date.

(Along the lines of some Bangkok traffic signs I saw.. like: "No left turn on red for trucks with more than 6 wheels between 4 and 8pm on odd-numbered days with the exception of weekends and official holidays, for the left most lane only." By the time you've read all that you've either made the turn and are at the next traffic jam, or are looking int the face of a stern looking police man with his notebook in hand. ;-)

Seriously.. Mango Tree is central and easy to get to. Only drawback is how it would look for our respective significant others to have it in that location. Let's not worry about recurrence, but rather set a date for a meeting and then see if it develops in something weekly, or monthly, or even less. It would make it easier if it was in a place where there's other things to do in case attendance is low, or late. (Like more of a bar setting I suppose, but then not a drunk-farang-bum kind of bar.)

Something like Kafe Restaurant. (Moon Muang before you get to Ratwithee road, opposite that Rydges monstrosity). That's actually in interesting place because it does proper (non Westernized) Thai food as well as fair Western food. You don't get that so often. (Even does good Northern style food, check the little whiteboard menu) plus it's ecactly half way between restaurant and bar, AND it has cheap draft beer as well. It's popular with both Thais as well as tourists as well as residents.

I'd consider the Irish Pub as well if they'd just change the tablecloths more often than twice annually or something. ;-)

As for time, just after work would be excellent, like 6-7pm or so.

Cheers,

Chanchao

[adjan jb]

The Irish pub is fine. We can ask Sandy to something for the tableclothes.

[Guest The Judge]

I think I will stick with Mango Tree. Better class of patron.

[chanchao]

I think I will stick with Mango Tree. Better class of patron.

Ok, I'm not getting into any class issues, but lets make it Mango Tree at least for the first meet.

(Given your average Chiang Mai Farang you should know pretty much what class cross-section to expect. At least we have a good chance of being classier than a Pattaya based crowd..? :-)

Friday? This coming Friday even?

Cheers,

Chanchao

[francois]

yo guys ... I see with great pleasure that everybody wants to meet

anywhere as said, mango tree or else, nice place, good music, and not too many tourists

around, but please not friday ...

why not saturday when most of us are out of work and have free time?

exept p1p no one said where you were living ...

come on, we could see if one has a long way to come?

francois

[Norman d'Plume]

OK, let's break my duck with my first post.

I can arrange things at Mango Tree if you decide to meet there. (Know the owner's wife!)

Should be able to sort out discounts for Thai Visa members too, if you are interested & we can find some way to certify membership.

Norm

[Guest The Judge]

I won't be able to attend in person. Is it OK to send a proxy?

[Candyflip]

If young girl attend to the meeting, would that make you guys feel uncomfy?

I 'd love to join in.

[francois]

just join all of us candyflyp, everyone is more than welcome

and a lady inside this tough man's world will soften the mood

I just thought when I put that on, that the idea of meeting could be nice

we are not living in BKK and no one has such a long way to come inside town, so it's fairly easy to arrange something, and no one has a long way back home ...

mango-tree as norman d'plume said could be a good start, but we could also move from place to place, just not to take habits like (sorry) "old folks" from Lions club ...

mainly this could be a monthly meeting, just to talk together, exchange a few ideas,see how we live the past months events, information, nice movies we saw recently, well chating... and why not some help, so often we find solution in a few minutes of talking.

we did not see yet where are we living ...

one on Hang dong road, one in town, and then ? come on, tell us

francois

[Candyflip]

I have two houses in CM, one in Ban tor ( PAH- TON) and another one is in doi saket

I have not been there for ages since I am living in Europe at the moment but plan to go back there this Summer.

[Guest The Judge]

I also have 2 houses. I live roughly 20km north of town.

[Foggy Bottom]

While Mango Tree is getting serious amounts of advertising on the forum, I do agree it's an "upmarket" venue in a "downmarket" location, so why not go for somewhere more neutral and cozy ... such as the Home restaurant in the little soi immediately before the Rydges Thapae - it's an old wooden traditional restaurant, farang owned but Thai managed, is dirt cheap, but clean and eclectic with a choice of upstairs, downstairs, balcony or garden areas that are ideal for small groups to meet.

Also meeting as a group, the staff would probably be prepared to throw together a "chinese banquet" style spread, and best of all, the once rare but increasingly available Diet Coke is sold there. Food is good - mainly Thai menu, beers are cold, staff are friendly. (I'm not connected wth the ownership or management so not plugging my own business)

btw - I live inside the moat so any city centre venue is convenient.

[Guest The Judge]

Would that be because they actually do something in the forum?

[chokrai]

I live in Mae rim and the Mango Tree or anywhere else would be fine to meet.

[francois]

haha the male fight for the meeting territory

anywhere cozy guys

francois

[Zendesigner]

hi,

live in the corner of maejo and ring road.

Tell me where it's going to be, i have no preference.

Bart

[meadish_sweetball]

I've never been to the Mango Tree since I don't hang out in that area.

I know Home though, it's a cosy little place, perfect if the agenda is just to check each other out, eat and maybe have a drink.

I am close to CM Gate. Anything in the city from Wat Phra Singh to the river would be fine with me.

[cm boy]

I live in Nong Hoi, so anywhere central is pretty much the same for me. I do like the Home, but parking would be more difficult.....but whatever.

BTW who is making the final decision? Seems like this could go on forever.

cm boy

[p1p]

BTW who is making the final decision? Seems like this could go on forever.

Please vote in the two poles, place & time. Being a democracy, the decision will be made based on the votes. (Perhaps some powers could learn from us!)

[argus1949]

Friends,

according your advise, I will first rent a place before I buy. Should I rent outside or more inside the town? Thanks a lot.

[chanchao]

> Should I rent outside or more inside the town?

:-) and should you have rice or noodles? :-) Just kidding, but it is of course up to you. I think most people who come to live in Chiang Mai start out somewhere in town and then move out where there's more space and air.

Having a vehicle is a big part of this decision as well. If you don't have at least a bike then staying in town makes sense. If you have a bike but live far away it means getting wet quite a lot come the rainy season. Once you get a car you can truly live anywhere.

It's up to you. As you're renting you don't have to stay there forever.. when something better comes along, just move. Also it may take some time to find the best deal for a house. Many people I think tend to pay way too much rent at first (including myself).

And your requirements may change over time.. I went from staying in a guesthouse to a Thai style appartment to a town house (row-house) to a HUGE place WAY out to a less huge place a bit closer into town. But I now rent a 2 storey 3 bedroom 4 bathroom house in a popular compound for 5000 baht a month. And still my requirements change, by now a garden that's a little bit bigger would be nice.. and I was never a fan of compounds anyway, which I find a bit artificial. I'd much prefer a real village with little shops and littel temples and little markets and little schools.

So.. I guess this is a long winded way of saying: up to you. ;-)

Cheers,

Chanchao

[argus1949]

Thank you very much chanchao,

as you know I leaern every day. Also your input add up to the knowledge basket.

[francois]

well, so I guess I'm a bit lucky, we live in a house inside Chiang Mai, rent is 3,000 baths per month, and we are not on the street, in a very small soi, and behind the principal buildings that are right on the street, we do have a piece of garden, as all around the house, it's only soil, except infront of the door, which is in concrete.

we had to wait more than 3 years though to get this, and we moved a few times.

but we moved from outside to inside ...

I have to say, that it was more pleasant before, but we had to "come in" town, and during the raining season, it was a bit difficult.

also I wanted to try to start a kind of computer services stuff, and to be in town was a kinda little plus.

lucky that where we are is not too noisy

I still consider Chiang Mai like a village ... the market in Cm gate is quite big, but it's rather easy to know the people around (our daughter helps a lot..)

her school is small and nice

francois

[Ricardo]

Looking forward to joining-in , once the new house is finished building, and we move to LOS & CM - Hopefully after 1 year

[toopeekaa 1]

As to a meeting place...... no one yet has mentioned The Bears Den...... but I also sense some undercurrent here..... why not pick some place that has no member connection with this forum so there would be no viable commercial interest on the part of any member owned establishment.... unless thats what is really intended

Surely there are many that could be satisfactory