how to make friends/meet other people that live here

[ilovebkk12345]

i have been in bkk about 1 year now and love it. only thing is i have no friends lol.

i am a late 20s western, very normal, fun and funny guy and i have met lots of people but they all are tourist here for a week or 2. i would like to have some cool people to hang out with from time to time instead of meeting a new person each night i go out and never seeing them again lol.

i was thinking of joining some of the social clubs and playing badminton and such, but anyone have any ideas?

[Metapod]

I'm in the same boat.

[cgphuket]

Same here. Most residents I kno are either chronic drunks who only ant to sit and get pissed, or the other type ho sit in front of their TV every night. Got sick of tourists long ago; same stories, same observations and same expectation to be cared for, with never reciprocating. Need a meeting place for the minority resident : )

[bkkjames]

Same here. Most residents I kno are either chronic drunks who only ant to sit and get pissed, or the other type ho sit in front of their TV every night. Got sick of tourists long ago; same stories, same observations and same expectation to be cared for, with never reciprocating. Need a meeting place for the minority resident : )

Most expats I know are married and have kids. But would be interested to know what type of resident you classify yourself as : non drunk, no tv....

there are pages on fb by the way dedicated to expats in bangkok etc.

my suggestion is to find people with similar interests and hobbies as you have and start from there.

[mrtoad]

Join one of the Sports Clubs like Southerners, a good way to meet lots of people.

[MooKwai]

There are a lot of groups on meetup.com for pretty much anything from sports to scientific interests/debates, just checked and there's definitely a group for badminton. Maybe try a new sport or activity as well, there are a fair few rock climbers or you can do sailing and a wide variety of other water sports up at Nong Bon near Seacon Square.

[coconutbar]

Couchsurfing events and party's are good to meet Thais and falangs

[mrtoad]

There is also Internations which hold list of different events in Banbkok, there is also Bangkok Young Professionals and of course The Chambers of Commerce. Hash House Harriers, seems to be also very popular, never been to a Hash, but know a few people who do, and say its good fun, and a great way to meet people. There is plenty to do in Bangkok outside of the usual ghettos, and stereotypical beliefs of what some people think about expats. Sport has always been the way I have met people, wherever I have lived.

[umbanda]

I do not know where do you live, but many big to mid size cities have areas very much frequented just with young university students, even with a lot of housing dedicated just for them. At your age, probably you even can rent in those places. Beign around that kind of people, I do not have doubts you will make a lot of friends. How I know that? My wife owns that kind of property, we live by, and we see and share all the routine of those students, and some of their activities, markets, shops and restaurants in the area. No tourist around....I believe that you even can participate in some of their schools events and classes....

[hkgirl]

Well I would like to meet some friends in Bangkok as well! But I am not living in Bangkok... haha!

[ilovebkk12345]

thanks for the good ideas! i expected lots of negative/useless replys haha

i forgot to say, i am not on facebook, and i do not work or go to school, so maybe thats why its alot harder for me lol

i think i might try the meetup idea

Same here. Most residents I kno are either chronic drunks who only ant to sit and get pissed, or the other type ho sit in front of their TV every night. Got sick of tourists long ago; same stories, same observations and same expectation to be cared for, with never reciprocating. Need a meeting place for the minority resident : )

i too got sick of tourist very quickly. and it seems like they all just like to hear themselves talk!

[hkgirl]

thanks for the good ideas! i expected lots of negative/useless replys haha

i forgot to say, i am not on facebook, and i do not work or go to school, so maybe thats why its alot harder for me lol

i think i might try the meetup idea

Same here. Most residents I kno are either chronic drunks who only ant to sit and get pissed, or the other type ho sit in front of their TV every night. Got sick of tourists long ago; same stories, same observations and same expectation to be cared for, with never reciprocating. Need a meeting place for the minority resident : )

i too got sick of tourist very quickly. and it seems like they all just like to hear themselves talk!

oh then what are you doing in Bangkok.

[Rumblecat]

http://www.meetup.com/

Put in a search for meetups around Bangkok- there are events happening almost every day. Movie nights, pub meets, sports etc etc. I've been to the coffee and movie meet up before, really nice people, mix of Thais and foreigners.

[cronus]

even more difficult here in Pattaya if you are half the age of most (60+...), don't drink, don't hang around in bars...

[asdecas]

Get a Thai girlfriend, she will introduce you to her brothers, former boyfriends and their cousins. Make sure your wallet is full.

[abrahamzvi]

I can wholeheartedly recommend that you apply to join the Inter Nations society. That's the right place to meet expatriates residing in Thailand.

The e-mail address is: www.internations.com

[Svadhistana]

http://www.meetup.com/Bangkok-Thai-English-Language-Exchange/

http://www.meetup.com/Whats-Your-Story/

http://www.meetup.com/Bangkok-First-Backgammon-Society/

[F4UCorsair]

Try www.internations.com

[bangkapi]

Thailandfriends used to be a great site.

But it died when Bill bought most of it from Rob and tried to turn it into a huge moneymaker.

It was a lot more fun when Jay was running it.

Now I sit at home alone and pine for the good old days in BKK.

I have resigned myself to never having any friends here.

[tingtongteesood]

You can be my friend, but all I ever do is watch movies and tv, so if you are not a media freak like me then we don't have much to talk about.

[tbailo]

I'm in my early 30s, when I moved out here I didn't know too many people. I met friends at my school both Thai and Western. Westerners in my class and Thais by being invited along by some of the sales girls to play badminton.

A lot of other friends I met randomly, chatted to a girl on a iPhone app that tells you when people are close (whoshere or badoo or something like that) and she invited me to RCA with her and her friends, a few of her friends had Western boyfriends around the same age as me (mid 20s - early 30s) and we ended up good friends, in time they've had friends move here or other girls in their friendship group have got boyfriends and generally they've been nice guys.

That said I don't have as many friends here as I did in the UK although they were accumulated over a number of years.

[Neeeko]

Hire these guys: http://bkkpartyboyz.blogspot.com/

[impulse]

There are a lot of groups on meetup.com for pretty much anything from sports to scientific interests/debates, just checked and there's definitely a group for badminton. Maybe try a new sport or activity as well, there are a fair few rock climbers or you can do sailing and a wide variety of other water sports up at Nong Bon near Seacon Square.

Last time I was there a couple of years ago, it was just a nice pond. No boats allowed, no fishing allowed. Has it changed?

[empireboy]

Some good suggestions here... ta

[MooKwai]

There are a lot of groups on meetup.com for pretty much anything from sports to scientific interests/debates, just checked and there's definitely a group for badminton. Maybe try a new sport or activity as well, there are a fair few rock climbers or you can do sailing and a wide variety of other water sports up at Nong Bon near Seacon Square.

Last time I was there a couple of years ago, it was just a nice pond. No boats allowed, no fishing allowed. Has it changed?

I haven't been personally but their Facebook page is full of pictures of people on a variety of boats, all at the same location, even some sculling which I didn't think we got in Bangkok at all. I'm looking forward to getting back into sculling when this blasted summer is over. I don't know about the rules re posting links to Facebook pages but searching for "NongBon Water Sports center" will show what they do there.

Edit: Another one for the OP (although a little specific I'm afraid), there's a guy at the Robin Hood pub quiz on Monday nights who enters a team made up of whoever's sitting about at the bottom bar, Rich, nice bloke, could be worth a go as well.

Edited April 23, 2014 by MooKwai

[ggt]

Wear a red shirt one day...a yellow shirt the next...

Edited April 23, 2014 by ggt

[Casper P Noi]

I can wholeheartedly recommend that you apply to join the Inter Nations society. That's the right place to meet expatriates residing in Thailand.

The e-mail address is: www.internations.com

Might need to check the link unless you are looking for property

[KarlosInBKK]

What music are you into? I'm really into indie/rock music so I was always on the lookout for bars that played this kind of music. I started going to a small bar around a year n half ago and now I'm good friends with the owner and quite a few of the regulars. It's cool because I hang out with them away from the bar but if I randomly turn up one night then I have people to hang around and drink with. It's a good mix of Thai and expats. So if you are really into a certain genre of music then look for bars that play that kind of music. Worked for me.

[sean420]

so you don't have FB,not work and no school.sound like you must have a ton of money so go out and buy some friends.

[samran]

There is also Internations which hold list of different events in Banbkok, there is also Bangkok Young Professionals and of course The Chambers of Commerce. Hash House Harriers, seems to be also very popular, never been to a Hash, but know a few people who do, and say its good fun, and a great way to meet people. There is plenty to do in Bangkok outside of the usual ghettos, and stereotypical beliefs of what some people think about expats. Sport has always been the way I have met people, wherever I have lived.

I would do this plus the southerners as Mr Toad suggested.

Otherwise have kids. You'll meet heaps of people as well!!