Where to find good friends in BKK

[canadianinbkk]

I've been living in Bangkok since January. Can't say I am a fans of the people I work with. Don't share much in common. I am getting quite home sick as I miss my friends back home. I don't speak Thai and not a big drinker/party type. Just looking for good friends to hangout. Any suggestions?

[HeavyDrinker]

There are a lot of people here who are not 'big drinkers' but actually enjoy a few quiet beers and a chat with pals of an evening. Try heading out to the expat haunts of an evening. You may find contrary to popular opinion on this forum, that not everyone will be slumped over their table with 3 dolly birds draped over them by 8pm every night.

What are your interests? You could 'google' "your interests" then 'Bangkok' and see what that brings up.

[FireMedic]

I'm here in Nonthaburi.... I have all Thai coworkers with no farangs around. It's a weird feeling to be lonely but never alone. I'm just getting settled in, but I get to go back to the US next week for a month.

[strikingsunset]

Join some " meet up" groups.

Try hashing ,google " Bangkok Hash".

Good luck

[impulse]

As much as I hesitate to recommend it for the wrong reasons, you're pretty likely to meet nice folks, many with lovely families, at Sunday services at any of the Judeo-Christian churches in town.

[canadianinbkk]

Thanks everyone!

[slipperylobster]

Don't go to a girlie bar just to meet expats. You will just slump down to that level of lady/entertainment.

Take classes...., Do Volunteer Work.......Network.

[cgphuket]

Understood, most Expats i have met are either raging drunks (even the ones with jobs) or completely selfish, arrogant and self-absorbed. The relationships are based on "what can you do for them?" Most of the social groups I have seen are just reasons to get drunk, and while volunteering is good in theory, its almost impossible to find real volunteer opportunities in BKK. Maybe post what part of the city you live in and you will get some direct messages from like minded people?

[Ashleychan]

Which kind of volunteering work?

[slipperylobster]

google... volunteer in bangkok and see what is there for you.

Nobody will do it for you. (Except Me)

Here is your link. Contact them. I cannot be of further service...

http://www.meetup.com/Bangkok-Volunteers/

Edited May 31, 2014 by slipperylobster

[SOTIRIOS]

.......welcome to hell........

[slipperylobster]

There was another topic on this about a month ago with some good ideas.

But I see your name, I too am a Canadian in bkk.

I'm from edmonton. Send me a pm me. Maybe we could meet up!

Two canadians! All you need now is a hockey puck...and life will be, once again, wonderful~!

[lazygourmet]

"If you are lonely when you're alone, you are in bad company." - Jean-Paul Sartre

[pkspeaker]

Are there any Christian churches in town, or are they all Judeo-Christian? When I was growing up we were just Christians, i never heard the term 'Judeo-Christian' until the 1990's or so.. Are there still any Christians? or were they all gassed in some Christian Holocaust that was unaware of, leaving only the Judeo-Christians..

also are there any Judeo-Islam Mosks around? since Islam and Judism are more theologically similar than Judism and Christianity?

As much as I hesitate to recommend it for the wrong reasons, you're pretty likely to meet nice folks, many with lovely families, at Sunday services at any of the Judeo-Christian churches in town.

Edited May 31, 2014 by pkspeaker

[canadianinbkk]

There was another topic on this about a month ago with some good ideas.

But I see your name, I too am a Canadian in bkk.

I'm from edmonton. Send me a pm me. Maybe we could meet up!

Two canadians! All you need now is a hockey puck...and life will be, once again, wonderful~!

I don't know what you're talking aboot eh? We are much more than just hockeys don't forget about maple syrup and Tim hortons.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[ggt]

Fly to Vietnam on your weekends and holidays...will not be disappointed...

[HeavyDrinker]

Note that I'm not having a pop at the OP here, however I always find threads like this a little sad (and this is not a rare topic) . Bangkok is a vast, modern metropolis, Highly Westernised, she can offer as much as any city in the west.

Why not enrol in a Thai language course. Not only may you meet your fellow students, but also expand your ability and opportunities for meeting Thais?

[brit1984]

you can meet up with thai visa forum members, we are really cool

[Strangebrew]

Try bowling Look been here a couple years and have a couple I call friends But I like being left alone especially when I travel because I hate asking people to go see things I want to see so if I get the urge to see I do it if waste of so what my time.

[Smurkster]

or poutine!

There was another topic on this about a month ago with some good ideas.
But I see your name, I too am a Canadian in bkk.
I'm from edmonton. Send me a pm me. Maybe we could meet up!

Two canadians! All you need now is a hockey puck...and life will be, once again, wonderful~!

I don't know what you're talking aboot eh? We are much more than just hockeys don't forget about maple syrup and Tim hortons.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[kennypowers]

Meetups, language school, co-working spaces, volunteering.

I moved here from the islands some years ago for the same reason. Bangkok has just about every type of friend you could wish for. Go for it!

[recom273]

Try badminton .. it takes just one person to give you a game, try a Thai work colleague, ask them to hook you up with a group of people who play regularly.

From there its easy to meet people. Thais will book a 2 hour session, every week, a couple of times a week on a regular basis. You will see other groups at the courts, who will ask you to join.

The kind of Thai friends you need, have decent jobs, drive cars and speak a little English, but they are reserved and will take a little time before they have the courage to speak with you, these people wont treat you like a novelty or walking ATM.

It wont be long before you are asked to join them for supper after and to do something at the weekend.

ETS: Language schools, such at AUA or UTL / Trinity, i met some cool guys there too.

Edited May 31, 2014 by recom273

[impulse]

Are there any Christian churches in town, or are they all Judeo-Christian? When I was growing up we were just Christians, i never heard the term 'Judeo-Christian' until the 1990's or so.. Are there still any Christians? or were they all gassed in some Christian Holocaust that was unaware of, leaving only the Judeo-Christians..

also are there any Judeo-Islam Mosks around? since Islam and Judism are more theologically similar than Judism and Christianity?

As much as I hesitate to recommend it for the wrong reasons, you're pretty likely to meet nice folks, many with lovely families, at Sunday services at any of the Judeo-Christian churches in town.

I guess I was trying (poor attempt, BTW) to exclude the zillions of Temples where I doubt a nice Canadian would find many of his countrymen who aren't just passing through. Can't say I've ever been to a Mosque here in Thailand, but I suspect they're not loaded up with Canadians, either.

Whereas, if you did find a Christian Church, or a Jewish Synagogue, the chances of running into some nice family types with competent English skills would be pretty good. (Lots of nice Thais, too- BTW)

No offense meant to anyone.

[NoshowJones]

There was another topic on this about a month ago with some good ideas.

But I see your name, I too am a Canadian in bkk.

I'm from edmonton. Send me a pm me. Maybe we could meet up!

Two canadians! All you need now is a hockey puck...and life will be, once again, wonderful~!

It could be worse, you could be sitting next to two Yorkshiremen with your finger in your ears.

[IAMSOBAD]

Get arrested...instant friends and close bonds.

[supashot]

Good friends in bkk? Check the girls behind at the ATM.

[slipperylobster]

There was another topic on this about a month ago with some good ideas.

But I see your name, I too am a Canadian in bkk.

I'm from edmonton. Send me a pm me. Maybe we could meet up!

Two canadians! All you need now is a hockey puck...and life will be, once again, wonderful~!

I don't know what you're talking aboot eh? We are much more than just hockeys don't forget about maple syrup and Tim hortons.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Eh.....don't ferget da beer, eh?

[banker44]

I too live in Nonthaburi and while I'm in a different situation, I think there are many options open to you. I receive email from folks at internations.org, which organizes social events and meet-up type activities in Bangkok quite frequently. There are many organized sports teams and leagues--softball, Hash runs (as has been previously noted), Ultimate Frisbee, ice hockey, soccer, cycling, cricket and probably many others. There are social/sports clubs like the British Club (open to non-Brits) which are very active and pleasant places in their own right. Find a friend or two interested in travel and get out of the city one or two weekends each month, work permitting. In the greather Nonthaburi area there is MT United pro soccer, pro Muay Thai at the new stadium, movies at the malls, bowling, golf and even ice hockey on the world's smallest Zamboni-served rink at the creepy Ladphrao mall whose name escapes me. A personal litmus test I set for myself before I arrived here was to develop some true friendships with Thais over time. That is not easy, but doable. Particularly through third party introductions as is normally the case.

[joshstiles]

Good Luck with that one pal. I was wondering the same thing, but have since given up on the idea. I met plenty of foreigners here....and all remind me of why I left my home country. Most that I've run into aren't worth the time of day...Thailand seems to attract a 'certain' type of foreigner and I don't share a lot of commonalities with them. Like yourself....I don't drink much....don't do the bar scene....but sure would appreciate a good discussion about an interesting topic.

[kinmaew]

try a meetup.com