Is it worth me looking ,and financing somewhere suitable for a club,if enough people are interested,then i will be strongly tempted to do so,as i,m sure if its a nice venue ,more people will join in near future,i,m not looking for making money just at some point to break even,or get some back.

and financing

are you nuts, if really planning, what ever you are renting, make it an extension of that, and see if you can get 5-10 to show regularly with no fees for couple months. we have a hard time committing to just the night market once a month.

Thanks for pointing that out,and your right no good if enough people not interested,but it would have been a much nicer venue than the night market.

Hello to you from a Swedish guy living in Udon. I like your idea about a social club in Udon and maybe to some of the others cities around up here. I posted the same question a couple of days ago about a New Expats Club up here and have already got a couple of optimists who want to join. I believe this is whats missing up here where people can get together and get answers on their questions and also have a good time with friends.
Look up for my mail in General Topics and take a look.
You are welcome to get intouch with me.
Lars Erik Brandt

hi Lars ,theres are clubs up and running in thailand,in pattiya there are several,even a motor bike club there,but for some reason alot of guys in udon,dont seem to think its a good idea,although there are some for it,i for 1,and i,m sure once the club got off the ground membership would build up

Khun Paul quote:-

''Why go to all the trouble and cost not to talk about licences, staff and one person to run the place ( for free I doubt it), plus business set up costs etc etc, when we already have places that will do, maybe a better idea would be to speak to one or more of the larger bar owners and see if they would be prepared to offer their premises for a small fee exclusivly for us to start the club or whatever going about either once a fortnoght or once a month, if and if it expands beyond space available then we talk about separate premises and all the problems that may go with that. just an idea, but in these days of falling customers I am sure one or more would think about that seriously.''

Firstly, there’s some overlap here with the New Expats Club topic, isn’t there?

I would not have thought there are enough interested farang here to support a social club with its’ own premises etc. Many have commented on the difficulties opening/running such a place might bring. From what I read, the bars in Udon are currently struggling to find enough customers anyway. There is, of course, a parallel debate about the ‘correctness’ of setting up such a Club. Many farangs, I thought, chose to live here, not only because their partners are from up this way, but also that it WAS very different to ‘in yer face’ Pattaya. But I guess it’s down to what an individual feels he needs.

Khun Paul’s suggestion appears a good option and a chance to ‘test the water’. It would be a ‘home’ and, therefore, one up on the Night Market gatherings, but would not, of course, be a membership club.

I’m sure many of you are familiar with the Hash (not that sort!). I’m referring to the ‘running’/drinking/social Clubs that exist all over the world. I was in Phuket for two years and went to the Hash ‘runs’ on several occasions. A complete mix of people, young/old, male/female from all over the world. They had a really great time socially.

But my main point is that they had a base – a bar down a soi in the middle of Patong. I think everybody associated with the Hash knew this as their ‘home’. Standing by itself, but I believe it was linked to the next door hotel. I don’t know if there was any financial arrangement between the Hash and bar/hotel, but many of the social gatherings were held or started from there. Notice boards, handouts were around. The beer price was certainly dirt cheap. There were probably enough farangs who, as it were, regarded it as their ‘local’ and through beer sales, satisfied the bar maintaining the link. A good restaurant too. Whilst anybody was, of course, able to use the bar, I believe there were times when the Hash more or less took it over for a social event.

There had to be a group of people to organize events and ‘runs’, but my impression was that it was all very good-natured and low key. Call up the website if you want to see some of the goings-on.

As Khun Paul suggests, a ‘middle of the road’ way to proceed now. Yes, I would have thought that an owner of a bar with good facilities might be pleased to put forward his place as the venue for the Farang Udon Club (the FU Club! – but clearly open to allcomers) if it meant the possibility of more income.

That s the best two suggestions i read about this subject so far, as it retains the former NM ideal and adds a semi permanent base without commitment from members except for patronage.

Nice one Paul and Brian

Could I make a suggestion if this is an acceptable (in Principle idea)

i suggest that The club be called The friends of Udon Ex Pats Club and that it is linked to "friends of Udon" Charity for disabled kids, therefore providing the perfect venue, "Mojo" bar as Thorston is the Founder of the charity and im quite sure would donate a certain percentage of the profits on a set night each week to the charity.. The bar is very respectable and its not a "girlie bar' so no hassles to buy drinks etc...

This would also serve to make people feel good about having a good time and helping these poor kids...

its jsut a suggerstion>>>>

Is it time to do a poll to decide whether to take it any further on or not ?

Hmm, some rather good suggestions coming out now. A possible venue for uninterrupted, non music, or activities at a bar to distract, would be Irish Clock, the salas set up out back, and rarely used for smoking, as original purpose. Most just go out front for a puff. Thus you can accommodate those who smoke and plenty of open air for non smokers. Just a thought.

nice to hear some positive sensible suggestions,but if its going to be a family club,how can you use a bar with its own customers coming in,would not be a club, unless theres a bar who,s willing to let members solely use it on certain days,if bar custom is down,we could fill it up once a week,and owner make his profits from drinks and food we buy

hence the suggestion of irish clock salas, only one i ever saw back there was Steve trying to relax with a private puff.

if its only a meeting place you want maybe ok,but normally theres people eating there,maybe englishman retreat be better,more space,if Glyn was interested in running a club from there

laphanphon wrote:hence the suggestion of irish clock salas, only one i ever saw back there was Steve trying to relax with a private puff.

Is that private PUFF ......or private POOF