FARANG SOCIAL CLUB UDON

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.