seaching for interesting people

When I lived in Europe, I was a member of a chess club. We started our game around 8 pm and played it for a couple of hours. We played in a lounge which was part of a cafe.

After our game we often had very interesting discussions and debates on various topics such as religion, humanity, evolution, cosmography, psychology or we challenged each other with mathematical puzzles. I enjoyed this very much.

Am I the only one who misses this kind of activity here in Udon? (b.t.w. I know the joke ‘go back to Europe’ already).

nkstan wrote:Absolutely not,chess has been replaced with alcohol and the topics discussed have been expanded on to include eye candy ,currency exchange,Thai bureacracy and cross-cultural relations!

Agreed.

But there is someplace around town that has a trivia night. Maybe someone knows where that is and on what night they do it.

I can play chess, but poorly. I would like to find some folks to play bridge with.
By the way, both are good brain exercise that is supposed to delay Alzheimer/senility.

I for one enjoy stimulating, interesting and intellectual conversation and do miss this in Udon as the conversation usually centres around the same subjects, some of which have already been mentioned by nkstan, usually very predictable. Don't class myself as some sort of 'high-brow' intellect at all but must confess the diversity of my friends I left in the UK and the conversation subject matter is definately something that I have missed since moving to Thailand.

I also like a game of chess, although my level of playing skill would not be competetive to anyone regularly participating in the game.

I believe the net and forums have pretty much changed, the one on one aspect. The sad part is when that happened, rudeness became much easier.

Just a thought

But there is someplace around town that has a trivia night. Maybe someone knows where that is and on what night they do it.

I believe Glyn at the Englishmans Retreat holds a monthly Quiz Night, he advertises the date on here...keep an eye out or message him for details.

"religion, humanity, evolution, cosmography, psychology" The only problem with the discussion of these and other subjects is some people only want to hear there side.

thethailife wrote:"religion, humanity, evolution, cosmography, psychology" The only problem with the discussion of these and other subjects is some people only want to hear there side.

Or don't know enough about it

I'm always up for chess and good conversation. I can usually be found at the Wawee coffee shop in UD town.

thethailife wrote:"religion, humanity, evolution, cosmography, psychology" The only problem with the discussion of these and other subjects is some people only want to hear there side.

agree. A lot of right wing neo-cons around in Udon. Just gives me a headache thinking about it.

When I lived in Hatyai I found the best place to go to meet interesting people was a restaurant/pub where all the expats who were teaching English or working on the nearby oilrigs used to go after work to eat, drink and chat to friends.Most of them also had Thai girlfriends or wives who would join in the chats and improve their English skills.
A group of farangs used to play bridge and the owner, a very smart Thai man had the good idea of having several large bookshelves where you could hire second hand novels for about 30 baht and he also had a chess board.
If there are any places with similar character in Udon I think it would be worth checking out if you are looking for something other than playing Connect Four or watching TV. The small type of bars where you just sit on stools and listen to the girls saying ''Hello sexy man'', are not the right sort if you want to have a serious discussion.However they are very good for learning Thai from the girls while you are chatting to them. That's another thing you can do which will make your life in Thailand more fun.However if you can't read Thai script, check out with several people tf you have got the tones correct and write it so you can read it correctly.I learnt a great deal of Thai from girls in bars.If you check out where the teachers go, you might find some intereting people.

I for one would love to start a discussion group of, say 5 or 6 guys, to get together once a week or once every two weeks. We could meet at Centerpointe. Non-smokers/ and just lite or non-drinkers would be best for me. But other people... hell, you could have a drinkers or smokers club and meet at a bar- fine with me! Anybody interested in my group, write me at alang6z@hotmail.com and tell me about yourself. We could also bring our wives/girlfriends. In my case, I'm happily married 6 years, worked as a teacher at Rajabhat. Alan

Ah an intellectual looking for other like minded personages who can extoll the values of religious autonomy and the meaning of life in the great cycle of the human evolutionary path. No-one like that here I am afraid, we are all down to earth chaps with a predilection for the softer things in life, women, good food and beer to name but a FEW.

Stimulating conversation is I am afraid a lost and dying art here in Udon, there are a few who will occasionally after a few beers , let their guard down enough so that good conversation flows as it were, however as the level of alcohol rises so the level of the conversation is lowered, until in the end there ain't a lot of difference. You probably will not be able to understand it anyway. many of us and in this folks I do include myself on certain subjects will bang the drum for their own particular subject and will not allow disagreement to enter into the conversation,sad that may be but truthful.

Setting up such a place would I fear give rise to even more verbal exchanges which would degenerate into more manly sports like fisticuffs or bottle smashing, or even puking over the furniture, so better leave it as it is and use the computer for Chess, and Internet forums for stimulating conversation.

You could of course , seek out those who wish to enter in to such conversations , and then take it from there.

why make it a dying art? just got to udon and dont know any places or anyone. thought talking to myself would be saner but having done so for quite a period of time i've realized it is better to find people who can both talk and listen. I might make Nongprajak Park my official chill out place so if you feel like talking let me know.