Community Events in Chiang Rai

[gerry1011]

Some of the hill tribe magicians will make a small magic performance at Baan Rao , this Sunday 27th.

They will perform magic with cords, coins, cards, make objects appear and disappear, "create" money, etc...

But due to the small space available, there will be no levitation or grand illusion.

For those of you who could not attend the previous shows, this mini-performance is a good occasion to support the hill tribe students.

The show is free and everyone welcome.

Those who want to help them further can always buy a coffee or tea (no alcohol at Baan Rao) or maybe buy some of the students art pieces. But no obligation, they perform for the pleasure of being on stage only.

[gerry1011]

Forgot to write the time they perform: 7pm

[gerry1011]

Sorry, forgot to say the time of the performance: 7pm

[goski]

Coins, cards, making objects disappear (and hopefully reappear) and if not cords at least rubber bands are things I like practising myself. As it happens I got a flyer yesterday so I hope I will manage to go there. By the way, levitation doesn't take alot of space to do

[lannaman]

DRAG RACING

I took my dogs to the Old Airport early this morning. They are setting up for drag racing today, not sure what time. It's at the south end of the airstrip. They were testing the sound system, which rather spoilt the peace of our early morning exertions!

[Morris]

I heard a Dutch Company is building a media arts center in chiang rai, which is a way to connect to people, watch or learn to make innovating movies, and get people together that are interested in film making and media.

Some friend of mine told me this, and I think this will be huge unique and perfect place in chiang rai.

Really looking forward to go there. They also make a club in there and lounge area where you can meet fellow film makers, or people to work together with making films. This is very nice stuff!

Didn`t you see the BIG bikes at the food festival last week opposite the Rimkok. Some serious bikes. Due to my ignorance I`m not sure if these guys were from Chiang Rai or not.

I hope they were.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks Chiang35Baht!

BIG bikes, that's what they are called. In Holland we call them 'heavy' bikes.

They are actually 'heavy' in both senses of the word. Chiang Rai has one VERY BIG bike, about four BIG bikes and about ten RATHER BIG bikes. When you have seen more bikes then it might have been the club from Chiang Mai, the Rotors, which were invited to visit by their local comrades.

I don't know where the lake of Doi Hang is. I mean you pass Hong Or, then you get the road to the 'new' prison after some kilometers and then, straight on, you arrive in Doi Hang, don't you? With the temple at the right side on the hill?

Saturday 10 December about five kilometers after Ban Lao (on the road from Wiang Chai to Chiang Khong, about 33 kms from town) there is a Tantawan (???) event.

Enormeous fields with blossoming sunflowers, not the Mexican ones but the BIG (heavy) ones. Thai-boxing, music, dance, trips on rot-i-teng and all this sprinkled with alcoholic refreshments. They have snacks, ice-water and coke as well.

I'll be there at about three o'clock!

See you!

Limbo.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

After Hawng Awe, go past the police check point, turn rightto go to the jail. Go down the hill right past the jail. At the bottom go straight on to a dirt road and follow it round to the right for about 500-600 yards. I`m sure you will see all the cars parked there.

[brahmburgers]

a media arts center for Chiang Rai sounds cool - where's it going to be and when is it planned to open?

[toybits]

Thai Laws and Foreigners in Thai Society Lecture will be held at the Phowadol Resort and Spa (Champalao Room) at Chiang Rai on the 12th of February 2009. This announcement was made by the Office of the Attorney General. Issues to be discussed include Family Law, Succession Law, Acquisition of Land and Condominium.

NO ADMISSION FEE.

(Not sure what language the lecture will be in...)

Time: 08:30 to 16:30

For more information, please contact the Office of International People's Rights Protection (Tel 02-515-4061.

www.humanrights.ago.go.th

Just checked the website - sorry folks, its all in Thai.

[sceadugenga]

Oh well, didn't we have a "visitor" from Chiang Mai post on the forum last month telling us that anyone who'd lived here for any length of time and wasn't fluent in Thai was a disgrace to the expat community?

[Limbo]

Today, Sunday 19 April, at 3.30 on the campus of Mae Fah luang University, the brave will risc their health again in trying to defeat their opponents.

If they win or not, that detracts nothing of their dedication.

As the great Johan Cruyff once said: "the ball is round, it can roll anywhere!"

Limbo

[Limbo]

Today, Sunday 19 April, at 3.30 on the campus of Mae Fah luang University, the brave will risc their health again in trying to defeat their opponents.

If they win or not, that detracts nothing of their dedication.

As the great Johan Cruyff once said: "the ball is round, it can roll anywhere!"

Limbo

As Nigbon already made public: Tomorrow Chiang Rai United FC is playing again 'at home' at the stadium of the Mae Fah Luang University.

This time poor Uttaradit will be the victim!

Be there! The game starts at 4 0'clock.

At 7 o'clock, at the Srinakharinwirot Hall on the same campus, there will be a free classical concert.

The Thai Youth Orchestra will play together with the Chiang Rai Youth Orchestra.

Conductor will be Phukorn (Sutin) Srinarong and the soloist will be Pintusorn (Pui) Srinarong of the Vie Trio.

Don't forhet: Football and art go very well together.

The first Thai football championship in 1916 was won by the Department of Performing Arts!

Yes, maybe we could call footballplayers performing artists ...

See you tomorrow!

Limbo

[konjianghai]

Anyway i hope you CR folks catch this thread because the pinned section is not so eye catching.

CR held Mekong Export Festival 2009 with over 400 booths. From 8-14 May 2009 at Military traning field at Mae Fah Luang Bridge.

11.00 pm till 22.00 pm. Its indoor and airconditioned. No heat worries there.

Some pictures from the event.

Credit crfocus.com

[brahmburgers]

I went to Mekong Export Festival and was a bit disappointed. I keep hoping such events will be more down to earth and deal more with environmental, organic, and alternative energy/building & lifestyle topics.

Instead it's nearly 100% the same sorts of things you find in any other commercial venue in the area;

Nearly everything is heavily packaged. Very little is innovative. No hands-on interaction. Nothing directly dealing with kids, except maybe a toy store or two. No learning anything new.

In contrast, you go to a new age type fair in the States or Britain, and their are heaps of creatively stimulating products and services. Plus there's unusual food, exciting ethnic music, displays of inventions/alternative power, alternative products, interactive things to do - .....in essence, a whole lot of things you won't find at an Asian festival.

[Limbo]

"In contrast, you go to a new age type fair in the States or Britain, and their are heaps of creatively stimulating products and services. Plus there's unusual food, exciting ethnic music, displays of inventions/alternative power, alternative products, interactive things to do - .....in essence, a whole lot of things you won't find at an Asian festival."

.... our good old Brahmburgers noticed.

But if you would move a certain number of the booths from Chiang Rai to these exiting and exotic new age type fairs in Britain, they would perfectly fit in, 55555!

Wow, think how it would be to hear the exciting ethnic music through the kind of mega-speakers that almost seemed to chase the water of the Kok River back into the mountains.

But you are right: more place could have been offered to small scale, innovative, surprising businesses.

That Thailand is exporting masseuses we knew already and that they will carry bags with massage oil abroad is evident.

Personally I wouldn't go to a fair like this to buy massage-oil.

And concerning the music you are absolutely right. Choosen is for the mega approach with one or two big famous bands from the capital, thus avoiding hassle with local musicians and probably also for publicity reasons, where so many very talented Thai musicians are looking for a stage and could have been offered an opportunity.

But the atmosphere was nice and this fair certainly has a great potential. I am sure that within a couple of years it could develop into a very interesting happening.

What amazes me everytime again is the genuine beauty of the Tai Lue textiles from the Laos side of the Mekong.

Complete ignorance, pure stupidity fed by greed and the urge to feel 'important' from the side of the individuals that claim to be 'authorities' in the Chiang Khong area have killed this great craft at this side of the river.

It's not that the women at this side of the river wouldn't have the skills, it is the forced centralization in the weaving industry into government controlled organizations that killed it.

Some decades ago you still saw a loom under every house in this area.

When there was a big flood about thirty years ago there was a women who didn't save her kettles and pans, but the patterns for weaving (these 'digitalised' frames).

A women collective tried to save the old patterns and way of making dyes, but they were not allowed to show their work at fairs or to participate in competition. The women were offered to leave their houses and the children and old people they kept an eye on while weaving and to slave in 19th century English style weaving sweatshops (see the one at Doi Tung).

Limbo

PS: I bought a hat !

[Limbo]

But you are right: more place could have been offered to small scale, innovative, surprising businesses.

By the way: Are there small scale, innovative, surprising businesses in this area and elsewhere in Thailand?

The idea behind OTOP (one tambon one product) aimed at developing local specialisms into small scale industrial employment.

It was funny to see the local chiefs and their complicits use the depths of their fantasy to find projects they would get financed within the framework of this drive.

And Bangkok in its turn, was of course willing enough to approve them, as the money had to be divided.

My champion has always been Doi Mae Salong, where the big boys and girls decided that 'tourism' would be their contribution to the economical development of Thailand. They must have had a big laugh when they ordered all the signs, because more than the totally unnecessary signs weren't needed. I am sure they found a pleasant destination for the money that was left.

Beautiful are also the districts and village chiefs who declared their fiefdoms centres of 'agri-tourism'.

Also here nothing happened more than making signs with 'agri-tourism' on it.

I think most of the money for the OTOP projects went to the production of signs.

The idea wasn't stupid at all, but the people who had to implant it were not always up to it.

Limbo

[toybits]

Yo!

Wanabe Rambo's out there!!!

The Chiang Rai BB Gun Club will be hosting the 3rd - Annual BB Gun contest on the 1st of November (Sunday). BB-gun teams from all over Chiang Rai are invited to participate. If you just want to come and enjoy watching the games, you are all welcome to do so.

There will also be other activities such as plinking cans. More information later.

[NampeungMay]

There are, indeed, "...small scale, innovative, surprising businesses in this area..." Izara Arts is an income generation project for Hilltribe women... offering them the option to work from home rather than being forced into city factories. The office is based here in Chiang Rai. Very small (there are but four rolling the ball, in addition to the many incredible women that they work with) they sell a number of different handicrafts from yoga mat bags to eyemasks...

It seems the fabulous folks at Doi Chaang are up to some good work as well.

I'm bran spankin' new to this neck of the woods, but will keep these eyes peeled and share when I see businesses up to some interesting things.

What about galleries in the area? Live music? I've been looking... but so far unsuccessful.

And, Limbo, who are these women in your italic text? I'd love to get in touch with women's cooperatives in the area.

[Limbo]

Welcome to Chiang Rai NampeungMay!

What about galleries in the area? Live music? I've been looking... but so far unsuccessful.

Look in the thread "I don't understand why people are afraid etc etc" and the one of the 9 Gallery & Architect Studio.

Tonight concert at the Phowadol!

And, Limbo, who are these women in your italic text? I'd love to get in touch with women's cooperatives in the area.

These co-operatives don't exist anymore.

They didn't get any support and the women were 'encouraged' to join the predecessors of the OTOP clubs.

Limbo

[Limbo]

For information, just call Kevin.

Limbo

[sceadugenga]

If you want to be a sub-branch of Chiang Mai.

[dindong]

What about a Chiang Rai ex pats club or do we need our Chiang Mai masters and British riff raff to show us how it's done.

[kandahar]

I didn't even know that Chiang Mai had an Expats club.

Actually, I just started THE Chaing Rai Expats club two days ago. I'm the only member so far. Yesterday, I opened the Chiang Rai Expats Club Annex in Chiang Mai. I'll be the only member there too, when I happen to go down there for a little shopping later this week. I'm looking forward to going to Chiang Mai and collecting dues from myself when I get there and offering pointers to myself about the proper way to conduct meetings and encourage myself to try to build up the membership in the faltering annex.

I'm already starting to see a lack of motivation and participation in the fledgling annex and I perceive that the membership isn't taking it as seriously as the Chiang Rai Expats club membership thinks it should be taken. I understand that not ONE proper meeting has taken place at this time with that annex bunch. I have some really good ideas about how the Chiang Mai Annex of the Chiang Rai Expats Club should be operated and I am hopeful that when I present the ideas to myself when I get there that I don't find a lot of bad blood surfacing because of "jealousy" and resentment of the head office showing up and taking charge. If the bad blood does surface, I'll certainly be quick to remind the annex member that the Chiang Mai Annex charter can be revoked in very short order if the attitudes don't improve immediately.

I'll keep you guys posted.

[dindong]

I didn't even know that Chiang Mai had an Expats club.

Actually, I just started THE Chaing Rai Expats club two days ago. I'm the only member so far. Yesterday, I opened the Chiang Rai Expats Club Annex in Chiang Mai. I'll be the only member there too, when I happen to go down there for a little shopping later this week. I'm looking forward to going to Chiang Mai and collecting dues from myself when I get there and offering pointers to myself about the proper way to conduct meetings and encourage myself to try to build up the membership in the faltering annex.

I'm already starting to see a lack of motivation and participation in the fledgling annex and I perceive that the membership isn't taking it as seriously as the Chiang Rai Expats club membership thinks it should be taken. I understand that not ONE proper meeting has taken place at this time with that annex bunch. I have some really good ideas about how the Chiang Mai Annex of the Chiang Rai Expats Club should be operated and I am hopeful that when I present the ideas to myself when I get there that I don't find a lot of bad blood surfacing because of "jealousy" and resentment of the head office showing up and taking charge. If the bad blood does surface, I'll certainly be quick to remind the annex member that the Chiang Mai Annex charter can be revoked in very short order if the attitudes don't improve immediately.

I'll keep you guys posted.

Can I join?

[kandahar]

Can I join?

Well, right now I kind of have my hands full with that unruly annex bunch down south. When I get that mess straightened out, I'll get back to you. In the meantime, don't get desperate and join a copycat club. You deserve the real deal, man.

[sceadugenga]

There was an impromptu meeting of a possible future Chiang Rai Expats club at the Swiss Deli on 22nd December last year.

Presided over by acting chairman Limbo with master-at-arms villagefarang keeping order, Lannaman and sceadugenga, accompanied by Chiang Mai ambassador and visiting royalty Mcgriffith solved a few of Thailand's more urgent problems.

Trouble was no one could remember the solutions the next day.

[dindong]

There was an impromptu meeting of a possible future Chiang Rai Expats club at the Swiss Deli on 22nd December last year.

Presided over by acting chairman Limbo with master-at-arms villagefarang keeping order, Lannaman and sceadugenga, accompanied by Chiang Mai ambassador and visiting royalty Mcgriffith solved a few of Thailand's more urgent problems.

Trouble was no one could remember the solutions the next day.

as I said, more riff raff.

I hope we get a better quality of members in Kandahars original Chiang Rai only ex-pats club.

[chang35baht]

What are the potential benefits of an "expats club"?

[sceadugenga]

There was an impromptu meeting of a possible future Chiang Rai Expats club at the Swiss Deli on 22nd December last year.

Presided over by acting chairman Limbo with master-at-arms villagefarang keeping order, Lannaman and sceadugenga, accompanied by Chiang Mai ambassador and visiting royalty Mcgriffith solved a few of Thailand's more urgent problems.

Trouble was no one could remember the solutions the next day.

as I said, more riff raff.

I hope we get a better quality of members in Kandahars original Chiang Rai only ex-pats club.

One can certainly only hope...

[Limbo]

What are the potential benefits of an "expats club"?

Please understand that Mr. Kandahar is wearing many hats at the moment and it therefore will be difficult for him to give a quick

answer to your for that matter very interesting question!

He is not only Chairman, General-Secretary, Treasurer of FEC-Chiang Rai (First Expat Club Chiang Rai), but also the only member

at this moment. It will take a lot of co-ordination to keep the club together and I am sure that I speak on behalf of most of us when

I say that I have the greatest respect for his endeavours.

The Chiang Mai branch might be one bridge too far for Mr. Kandahar. Let's hope that he is not driving himself too far.

And my dear Chiang35baht, there is another thing:

There is a big difference between 'potential' benefits and benefits.

The category 'potential' benefits limits itself usually to a literary contemplation.

Maybe you should rephrase your question for a better understanding.

Dear Mr. Kandahar, dear Mr. Chairman,

next to the honorable candidate member Mr. Dingdong I also want to express my interest and sympathy.

As Mr. Sceadugenga already mentioned:

22 December the Very First Expat Club of Chiang Rai (VFEC-Chiang Rai) held it first meeting at the Swiss Deli.

Present were the Guest of Honour and Founding Chairman Mr. McGriffith (yes, yes, himself, and in person!), two gentlemen from the

Chiang Rai country side, more precisely Mr. Sceadugenga and Mr. Villagefarang, two local members Mr. Lannaman and Mr. Limbo

Mr. Svenivan, who intended to join, brought an apology forward. He happened to be in the middle of a golf tournament.

As Mr. McGriffith is based in Chiang Mai, you might consider to ask him to represent the FEC-CR there.

It would lighten your burden, I am sure.

As you without any doubt will be extremely busy these days it seems to premature to suggest to you a fusion between the

VFEC-CR and your FEC-CR.

Both clubs could join DTCS Wilanda and I can guarantee you would be elected its new Chairman and, if possible also

General-Secretary and Treasurer, but the honorable position of being the only member you would have to share.

I hope you will have the kindness to rise to the bait!

Limbo

PS: Dutch Thai Cultural Society Wilanda exists about six years and has so far been active in the cultural field in Chiang Rai.

There is only one Dutchman member and he shoulders the same multiple tasks as you do in FEC-Chiang Rai.

It's time for him to retire.

'Wilanda' is one of the first words used in old Ayutthaya for foreigners, thereby a respectable 350 years older than 'farang'.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[dindong]

Dear Mr.Kandahar, Can I be General Secretary Vise President of our ChiangRai only ex-pats club.

I am speaking out now before the big rush of applicants come.

I can look after things when you are down south.