Why Chiang Mai Expats Club?

PFM International’s Managing Director, Alan Hall, is also Chiang Mai Expat’s Club President.

I get asked this a lot actually – why and how did I get so involved in Chiang Mai Expats Club – I often ask myself the same question!

I first got involved when I set up a non-profit organisation called Chiang Mai SOS - I wanted to tell folks about it and I s’pose it seemed the first port of call. CEC was in its infancy back then and I ended up on the board and was later nominated by the other board members to be president. People don’t always realise that it’s a demanding role which takes up a lot of my time (and money on occasion!). So, why do it? Well, I guess I came to really enjoy the club. Myself and the other board members always felt there was a need for a CEC. It’s a place where people can come when they first arrive in Chiang Mai and be introduced to the Expat community and (hopefully!) meet like-minded people.

To be able to provide a place like that we needed to be able to offer quality guest speakers – which I feel we have done. In fact, that’s one of the reasons I enjoy it so much – you don’t half meet some characters!

Apart from all that – it’s my hobby. I’ve always enjoyed the challenge of organising it, along with the indisputable benefit of being able to introduce folks who are new in Chiang Mai to a city I love…

Chiang Mai Expats Club meets on the 4th Saturday of every month, 10am for 10.30am at the Shangri La Hotel, Chiang Mai. Everyone welcome.