How to Meet People in Chiang Mai: Clubs, Meetups, Monks
Go to the Chiang Mai Expats Club breakfast on the first Saturday of each month, 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM. Newcomers' tables answer questions about living in Chiang Mai. Lifetime club membership is THB 1,500. Then add one weekly habit: a hobby group, a Meetup event or Monk Chat.
Be at The Duke’s in Ruamchok on the first Saturday of the month. The Chiang Mai Expats Club breakfast runs 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM and has newcomers’ tables where local expats answer questions about living in Chiang Mai. Members pay THB 345 with a reservation; guests and walk-ins pay THB 445.
The rest of this list covers what to add once you know a few faces.
Quick picks
First week in town: the Saturday breakfast
Visa, legal and health talks: Expat Connection speaker meetings
A weekly habit: CM Geeks lunch every Tuesday
Evening socials: Meetup groups, starting with the New In Town Meetup
English with monks: Monk Chat, Monday to Friday, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Desk and people: the weekend event at Yellow Coworking
Chiang Mai Expats Club: the Saturday breakfast
Lifetime membership is THB 1,500. You do not need it to attend the breakfast, which is a casual event with newcomers’ tables.
Expat Connection meets on the 4th Saturday of January, March, May, July, September and November at the Duangtawan Hotel. Speakers cover visa updates, legal issues for expats, health and Thai culture. There is no meeting in October; the next is the 4th Saturday of November.
Advance tickets cost THB 220 for members and THB 270 for visitors, each plus a THB 20 booking fee; the door price is THB 350.
Good for: answers on visas and paperwork from people who have done them.
Skip if: you want a social evening; this is a daytime talk.
The club lists hobby groups that run on their own. Members of Local Groups do not need to be club members. The groups run separately and have not been vetted by the club, so judge each one yourself.
CM Geeks: meets every Tuesday, lunch at 12:00 and the main meeting 1:00 to 2:30.
Chiang Mai Hiking: hikes are posted almost every Sunday.
Chiang Mai Birders: outings have no charge for joining or going.
Lannacapella: a community choir that sings weekly.
Writers and Readers: meets weekly.
Expats Ladies Lunch: twice a month at local restaurants, all women welcome.
Chiang Mai Travel Club: monthly dinner, conversation and a travel presentation.
On 15 October 2026 Meetup showed three big groups. Chiang Mai Professionals, Expats, and Digital Nomads has 3605 members. Make New Friends in Chiang Mai has 2954, and Beyond Small Talk, Chiang Mai has 1147.
Newcomers: start with the New In Town Meetup, listed for Thursday 15 October at 6:00 PM. Long-stayers and DTV visa holders have a dinner on Friday 16 October at 6:00 PM.
Events listed for the coming days:
Expat Karaoke Thursdays at Lecker Bar.
Nomad Friday Social at Attika Studio, Friday 16 October at 7:00 PM.
Slowcial Running Club CM, Saturday 17 October at 7:30 AM.
Questions That Matter, a free weekly discussion on Wednesdays at 6:00 PM.
Bring-a-Book Reading Club, Thursday 22 October at 9:30 AM.
Saturday Social Dinner at Spice Garden, Saturday 24 October at 6:00 PM.
Open the group page before you go; these listings change weekly.
Treat InterNations as a forum, not an events calendar. Its newest Chiang Mai monthly gathering is dated 26 February 2025, so use Meetup and the club for real-life plans.
The Monk Chat program at the MCU Chiang Mai campus, Wat Suan Dok, Suthep Road, opens weekly Monday to Friday, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. You talk informally with a monk about monk life, Thai culture and tradition, Buddhism and meditation.
Come at 4:00 pm for the chat. Outside those hours you may also visit to ask about meditation retreats, and to chat if monks are free. Private groups contact the office. A one-day meditation course on Monday or Friday starts at 9:00 am at the Monk Chat Office.
Good for: English conversation in a quiet setting.
Skip if: you want a drink and a crowd; this is a temple.
The white chedis at Wat Suan Dok.Wat Suan Dok 139 Suthep Rd, Tambon Su Thep, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
The Rotary club meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month and asks interested people to contact it for an invitation. Its mission is child safety, health and education in the communities it serves, and its members come from many nationalities.
Come to a meeting before you consider joining. Members and guests gather about 30 minutes before the meeting for dinner, social talk and fellowship. Dues are one combined package; ask the club for the current rate.
Coworking events
Two coworking spaces mix events into the week.
Yellow Coworking holds a Yellow Connect Weekends event every weekend in its outdoor area.
Alt_ChiangMai memberships include a 50% discount for weekly events.
The entrance path to Yellow Coworking.Yellow Coworking Space (Co-working) 16, 2 Nimmanahaeminda Road แยก 5, Tambon Su Thep, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
The street frontage of Alt_ChiangMai.Alt_ChiangMai - coliving & coworking space 129, 1 Intrawarorot Rd Old City Tambon Si Phum, Mueang Chiang Mai District, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand · Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab)
Not confirmed: Whether the Moat House Rooftop Bar runs a Tuesday-evening language exchange: one local guide names it, so ask the bar before you go. Rotary dues: ask the club.
Do I need to be a member to go to the club breakfast?
Guests are welcome: guests and walk-ins pay THB 445, members with a reservation pay THB 345.
How much is Chiang Mai Expats Club membership?
Lifetime membership is THB 1,500.
Are the club's hobby groups only for members?
No. Members of Local Groups do not need to be members of the club.
Where do I talk with a monk in Chiang Mai?
The Monk Chat program at Wat Suan Dok opens weekly Monday to Friday, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Sessions include English conversation between students and monk-scholars.
When does the Rotary club meet?
On the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month; ask the club for an invitation.
Where do digital nomads meet?
Yellow Coworking holds an event every weekend in its outdoor area. Meetup listed a Nomad Friday Social at 7:00 PM on Friday 16 October.
General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
