Ok have been on this forum awhile now and have got some great info for our trip thanks all.
We leave in 4 days woohoo but now am confused what is the best catch up. lots of people talking about Fri nite BBQ and now the sunday fundraiser. We want to maybe go to one not both, so which is the one to go to? We are going as a couple no kids if that helps.
Thanks
Adrian

Hi Adrian,
I'm hedging my bets and going to both the Fundraiser on the 15th which will be my 2nd day in Phuket and the Friday BBQ on the 20th (??). I'm travelling by myself so it would be good to hang out with some familiar faces.

Might see you at either. 10 days to go - YIPPPEEEEE!!!!
Hope you have a great trip!!!!!

Hey guys,

Well, the BBQ nights are well established and the Fundraisers are just getting started.

Having been to both, I'd say the food is much better at the Fundraiser and there is more on offer, with live entertainment and use of pool, sauna, spa etc.

The BBQ has more of a party element at the Sunshine Bar, where the Fundraiser is more about chatting and catching up. There will be a few games and some dancing, but not as much as the BBQ.

I can't remember what a night out with Richard costs including transfers, but the Fundraiser is 600 baht all up (including transfers). Drinks are extra and are about 100 baht per glass of wine, sorry, don't know beer price.

The 10% service charge for drinks and about 40% of the 600 baht is donated to women and children living with AIDS.

Sadly the live entertainment does not include my singing, I have ben vetoed. But definately at the Sunday dinner you get the best food, a Sunday Roast as well as Thai food, live music, pool and a view of the sunset from the rooftop (where the pool is).

The bonus of the Sunday dinner is that the profits go to a very worthwhile local charity....one supported by local expats ...instead of commisions and profits here and there to private operators.

Like Tina I have been to both, and the Sunday dinner is for me.

Hope I see you there,
Mark.

Thanks for all your help. Only 2 days 2 go now and do you think we are excited!!!
Is anyone going to the fundraiser on the 15th June?
How do you know who is who at these things?
Adrian

Hi Adrian - we went to the BBQ on the 8th of May and had a BALL. It was 150 thb transfers and 150 thb for all you can eat buffet. The food was luvly and one of our big lads had 5 massive plates just because he enjoyed it sooo much. We had a luvly night and met some fantastic people from this site. There were only 48 of us in total and it was like a private party. Who highly recommend it but I'm sure the Sunday get together will be great too. Hope you have as much fun in Phuket as we did. Snoops

Major difference of course is that the proceeds of the Fundraiser go to a good cause, with all expenses etc. accounted for, and the proceeds of the Friday night BBQ and Sunshine bar go to the organiser.

Hi everyone,
After reading the posts I am surprised that there appears to be some kind of competition between the Friday Night BBQ and the Sunday Night Fundraiser (SNF).
The Friday Night BBQ is a get together and we know that the total cost is 300bht.
The SNF is a get together/fundraiser and the cost is 600bht with 40% (240bht) going to the women and children living with aids, which it is a great cause.
Both offer transfers and a meal with alcohol/drinks extra.
They are on different nights and therefore; time permitting people may be able to attend both.
We all know that whatever you do there is a cost involved.
Both events are no doubt a great way to meet and greet and network for whatever reason and above all to have an enjoyable time.
regards
os2go

Well put Os2go I think that sums up both events beautifully.

Michelle

Hello Everyone

I'm surprised that someone who has never attended the "Friday Night Social" that has been hosted by myself an my Japanese wife Megumi for the last 2 1/2 years continues to offer advice about the evening only from the point of view of a former disgruntled bussiness partner.

I hope Allan leaves this post alone because it's about time that people are alowed to hear both sides of the story instead of allowing continuous slagging comments from local compeditors who think that services availiable to members of 3 different travel forums should be censored, banned and or deleated because of personal or competitve reasons.

To begin with everyone who has attened and enjoyed the Western style BBQ offered by the extended Thai family at the renamed Rawai Mini Golf are rational enough to know that there can not possibly be a commision paid out for this dinner. As a matter of fact we have been informed that due to the dramaticly increasing fuel and food prices that the Thai family who runs the place can no longer continue to offer the previous low price and have advertised that they must raise their costs by 25 baht as of the 1st.of August. "So what"! if Megumi and I get a free dinner and jug of beer for spending our online time to organise groups of guests for this weekly event that supports their family. Is it against forum rules for local expats to support the local Thai bussinesses that offer great deals for travelers who ask for info about these activities, events and bussinesses?

Regarding the Thai family owned "Sunshine Bar" on Rawai Beach that is part of the evening's entertainment you simply have to read the comments of other forum members to understand what is special about the place probably because there are no professional working girls or boys there and they spend their evenings entertaining their guests. Like most Thai owned and managed bars the employies make their extra money for the evening from the commisions on the drinks they sell at lower prices then most bars and of course their tips if guests have enjoyed their evening there. For anyone who has noticed all of the girlie bars on Rawai Beach who are forced to shut down or close early especialy durring the "Low Season" it is easy to see why so many visiting forum members and local expats choose to support this particular venue that now has 11 extended family members employed at and making their living at the "Sunshine Bar" Again I would like to state that I do not make a commision from this bussiness other then free drinks for myself and Megumi on Friday nights and we pay the same as anyone else on other nights that we visit.

We do however make something from the transfers that we organise and it has never been a secret that if you can get a Tuk Tuk from Patong to the BBQ in Nai Harn by 6:00 PM for the dinner, have them return again at 7:30 to drive you down to the Sunshine Bar on Rawai Beach, and then return again for you when the guests leave with our group at 10:00 PM for less then 150 baht per person then you are more then welcome to organise your own transport for the evening or come on your own like the locals do who have their own vehicles but be carefull about driving home at the end of the night.

Sorry about the long post but I am tiered of hearing this same commision argument from bussiness competitors who think the forums can be censored or manipulated like some kind of a personality contest and the targets of their alligations are denied the opportunity to defend themselves.

Regards From Phuket

Richard & Megumi

Hi All,
I have never been to Phuket and I'm going with a completely open mind to immerse myself in the experience of Phuket for the first time.

I'll let you know what both are like and I'm sure they both will be great!! Just let me enjoy the experience.

I agree Os2go. It does SOUND like a bit of a competition, but it's not, which is why the Fundraiser was arranged for Sunday nights, not Friday nights, so that people wouldn't have to make a choice between the two. Friday night was actually much better as a choice for the Fundraiser, for where we were originally going to hold the function, but it would not be right to "compete" for guests, so with additional organising, we were able to make it a Sunday, even though we now have to pay for the music, whereas we could have had the music for free on a Friday night.

So you see, there is no competition.

Oh yeah, and Adey, we'll be there on 15th, looks like about 30 people so far.

Hi Richard,
Like I said above I think Os2go put it beautifully. To date I have not attended A Friday night BBQ or a fundraiser. Let it be clear that I am not questioning your above post at all, BUT even if you did get commisions for the Friday night BBQ, or any of your other ventures so what!!!! You run a great service, for travellers and forum members to transporting to places around the island.
Everyone there is running a business an trying to make a living, be it the the Tuk Tuks, the stall holders, the private drivers, the tour operators, etc.
There does tend to be a bit of unpleasant banter that goes on about your activities on this forum, I don't know what happened between you and other people on this forum and its none of my business, or anyones elses for that matter.
What I do know is that you supply a service to travellers and forum members that is appreciated by all that choose to use them. I have NEVER read a bad review about the BBQ posted. So keep up the good work.
As for the Fundraiser I think its a great cause, and what is also sounding like a great night out.
I am sure both venues have costs that they must cover to keep both these socials happening, and I hope they both continue to operate.
In the end I am sure it will come down to personal preference and what night suits you to go out, either way you are still supporting tourisum in Thailand, which supports the community.

Michelle

Hello Michelle

Thanks for the thumbs up and understanding that just like the Tuk Tuks, bar & restuarent owners, hotels, massage places,private drivers dive centers and tour opperators my wife and I are trying to make a living just like everyone else who live in Phuket.

I also agree with you that the fundraiser is a great venue and having experience organizing the "Friday Night Socials' for the last 2 1/2 years Megumi and I are well aware of the time that the organizers have committed to making this worthwhile cause a success and just like us when we first started it does take a lot of commitment and work. The additional value of attending this function is that a portion of the proceeds goes to a good cause and I would also recommend that if a visitor has time they should consider both of these events. When we started the socials it was to help support our local venues and their families out financialy after the tsunami and the social evening was based on the cheapest dinner and local entertainment venues that we used ourselves at the time down in the far South of the Island.

Personaly I think that there is even more room for activities such as these to support the local Thai residents and their families and offer as many functions as possible on different days of the week for tourists to choose from when they visit and have the opportunity to get together with others that they chat with on the forums.

Hopefully like Fridays in Rawai/Nai Harn and now the Fundraiser in Karon on Sundays there may soon be local dedicated expats and bussiness persons who have a good idea fo a supportive social function to be held for forum members on a different day in the Patong area. It would be nice to think of the current functions as the beginning of things to come in the future.

Regards From Phuket

Richard & Megumi

Dear Richard & Steven,

This forum is NOT for you two to air your personal grievances and for you to use to advertise your businesses, re the comment below I am not sure what you are trying to say, the forum is no way manipulated by any member and my role is to keep it a happy place for people to visit, if you say something wrong or explicitly advertise your businesses it gets deleted and if you break the rules you get banned just as everyone else would. I have deleted a few of your tit for tat posts equally in the past as there is no place for it here. Neither of you get preferential treatment over one another. The people as you refer to them do not need to be exposed to your petty arguments and jibes as you seem to be doing this in several forums, so keep it out of this forum.

I have been patient with both of you for some time now and allowed the BBQ to be mentioned when it is brought up by a member as it is something you all seem to enjoy, the only reason it doesn’t get deleted is because you as the benefiter of it did not make the post advertising it. If there is any manipulation going on then it may be the both of you poking your supporters to make a lead in post to keep your issues alive.

I have no problem with TinaPerths fundraiser as that is for the benefit of the community and is good for the forum users to give back to the community they visit. Well done to Tina, instead of participating in your nonsense she is doing something good for the forum and the community.

Consider this both your last warning, if you carry on I will ban both of you and remove every post you have ever made, as right now you are the only two negative influences in this forum.

I think I have made myself perfectly clear once and for all on the subject of you two, carry on your banned.If you have nothing constructive to add to this forum go and visit another one and see how long you last there.

Alan


"I hope Allan leaves this post alone because it's about time that people are allowed to hear both sides of the story instead of allowing continuous slagging comments from local competitors who think that services available to members of 3 different travel forums should be censored, banned and or deleted because of personal or competitive reasons"

Thumbs up to both events and their organisers, for 2 great social events that give people a chance to catch up.
It is a great thing that they are on different nights so that we can go to both if we choose (well done to SFR for not making it direct competition to the Friday BBQ)
Now lets put this one to bed, and get on with enjoying our time in Thailand. I personally would hate to see anyone endup getting banned from the forum as all parties concerned do a great job contributing to this forum and their imput would be really sadly missed by all

Michelle

Yay, I found the original post.

Sunday Fun draiser

Dear forum members, it is with a heavy heart (wink and smirk) that after reading this post and having already booked for Friday night BBQ on July 4th 2008, I find it necessary that I must book for the Sunday night social.
Just sent the email.

On both occasions I will do my best on your behalf to eat food, check out the available beverages and bore all and sundry.
Think of me.
Regards
Shway

Bugger, Shway, we'll miss you, as we have to head back to Perth before the end of this month.

On the Friday night BBQ, my wife & I enjoyed every minute and being picked up and returned to our hotel at the end of the night was well worth the cost, as was the whole experience, one of the best night's out that we had on our holiday.

I have found all the posts on this subject to be helpfull and informative and sure many others have.

We are back in August and will try to do both the BBQ & fundraiser and I support all partys involved in these...Ronnie.

Dear Alan,

since you send me an PM to which I replied and posted here on the forum, I presume I can reply here as well.

I have in this thread and for quite some time not said anything negative about the BBQ. All I said is: the proceeds of the Fundraiser go to a good cause, no more and no less.

I therefor don't understand Richard's remarks, nor why you include my name in your answer to Richard's post.

Cheers,
Steven

Hi Steven,

You have been answered in PM, and I dont need any explinations in public post from you Richard, you want to do that send me a PM.

Just both behave from now on, no more warnings.

Regards

Alan

The Friday Night BBQ supports 2 familys and one man

The Charity dinner supports many women and children

I think this post has gone around enough now!!! I am sure if you looked into all the people the BBQ supports you may find out its more than that. Even if not, who cares eveyone has to make a living over there!!! We are tourists and every cent we spend in Thailand supports the whole community.

The Fundraiser is an excellent cause and should also be supported.

It is unfair to draw comparisions between them they are both different events on different nights(thank god), where you can get fed, have a few drinks and a good time, no more no less.
I hope everyone who is interested in these events either goes to both or to the one that best suits there individual plans, and most importantly has a great time.
You can also if you choose just donate money to the to cause and expect nothing in return!!

Michelle

I just love the voice of reason.

Thanks, Michelle!

Well said Michelle, if you are happy with what you get then it shouldent be anyone elses buisiness. People plan their own activities while on holiday and shouldent be dictated to on a holiday forum.....Cheers

Hey Ronnie...I get dictated to all the time. How do I stop it?

Mark.

That's a hard one Mark? I'll have to ask my wife...Whoops

Trust me guys ...dont ask just go with the flow....

Well guys, we handed over 14,000 baht to the LHP last night at the dinner, and that was before everyone had paid for last night, so there is more in the kitty. Good news, huh?

Good news indeed. Well done to all involved.

Hi all, went last night to Friday night BBQ. What a blast. Will report more when I do my JBR.
Woke up worse for wear before the dentist. Yes again.
Going to the fundraiser tomorrow.
Will enjoy on your behalf.

enjoy

shway

Hi Shway, I am starting to get worried about you and the dentist...
Glad you had a great time at the Friday Night BBQ, cant wait to read your report.

Oh and thanks for the enjoyment on our behalf.....realyy very decent of you!!! lol

Michelle