Hello all,

I just moved to Chiang Mai two weeks ago and will be here until April 2009. My girlfriend and I (both US citizens in our mid-twenties) are looking to make some Thai friends, but are having a tough time coming up with ideas on meeting the locals. When I have lived in other countries, I was always studying, so it was easy to meet people. Now, being a teacher of sorts, I haven't run across a lot of opportunities.

The idea of meeting people in bars reminds me of meeting a future wife/girlfriend in bars: rare, and unlikely. We are also taking a Thai language course, but of course, it would be all foreigners.

Any other suggestions that have worked in Thailand? I'm not socially inept, I just try to be careful with cultural boundaries and try not to over-assert myself in situations.

Thanks for any and all feedback.

-Luke