Meetings

Events & Venues Update

In light of our ongoing efforts to bring the CEC out of Covid-induced mothballs, we have tried many ways of reaching out for cooperation among our members. Primary in those attempts has been an effort to gain your help to accurately inform our venue partners how many would attend our various functions. Unfortunately, those efforts have not met with the success we had hoped for.

The need for providing accurate information to the various establishments we contract to host our events has never been greater. Everyone is operating on extremely tight budgets, prices have continued to rise, and pressure continues to mount on accurate purchasing. We simply must do a better job at informing our partners.

We have provided two ways of registering to attend an event. The preferred way is to purchase a ticket online. There have been some momentary glitches with it, but they have been ironed out, and any remaining issues are with the Thai banks. We know they can be somewhat of a nightmare, but it would be the same with any ticketing service we use. Once set up correctly with your bank, there is no difficulty using the Ticket Tailor system.

The biggest issue with Ticket Tailor seems to be the assumption is either requires or uses a PayPal account. This is not true. PayPal is merely the company that processes the transaction. If you have a PayPal account, you can use it or not, and if you don’t have a PayPal account, you are not required to set up one to use Ticket Tailor. The option is simply to use a debit/credit card, and the English language option is there if you need it. To use Ticket Tailor does NOT require a PayPal account to do so. PayPal processes the transaction just like the grocery store’s bank processes your card.

We have reached a point where the CEC Board feels we need to take further steps. We will continue offering the option of notifying us that you will attend an event and will pay at the door. However, we will now keep track of those who tell us they’re coming but do not show. Please understand we give the hosting venue a number to prepare for based on the total of paid and promised reservations, and as such, we are obligated to pay them for that total. If a member informs us they will attend and then doesn’t, we must still pay for that meal. That money comes directly out of the pockets of our sponsors and, therefore, out of the available funds, we have to benefit the various charities we work with. It is literally coming out of the hands and mouths of those who need it the most.

We have set up a deadline for reserving your place by purchasing a ticket or notifying us that you will attend and pay at the door. The price at the door will be the same that a member pays when purchasing a ticket online, including the ticketing fee. That deadline will be at 6 pm, two days before an FBC or a GM. It is subject to change for special events. Members using the option to pay at the door who do not show up will be required to pay for the missed event to attend a future event. Anyone showing up for the event who has not pre-purchased a ticket or used the pay-at-the-door option by the 6 pm deadline will pay the non-member fee. Depending on the event, members who have not purchased a ticket or used the pay-at-the-door notification option may not be admitted.

Sorry it has come to this, but we simply can’t afford to have 15 – 20% “no show-no pays” at our events. The venues aren’t as “forgiving” these days.

Thoughts or questions: info@chiangmaiexpatsclub.com Alternatively, volunteer to join the CEC Board and implement your ideas to solve this problem and improve the club.