It probably seems quite simple: It benefits everyone if the businesses that are financially and physically involved in our own operations should get a visit from us from time to time, right? Well here in Chiang Mai and around the world restaurants and bars are frequently involved in the Hash House Harriers and I'd like to believe that they do this because they want to be involved in the Hash and not just as some marketing ploy to get us to all come and spend money there.
The active members will know if said business is truly interested in the Hash or not, so it is a safe bet that if the business owner is actively involved in the Hash, the members will know and will respond in turn.
For us, the local business that we support on a regular basis is Euro Diner.
The owner of this bar / restaurant was a long-term Hasher and unfortunately he passed away just over a year ago. His wife however, kept the spirit alive and is still actively involved not just in the Happy Hash and Saturday Hash, but also the Bunny Hash as well. She participates as much as her schedule allows and you will always see her at events at least once a week. She is not in it for the return business, she is in it because like the rest of us, she loves the Hash.
Now, not to be rude, but there isn't anything particularly special about Euro Diner aside from the fact that the owner and her late husband were avid participants in the Hash.
But when we turn up there to support them, we bring a virtual army of people with us that are very happy to tuck into some beers and if there is one thing I know about having been a restaurant owner years ago, the profits are all in the booze anyway. They offer HHH members a small discount so it is a good tradeoff for all involved. By the time we leave they usually have run out of at least 1 type of bottled beer and we have to get started on an alternate brand. Here in Thailand the big 3 beers are Chang, Leo, and Singha and their popularity likely goes in that order.
They make sure the beer is ice cold upon our arrival and honestly, at least for us, that is far more important than the quality of the food. Us Hashers will eat just about anything as long is it is accompanies by a cold beer.
The places that I have been around the world all have the same phenomenon going on as far as the Hash is concerned and it just kind of makes sense to support your own. When I was in Japan, Malaysia, and Singapore the "On On On" (where we all go drinking after we've already been drinking at the Hash event) was always at a restaurant / bar that is affiliated with the local Hash.
I wouldn't say that any of these places, including the one here in Chiang Mai, were anything particularly special but they did have the boxes ticked where it mattered: Do you have ice-cold beer? Do you have something cheapish to eat? If the answer to both of those things is yes, then there is a really good chance that is where you are going to end up. Since you brought 10-40 of your friends with you, there is a really good chance that you are going to have a great time as well.
Our operations are currently suspended as a PR tactic during this re-emergence of Covid. However, if you would like to join us in the future you can find our complete schedule here
