Greetings from Chiang Mai,

  We have attained our new marriage visa for this year. Only took two hours to process all the paperwork…amazing!! Last year it was a ten hour waiting period. The reason for the difference is because of Covid 19. Last year what a difference from an overcrowded immigration to a handful of applicants.

  Can’t really tell you what is happening in Thailand things here change on a daily basis.

 …

Greetings from Chiang Mai,

  Recently Thailand has had a big Covid 19 setback. After months of having zero cases, a group made their way across the border into Thailand from Myanmar and went shopping in the local malls where restrictions have loosened. They brought the virus with them. Now Thailand is experiencing contamination cases again, and the restrictions right along with it.

  Next month Wan and I will begin our annual visa quest. Here you can…

Greetings from Chiang Mai,          

  Hard to say what’s going on in Thailand? They opened their borders and closed them again. They let in selected few and lately mentioned they will close for another month. The tourist areas such as Phuket (which is about 700 miles south of Chiang Mai) looks like a “ghost town.”

  Trinity Baptist Church here in Chiang Mai is slowly growing more and more. The average attendance is 40 and varies due to the weather. As the church…

Geetings from Chiang Mai,

  Thailand seems to be very reluctant to allow anyone back into their country and this very understandable. From what I gather the end of the year seems feasible to open their borders. Thailand thrives on tourism and their economy probably will not recover till next year sometime. I would ask you to pray…

Greetings from Chiang Mai,

   Being a smaller country, Thailand has been able to control who comes into their country. Closing the airports dealing with international visitors has probably been the number one reason for a positive control. Allowing international flights will not commence until next month from what I gather. Wearing masks is mandatory going out in public and has been accepted as the normal attire.

  The church that I attend (Trinity Baptist Church of Chiang Mai)…

Greetings from Chiang Mai,

  Looks like we are in the lockdown for another month. It is mandatory that you wear your mask when in public or face a fine. The Thai word for being bored is pronounced “boo ah” or something close to that. Going to the bank or market is the only outing that you are allowed. If you have to pay a bill you go to the nearest 7/11 and there they will scan your bill, you pay the money and get a receipt.

  I’m sure that you understand that…

Greetings from Chiang Mai (cough cough),

This is where a picture is worth a thousand words.

  Wan and I are doing well. The temperature here has been in the100’s everyday along with smog (the likes of Southern California) and then mix in this virus which is affecting the whole world. Never thought I’d see the day that…

Greetings from Chiang Mai (cough cough),

  It’s that season here in Chiang Mai where the air quality has been rated 3^rd worst in the world. This year an additive the “Coronavirus” joins in for our environment enjoyment. Since my last newsletter this virus has reached epic conditions around the world. Please pray for the end of this pestilence. Kind of makes you think about the “end times.”

  Last month I mentioned how Trinity Baptist was slowly…

Missionary Update February 2020

Greetings from Chiang Mai,

  THE CORONAVIRUS seems to be the center of attention lately and as well it should be. Here in Chiang Mai precautions of limiting your travel and not to frequent heavily populated areas. Wearing a mask that covers the nose and mouth is what is needed. Usually every Sunday after church the majority of the congregation goes to a certain hotel that is the best in town and one of the cheapest to eat lunch but this…

Saw Waw Dee Be My (Happy New Year) from Chiang Mai,

  A new year is upon us and goodbye to 2019. A big push here is the removal of plastic bags at the markets is definitely a move in the right direction. Now if they could keep from throwing their trash everywhere would be a big help. So Thailand is on a “clean up the act” (or country) awareness program. I do hope that this might influence their government to do the same this should be on their “to do” list. Prayer seems to be…

Greetings from Chiang Mai,

  Last month’s newsletter I mentioned a brother who had moved on and now is with our Lord and Savior. His surviving wife reported her husbands’ demise just like anyone else would. Without her knowledge the authorities (whom she contacted) immediately “froze’ all assets in her bank account. According to Thai law to remove anything from her account would take a court order and she would have to be representative by a lawyer who in turn deals with the…

Greetings from Chiang Mai,

  Well, what was going to happen sooner or later finally happened. Dr. Green has canceled the Sunday morning bible study due to the lack of attendance. I will miss our discussion period because that all that the bible study was. So, I will use the extra hour to review Friday’s bible study that I attend with my friend Mike Potter as we study the book of Acts by Chuck Missler.

  Last newsletter I mentioned the passing of Gordon Downs. Brother…

Greetings from Chiang Mai,

  Wan and I have safely returned to our home in Saraphi (Chiang Mai), had to recuperate for a couple of days. We heard that it rained just about everyday and I would have to agree after looking at the property which is heavily overgrown. You know growing up as a kid my older brother (Ted) and I made money mowing lawns. I never thought that I would still have the same job (minus making money) in another country and 71 years young. I have to admit our Lord…

Missionary Update July 2019

Greetings from Chiang Mai,

  Well it’s been 97 days since the elections here in Thailand and still no government.

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1109526-rumours-of-military-putsch-dismissed/

  I’m still not sure of what is going to happen here in “The Land of Smiles.” No new news of the health insurance needed for foreigners 50 years…

Missionary Update June 2019

Greetings from Chiang Mai,

  There’s always something happening here in Thailand. In the last newsletter my attention was on the banking system here. As it turns out the bank that was responsible for controlling the transfer of funds wasn’t exactly clear with their intent. So I sent a transfer of monies as I normally do to test the transaction. Guess what? It went through.

    The latest scare that had all the foreigners (age 50 and…

Greetings from Chiang Mai,

  Well I have survived another Thai New Year (Songkran is usually a week of celebrations).

https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1662536/songkran-road-deaths-could-halve

  I have survived due to my non-conformist attitude (meaning I hibernate for the duration). Years ago when I thought that a little bit of water couldn’t hurt, but I’m a…

Coughing from Chiang Mai,

  https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/air-pollution/chiang-mai-third-worst-air-pollution-in-the-world

  Chiang Mai is rated the 3^rd worst city in the world for air pollution. I was raised in Southern California and thought that air…

Greetings from Chiang Mai,

  There’s smog here in Chiang Mai. That’s what I am used to calling it growing up in Southern California. Here it’s called “Air Pollution.” This time of year it is a bit “smoky” and Chiang Mai does sit in a basin. Most of the farmers here burn off their properties to ready for next season’s crop. Also villages burn foliage from the many trees here (my wife and I are included). In the month of March it is against the law and you can be fined. Mixed…

Missionary Update February 2019

Greetings from Chiang Mai,

  I haven’t heard anything concerning “Thai Health Insurance” as mentioned in last month’s newsletter, probably because of the many issues with “Retirement” visas. Ever since the U.S. Consulate here in Chiang Mai announced that they would not approve “proof of income” documents with their $50 notary stamp, has many foreigners “walking on thin ice.” Also with the newly appointed “Big Joke” (Maj-Gen Surachate…

Wah Dee Be My (or Happy New Year) from Chiang Mai,

  Wow! Seemed like a fast year and are you ready for the next one. Last newsletter I mentioned the difficulty dealing with immigration, well this is the next hurdle for those living on a long term basis in Thailand.

https://pattayatoday.net/health-insurance-mandatory/

  I guess that it is a good to have some type of health insurance but being that this is…