November Newsletter 2019
Dear Friends,
I hope that you all received my email last month asking that you visit my revamped web site, childrenofchiangmai.org which I try to update frequently, if not daily. Don’t forget to bookmark us. There has been a change to the way donations may be made on the “Donations” page. It is now possible to transfer electronically directly to our account. Please let me know if you have made a donation using this tool so that I can keep the books straight.
Many thanks to those of you who responded. I need to maintain the new impetus that has begun and must ask you to give generously so that The Children of Chiang Mai can continue to grow. We are at an important crossroads in a new house with many issues that must be covered.
Please look at the page entitled "Needs” on our site and it will give you an idea of where we are at monetarily and what is required.
I believe that the sort of assistance that I am giving to the next generation of a rapidly changing Thailand is impossible to find. Please rest easy in the knowledge that you are truly making a unique difference in an extremely fragile part of the Far East.
The latest success is that Manuelle has begun work at Club Med in Phuket. After an initial period of homesickness he is settling in well and enjoying himself.
Potter has recovered from his disappointment at being refused a visa to study at Oxford. He has decided to do his first degree here in Thailand and is currently accumulating further IGCSE A level grades. He will now leave Lanna International School in June 2020.
Gifts of money or letters of promise are most definitely needed. Please reach as deep as you can. A world without Children of Chiang Mai would be a lesser world!
With fondest wishes,
Chris and the children.
Dear Friends,
I hope that you all received my email last month asking that you visit my revamped web site, childrenofchiangmai.org which I try to update frequently, if not daily. Don’t forget to bookmark us. There has been a change to the way donations may be made on the “Donations” page. It is now possible to transfer electronically directly to our account. Please let me know if you have made a donation using this tool so that I can keep the books straight.
Many thanks to those of you who responded. I need to maintain the new impetus that has begun and must ask you to give generously so that The Children of Chiang Mai can continue to grow. We are at an important crossroads in a new house with many issues that must be covered.
Please look at the page entitled "Needs” on our site and it will give you an idea of where we are at monetarily and what is required.
I believe that the sort of assistance that I am giving to the next generation of a rapidly changing Thailand is impossible to find. Please rest easy in the knowledge that you are truly making a unique difference in an extremely fragile part of the Far East.
The latest success is that Manuelle has begun work at Club Med in Phuket. After an initial period of homesickness he is settling in well and enjoying himself.
Potter has recovered from his disappointment at being refused a visa to study at Oxford. He has decided to do his first degree here in Thailand and is currently accumulating further IGCSE A level grades. He will now leave Lanna International School in June 2020.
Gifts of money or letters of promise are most definitely needed. Please reach as deep as you can. A world without Children of Chiang Mai would be a lesser world!
With fondest wishes,
Chris and the children.
October Newsletter 2019
Dear Friends,
I hope that this finds you all well.
I have decided to try an experiment and would really appreciate your feedback.
Instead of writing a long and even occasionally repetitive e-mail, I am going to direct you to my website. www.childrenofchiangmai.org
The lads and I have been working uncommonly hard to create a simple user friendly site that we update daily with events, music, videos, pictures, and news. If you would be so good as to bookmark our site you can really be a part of what is going on a world away in Chiang Mai.
Of course, we continue to find financing our biggest challenge, and one of the pages that I hope you will visit is “Needs”. I have attempted to be completely transparent about how your donations can and do help.
Remember, there are new postings to be enjoyed every day!
All our best wishes go out to you as we approach the Holiday Season.
Chris and the children.
August Newsletter 2019
Dear Friends,
First of all I would like to most sincerely thank all of you who responded to my last rather despondent email. I have received great encouragement to continue my efforts both financially and emotionally.
I truly believe in what The Children of Chiang Mai stands for and am amazed by all that has been achieved with everybody’s help over so many, many years. We cannot possibly let it fail now. Please continue the impetus we have gained. No amount is too small to make a difference even though in the larger scheme of things, funding is needed in the thousands.
Potter’s attempt at attending Oxford was funded in full by one donor. However ultimately his visa to the UK was refused even after all the monies had been paid to the University for tuition, lodging, food, travel and insurance. As you might imagine this came as great blow to us. There is however some hope. Oxford has very graciously agreed to retain the place for him (against all the rules, it seems) until mid 2020. The UK government has also given us some very useful advice on achieving his visa on the second application. Fingers crossed please.
Manuelle has returned from Phuket where he acquired his International Life Guarding Certificate as well as his PADI scuba diving instructor’s ticket. He is currently being vetted by Marriott hotels with regard to a position in their water sports department. I shall miss him when he moves on, but I am more than delighted that he has determined on a course to follow.
Life in our new house has been a bit of a challenge. With the onset of the monsoon season our lower story flooded resulting in collapsed ceilings and rather terrifying electrical episodes. Our landlord is extremely difficult to work with, and we have been struggling with him to take responsibility for nearly two months. In the meantime we are living in appallingly damp and unpleasant circumstances. It may be fixed this weekend. I shall keep you posted on the “Events” page on www.childrenofchiangmai.org
Putting extra strain on our household has been the fact that we had no choice but to take in a boy who witnessed his mother being stabbed to death by her boyfriend in a drunken brawl. He remains in deep shock, but I see small daily improvements and hope that he will find the strength to go back to school in the near future. He is devoted to me and coddled most warmly by the other children.
All in all I believe more strongly than ever that our house must survive, but I can only do so with your help. Please, please continue to believe in this small effort. It is working.
Fondest regards as always from Chris and the children.
Dear Friends,
I hope that this finds you all well.
I have decided to try an experiment and would really appreciate your feedback.
Instead of writing a long and even occasionally repetitive e-mail, I am going to direct you to my website. www.childrenofchiangmai.org
The lads and I have been working uncommonly hard to create a simple user friendly site that we update daily with events, music, videos, pictures, and news. If you would be so good as to bookmark our site you can really be a part of what is going on a world away in Chiang Mai.
Of course, we continue to find financing our biggest challenge, and one of the pages that I hope you will visit is “Needs”. I have attempted to be completely transparent about how your donations can and do help.
Remember, there are new postings to be enjoyed every day!
All our best wishes go out to you as we approach the Holiday Season.
Chris and the children.
August Newsletter 2019
Dear Friends,
First of all I would like to most sincerely thank all of you who responded to my last rather despondent email. I have received great encouragement to continue my efforts both financially and emotionally.
I truly believe in what The Children of Chiang Mai stands for and am amazed by all that has been achieved with everybody’s help over so many, many years. We cannot possibly let it fail now. Please continue the impetus we have gained. No amount is too small to make a difference even though in the larger scheme of things, funding is needed in the thousands.
Potter’s attempt at attending Oxford was funded in full by one donor. However ultimately his visa to the UK was refused even after all the monies had been paid to the University for tuition, lodging, food, travel and insurance. As you might imagine this came as great blow to us. There is however some hope. Oxford has very graciously agreed to retain the place for him (against all the rules, it seems) until mid 2020. The UK government has also given us some very useful advice on achieving his visa on the second application. Fingers crossed please.
Manuelle has returned from Phuket where he acquired his International Life Guarding Certificate as well as his PADI scuba diving instructor’s ticket. He is currently being vetted by Marriott hotels with regard to a position in their water sports department. I shall miss him when he moves on, but I am more than delighted that he has determined on a course to follow.
Life in our new house has been a bit of a challenge. With the onset of the monsoon season our lower story flooded resulting in collapsed ceilings and rather terrifying electrical episodes. Our landlord is extremely difficult to work with, and we have been struggling with him to take responsibility for nearly two months. In the meantime we are living in appallingly damp and unpleasant circumstances. It may be fixed this weekend. I shall keep you posted on the “Events” page on www.childrenofchiangmai.org
Putting extra strain on our household has been the fact that we had no choice but to take in a boy who witnessed his mother being stabbed to death by her boyfriend in a drunken brawl. He remains in deep shock, but I see small daily improvements and hope that he will find the strength to go back to school in the near future. He is devoted to me and coddled most warmly by the other children.
All in all I believe more strongly than ever that our house must survive, but I can only do so with your help. Please, please continue to believe in this small effort. It is working.
Fondest regards as always from Chris and the children.

April Note 2019
Please do not forget us. We are in serious need of funding as laws in Thailand change.
I hope that you received my newsletter of March 19th. If not, just hit this Request Newsletter button and put Send News in the Subject line. I shall send one to you immediately.
Potter has just had his 18th birthday which you will see from the picture turned out to be an unusual one.
Warm regards,
Chris
The children swore up and down that the cake just flipped itself…….
If you do not wish to receive emails from The Children of Chiang Mai in the future, please click on this link: Unsubscribe from Children of Chiang Mai and put unsubscribe in the subject line.
Please do not forget us. We are in serious need of funding as laws in Thailand change.
I hope that you received my newsletter of March 19th. If not, just hit this Request Newsletter button and put Send News in the Subject line. I shall send one to you immediately.
Potter has just had his 18th birthday which you will see from the picture turned out to be an unusual one.
Warm regards,
Chris
The children swore up and down that the cake just flipped itself…….
If you do not wish to receive emails from The Children of Chiang Mai in the future, please click on this link: Unsubscribe from Children of Chiang Mai and put unsubscribe in the subject line.
March Newsletter 2019
It is far more time than it should be since I have brought you all up to date. More than three months, in fact.
I am delighted to say that apart from funding, The Children of Chiang Mai has achieved a great deal of success as I look back over the last couple of years.
With your help, all the children have achieved Statehood along with the medical and educational assistance. however unpredictable these sometimes are. This herculean task which cost approximately $50,000 in payments to various agencies and individuals was due almost entirely to two or three donors, which is remarkable in itself.
I have now put five children through university with two of them receiving honours degrees and one more to graduate, almost certainly with honours, within the next month or so.
All now have passports but with a wage structure of under $10 per day for a graduate, plus no benefits in Thailand, one child has moved to Korea, one is making $600 per month after six sterling years in the hotel business. However, he still has to live at home as he is unable to make ends meet. There is no difference between household food costs here and in London. This is making Thailand untenable for most citizens who do not have the benefit of (corrupt?) wealth behind them.
We have had to move house to what is little more than a cottage at $1,200 per month. This was the least expensive we could find to accommodate our family numbers. There are 9 of us living in the cottage and adjusting to the change. This unfortunate move was caused by our landlord breaking contract in order to develop the area our old house sat on, due to its proximity to a proposed vast new international airport.
I no longer need the significant amounts of money that it took to protect the children by providing them with Statehood. However, my monthly costs are still approximately $6,500, including rent, and I still need as much help as you are able to give in order to move forward. The utter incompetence of the Thai education system means I must spend a lot of time homeschooling to bring them into the 21st century as survivors. I spend three hours a day educating the boys on any subject you care to name. I believe that knowledge leads to positive things, and was stirred into this effort when I found out that of all my younger children only three knew the capital city of France, the US, or Great Britain.
I support cello, violin, flute and piano lessons. Bobby is still the star of ballet. Potter is one year short of graduating from secondary school and it is his strong wish to study at Cambridge University. It is an ambitious goal on his part and I hope we are able to fulfill it.
In an added burden, Thailand now demands $25,000 sitting in a Thai Bank, untouched, for 365 days a year, in order that a foreigner can reside in the country. This comes into effect on March 1st 2019. I have nowhere near this sort of sum, and in my communications with immigration they have provided some leeway, but will not relent. This after thirty years of serving their citizens without any personal gain. It is rather hard to take. They did say that if I could show a monthly income of $2,100, by bank statement issued every month of the year, they would allow me to substitute this for the gross sum. Can you help me do this?
In order to provide for the children, I have been able to work remotely for Oxford on a South East Asia project. It has paid me well and has allowed my mission here to continue. However, the university wants me to move back to England to continue the work but I will not do this because the children cannot accompany me.
So, there we are. This is the state of affairs at the other side of your world. We have been more successful than any other foundation I know of, and I am proud of you and The Children of Chiang Mai. Please do not let me become just another failed effort. Hundreds are leaving for other countries which allow them to work and help. I will not leave these children, no matter what. We are a family.
I am counting on a rapid and fruitful response from you.
With all our respect and love to you,
Chris and the children
It is far more time than it should be since I have brought you all up to date. More than three months, in fact.
I am delighted to say that apart from funding, The Children of Chiang Mai has achieved a great deal of success as I look back over the last couple of years.
With your help, all the children have achieved Statehood along with the medical and educational assistance. however unpredictable these sometimes are. This herculean task which cost approximately $50,000 in payments to various agencies and individuals was due almost entirely to two or three donors, which is remarkable in itself.
I have now put five children through university with two of them receiving honours degrees and one more to graduate, almost certainly with honours, within the next month or so.
All now have passports but with a wage structure of under $10 per day for a graduate, plus no benefits in Thailand, one child has moved to Korea, one is making $600 per month after six sterling years in the hotel business. However, he still has to live at home as he is unable to make ends meet. There is no difference between household food costs here and in London. This is making Thailand untenable for most citizens who do not have the benefit of (corrupt?) wealth behind them.
We have had to move house to what is little more than a cottage at $1,200 per month. This was the least expensive we could find to accommodate our family numbers. There are 9 of us living in the cottage and adjusting to the change. This unfortunate move was caused by our landlord breaking contract in order to develop the area our old house sat on, due to its proximity to a proposed vast new international airport.
I no longer need the significant amounts of money that it took to protect the children by providing them with Statehood. However, my monthly costs are still approximately $6,500, including rent, and I still need as much help as you are able to give in order to move forward. The utter incompetence of the Thai education system means I must spend a lot of time homeschooling to bring them into the 21st century as survivors. I spend three hours a day educating the boys on any subject you care to name. I believe that knowledge leads to positive things, and was stirred into this effort when I found out that of all my younger children only three knew the capital city of France, the US, or Great Britain.
I support cello, violin, flute and piano lessons. Bobby is still the star of ballet. Potter is one year short of graduating from secondary school and it is his strong wish to study at Cambridge University. It is an ambitious goal on his part and I hope we are able to fulfill it.
In an added burden, Thailand now demands $25,000 sitting in a Thai Bank, untouched, for 365 days a year, in order that a foreigner can reside in the country. This comes into effect on March 1st 2019. I have nowhere near this sort of sum, and in my communications with immigration they have provided some leeway, but will not relent. This after thirty years of serving their citizens without any personal gain. It is rather hard to take. They did say that if I could show a monthly income of $2,100, by bank statement issued every month of the year, they would allow me to substitute this for the gross sum. Can you help me do this?
In order to provide for the children, I have been able to work remotely for Oxford on a South East Asia project. It has paid me well and has allowed my mission here to continue. However, the university wants me to move back to England to continue the work but I will not do this because the children cannot accompany me.
So, there we are. This is the state of affairs at the other side of your world. We have been more successful than any other foundation I know of, and I am proud of you and The Children of Chiang Mai. Please do not let me become just another failed effort. Hundreds are leaving for other countries which allow them to work and help. I will not leave these children, no matter what. We are a family.
I am counting on a rapid and fruitful response from you.
With all our respect and love to you,
Chris and the children