Christ To Thailand Church

[yeoldesage]

Anyone have any info on the 'Christ To Thailand Church', location, history, management etc.?

Thanks,

YOS

[Loaded]

Did you mean this organization?

http://www.pcimissionoverseas.org/partners/item/18/church-of-christ-in-thailand-cct/

It's probably the largest land owner in the city, its private schools generate large amounts of income and its accounts aren't open to the general public.

It's a very capitalist version of Christ's teachings.

Edited November 5, 2011 by Loaded

[elektrified]

I'm pretty sure that is the organization that owns the middle school along the river, a few doors up from the Duke's close to Charoen Muang. It's a popular school in C.M. The g/f went to school there when she was little and got a good education there. I think it has been there since the early 1960's.

[OriginalPoster]

Did you mean this organization?

http://www.pcimissio...n-thailand-cct/

It's probably the largest land owner in the city, its private schools generate large amounts of income and its accounts aren't open to the general public.

It's a very capitalist version of Christ's teachings.

The also run McCormmick hosptal, which is open to the public and if they "generate large amounts of income" from that at the prices that they charge then I say hats off to them. Predictable though that they don't meet the approval of the Thai Visa crows though.

[Loaded]

Did you mean this organization?

http://www.pcimissio...n-thailand-cct/

It's probably the largest land owner in the city, its private schools generate large amounts of income and its accounts aren't open to the general public.

It's a very capitalist version of Christ's teachings.

The also run McCormmick hosptal, which is open to the public and if they "generate large amounts of income" from that at the prices that they charge then I say hats off to them. Predictable though that they don't meet the approval of the Thai Visa crows though.

I clearly wrote 'private schools' and not 'hospital'. How did you manage to confuse them? 8,000 fee-paying students at Dara; 5,000 at Prince; 100s at CMIS(fees increased substantially over the last few years) and goodness knows how many at Payap uni. According to previous posts on here their accounts are secret. Hats off to them for getting away with this. Everyone else has to declare their income and then pay tax.

[hellodolly]

Did you mean this organization?

http://www.pcimissio...n-thailand-cct/

It's probably the largest land owner in the city, its private schools generate large amounts of income and its accounts aren't open to the general public.

It's a very capitalist version of Christ's teachings.

The also run McCormmick hosptal, which is open to the public and if they "generate large amounts of income" from that at the prices that they charge then I say hats off to them. Predictable though that they don't meet the approval of the Thai Visa crows though.

I clearly wrote 'private schools' and not 'hospital'. How did you manage to confuse them? 8,000 fee-paying students at Dara; 5,000 at Prince; 100s at CMIS(fees increased substantially over the last few years) and goodness knows how many at Payap uni. According to previous posts on here their accounts are secret. Hats off to them for getting away with this. Everyone else has to declare their income and then pay tax.

They may charge high prices but as a previous poster cited They delivered a good education.

Here in Thailand that is some thing that is not free it cost.

[elektrified]

Did you mean this organization?

http://www.pcimissio...n-thailand-cct/

It's probably the largest land owner in the city, its private schools generate large amounts of income and its accounts aren't open to the general public.

It's a very capitalist version of Christ's teachings.

The also run McCormmick hosptal, which is open to the public and if they "generate large amounts of income" from that at the prices that they charge then I say hats off to them. Predictable though that they don't meet the approval of the Thai Visa crows though.

McCormick (like everywhere) has recently had a fee increase.

[Nienke]

McCormick (like everywhere) has recently had a fee increase.

Oh bummer!!!

[Loaded]

Did you mean this organization?

http://www.pcimissio...n-thailand-cct/

It's probably the largest land owner in the city, its private schools generate large amounts of income and its accounts aren't open to the general public.

It's a very capitalist version of Christ's teachings.

The also run McCormmick hosptal, which is open to the public and if they "generate large amounts of income" from that at the prices that they charge then I say hats off to them. Predictable though that they don't meet the approval of the Thai Visa crows though.

I clearly wrote 'private schools' and not 'hospital'. How did you manage to confuse them? 8,000 fee-paying students at Dara; 5,000 at Prince; 100s at CMIS(fees increased substantially over the last few years) and goodness knows how many at Payap uni. According to previous posts on here their accounts are secret. Hats off to them for getting away with this. Everyone else has to declare their income and then pay tax.

They may charge high prices but as a previous poster cited They delivered a good education.

Here in Thailand that is some thing that is not free it cost.

Not sure where you got 'high prices' from. I said 'generate large amounts of income'. That may mean the same to you, but it isn't.

In fact, Dara recently dropped its fees but with 8,000 students plus income from evening and weekend classes, that adds up ('large amounts of income' - hello dolly).

[OriginalPoster]

The also run McCormmick hosptal, which is open to the public and if they "generate large amounts of income" from that at the prices that they charge then I say hats off to them. Predictable though that they don't meet the approval of the Thai Visa crows though.

I clearly wrote 'private schools' and not 'hospital'. How did you manage to confuse them? 8,000 fee-paying students at Dara; 5,000 at Prince; 100s at CMIS(fees increased substantially over the last few years) and goodness knows how many at Payap uni. According to previous posts on here their accounts are secret. Hats off to them for getting away with this. Everyone else has to declare their income and then pay tax.

They may charge high prices but as a previous poster cited They delivered a good education.

Here in Thailand that is some thing that is not free it cost.

Not sure where you got 'high prices' from. I said 'generate large amounts of income'. That may mean the same to you, but it isn't.

In fact, Dara recently dropped its fees but with 8,000 students plus income from evening and weekend classes, that adds up ('large amounts of income' - hello dolly).

Typical. Run a cafe offering a pastrami sandwich at a good price and you're a hero in the Chiang Mai expat community. Or import Beer Lao, or run a Pub on Loi Kroh road. But run schools and hospitals in the area, and pay your staff a living wage, then you're a villain because you're associated with a christian church. Yes, maybe they should be doing it all for free, but the reality is that any sizable organization (non-profit or for-profit) is going to have to conduct itself as a business and strive to be self-sustaining, as it would take an incredibly generous donor base to support the Church of Christ's operations purely by donors' subsidies. But of course I'm wasting by breath, as we all know that the expats moving to Thailand for the cheap cost of living and even cheaper girls contribute a hell of a lot more to Thai society than any religious organization could. Maybe the Church of Christ should offer an all you-can-drink Chang special on Sunday mornings, then they would be contributing properly to the community.

Edited November 5, 2011 by OriginalPoster

[chaoyang]

I think some of the wariness about Church of Christ in Thailand stems from the fact that locals are in charge of a Christian church in a Buddhist country and how and what monies are generated and spent is not open to public scrutiny.

It's an empire in Chiang Mai, so people have questions about where the money goes. That said, McCormick Hospital, CMIS and possibly the rest do a good job.

[yeoldesage]

Didn't mean to touch a nerve re. Thailand (expats) vs (Thailand based)Christian organisations. I guess my stand on that is Live and let live. Nevertheless the infomation you all offered is gratefully received.

Many thanks.

YOS

[Loaded]

Typical. Run a cafe offering a pastrami sandwich at a good price and you're a hero in the Chiang Mai expat community. Or import Beer Lao, or run a Pub on Loi Kroh road. But run schools and hospitals in the area, and pay your staff a living wage, then you're a villain because you're associated with a christian church. Yes, maybe they should be doing it all for free, but the reality is that any sizable organization (non-profit or for-profit) is going to have to conduct itself as a business and strive to be self-sustaining, as it would take an incredibly generous donor base to support the Church of Christ's operations purely by donors' subsidies. But of course I'm wasting by breath, as we all know that the expats moving to Thailand for the cheap cost of living and even cheaper girls contribute a hell of a lot more to Thai society than any religious organization could. Maybe the Church of Christ should offer an all you-can-drink Chang special on Sunday mornings, then they would be contributing properly to the community.

Lots of ignorant assumptions.

raw nerve?

Start paying tax and be accountable and I may start to respect the work you do. At present I don't know anything about your organization as it's secret. It's not dissimilar to other weird religious secret societies such as Tom Cruise's Christian Scientists.

Put 'Christian' in the name and generate lots of money secretly doesn't impress me.

[scottishjohn]

I think some of the wariness about Church of Christ in Thailand stems from the fact that locals are in charge of a Christian church in a Buddhist country and how and what monies are generated and spent is not open to public scrutiny.

It's an empire in Chiang Mai, so people have questions about where the money goes. That said, McCormick Hospital, CMIS and possibly the rest do a good job.

I am not sure if one or two threads are at work here.

Is McCormick Hospital owned or part of Church of Christ in Thailand or a separate identity?

[Mapguy]

Perhaps the anti-clerical elements are a bit aggressive and the churchy folks a bit touchy. I do not encourage anyone to go to church tomorrow. It is one place to assuage one's fears, but not one I visit. But to ignore the social good that is done by the religiously-inclined is absurd.

The cheap shots at the schools for raising tuitions and fees are out of school, IMHO. There is no recognition of any legitimate factors involved. There are different and legitimate reasons for various religious institutions to raise prices. Never mind "god." The increase in fees probably is no more --- and probably less -- than the rate of general inflation unless there are special plans ahead, as is presently the case with Chiang Mai International School (CMIS).

[Loaded]

... But to ignore the social good that is done by the religiously-inclined is absurd...

I enjoy your posts Mapguy so I'm not having a pop at you, but could you tell me where they do their 'social good'? Is there anywhere they contribute materially, financially, physically and emotionally that isn't connected to their religious sect? Converting hill-tribe people to their sect doesn't count

[orang37]

... snip ... as we all know that the expats moving to Thailand for the cheap cost of living and even cheaper girls contribute a hell of a lot more to Thai society than any religious organization could.

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun OriginalPoster,

I have no axe to grind here, no complaints, or views, about the activities and institutions of any faith.

But, I do wonder if your statement quoted above could also 'work' if expressed as: "contribute a lot more of Hell to Thai society than any religious organization could" ? That is, if we think of "Hell" as "behavior," rather than "a metaphysical reality."

But, I'm not sure about this: perhaps this takes us off the typical Thai-sidewalk-which-is-a-placeholder-for-potholes into a mouth-of-the-cave philosophic or theologic area ... perhaps a stairway to a Heaven ... where I fear to tread because of the risk of soul-sprain, and conceptual acrophobia.

And then, if we accept this variant expression of your words, we might have to consider if the Hell that farangs contribute is a qualitatively different form of Hell they import rather than some hypothetical "native" Thai Hell they "tap into," or, if Hell is some "unitary ontological facility" that transcends location, nationality, intellectual categorization, then whether or not the Hell brought by Farangs is simply a flavor of that (postulated as unitary) Hell beyond concepts and ratiocination.

Now, if Hell is being manufactured by Farangs here, not imported, even if made using only local materials and labor-force, that also leads to the question of work permits. I assume, of course, that volunteering to assist in creating Hell would be strictly illegal, as would be guiding other people there. Is there an issue of double-pricing for admission to Hell here ... I have not thought on that ... yet.

Please excuse my tendency to consider the epistemological ramifications of this thread to excess; it is symptomatic of something I know. But I will fasten-on my muzzle now, before I get into discussing the issue of the micro- macro- and freak-o economic assumptions resonant in the (possibly oxymoronal) phrase "cheaper girls."

~o:37;

p.s. I have great respect for McCormick Hospital, and the life and history of its founder, here in Chiang Mai, is truly a wonderful story, including the moving episode, you may know of, where he convinced His Majesty King Chulalongkorn, Rama V, to regulate the manufacture of infant milk powder, contributing greatly to infant health in the country.

p.s.p.s. Free soy-milk bar would definitely get me to sit through a service.

Edited November 5, 2011 by orang37

[chaoyang]

McCormick Hospital is indeed an interesting story. It was founded with money donated by Hattie McCormick, the daughter of Cyrus McCormick, the inventor of the McCormick Reaper, which revolutionized wheat farming in America in the mid-1800s. Due to the invention, he became one of the wealthiest people in the US at the time.

Prince Mahidol, father of the current king, and also considered the father of modern medicine in Thailand, practiced medicine at McCormick after he graduated from Harvard Medical School. Sadly he himself fell ill while in Chiang Mai -- I believe it was a kidney condition -- and died shortly thereafter.

With such a fine history of good works, the hospital should be administrated by truly caring -- and yes, Christian -- managers. I hope that they are that.

Edited November 5, 2011 by chaoyang