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Y's Men's Club of Bangkok,
Thailand Motto : To acknowledge the duty that accompanies every right |
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For several years a small devoted group of YMCA workers in Bangkok sought the formation of a Y's Men's club, supported by two fraternal secretaries assigned to that association, Water Zimmerman and Floyd Wilson. The ultimate formation of the club also received impetus from the return of Bangkok YMCA members who has visited North America Y's Men's clubs and had an opportunity to observe them in operation. Such men included Dr. Sem, a young surgeon who attended the 1949 Minneapolis convention and thereafter visited a number of regional conventions and individual Y's Men's clubs in the United States; Seniwongse Musang, who also attended the 1949 Minneapolis convention; Prasong Wittaya, editor of information service for the United States Embassy in Bangkok and secretary of the Y's Men's Club; and Chiya Kattonponja, who was the official delegate from the Bangkok club to the 1951 Cleveland convention. Y's Man Kattonponja reported that the Bangkok club consisted of 32 members of 12 different nationalities; that once a month dinner was held to raise money for the Y; that in 1951, they presented a concert to raise money to buy furniture for the Y; and that they also furnished lay leadership in their association. Floyd Wilson also attended the 1951 Cleveland convention, following which he participated in the Indiana Regional Convention of Y's Dom. The first chartered of the Bangkok Club in October 1950. The Bangkok Club became dormant in 1962, but was revived by charter night in October 1969, with 100 in attendance, including ID Loren Noren and Harris Yii, charter member, representing Manila Downtown Y's Men's club. The official charter was recorded on the 6th of December 1969 with 26 charter members under the club president: Wilfred Tong. During that time in September 1970, the Bangkok Club sponsored a new Y's Men's at Torrance, California, with the Gardena Valley club acting as proxy. The Bangkok Club closed down in 1975. The revival of the Bangkok Club was initiated by Taipei YMCA when the Y's Men's Club of Taipei Central introduced the Y's Men's movement to Bangkok YMCA's President Precha Phonprasert. The club was re-chartered on August 17th, 1996 with 40 members, mostly consisting of the Board members of YMCA. Y's Men Wichian Boon-mapajorn, the Vice President attended the international convention at Fredericton of New Brunswick in July 1996. As of 1st of April 2003 the 17 members were reported to reflect the loss of the membership due to the resignation of the YMCA Board members after the selling of the Collins House to settle debts with the bank. References:
The YMCA of Chiangmai was founded thirty-three years ago. The mission is to serve the community in many areas of the community services and educational programs since the beginning in 1969. Y's Men's Club was first introduced by the Y's Men's club of JonkOping of Sweden through YMCA of JonkOping. Both YMCAs joined hand to develop the "Golden Triangle Project" at one of her branches at Chiangrai where the birth of the Y's Men's Club was made known of its commitment and objectives of the Club. In 1988, Lady Y's Man Chanika Letchimanan urged the YMCA Chiangrai to establish the Y's Men's Club to serve the purpose of the working together with its counterpart Y's Men's Club of JonkOping. However the founding of the Y's Men's Club of Chiangrai was not realized. Until Dr. Chul Sang Lee, the Area President of Asia (1997-1998) joined with the Taegu YMCA's group came to visit Chiangmai and began to initiate the set-up of the Y's Men's Club in Chiangmai. Over the past 20 years, Kobe YMCA of Japan has been in close partnership with YMCA of Chiangmai in many areas of the activities including the generous support of the annual work camps. They have shown the good reasons that Y's Men's Club can have a very active role of support for the community through the YMCA. All of these long relationship and its partnership between YMCA of Chiangmai and the Y's Men JonkOping of Sweden, Y's Men Taegu of Korea, Y's Men Kobe of Japan and Y's Men Ipoh of Malaysia have deeply encouraged a formation of the Y's Men's Club of Chiangmai since. On 17th of January 1998 with the blessing of our YMCA's President Dr. Boonrerm Singhanetr, GS Sir Vorakit Kantakalung and the approval from the Board of Director, the Y's Men's Club of Chiangmai joined with the YMCA staff and friends to announce the establishment of the Club. It was the big gathering of 42 attendants that evening. Mr. Wangnakorn Chaimongkul was the Chartered President (1998-2000), CP Rachan Maneekarn (2000-2002) and the present CP Supaluck Promkuntha (2002-2004). Currently Y's Men's Club of Chiangmai has 17 members with expected 5 new members to join 2003-2004. The Club supports Chiangmai YMCA in many areas of the social movements and activities that its members are looking forward to continuing the successful results of the works and mission for a long time to come. |
