Thailand Trip--January 1998

For 13 days I will be Thailand for meetings and a retreat with the Maryknoll Mission Association of the Faithful members from all over Asia, and with Maryknoll priests and sisters from Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. We will be meeting in the Salesian retreat house in the small town of Hua Hin, 4 hours south of Bangkok. It is the site of the former summer home of the Thai royalty and is right on the coast.

Itinerary: 16-29 January 1998
16 January Fly to Bangkok
I flew Japan Airlines from Hong Kong to Bangkok. Usually I fly European or North American carriers within Asia because their flights land in Hong Kong, empty out half their passengers, and the airlines then sell the seats to the second destination, like Bangkok, quite cheaply.

17 January Bus to Hua Hin

The last time I was here I received 26 baht (the Thai currency) for each US dollar. This time when I changed money, I received 51.3 baht to a dollar because of the Asian financial troubles which started in Thailand.

18-19 January MMAF Meetings

18 lay men and women and one associate priest (me!) met to discuss some issues currently being looked at in the Maryknoll Mission Association of the Faithful. One of those issues is how to get more peole interested in coming to Asia to serve with us. For many Americans, going to Asia seems like going to the moon because it is so different.

20-21 January MMM Meetings (Maryknoll Mekong Missions: Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam)

All the personnel from these three countries along the Mekong River met to look at their regional issues. One such issue is how to support the church in Burma without supporting the repressive government there. Another issue is whether to start working Laos or not.

22 January Free day

In all the years we've been going to the retreat centre we use for meetings in Thailand, I've never climbed the hills behind the centre so this time I decided to do it. It took about an hour and a half to get to the top, but it was a beautiful view of the ocean and the coast line.

23 January Meetings of priests, sisters, and associates

In our meeting of the MMAF members, we selected a new Asia Area Coordinator to replace me in that position so now I won't be traveling so much in the future, much to the delight of the HK deaf people!

24-28 January Retreat

Fr. Miguel, a Spanish Jesuit who has been in Thailand for 22 years, led our retreat. About forty Maryknoll personnel were there altogether.

28 January Bus from Hua Hin to Bangkok

We finished the retreat this morning, ate an early lunch, and then headed back toward Bangkok. About 45 minutes out of Hua Hin the water pump on the bus went out and it took 2 ½ hours for the driver and his assistant to repair it. Luckily the air conditioning on the bus was on a separate engine which kept running while we waited, and three of our members hiked up the highway to a store and came back with a bag of ice, some 2-litre soft drinks, and some cups.

29 January Fly from Bangkok to Hong Kong

Before sunrise two of us were out on the street waiting for the bus to take us to the airport. I was worried that the airline would charge me for checking three pieces because I bought a laser printer in Bangkok last night. Because of the devaluation of the Thai currency, it was only $153! There was no problem checking it in, though, and I didn't have to pay any overweight charges.
I started to take a taxi from the airport in HK to my home but after I hooked my two suitcases together and put my computer bag over my shoulder, I found I could pull the two bags with the printer on top of them without too much difficulty so I decided to walk home. The problem is that it is all uphill after the first block, and it was quite a climb with about 100 pounds of gear in tow.
In contrast to Thailand, the temperature finally cooled off in HK while I was away. Right now it is 53° outside and 61° inside my room.

16 January	Fly to Bangkok I flew Japan Airlines from Hong Kong to Bangkok. Usually I fly European or North American carriers within Asia because their flights land in Hong Kong, empty out half their passengers, and the airlines then sell the seats to the second destination, like Bangkok, quite cheaply.
17 January	Bus to Hua Hin The last time I was here I received 26 baht (the Thai currency) for each US dollar. This time when I changed money, I received 51.3 baht to a dollar because of the Asian financial troubles which started in Thailand.
18-19 January	MMAF Meetings 18 lay men and women and one associate priest (me!) met to discuss some issues currently being looked at in the Maryknoll Mission Association of the Faithful. One of those issues is how to get more peole interested in coming to Asia to serve with us. For many Americans, going to Asia seems like going to the moon because it is so different.
20-21 January	MMM Meetings (Maryknoll Mekong Missions: Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam) All the personnel from these three countries along the Mekong River met to look at their regional issues. One such issue is how to support the church in Burma without supporting the repressive government there. Another issue is whether to start working Laos or not.
22 January	Free day In all the years we've been going to the retreat centre we use for meetings in Thailand, I've never climbed the hills behind the centre so this time I decided to do it. It took about an hour and a half to get to the top, but it was a beautiful view of the ocean and the coast line.
23 January	Meetings of priests, sisters, and associates In our meeting of the MMAF members, we selected a new Asia Area Coordinator to replace me in that position so now I won't be traveling so much in the future, much to the delight of the HK deaf people!
24-28 January	Retreat Fr. Miguel, a Spanish Jesuit who has been in Thailand for 22 years, led our retreat. About forty Maryknoll personnel were there altogether.
28 January	Bus from Hua Hin to Bangkok We finished the retreat this morning, ate an early lunch, and then headed back toward Bangkok. About 45 minutes out of Hua Hin the water pump on the bus went out and it took 2 ½ hours for the driver and his assistant to repair it. Luckily the air conditioning on the bus was on a separate engine which kept running while we waited, and three of our members hiked up the highway to a store and came back with a bag of ice, some 2-litre soft drinks, and some cups.
29 January	Fly from Bangkok to Hong Kong Before sunrise two of us were out on the street waiting for the bus to take us to the airport. I was worried that the airline would charge me for checking three pieces because I bought a laser printer in Bangkok last night. Because of the devaluation of the Thai currency, it was only $153! There was no problem checking it in, though, and I didn't have to pay any overweight charges. I started to take a taxi from the airport in HK to my home but after I hooked my two suitcases together and put my computer bag over my shoulder, I found I could pull the two bags with the printer on top of them without too much difficulty so I decided to walk home. The problem is that it is all uphill after the first block, and it was quite a climb with about 100 pounds of gear in tow. In contrast to Thailand, the temperature finally cooled off in HK while I was away. Right now it is 53° outside and 61° inside my room.