Church growth in Thailand has been strong the past 13 months. The goal for the end of 2014 is to record 5,000 members at Sacrament Meeting. This would be an increase of over 2000 over the past 30 months.

At stake conference for the Bangkok Thailand Stake, held November 30, 2014, a new stake presidency was called. President Sarawut Kanyaphan who had served since April 2010, was released owing to his wife's battle with a brain tumor. President Suchart Chaichana has been a member of the church since 1976. His conversion story "Underneath the Bookshelf" was printed in an Ensign Article in July 2002. President Rittirong Wongsuwan was 2nd counselor in the prior presidency President Peter Wilden is at least "Half Thai" since he and his Thai wife have lived in Thailand for most of the past 30+ years. Peter Wilden was a missionary in Thailand (1974-1976).

Elder Gerrit Gong (President Asia Area) presided at a multi-district conference held in Khon Kaen. At the conference, the three districts were consolidated into just two districts, with the Khon Kaen district being eliminated The conference was held at the Charoenthani Hotel.

As can be seen from the split in branches, the Udorn district is being primed to become Thailand's thrid stske.

With the return of Mani and Nadda Seangsuwan to Utah, the Thailand Bangkok Mission presidency was reorganized with Wisan Wisanbannawit as 1st Counselor and Lance Stoker (a senior missionary from Idaho, and former missionary in Thailand (1971-1973)) as second counselor. Elder and Sister Stoker are presently serving in Roi Et, in Northeast Thailand.

District Conference for the Chiang Mai district (Northern Thailand) was held September 21, 2014, at the Chiang Mai meetinghouse.

This represents quite a change from the Chiang Mai district conference I attended in February 1975. That conference was held under a tent setup on the front lawn of the Elder's residence. [Photo: Wisan Wisanbannawit]

The August 2014 group of missionaries arrived in Bangkok. Pictured here with President and Sister Senior. Photo: Wisan Wisanbannawit

One approach has been to offer tours of Church facilities to people met on the street nearby.  When showing them the baptismal font they ask - would you like to have your sins washed away? If the answer is yes, they establish a time for the first discussion.  The continuing political turmoil in Thailand has also made may wary of how much they can rely on their Buddhist faith or the government to help them find peace in their lives.

The June 2014 group of missionaries arrived in Bangkok. Pictured here with President and Sister Senior. Photo: Wisan Wisanbannawit

On June 15, 2014 a joint conference of the Bangkok Thailand Stake and the Bangkok North District will be held at the Amari Watergate Hotel. At the meeting, the Bangkok North Stake was created from the Bangkok North District and a new District The Bangkok West District was created from the Bangkok Thailand Stake and the Bangkok North District. As was widely expected former District President Sathit Kaivalvatana was called as the new stake president. Asia Area President Elder Gong presided, assisted by his first counselor Elder Wilson.

With the call of Elder Wisit Khanakham as an Area Authority Seventy, there has been an open position in the mission presidency. The new counselor is Brother Wisan Wisanbannawit, who was released as 1st Counselor in the Bangkok North District when the Bangkok North Stake was organized. Brother Wisan manages the Bangkok Service Center and is a leading expert on the use of social media.

Twenty years ago the first missionaries, Elder and Sister Dobson arrived in Cambodia. On July 1, 1997, the Cambodia Phnom Penh mission was organized from the Thailand Bangkok Mission with Leland D. White as the first mission president. He and Sister White had been serving as senior missionaries in the Thailand Bangkok Mission (serving in Cambodia) prior to their call. Today the Cambodian Saints celebrate 20 years of missionary work in their country with the creation of two stakes - Phnom Penh Cambodia South Stake and the Phnom Penh Cambodia North stake, the second and third stakes in Indochina.

Yes, another coup d'etat by Thailand's military, about the 19th such event since 1932 when the absolute power of the monarchy was crushed in a bloodless revolution, The Thai's hate bloodshed and while by American standards, there has not been much of it, by Thai standards it was getting out of hand. Yes that's the bad news. The good news is that Thailand is very experienced with military takeovers. The military generally only steps forward when the government in power is so weak that nothing can be accomplished, such as happened this time. A year of political protests on each side was culminated by a court removing the current Prime Minister on political corruption charges. That is not to say that she had not also been accused of monetary corruption as well. In Thailand there is plenty of corruption to go around, and the current prime minister had a part in her share of shady and botched dealings. So if all goes to plan, the military will turn the government over to a set of their hand picked leaders, to run the country, while a new constitution is laid and new elections are set to return Thailand to a "technical democracy."

Marshall law is no big deal. The 40th Anniversary of the Dedication of Thailand for the preaching of the gospel in October 2006, was all held without any incidents, while Marshall law was in effect. So life goes on, the political stalemate replaced by the military and in about 2 years time, new elections. Repeating this process can be avoided if only those who lead the country can significantly reduce the amount of corruption that takes place. It seems with the complexity of today's world, governments everywhere need more bright, energetic, and honest people to make things work for ALL people.

The April 2014 group of missionaries arrived in Bangkok. Pictured here with President and Sister Senior. Photo: Wisan Wisanbannawit

Wisit Khanakham, former President of the Bangkok Thailand Stake, and 40+ year active member of the Church in Thailand, was called as an Area Authority Seventy. He was sustained at the afternoon session of the 184th Annual General Conference. He will be a member of the 8th Quorum of the Seventy (Asia South).

Here is how Wisit first learned of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1969. This comes from Wisit's oral history. [Wisit Khanakham, Oral History, September 15, 1996, Church History Library, Call Number OH1554]

In 1969, a friend in High School asked Wisit, "Do you believe that a man can speak to God"? I responded, "What, say that again". She said, "Do you believe that a man can speak to God". I said, "No way that is impossible." She said, "I know that it isn't. If you would like to know about that you can go to church." They will teach you. I said, "No, because on Sunday I always go to the Buddhist School." Don't worry you can come and join us in the MIA activity. Every Wednesday night we have that activity. We study English and we show our talents to each other." I said, "We'll I wish I could study English with you." She said, "Come to our English class and to the activity." I then talked to my cousin and she said, "No problem, you can go." So my cousins and I attended MIA. We all had a good time.

Next my friend asked me to come to church on Sunday evening, because you don't go to Buddhist School at that time." So I started to do that. I did not understand what they were talking about, but I had a peaceful feeling when I was there. Then the missionaries were invited to visit us at my cousin's home. It was my cousins home, because my home was outside the city of Chiang Mai. Since I was going to school, I was living in town with my cousins and my Aunt. I continued to study with the missionaries, but the other members of my family stopped.

I studied with the missionaries for two years before I was baptized. Since my parents would not give permission for my baptism I had to wait until I was nineteen. Many missionaries taught me the gospel, among them were Elder Murray and Elder Dunlop. My mother cut me off from the family at that time. She tried to stop me from going to church, but I still went. I rode my bicycle one hour from home to church. I came close to the Lord because of the trials and persecution that my family laid upon me.

Webmaster's note: Brother Wisit has always been very kind to me. In 2002, my first return visit to Thailand since my mission, he invited my wife and I to visit his home for family home evening. It was a highlight of our trip, an evening I will never forget. On later visits to Thailand, he has dropped whatever he was doing to go to dinner with us. He leads by example and love.

The huge increase in the number of Sisters serving missions has changed the landscape worldwide. Now Sisters are Zone Leaders and District leaders of Sisters. In some missions they use different terms, but it is the same responsibility. President and Sister Senior are seated front and center. Photo: Wisan Wisanbannawit

The March 2014 group of missionaries arrived in Bangkok. A video was produced of this group's orientation. The video can be viewed at "News for Members and Friends of the LDS Church in Thailand" Photo: Wisan Wisanbannawit