CMIRC continues in the application process for forming a foundation to support our long-term efforts of improving children’s safety, health and education in Northern Thailand. This has been a slow and, at times, stressful process. All of the legal costs for the creation of a foundation and upfront provisional bank account's “not to be touched deposit” of 250,000 baht is being funded by Rotarians Nancy and Roger Lindley.
The front entry room to the CMIRC "office" of room 208 at the Royal Peninsula Hotel was rearranged from storage into the office area for the proposed foundation and furniture was purchased that would be considered “appropriate” for a foundation office in Thailand. Thanks to Rotarians Bill T., Nicha, Bill P. and Nick for making the room look like an office. The officers for the proposed foundation are: President -- Roger Lindley, Vice President -- Bill Trempus, Secretary -- Bill Pierce and Treasurer -- Nancy Lindley.
(Above, the proposed Foundation officers meet with "Lawyer Joe" in our spiffy office to sign yet more documents. Note the presence of impressive Rotary District Awards for feats like Best Website and Best Newsletter and how the hotel wallpaper just happens to be Rotary blue and yellow. Here's hoping that will impress the Thai officials during their office inspection!)
The foundation will operate as a recognized entity under Thai law and will comply with all legal requirements for a foundation in Thailand. As a legal entity it will be able to have a bank account in the name of the foundation that may help when donors deposit into bank account under the foundation name versus names of individuals, as is the case now. The application document is “frozen” for now with no changes permitted, while the application winds through the approval process. Once the foundation is approved any changes in this approved application document will bear a cost of 30,000 baht per change request.
Where do we stand now? We are waiting for a short notice call (maybe less than four-hour notice) for inspection by Thai government officials of the office and meeting with proposed foundation officers at the foundation office. Thanks to "Lawyer Joe", we have a sign above our "office", as held by Bill T and Roger, right, before the hotel staff affixed it to the wall.
After this approval, the last step should be approval by the Chiang Mai Provincial Governor, with foundation officers mustering at the Governor's office. Again, probably with short notice, as has been the case with everything else in this process.
Then begins the real work of building the value of the foundation with the vision of long-term support of CMIRC projects related to children’s safety, health and education in Northern Thailand.