General Meeting on Thursday, March 26

In preparation for the General Meeting of Members on Thursday, March 26, we hereby inform the members in a clear and formal manner about the current state of affairs, the proposal of the current board, and the order in which this meeting will take place.

1. Where do we stand now?

The deadline for nominating candidates for a new board expired on March 14. No candidates registered within this period. This means that elections cannot take place on March 26. Consequently, (part of) the current board will remain in office until a workable and responsible solution is found. This does not mean that the board will continue unchanged. During the interim period, only rudimentary governance will be in place: only matters that cannot be suspended or that are temporarily necessary will be handled. The assessment of the aforementioned candidate lists revealed that a transfer of governance requires not only goodwill but also some basic knowledge and willingness regarding IT, communication, and privacy responsibility. This knowledge can be learned, but not without interest and consultation with the current IT administrator. Modern communication must meet minimum requirements of due care and privacy. Sending emails indiscriminately outside of a proper newsletter structure is unacceptable and can even lead to the blocking of email addresses. If no board becomes available that is willing to prepare itself, at least to some extent, for these responsibilities, this also means that the association's structural communication cannot be continued normally for the time being.

2. Proposal from the current board

The proposal is that Patrick and Edwin remain as the interim board until the end of September or the end of October at the latest. During this transition period, the following principles apply: 

In principle, no new expenses are incurred.

- An exception remains possible for visits to the sick, during which Nellie falls directly under Edwin's responsibility.

 - A limited amount may be kept available for King's Day, if this activity is actually organized. 

- The monthly Chef Cha meetings will continue for the time being, expected to take place monthly through July/August.

During this period, work is being done on a new list of people willing to organize something independently, under clear conditions. A list of interested parties has already been compiled.

In the meantime, a great deal of information regarding the state of affairs will be shared via newsletters, with the opportunity to respond, discuss, and further adjust the proposal. The goal is to arrive at a comprehensive plan in September for the future structure, working methods, and rules of the NVTHC.

3. Explanation of this proposal

This proposal offers a simple method for governing and organizing the NVTHC. The core is pragmatic and realistic: at present, no one has actually made themselves available to take on board duties. Therefore, the question must be asked whether the association should still be governed in the traditional manner. In practice, the NVTHC functions primarily as an activities club. That is also its strength. Consequently, it is logical to opt for a lighter and more modern structure in which activities take center stage and the board plays a more limited role. The basic principle is simple: anyone wishing to organize an activity that contributes reasonably to the association and is meaningful to the members must be given the opportunity to do so. The association will only conduct a limited review in this regard. It will be assessed whether an initiative is: ethically responsible, legally permissible, acceptable in Thailand, and reasonable in its design, date, and execution. In principle, the association does not interfere with the substantive organization, provided that an activity is set up properly and without deception or mismanagement. Financial responsibility also rests with the organizer themselves. In principle, activities must be autonomous and financially viable, at least for the period after September. The association does not, in principle, provide financial support, except when the board decides in exceptional cases that limited support is desirable. Furthermore, the following applies: Work will continue solely based on a sound, modern, and reliable IT setup. However, minimal user knowledge is required for this. Anyone who, as a Dutch national, wishes to organize something for Dutch nationals in Thailand should, in principle, be given a chance, provided that simple formats and clear input are used. This new setup will be shared with members via newsletters, whereby reactions and usable input will be processed directly as much as possible. There are already approximately eight interested individuals for various activities, ranging from walks and visiting the sick to supporting newcomers in Hua Hin. In this way, the board is relieved of some of its duties. The role of a future board will then become smaller, clearer, and more manageable: exercising oversight, maintaining external contacts, managing IT and communication, and only addressing those matters that truly need to be centrally organized.

4. Rules regarding the General Meeting

The following principles apply to the meeting of March 26:

- There are no elections. They cannot take place because there are no registrations and no arrangements have been made for proxies and formal election procedures.

- The meeting must proceed in an orderly and respectful manner. No arguments or disorder may arise. If the meeting threatens to degenerate into riots, shouting, or uncontrollable disruption, the meeting will be suspended or terminated.

Every member may express his or her opinion, provided that this is done with observance of normal rules of conduct, respect for others, and the dignity of the meeting.

No complex new proposals may be introduced at this meeting that have not been prepared and shared in advance. If such proposals nevertheless emerge and require further elaboration, adjournment is the obvious course of action.

5. Conclusion

The present proposal is not an ideal scenario, but an attempt to proceed in a difficult administrative situation in a reasonable, proper, and future-oriented manner. The aim is to maintain stability, avoid unnecessarily halting association activities, and at the same time create space for a more modern and workable structure in which member initiative takes center stage, within clear boundaries of due care, ethics, legislation, and practical feasibility.

The members are requested to assess this proposal in that spirit before the start of the meeting on Thursday at 6:00 PM.

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