Tongpan is from Ban Phak Pang, Phu Khiow district, in Chaiyaphum province (southwest of Udon), born December 7, 1940. He stopped his schooling early (fourth grade - typically the farthest most villagers went), but after becoming a Christian in 1962 he almost immediately began studying at the Central Bible School in Khon Kaen, where he attended for two years (1962-64.) While still at school, Tongpan began to show his talent for evangelism and church planting -- he started and pastored a church in Ban Nong Hoi, near his hometown; it soon grew to over 40 members and planted an additional six daughter churches. Banpote began at CBS about two years after Tongpan left, and it was at one of Tongpan's return visits to speak that the two became acquainted -- Tongpan was and continues to be a very talented and entertaining speaker.
After leaving school he became the pastor of the Gospel Church (C&MA) in his home area of Phu Khiow, where he served for four years (1965-69.) In addition to pastoring that church he became well-known as a very skilled evangelist and church planter, starting several other churches in the area. In 1967 he married a girl he had known at CBS and commuted back and forth to the north of Thailand where her family lived; he eventually moved to the north full-time, but the marriage ended in divorce soon afterward, and by the end of 1969 he returned to the Northeast and became the pastor of a Church of Christ in Thailand (shortly before this time the C&MA churches in the Udon area had broken away and joined the CCT) church at Ban Phon Tawng in Sri Chiangmai district in Nong Khai province (Nong Khai is just north of Udon Thani.) This church experienced significant growth during his time there, with attendance rising to over 100. His second wife died in childbirth, but their son Eh survived. Shortly afterwards he married Nuu, whose family attended his church.
In addition to pastoring the church in Ban Phon Tawng, from 1969 until 1975 Tongpan also served as director of the Udon Christian School, located at the Fellowship Church in Udon Thani. In 1973 he joined the staff of the Christian Service Training Center (CSTC) which was also located at the Fellowship Church until relocating just north of the city. He taught witnessing and later was the only teacher willing to join Banpote in extension training of church leaders in the villages. When the situation deteriorated at the CSTC (for more information, see "Phase I" of Making a Sodality) Tongpan moved to Bangkok, where he spent a year working in the evangelism department of the CCT. He was then persuaded to return to Udon and join Banpote and Jim Gustafson at the CCPCG, which was a continuation of the village training work they had started at the CSTC.
In the early years of the CCPCG Tongpan and Nuu, Banpote and Wilai, and Jim Gustafson (Joan was in Bangkok) all lived together in the office building in Udon Thani which has housed the offices of the CCPCG (and now the ISD and TCC) from its beginning. During the time Banpote finished his schooling in Mahasarakham (about 1979-80), Tongpan moved to Nong Han district, east of Udon, for about two years where he continued his church planting efforts. The first family in the village of Ban Hua Chiang to become Christians was that of Nuujon, who is now the manager of all the farm operations of the IDF.
Tongpan's major emphasis at the CCPCG (now the ISD) has always been evangelism and church planting, for which he is very gifted. Typically he talks with existing church members to learn about people in other villages that might be receptive to the Gospel, then travels to them to begin the process of evangelizing. From these beginnings, new village worship groups are started.
In addition to his work with the ISD, Tongpan is also the President of the Thailand Covenant Church, and he currently is the head of the Issaan region for the Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand. When asked to describe his occupation, he just says "I am God's servant."
Nuu (real name Pragawp) was born into a Christian family in Ban Phon Tawng in Sri Chiangmai district, Nong Khai province, where she met and married Tongpan. In addition to Tongpan's son Eh they also have a son, Gop, and a daughter, Nok.
Nuu trained to be a seamstress, but began working at the CCPCG in 1978, beginning in the church enablement department headed by Banpote. After about two years she transferred to the development department, where she has worked ever since. Her early training in tailoring has been very useful as she directs the village sewing cooperative projects for the IDF.