THAILAND The Kingdom of Thailand, formerly Siam, is known for its tourist industry, Buddhist temples and long-reigning monarch. The country has suffered recently from unrest in the south, as well as the tsunami of 2004 and flooding in 2011. .

Population people are unable to communicate in independence by ceding land to the • Population: 68.1 million English. colonial powers. • Density: 133 per sq. km. The present King Bhumibol Adulyadej, The population is unevenly or Rama IX, ascended the throne distributed, with the greatest Geography Thailand measures 319,380 in 1946. Rule by benign military concentration of people in the central dictatorship was stable until 1973, region. square miles and contains many topographical contrasts. The north when efforts to develop democracy Ethnic Thai people make up the and west are mountainous, the ushered in two decades of mainly majority. Chinese are well integrated northeast is a huge plain, the central peaceful military coups, political and into the Thai population. Malay in plain is fertile and exceedingly social unrest and uneasy coalitions the South and minority groups in the densely populated and in the south until a non-military government was North are about five percent of the there are narrow coastal plains and achieved. Through it all, the king population. mountains. A high percentage of the has remained a stabilizing influence, country is rural. being well respected and loved by Religions the people. He is the world’s longest- • Buddhist: 85.3% serving head of state. • Muslim 7.9% Climate Although Thailand’s material • Christian 1.1% Thailand has a moist, tropical prosperity continues to increase, • Chinese 1.8% climate influenced by monsoon other factors make stability • Other 3.9% winds. The hot season (February uncertain. In recent years, political There are more than 30,000 Buddhist to May) sees temperatures reach struggles and protests have revealed temples and around 300,000 monks 104°F (40°C). During the wet season deep divides among the Thai people, in Thailand. Nearly all Buddhist men (June to November) temperatures especially between different social enter a monastery for at least a few reach 79-99°F (26-37°C) with cooler and economic classes. days or months. temperatures of 55-92°F (13-33°C) Nearly all Muslims live in South from December to February. Inland Thailand or metropolitan Bangkok. areas are the hottest. Christianity Islam is the majority religion in The first missionaries came to Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala and Satun Bangkok in 1828, but it was 12 years provinces. History before the first sustained missionary Thailand is unique in Southeast Asia presence was established. After in that it has never been a dependent 19 more years, they baptized their Language of another nation. (Thailand means first convert. Official antagonism, Thai, a member of the Tai language “land of the free”.) No single outside persecution and the short lifespan of family, is the chief language. Four culture has ever dominated the entire missionaries hampered the growth regional dialects are in use. Lao, area. Malay (in the south) and Mon-Khmer Thailand emerged as a kingdom in languages are also spoken, including the 13th century and over the next many distinct languages among the four centuries enlarged its borders. hill tribes of the North. English is During the 1800s, Thailand began to taught in all schools and colleges and modernize and managed to keep its is sometimes used in commerce and government. However, most Thai

OMF INTERNATIONAL • 10 W. Dry Creek Circle • Littleton, CO 80120-4413 303.730.4160 • 800.422.5330 • (f) 303.730.4165 • [email protected] of the church. Churches in the north start the Bangkok Bible College and of the country remain the strongest Theological Seminary. in Thailand, with 57 percent of the In the south, there was no sustained country’s Christians being from this Christian work before OMF area. International sent medical personnel OMF International came to Thailand in 1952. Sariburi clinic opened in in 1951, when many missionaries 1956 and village leprosy clinics relocated from China to other parts in 1966. Some Thai and Chinese of East Asia. They chose several people embraced the gospel, but different fields of work. the response among the Malay In the north, OMF International population has been quieter. missionaries worked among the hill The Thai church is growing, but it is tribes. In 1956 a Bible training center still very small. It is now beginning to and other evangelistic projects was opened at Phayao for the pastoral send some missionaries and short- were undertaken. Medical clinics training of Thai and tribal Christians. term teams with OMF International first opened in 1954. Today, OMF OMF International also began as well as receiving them. International remains committed outreach to the Pwo Karen and Shan. to pioneer evangelism, working in In North Thailand, OMF International partnership with the Thai church so works to enable Christians from hill Strategic Priorities that it becomes self-propagating. • Training and motivating Thai tribes to travel across geographical In Bangkok, OMF International set up Christians in evangelism, disciple borders with the gospel, as well as making, church planting and servant its national headquarters, a publishing church planting in the cities. leadership. house and other ministries. In 1966 In Central Thailand, when OMF • Urban/rural evangelism and church OMF International began a student International’s ministry began in planting. ministry, leading to the founding of Updated March 2013 the early 1950s, mission stations the Thai Christian Students (similar to were opened in provincial towns, UCCF). Student work continues today. literature and Scripture portions In 1971 OMF International helped were distributed, films were shown

HOW TO PRAY • Thailand’s religious culture is such as Bible storytelling in order among these peoples would have interwoven with its social culture. to more effectively minister to the perseverance, wisdom and love Pray that Christians may be able to Thai people. as they work among them. Pray express their faith without losing • The burgeoning economy that the Thai church would gain their cultural identity. is changing society. People a burden to reach their Muslim • Thailand is a Buddhist country are drifting to the cities and neighbors. that allows freedom of religion, materialism is rampant. • Christian literature in Thai is but there is social pressure against • Praise God for steady church limited. Pray for the translation converting from Buddhism. growth over the past 35 years. of resources and for more Thai • As churches grow, there is • Leadership training and theological Christian writers. increased need for discipleship that education, at all levels, both • Christians among the hill tribes addresses both head and heart. formal and informal. There are fine in the north desire to reach their • Legalism and a lack of holiness evangelical leaders, but more are people groups in the countries are common problems in Thai needed to train and disciple those surrounding Thailand. Pray as they churches. Pray that Thai Christians coming to Christ. take the gospel into these areas. understand both the depth of their • Pray for work among students who • Pray for those affected by the 2004 sin and the riches of God’s grace have not heard the gospel. Pray for tsunami and 2011 floods and for in a way that transforms their lives Christian students who are a tiny the rebuilding work that continues. and relationships with others. minority among their peers. • Pray for more workers to be sent to • Most Thai can read, but prefer • Most of the 3 million Muslims live reach the Thai. to learn orally. Pray for the in South Thailand and Bangkok. implementation of oral strategies Pray that those ministering