About the People
The Royal Kingdom of Thailand (which means Land of the Free) was founded in 1238 in a declaration of independence from Khmer overlords. Bordered by Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Malaysia, the country also boasts coastlines on the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. Thailand exports large quantities of Jasmin rice, silk cloth, silver and silver jewelry, wicker weaving, cabbage, herbs and naturally-dyed cotton. Open-air markets carry plenty of fresh produce at reasonable prices, and vegetarian restaurants abound. Temperatures range between 60 and 100 degrees year-round, and the political climate is peaceful.
Thailand is a deeply Buddhist nation, with over 92 percent of its population espousing the Buddhist faith. Missionaries have had very little success at penetrating this massive “spiritual wall.” Only about 1.6 percent of the Thai population is Christian. There are 37 Seventh-day Adventist churches in Thailand, most of which are in northern Thailand. Hua Hin—the focus of the Southern Thai Project—has no Seventh-day Adventist presence.
About the Project
The primary goal of the AFM missionaries on the Isan Buddhists project is to establish an indigenous church-planting movement among the Isan Buddhists in Thailand. AFM missionaries live closely among the people, learn the Thai language, study local culture and religion, and build deep friendships to reach this goal. Using what they learn, they will craft evangelistic materials for the Thai Buddhist context. Their aim is to share Christianity in a way that leads to conversions that are deeply meaningful and lasting. Local converts will be discipled to become leaders in the first church planted and trained to plant new churches. In this way, the result will be a locally-led newborn Adventist Christian movement that continues expanding God’s kingdom in Thailand.
People-Group Facts
- Population: 67 million
- Language: Thai
- Religion: Buddhism
“Imagine a world where every child’s hurt, every child’s cry, and every child’s need is met by a loving adult” (Dr. Karyn Purvis1).
By:
Jared Wright
April 01 2025, 1:35 pm | Comments 0
Please continue to pray for our team as we are working to partner with local leaders to help the Isan Thai people reimagine home and family spaces as grounding places where they can find shelter from the storms of life and a secure base from which to interact with their wider communities.
By:
Jared Wright
March 01 2025, 3:33 pm | Comments 0
Nat wasn’t jealous. He was afraid. He was afraid that my love would run out.
By:
Nilubon Srisai
March 01 2025, 2:27 pm | Comments 0
I was ready to suggest going home when I thought of how important it was for me to pray for all the people around me. That gave us purpose and intentionality, not just spending time with family but interceding for those around us.
By:
Claudette Aleman
March 01 2025, 2:21 pm | Comments 0
As we work to develop and support local church planting leaders, we want them to be able to tell their stories and share God’s story with others.
By:
Jared Wright
January 01 2025, 8:45 pm | Comments 0
Please pray for Arraya and her children as we support their journey as new disciples and that Arraya will be able to lead her extended family to Jesus.
By:
Jared Wright
December 01 2024, 3:27 pm | Comments 0
We need to stand strong in our faith by surrendering to Jesus daily, asking Him to work in and through us, and reading and listening to God’s Word.
By:
Claudette & René Aleman
November 01 2024, 1:24 pm | Comments 0
Please continue to pray for our team as we work to normalize social dialogue around our thoughts and feelings, especially painful ones, among the Isan Thai people.
By:
Jared Wright
November 01 2024, 12:56 pm | Comments 0
God clearly has big plans, and we are excited to be a part of them as we focus on remaining aligned with His will.
By:
Claudette Aleman
August 01 2024, 2:49 pm | Comments 0