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GEOGRAPHY

Area 513,115 sq.km. A fertile and well-watered land bordering on Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia.

Capital Bangkok 10 mill. Other major cities: Chiengmai 1m; Khorat 235,000. Urbanites 34%.

PEOPLES

Thai 80.4%.

Thai79.9%. Four main peoples: Central 21.5m; Isan (Lao-Thai) 16.3m; Northern 6.5m; Southern 4.8m.

Tai0.5%. 9 peoples, largest: Lao Phuan 97,000; Lu 83,000; Phuthai 62,000; Shan 60,000; Nyaw 55,000.

Chinese 10.5%. Most now Thai-speaking. They control 85% of the Thai economy.

Malay 3.8%. Most in the far south.

Mon-Khmer 3.4%. 20 peoples, largest: Khmer (Cambodian) 1.2m; Kui 217,000; So 58,000.

Tibeto-Burman 1.1%. 15 peoples, largest: Karen(6) 540,000; Lahu(2) 32,000.

Meo-Yao 0.2%. 4 peoples, largest: Meo (Hmong, 3) 76,000; Yao 37,000.

Other 0.6% . South Asians 200,000; Vietnamese 104,000; Westerners, Koreans, Japanese.

Literacy94%. Official language Thai. All languages 75. Languages with Scriptures 15Bi 9NT 11por 27w.i.p.

ECONOMY

Fertile agricultural land – exporting rice, sugar, rubber. Rapid industrialization has led to a strong electronic and garment industry. Endemic corruption at every level of society has hastened deforestation, slowed taming of drug trafficking from the 'Golden Triangle' in the far northwest of the country and helped precipitate the Asian economic crash in the late 1990s. HDI 0.753; 67^th/174. Public debt 13% of GNP. Income/person $2,740 (9% of USA).

POLITICS

A kingdom since the 13^th Century, and never ruled by a Western power. Constitutional monarchy, with the popular king having a strong unifying and stabilizing role. The powerful army dominated politics and commercial life for 60 years. Corrupt, selfish practices of army leaders spread corruption to all levels of society and served to protect crime, prostitution, drug-dealing and arms rackets. The army's violent suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations in 1992 led to its humiliation. Successive civilian governments have paid lip-service to purging corruption from society, but in practice little has changed. Grass-roots and media pressure may force through some of the desired reforms.

RELIGION

Freedom of religion is guaranteed in the constitution, which was modified in 1998 to loosen ties between the State and Buddhism and increase harmony between religious communities.

Missionaries from Thailand
P,I,A 884 in 24 agencies to 6 countries: Thailand 875.

Missionaries to Thailand
P,I,A 1,500 in 130 agencies from 33 countries: USA 617, Korea 188, Philippines 138, Australia 70, Canada 68, Germany 67, Finland 65, UK 58.
C 400. M 100.

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Answers to Prayer

1 Rising interest and more church growth in the 1990s could signify an impending breakthrough. There is expectancy and even excitement that after little growth for a century the harvest is beginning to be gathered. In 1900 Christians were 0.6% of the population; in 1985 this had only risen to 0.9% but in 2000 this reached 1.6%.

2 Christian radio, the JESUS film, drama and a growing prayer movement are all giving a new level of spiritual response.

Challenges for Prayer

1 Thailand means Land of the Free because it successfully retained its freedom when surrounding countries were colonized by Western powers. It is believed that a special guardian angel, Phra Sayam Devadhiraj, protected the land, and a golden image of this spirit being was made. It has been worshipped ever since. The land is in bondage to a complex web of culture, spirit appeasement, occult practices and Buddhism, with a social cohesiveness out of which few have dared to come. For many Thai, their nationality and religion are inextricably linked. Pray for the spiritual breakthrough so that in the Lord Jesus the Thai may be free indeed.

2 The rottenness at the core of Thai society can only be fully excised and cleansed through a turning to God. Corrupt military, government and police leaders have protected the large sex trade, drug networks, crime syndicates and ecological degradation of the country. The sex 'industry' contributes 14% to the GDP of the country. The informal economy is larger than the official economy. Pray that honest, just leaders may be raised up who will also lay legal and social frameworks that will limit corruption.

3 The growth of the Church has been disappointing. After four centuries of Catholic and 175 years of Protestant work, Thai Christians are only 1.6% of the population. The Catholic Church's percentage has scarcely increased in 40 years. Only in the 1980s did Protestants begin to do any better. Much of the growth has been among the Thai-speaking Chinese in cities and the marginalized tribal peoples. Pray for:

a)The Church of Christ in Thailand, the largest Protestant denomination (within which many denominational missions serve). Nominalism and theological compromise are problems, with marginal growth since 1960.

b) The Evangelical Fellowship of Thailand. This links the majority of evangelical bodies in fellowship. In 1992 there were over 1,200 congregations, 56 national ministries and 53 expatriate organizations linked with the EFT.

c) High standards of holiness in church life. Church leaders need to squarely face up to syncretism, a high rate of backsliding, misuse of church funds and a tolerant condoning of sin resulting in failure to discipline leaders who err.

d) A true indigenization of the Thai Church. Thai music, hymnody, art forms, worship patterns and architecture need to be encouraged and developed under the Holy Spirit's guidance.

e) Ethnic Chinese churches have multiplied, especially in Bangkok, and Chinese Christians are a significant minority in the Church. The dynamism and financial clout of this community, if fully activated, could be a significant force for evangelization. There are too few ethnic Chinese full-time workers.

f) Revival. Increased wealth is leading to a complacency and materialism that deadens passion for God and concern for evangelism.

g) New spiritual vitality and vision. Many congregations are poor, rural and often illiterate.

4 The lack of Thai leadership in the churches is a contributory factor to the slow growth, failures of rural churches and lack of vision. In 1995 there were only 400 pastors in evangelical churches – about a quarter of the number of missionaries. Pray for more to be called and kept in pastoral ministry. There are about 20 Bible schools and seminaries and a further 7 TEE programmes operating in the country. Many graduates do not go into full-time church-planting or pastoral work. Pray for the Bangkok Bible College (initiated by CMA and OMF, with 140 graduates), Phayao Bible Training Centre (OMF) and many denominational Bible colleges. Praise God for fine evangelical leaders in churches, but those with integrity and who are adequately trained and mature are few. Deference given to older pastors inhibits the development of younger workers.

5 Missions have considerable freedom for ministry despite a quota system which somewhat restricts the number of visas. Major involvement in the past was institutional; medical work and schools playing an important role in winning the first converts and planting the first churches in many parts of the land. The major emphasis is now on urban and rural evangelism, church planting and Bible teaching. Pray for:

a) The calling, entry and preparation of new workers to this exacting field. There are good opportunities for sharing the gospel through teaching English and ministry in schools.

b) Safety. Disease, road accidents and insurgency have led to the loss of a number of missionaries.

c) Effective partnership with Thai believers in strategic outreach.

d) The major agencies. OMF has 163 missionaries in five fields (among tribal peoples in the north, Thai in the centre, south and Bangkok). Other major agencies: NTM (90 in tribal work), CCCI (74), IMB-SBC (73), AoG (53), WEC (51 in the northwest and Bangkok), CMA (50), YWAM (41 in refugee work and evangelism), Tribes and Nations Outreach (37), SdA (34), Finnish Free Mission (34).

6 Sectors of the population with special ministry needs:

a) Bangkok, one of Asia's most influential cities, and known as the city of angels and city of sin. Over 2 million derive their income from the sex 'industry'. Most of the country's 100,000 male and 700,000 female prostitutes cater to the lusts of Thai and foreign 'tourists'. Crime, drugs and alcohol abuse are widespread. AIDS has become a major scourge – some estimate that 40 – 80% of prostitutes end up with the disease. Pray for Thai and expatriate Christians seeking to win people from sin to Christ in this traffic-clogged, polluted city (Servants to Asia's Urban Poor, AoG, IMB-SBC, WEC and others). There are only an estimated 40,000 evangelical believers in the city.

b) Children in crisis. Many girls are kidnapped or sold at a very young age into prostitution – which includes terrible abuse and, in all likelihood, an early death. Many come from Thai ethnic minorities and the surrounding nations. It is estimated that 20% of all Thai girls between 11 and 17 become involved. There are over 35,000 homeless street children. There are over 5 million children involved in child labour. Pray for all involved in reaching out and seeking to rescue these tragic little ones.

c) AIDS victims. The official figure in 1999 was 755,000 with HIV; the true figure may be nearer 2 million and rising fast, despite vigorous action by the government. The churches need to wake up to this crisis and minister life to the suffering and the bereaved.

d) Of the 73 provinces 14 had fewer than 1,000 Christians of any type in 1992, and three had less than 100 (Phangnga, Ranong and Angtong); four had no evangelical congregations. The situation in 2000 had only marginally improved.

e) The middle and upper classes, wealthy and educated, but showing little response to the gospel. By contrast, interest in the occult and necromancy is reported to be strong.

f) Students. Witness to them is small but growing. Twelve Christian hostels for students, run by six agencies, have proved valuable for discipling students and initiating Christian campus groups. YFC, TCS(IFES), CCCI and an indigenous movement called Yuwakrit have seen conversions and growth of groups on campuses. The vast majority of the 1.2 million students remain unevangelized.

g) Buddhist monks number over 300,000. The monastic institution has been discredited by high-profile scandals. Pray for Christian outreach to them – many are genuinely seeking peace.

h) Refugees – hundreds of thousands from Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam found refuge in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Only the Hmong from Laos are still a major challenge, most of the refugees having been resettled elsewhere or returned home. There are possibly 1 million more recent arrivals from Myanmar, whose military government wages a brutal war against the ethnic minorities – especially the Karen.

7 Of the 2.5 million Muslims, 90% are Malay. Nearly all live in the five southernmost provinces, where there has been political tension and guerrilla activity by Communists (until 1992) and also by Muslim separatists. This is the only major Malay community in Asia open for evangelism, yet after years of hard work only about 100 have turned to Christ. The upsurge in Islam in Malaysia to the south is affecting the Thai Malays and complicating outreach. Many seekers are held back by fear. Pray for the local believers and missionary team, and for their outreach through postal evangelism, radio and literature. The Jawi Malay New Testament is being distributed to Malays, as well as a new BCC in Thai and Malay especially written to help Malay Muslims.

8 The tribal peoples, largely marginalized through lack of personal documentation and ignorance of the Thai language, have begun to respond in significant numbers. This follows years of hard work by Baptists and WEC among the Karen, and OMF among eight tribes in the north. The younger work of NTM in 12 tribes around the country is beginning to see results in tribal churches planted. Many workers are needed to win and disciple tribal peoples. Pray for:

a) The multiplying, but scattered congregations among the northern Hmong, Lahu, Lisu, Akha and Karen peoples. Lack of leaders and second-generation nominalism are problems. The Buddhist Shan and Taoist/animist Yao have been less responsive.

b) The Kui, Khmu and Khmer peoples in the east who are unreached. CMA works in the area, but there are insufficient workers to concentrate on them, especially the newly responsive Northern Khmer. The Kui New Testament was recently published (CMA). The Mennonites have commenced work among the Khmu.

c) The Golden Triangle. Opium poppies are the only lucrative cash crop for most of the northern tribes. Cultivation is an acute temptation for Christians and a formidable barrier to repentance for non-believers. The narcotics trade breeds insecurity and violence. Pray for believers and missionaries in sensitive areas.

d) A Tribal Discipleship Center, run by AO, is providing some workers for the harvest.

9 Christian Help Ministries are well developed in Thailand and bearing fruit.

a) Bible translation is still a major target for prayer. Work is in progress in 27 languages – main agencies being Thailand Bible Society, IBS, SIL, NTM and OMF. Of 29 languages without Scriptures, 10 definitely need translation programmes. There are four different versions of the Thai Bible in circulation.

b) Christian radio has been very effective. Many Thai stations daily air Christian programmes. FEBC, Full Gospel Mass Communications and Voice of Peace Studio prepare a wide range of programmes. Response from FEBC's 22 half-hour programmes a day has been gratifying – 2,500 letters a month; 100 are referred to churches every month and 6,000 are doing BCCs. Response has been from both Buddhists and Muslims.

c) Christian literature is increasing. Over 1,000 Thai books have been published. There is increasing cooperation between publishers (such as CLC, OMF [Kanok] and CMA). There are more than 20 Christian bookstores in the land, 3 of which are run by CLC.

d) The JESUS film has been viewed by an equivalent of a third of the population in 17 languages; a further 15 are in preparation.

e) Cassette ministries were first developed in Thailand. The Voice of Peace Studio pioneered the use of evangelistic and teaching cassettes, which are most effective in rural areas. GRN have produced materials in 64 languages and have a key base in Chiengmai.

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