Christianity in Thailand

Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 26. Chapters: Christian missionaries in Thailand, Church buildings in Thailand, Roman Catholic Church in Thailand, Church of the Province of South East Asia, Roman Catholicism in Thailand, Alfred James Broomhall, St Michael's Church, Songyae, Karl Gützlaff, Low Khiok Chiang, Worldwide Faith Missions, Dan Beach Bradley, Christ Church Bangkok, Lahu Christian churches, Margaret Landon, Orthodoxy in Thailand, John Taylor Jones, Assumption Cathedral, Bangkok, Protestantism in Thailand, Daniel McGilvary, Martyrs of Thailand, Anglican Church in Thailand, True Jesus Church in Thailand, Eliza Grew Jones, Maria Newell, Louis Laneau, Church of Christ in Thailand, Catholic Office for Emergency Relief and Refugees, Seventh-day Adventist Church in Thailand, Saint Camillus Foundation, François Langlade, Camillian social center in Rayong, Sarnelli House Thailand, Thailand Bible Society, Camillian Hospital. Excerpt: Full list ¿ Christianity was first introduced to Thailand by European missionaries. Historically it took on a significant role in the modernization of Thailand. It represents 0.8% of the national population. Christians are numerically and organizationally concentrated more heavily in the North, where they make up an estimated 10% of some lowland districts (e.g., Chomtong, Chiang Mai) and up to very high percents in tribal districts (e.g., Mae Sariang, Mae Hong Son). Christianity in Thailand began with the work of missionaries or foreign religious workers. In the 1550s the Portuguese mercenaries and their chaplain arrived in Ayutthaya. By 1660, the Vicariate Apostolic of Siam was established under the leadership particularly of Portuguese and French fathers. Later on, Protestants appeared in the new capital of Bangkok in 1826 through the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions representative, Karl Gützlaff followed by Rev. Jesse Casswell (et al.) and Dr. Dan Beach Bradley. These to both switched affiliations to the American Missionary Association (AMA) in 1848 over their support for the Finney revival emphasis on "perfectionism" that the Congregationalist parent organization found unorthodox, effectively ending the work of the ABCFM in Siam. American Baptists arrived in Thailand in 1833 and American Presbyterians arrived in 1840. Daniel McGilvary and William Clifton Dodd were important names in the formation of the Church in Lanna Kingdom of Northern Thaialnd. Burmese Karen evangelists and Dr. Sung of China were part of the early evangelistic efforts to Thailand up until WWII. Other waves of European and American Protestant missions to Thailand were in 1930 and then again after WWII. Korean and other Asian missionaries came in increasing numbers from the 1970s through the 1990s, such Dr. Kosuke Koyama of Japan. The Laos Mission founded its first church, Chiang Mai Church, now known simply as First Church, Chiang Mai, in 1868. After a brief period of evan