Thailand
Location:
Thailand is situated in the middle of mainland southeast Asia. Around 6 million people live in Bangkok, the capital and the only major city.
Language:
Thai. Many dialects of the Thai language are spoken throughout the country.
Common Religions:
Buddhism; mix of Theravada Buddhism, Hinduism, and animism; Islam. About 1.2% are Christians, with less than half of one percent Catholic.
Problems for people here:
Much of PIME’s work in the country is with the Hill Tribes of the rural North. Many of the population are laborers and can often live as working-poor. These isolated communities do not often have a means to provide an education, and so children have to travel to different areas of the country to receive it, often through the help of donors. Thailand is rapidly becoming industrialized and adapting to many of the youth moving to the large cities in the hopes of establishing a new way of life for themselves. Thailand is confronting numerous social crises. The gap between the poor and the rich is very wide and increasing. The country is also has a major human trafficking and related crime problem.
How PIME helps the mission here:
PIME works with children who have disabilities, focusing on their cognitive and intellectual development, while also working to abolish the stigma that is placed on their condition. Education of all disadvantaged children in the country is a priority for PIME, much like in many Asian countries where we are present. PIME also works with the nomadic Hill Tribe people in the North of the country, ensuring that they receive a proper education, despite what their financial situation may be. Often, these kids will travel great distances and stay in hostels for the duration of their educations. Inter-religious dialogue is also a very important aspect of the mission in Thailand; one of our missionaries received his Masters in Buddhism, studying with monks to better find common threads to relate to one another on.
