OFM Thailand

The Franciscans had arrived in Thailand in 1582 and stayed here until the destruction of Ayutthaya in 1767. They can be considered the first bearers of the faith to the Kingdom of Siam, since the Portuguese Dominicans who arrived a bit earlier did not stay in the Kingdom for long. Although we are not well informed of the work of the first friars in Thailand, looking at their diaries, we can find friars in Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, Chumpon and Chantaburi. In 1985, the Franciscans began a new mission in Thailand, with the kind invitation of His Eminence Cardinal Michai Kitbunchu, the current Cardinal of the archdiocese of Bangkok, bought a 40 rai piece of land in 43 Moo 8 Lamsai, Lamlukka, Pathumthani-12150, and build a retreat center, which was the aim for which the Franciscans were invited to enter Thailand.

It was the SAAO Conference with Anselm Moons (Dutch missioner in Pakistan, Gen Def. for Asia) decided to start mission in Thailand.

The first friars were Gus Fernandez (Pakistan) and Jim Heinsch (USA, a missioner in the Philippines) arrived in Bangkok June, 1985. Since then, they have been many friars from different countries came to Thailand; Benny Baisas (Philippines), Des Lean (Australia), Tony Egiguren (Spain, Korea), Gabriel Sabolla (Genova), George Boggs (Australia), Stefano Cho (Korea), Peter Montallana (Philippines), Doug Hamill (USA), John Summers (USA), Celso Larracas (Philippines), Joseph Peleba tolok, (Indonesia), Joseph O’toole (Scotland).

At present there are eight friars in Thailand. Francis Xaverius Sutardja, (Indonesia), Manipadath Varkey Johnson, (India), Paulo Cezar Magalhaes Borges, (Brazil, went back 2010), Alforinus Gregorius Pontus, (Indonesia), Honarat Piotr Cwikla (Poland, went back 2010), Arvind Kerketta (India), Athanasius Xaxa (India), Jesus Galeote Tormo (Spain). There are simple professed, student of theology, novices, postulants, pre-postulants and aspirants in formation.

We, Franciscan friars, are present in Bangkok, (30 KM from the Bangkok International Airport), Lamsai, (35 KM north east from the Bangkok international airport), Samphran. (40 KM from Bangkok), Prachuabkirikhan, (about 350 KM from Bangkok) and planning to expand to other dioceses of Thailand in the future.
The original goals of the Franciscan Foundation were to enter into dialogue with Buddhism and Buddhist culture, contemplation, give witness to the Franciscan way of Life and to seek out and foster Thai vocations. We continue to hold on to the original dream through our present day mission.

The Mission of the friars are managing a retreat center in Lamsai, running an AIDS hospice for the terminally ill and the dying in Lamsai, formation, and pastoral care of a parish. In Prachuabkirikhan, in the south of Thailand, there is a parish and three mission stations and a house of initial formation. Besides the above mentioned, friars are also engaged in different activities according to the needs of the time; such as promoting inter-religious dialogue, teaching catechism and English in schools, organizing youth camps, spiritual care of the Secular Franciscans in Bangkok, Ubon and Chiangrai, assisting economically poor students for education, pastoral visit to the sick, occasional visit to the hill tribes in the northern region of Thailand, conducting vocation promotion activates etc.