ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author shares with people his experience and observations as a Thai Catholic. A number of significant shifts have occurred in the Thai cultural context over the past half-century. The author concerns the decline in Thai Catholic life as Catholic village communities changed for a number of reasons, including the migration of young people to urban, predominantly Buddhist communities. According to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Thailand (Thai Catholic Calendar, 2001), there are 660 priests, 1429 religious sisters and 122 religious brothers in Thailand. The ratio of Catholics to priests in Thailand is approximately 412 to 1. The research of Nipa Muangrat confirms that Thai Catholics who receive religious messages early in life have a higher level of Catholic knowledge, faith and engagement in fervent religious activities. Furthermore, Thai Catholics receive information from many parts of the world, distracting their attention from church initiatives.
