Asian Elephant
Thailand's national symbol, the Asian elephant has smaller ears than its African cousin and has worked alongside Thai people in forests and ceremonies for thousands of years.
Flag of Thailand
Field Report
Thailand is a country in Southeast Asia, tucked between Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia, with a long coastline that touches two different seas. It is home to about 70 million people, ancient temples, towering mountains in the north, and warm tropical beaches in the south. Most Thai people follow Buddhism and have not yet heard the true story of Jesus, which is why Christians around the world pray for Thailand.
From the Field Notebook
Asian Elephant
Thailand's national symbol, the Asian elephant has smaller ears than its African cousin and has worked alongside Thai people in forests and ceremonies for thousands of years.
Siamese Fighting Fish
Native to the rice paddies and slow streams of Thailand, this fish carries vivid fins of blue, red, and purple that it fans out like a living flag when it feels threatened.
Tokay Gecko
One of the largest geckos in the world, the tokay gecko clings to walls and ceilings across Thailand and makes a loud barking call that sounds almost like it is saying its own name.
Pad Thai
Stir-fried rice noodles tossed with egg, bean sprouts, and peanuts, pad thai is tangy, slightly sweet, and eaten at roadside stalls from breakfast through midnight.
Mango Sticky Rice
Sweet coconut-soaked sticky rice served beside slices of ripe mango, this dessert is fragrant and soft in a way that makes the mango taste even more like sunshine than it normally would.
Tom Yum Soup
A hot and sour broth built on lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves, tom yum delivers a sharp, herby heat that wakes up every taste bud at once.
Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that was never colonized by a European power, and Thai people are deeply proud of that unbroken independence.
Bangkok's full ceremonial name is the longest city name in the world, containing 168 letters in Thai — locals simply call the city Krung Thep, meaning City of Angels.
Thailand grows and exports more rice than almost any other nation on earth, and some Thai families eat rice at every single meal of the day, including breakfast.
The country is home to more than 1,500 species of orchids, many of which grow wild in mountain forests and have never been cultivated anywhere else.
Muay Thai, the traditional martial art of Thailand, uses fists, elbows, knees, and shins as weapons and has been practiced for at least 500 years as both a sport and a form of self-defense.
Daily Life
76
Years life expectancy
91%
Can read and write
101%
Kids go to school
Missions Field Report
Thailand is home to 109 distinct people groups — 72 of them haven’t yet heard about Jesus.
Most Thailand's people follow Buddhism (87.7%). Less than 1% of people in Thailand are Evangelical Christians.
What People Believe
Unreached People Groups
These are communities of people who haven’t had the chance to hear about Jesus yet. They need missionaries — and they need kids like you to pray for them.
Prayer Journal
Tick each one as you pray. God hears every word.
Thai
21,289,000 people
Thai, Isan
18,939,000 people
Thai, Northern
7,758,000 people
Thai, Southern
5,335,000 people
Burmese
2,310,000 people