First Anglican ordination for Thailand: The Church of England Newspaper, Nov 26, 2010 p 6.

Archbishop John Chew and the first Thai Anglican priest, the Rev. Pairoj Phiammattawat at Christ Church, Bangkok. Diocese of Singapore photo

First published in The Church of England Newspaper.

The Anglican Church of Thailand as ordained its first priest.

On Oct 31, Archbishop John Chew of Singapore ordained the Rev. Pairoj Phiammattawat to the priesthood at Christ Church, Bangkok, making him the first native priest in the 105-year history of the church’s work in Thailand.

In 1904 King Chulalongkorn donated the land to construct a Protestant church for Western expatriates in the Southeast Asian nation. Constructed in 1905, Christ Church has conducted services in English since its foundation. But in the 1980’s a Thai language ministry was introduced, and work in the Thai deanery of the Diocese of Singapore has expanded to six congregations, three schools, a social services agency, and a university chaplaincy programme.

In an interview published in the Singapore Diocesan Digest, Mr. Phiammattawat stated that though he had been educated in a Catholic mission school as a boy, it was not until he was a teenager that he came to faith in Christ through the intercession of his friends. A social worker by training, Mr. Phiammattawat began his ordination training at the age of 45, studying at the Bangkok Institute of Theology.

“In Thailand, there are many churches,” he noted. “Some operate independently of others and do not see themselves as part of the universal church nor accountable to others. I began to appreciate the sense of family amongst Anglican ministers, our mutual accountability and submission as well as life-long commitment to each other,” he said.

“It is not about me as a pastor with my own supporters or congregation. I serve under a bishop whom I am in submission to and both my congregation and I are part of a larger family,” of Anglicans and Christians across the world he said.

“This is a new journey,” Mr. Phiammattawat said. “I covet your prayers for me and my family, that we will remain faithful to the Lord, the ministry and His church.”