By SC THA

Chonburi, Thailand, 27 August 2024 -- Our mission of providing education to Thai youth is a prominent part of Catholic missionary work in Thailand, a predominantly Buddhist society that makes up 95% of the population. Through our work of education, we have the opportunity to bring the good news of Christ to children and youth, where they learn and absorb the values of the Gospel and Christian virtues.

The Catholic Education Council of Thailand was established in 1990 by the Bishops' Conference of Thailand, in which all Catholic schools, both those run by the religious and the laity, are members. There are currently more than 280 Catholic schools throughout the country, with over 450,000 students enrolled.

Every year, the Catholic Education Council of Thailand organizes an annual seminar, and this year is its 53rd, on the topic “Walking With The Young On A New Path”. This was held at the Asia Hotel, Pattaya, Chonburi Province, from 18-21 August 2024. Members of the Salesian Family responsible for educational institutions of the five Congregations (SDB FMA SIHM DQM SQM) also participated in the seminar.

On 21 August 2024, the Salesians were invited to give a talk during the 'Best Practices Session' on the care of the young according to the Salesian Spirit. Father Boonlert Panitatthayasai, the Salesian Provincial, gave a talk on “The Salesian Preventive System”. In addition, Ms. Wiramon Buadaeng, a representative from Mary Help of Christians School, Sam Phran, presented her work on “Building the Competencies of Students”, which is the result of applying the Salesian Preventive System in education management that creates students with clear competencies. This talk received great attention from the seminar participants. Don Bosco’s educational methods are still modern and can be applied in the formation of today’s youth.

In addition, the affiliated schools of the Salesian Family in Thailand, which are the activities of the 5 religious communities under the Salesian Family, consisting of the SDB, FMA, SIHM, DQM and SQM, have a total of 28 schools. According to the statistics of the 2024 academic year, there are 45,328 students under the care of these educational institutions (SDB 7 schools = 15,979 students, FMA 5 schools = 8,955 students, SIHM 9 schools = 16,212 students, DQM 2 schools = 2,090 students and SQM 5 schools = 2,092 students), with a total of 2,898 teaching personnel.

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