CHANTHABURI, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE OF. - The Christianity of C. (Siam) goes back to the early 18th century. The first Christians were Annamites from Cochinchina, who took refuge in the territory of Siam to escape persecution. The original population consisted of fishermen, and for more than a century and a half fishing was the main occupation of the Christians of C. At present their specialty is the weaving of rush mats. The relative isolation in which this Christian community found itself has meant that it preserved simple and fervent customs. Indeed, most of the old native priests came from there: at present, out of 48 priests living in Siam, 15 are natives of C.
The history of the evangelization of this mission merges with that of the apostolic vicariate of Bangkok, from which it was detached by pontifical bull of 11 May 1944 and entrusted to the native clergy. The territory of the vicariate has an area of 26,700 sq km. The total population is about 600,000 inhabitants. It is composed of different races: Annamites (mostly Catholics); Siamese, Buddhists, unconcerned about the life to come, very inconstant, difficult to convert and even more difficult to keep as Christians; Cambodians, of the same character as the Siamese; Chinese, energetic, combining with their defects very fine qualities and more open to the possibility of conversion and also of perseverance. The number of Catholics is approximately 9,000.
C., the capital of the province of the same name, is the residential city of the Ordinary. There is a large and beautiful church, a convent of the Sisters Lovers of the Cross, several schools for boys and girls, three orphanages. The minor seminary is at Siracha. For philosophical and theological studies the students are sent to the general college of Penang, in the diocese of Malacca.