CHANTABURI, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE of. — The Christianity of C. (Siam) dates back to the beginning of the eighteenth century. The first Christians were Annamites from Cochinchina, who took refuge in Siamese territory to escape persecution. The original population consisted of fishermen, and for more than a century and a half fishing was the principal occupation of the Christians of C. At present, their specialty is the weaving of reed mats. The relative isolation in which this Christian community found itself enabled it to preserve simple and fervent customs. Indeed, most of the older indigenous priests were natives of that region: at present, out of 48 priests living in Siam, 15 are natives of C.
The history of the evangelization of this mission is intertwined with that of the Apostolic Vicariate of Bangkok, from which it was separated by a pontifical bull of 11 May 1944 and entrusted to the indigenous clergy. The vicariate covers an area of 26,700 sq km. The total population is approximately 600,000 inhabitants. It is composed of various races: Annamites (mostly Catholic); Siamese, Buddhists, indifferent to the future life, highly inconstant, difficult to convert and even more difficult to keep Christian; Cambodians, of the same character as the Siamese; Chinese, energetic, combining splendid qualities with their defects and more open to the possibility of conversion and also of perseverance. The number of Catholics is approximately 9,000.
C., 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 Amanti della Croce, several schools for boys and girls, and three orphanages. The minor seminary is in Siracha. For philosophical and theological studies, the students are sent to the general college of Penang, in the diocese of Malacca.