We live in a place in God’s world that is filled with rich cultural beauty and heritage. It is a place where dozens and dozens of very different unreached people groups live and exist together in relatively good harmony. These people groups cross “geo-polical” boundaries and live in Thailand, modern day Myanmar (formerly named Burma), China, Laos, and some in Vietnam. The largest of these unreached people groups living in Thailand are the Khon Muang or better known as the Northern Thai. There are many names that people have given to this unreached people group in the past. Other names they have been given are Tai Yuan, Lanna, Yonok, Payap, Tai Wang, and Tai Nya just to name a few. It is estimated that there are 33,000 from this unreached people group (UPG ) living in the country of Laos but the majority of this UPG – some 7,466,000 – live in Northern Thailand. The heart of this UPG is right here in the city of Chiang Rai where my family lives. Others believe that there are still thousands living in Myanmar, Vietnam and in China but the research is still incomplete.
It has been my opinion for many years now that this unreached people group of the Khon Muang is one of the least reached and most overlooked, yet one of the most strategic people groups in Southeast Asia. This people group has the influence, the respect, and the potential to reach out and become great fishers of men for the cause of Christ but they must be won to Jesus first and then discipled and taught how to follow the Lord and become the fishers of men God desires for them to become.
Hundreds of years ago the Northern Part of Thailand was not incorporated into the kingdom of Thailand that we know today. No. The Northern part of Thailand along with parts of Burma, parts of Laos, Southwest China, and parts of Vietnam were ruled under a Kingdom know as the Lanna Kingdom. The founder of this Kingdom – King Meingrai – was the leader of this people group called the Khon Muang people. A twenty minute drive from my home will put you at the place where a moment and stature of King Meingrai has been erected. The spirit of King Meingrai is believed to still reside here and prayers of blessing are made at this site every single day by the Khon Muang people who still do not know about Jesus.
This is a picture taken of the statue of the founder of this great kingdom of times past. The Lanna people were the movers and the shakers of times past in and around Northern Thailand and the reality is that today they are still the movers and the shakers in Northern Thailand making up most of the population. Yet, less than ½ of 1 percent of this UPG know Jesus as their personal Savior. But God is at work. NTIM has seen a great move of God among these people and we want to continue to join God in reaching this unreached people group for Jesus and helping equip them to reach many other people groups in this part of God’s World for the glory of God. Would you join us in this great effort as we seek to join God in what He is doing and wants to do in and through the Khon Muang UPG?
