People group profile · PG010892
The Moken of Thailand
The Moken of Thailand, numbering about 2,300 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an Indigenous Austronesian sea‑nomadic people who traditionally live throughout the Mergui Archipelago (Myanmar) and the Andaman Sea waters of Thailand.
They are an indigenous people in the Malay people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Moken.

Fast facts
- Country
- Thailand
- Population
- 2,300
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Malay
- Primary language
- Moken (mwt)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Also known as
- Chao Lay, Salon, Salone
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Moken are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Moken
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Animism · Ethnoreligion
80% adherents
Primary language
Moken · Austronesian family
84% speak Moken
Gospel resources in Moken
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Moken)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Moken
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
Moken in other countries
The same people (ROP3 106723) is reported in 1 other country.
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