People group profile · PG010918
The Tai Long of Thailand
The Tai Long of Thailand, numbering about 100,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Tai people also called Shan or Tai Yai who migrated from Yunnan into the Shan Plateau by the 11th century, with communities later spreading into northern Thailand's Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai provinces from the late 19th century onward.
They are an indigenous people in the Shan people cluster of the Southeast Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Theravada Buddhism, and they primarily speak Shan.
Fast facts
- Country
- Thailand
- Population
- 100,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Shan
- Primary language
- Shan (shn)
- Primary religion
- Theravada Buddhism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Tai Long 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 Tai Long
- 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
Theravada Buddhism · Buddhism
80% adherents
Primary language
Shan · Tai-Kadai family
100% speak Shan
Gospel resources in Shan
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Bibles
- 2002 Thailand Bible Society · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Tai Long
- 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.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
Tai Shan in other countries
The same people (ROP3 113721) is reported in 1 other country.
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