People group profile · PG010927
The Northern Khmer of Thailand
The Northern Khmer of Thailand, numbering about 1,475,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnic Khmer population of northeast Thailand's Surin, Sisaket, and Buriram provinces, descended from communities left behind as the Angkorian Khmer Empire's frontier receded and control shifted toward Ayutthaya.
They are a diaspora people in the Mon-Khmer people cluster of the Southeast Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Theravada Buddhism, and they primarily speak Northern Khmer.
Fast facts
- Country
- Thailand
- Population
- 1,475,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Mon-Khmer
- Primary language
- Northern Khmer (kxm)
- 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
- Location
- Surin, Buriram, Chanthaburi, Sisaket, and Ubon Ratchathani provinces
Where they live
Gospel status
The Northern Khmer 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 Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Northern Khmer
- 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
99% adherents
Primary language
Northern Khmer · Austroasiatic family
80% speak Northern Khmer
Gospel resources in Northern Khmer
- Bible available, published 2003
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Khmer, Northern)
Bibles
- 2003 Thailand Bible Society · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Northern Khmer
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
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