T H A I L A N D
Bringing hope to Thailand
Many Pakistani Christians seek asylum in Thailand, but they do so with almost no protection. Only 5 percent of the entire number of applications to the UNHCR who were approved for refugee status are Christian. Even those who are granted refugee status have little legal protection because Thailand is not a signatory to the 1951 convention of the UNHCR, therefore they do not recognize asylum status. Under Thai law, any refugee who overstays their tourist visa is illegally in the country.
Since 2012, the crackdown on asylum seekers has intensified, which has caused the number of Pakistani Christians in Thailand to decrease to only around 400 families. The largest crackdown took place just two months ago, on 9 October 2023, when about 100 Pakistani Christians were arrested and sent to the Immigration Detention Centres (IDCs). It is estimated that there are currently about 380 Pakistani Christians in these IDCs.
Death, disease, starvation, and continuously living in hiding from immigration authorities to escape permanent imprisonment in stinking dungeons – this is what life has become for many Pakistani Christians stranded in Thailand for years. Several heroic Thai locals have come forward to help sustain these asylum seekers. However, our Christian Pakistani brothers and sisters are still hoping for support from other Christians worldwide, as they feel abandoned in their agony and despair.
Only 5% of Pakistani Christians have refugee status in Thailand,
most live without any legal protection and live in fear of being detained in horrendous conditions.
As you can imagine many of these families struggle to make ends meet and every single family there is reliant on hand outs and charity. Most of theses asylum seekers are from middle-class or wealthy backgrounds and have lost everything when fleeing a blasphemy allegation or rape and forced marriage.
Believers in Hiding
In hiding because of the crackdown, many of the Christians have moved from Bangkok to remote areas. Immigration authorities started raiding condos, factories and restaurants and have even begun stopping foreigners from countries like Myanmar, India and Pakistan at malls, to ask them to show their passports. Some asylum seekers have taken to draping black sheets over their windows and doors and putting locks on their entrances to give the impression that they are away. In this situation, the lifeline to these families is a WhatsApp connection through which they stay connected with others in the same situation.
Hard reality in Thailand
Faith story of Persecution
My name is Ruby, and I was born in 1985 in Faisalabad, Pakistan, into a Christian family. I finished my college studies in 2005 and got a diploma in textile design and fine art in 2007. In that same year, my family had a serious accident, which changed my life.
After the accident, a person sent by God introduced our family to Christianity. This event led me to focus on my spiritual education. I started going door-to-door with my pastor to spread the word of God. I became very devoted to my faith, spending nights and days in prayer and fasting, and had many spiritual experiences.
In 2009, I married into a Catholic family, and together, we served in a Pentecostal church. I also helped my husband change his life. We started a prayer group, engaged in charitable work, and preached the word of God in different cities. We even began beauty courses for underprivileged girls and opened a free tuition center for needy children.
While we were blessed spiritually, we also started a successful electronics business in a Muslim-majority area, which was unusual for a Christian family. However, some people in the market conspired against us and falsely accused my husband of blasphemy. This put our lives in danger, so we decided to leave Pakistan and start anew in Thailand as asylum seekers.
In Thailand, I saw the struggles of other asylum seekers and refugees who lacked food, education, and employment. I prayed to God to help us all, especially the children who wanted good food, education, and a place to call home. The biggest challenge was the lack of education, which could shape their futures.
God gave me a vision, and with the help of Brother Naeem, we started a program to teach English through the Bible. It's been successful, and people are happy. They shared their stories, proving that God is with us.
Mission Trip to Bangkok Thailand December 2023
Lots of Stories filled with tears, and a profound sense of love. Although challenges persist, the foundation of relationships in Christ remains strong.
Help us bring hope to the Christians abandoned in their agony and despair in Thailand
Hear it from the people.
Kazuto Kishi is our official representative in Thailand. Kazuto is a man of God who has known Naeem Zafar for over 10 years. He has the heart to serve and loves to work among Pakistani Christians and is working to meet their spiritual and physical needs.