12/21/2023 Thailand (International Christian Concern) — More Christians from the minority Hmong and Montagnard people groups from Vietnam have been arrested and harassed in Thailand this month.

In recent years, many Christians have fled to Thailand for safety and asylum after facing religious persecution in their native Vietnam. But they find more oppression in Thailand as local officials crack down on these fleeing Christians.

International Christian Concern (ICC) has supported local partners working with Hmong and Montagnard Christians who have fled Vietnam because of severe persecution. The Hmong Human Rights Coalition reported that as of December 2023, there were more than 1,000 Hmong asylum seekers in Thailand. Other groups estimate over 1,500 Montagnards are in Thailand because of persecution in Vietnam.

In the last few weeks, more Vietnamese have been arrested by Thai police:

• Lù A Da – Lù was arrested on Dec. 7 in Bangkok. He is still incarcerated at a local police station. Lù was a former missionary with the Northern Evangelical Church of Vietnam but fled to Thailand in 2020 because of persecution.
• 11 Montagnard Christians, arrested in November, remain locked up in an Immigration Detention Centre. They were arrested near Bangkok.

Please join us in praying for these persecuted believers who are struggling this Christmas in Thailand.