The Roman Catholic Diocese of Chiang Mai (Dioecesis Chiangmaiensis, Thai: สังฆมณฑลเชียงใหม่) in northern Thailand is a suffragan diocese of the archdiocese of Bangkok. Bishop Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana was appointed leader of the Diocese of Chiang Mai. The Chiang Mai Diocese is composed of four provinces in the northern region of Thailand: Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Lamphun, and Lampang (except Ngao District). The diocese covers a land area of 48,013 square kilometers with a total population of 5,709,443. As of 2014, there are 68,975 Catholics with 15,080 Catechumens. There are 47 parishes with 519 minor churches or village chapels, eight schools run by religious institutes, seven diocesan schools and 760 Catholic villages. There are 94 priests, 16 religious brothers, 158 religious sisters and 819 lay catechists who work in the diocese. History The history of the diocese dates back to the time when Siam granted its people the freedom to choose and practice their own religious faith. The followers of various religions were then allowed the freedom to go around and spread their own religious beliefs. The mission to the northern region of the country started when Bishop Jean-Baptiste Pallegoix instructed Fr. Jean-Baptiste Granjean and Fr. Jean-Baptiste Vachal of the Society of Foreign Missions of Paris (Société des Missions étrangères de Paris or M.E.P.) to take a trip to Chiang Mai for the first time on 5 December 1843. It took them 45 days to reach Chiang Mai on 18 January 1844. At first, they received a warm welcome from the city chieftain but afterwards, the chief grew more unwelcoming. As a result, the two religious fathers abandoned their mission and return to Bangkok. In 1913, Bishop Rene Perros revived the proposal to establish a center for evangelization in the northern region. In January 1914 he gave this assignment to Fr. Jean-Baptiste Fouillat and Fr. Joseph Broizat, who traveled to Chiang Mai. After exploring the possibilities of performing missionary activities in the area, they wrote to the bishop that the situation in Chiang Mai looked auspicious. They later bought a six hectare piece of land in the southern part of the city near the Ping River. Bishop Rene Perros' dream was to build a catholic mission in the north. In 1930, Bishop Perros brought Father George Mirabel to the mission together with a Thai priest, Father Nicholas Bunkerd Kitbamrung (who is now recognized as Blessed Nicholas Bunkerd Kitbamrung, Martyr