en ▁ 4 9 , 4 8 9 ▁are ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church . ▁It ▁is ▁divided ▁into ▁ 3 0 ▁par ishes , ▁having ▁ 5 1 ▁pri ests ▁altogether . ▁By ▁December ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁the ▁arch di oc ese ▁had ▁ 5 1 , 2 7 5 ▁C athol ics , ▁ 1 . 6 1 ▁percent ▁of ▁the ▁territory ' s ▁population . ▁▁ 3 ▁dioc eses ▁are ▁suff rag ans ▁of ▁the ▁arch di oc ese : ▁ ▁N akh on ▁R atch as ima ▁ ▁U bon ▁R atch ath ani ▁ ▁U don ▁Th ani ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁arch di oc ese ▁traces ▁its ▁origin ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁Vic ari ate ▁Apost ol ic ▁of ▁La os , ▁which ▁was ▁established ▁on ▁May ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 8 9 9 , ▁responsible ▁for ▁all ▁of ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁n ortheast ▁Th ailand ▁and ▁modern - day ▁La os . ▁The ▁seat ▁of ▁the ▁vic ari ate ▁was ▁at ▁Ban ▁N ons eng , ▁N akh on ▁Ph an om ▁Province . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁the ▁northern ▁part ▁was ▁split ▁off ▁to ▁create ▁the ▁Pref ect ure ▁Apost ol ic ▁of ▁V ient iane ▁and ▁Lu ang - P rab ang . ▁After ▁the ▁independence ▁of ▁La os ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁the ▁vic ari ate ▁was ▁divided : ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁the ▁La