First Presidency welcomes Thai ambassador to Temple Square

Church leaders and ambassador discuss shared values and recent humanitarian collaborations

21 March 2026, 3:00 p.m. MDT

President Dallin H. Oaks, left, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shakes hands with Suriya Chindawongse, the ambassador of Thailand to the United States, in the Church Administration Building on Friday, March 20, 2026. — President Dallin H. Oaks, left, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, shakes hands with Suriya Chindawongse, the ambassador of Thailand to the United States, in the Church Administration Building in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 20, 2026. Leslie Nilsson, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The First Presidency and an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints welcomed Suriya Chindawongse, the ambassador of Thailand to the United States, to Temple Square in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 20.

The ambassador was greeted by President Dallin H. Oaks and his counselors in the First Presidency, President Henry B. Eyring and President D. Todd Christofferson, reported ChurchofJesusChrist.org on March 20. They were joined by Elder Gérald Caussé of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Nicha Sakulyuenyong and Pemikar Lusananon, both of the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the ambassador Thailand and those from the Royal Thai Embassy pause for photo during a meeting in the Church Administration Building in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 20, 2025. — Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and representatives of Thailand's embassy in the United States pause for photo during a meeting in the Church Administration Building in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 20, 2025. They are, front row, left to right: President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency; Suriya Chindawongse, the ambassador of Thailand to the United States; Church President Dallin H. Oaks; and President D. Todd Christofferson, second counselor in the First Presidency; back row, left to right: Pemikar Lusananon of the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, D.C.; Elder Gérald Caussé of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; and Nicha Sakulyuenyong of the Royal Thai Embassy. | Leslie Nilsson, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The Church leaders and Chindawongse discussed the shared values of education, family and service, and reviewed the positive impact of recent humanitarian collaborations between the Church and the Kingdom of Thailand.

Those collaborations have included an initiative in 2025 with the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to provide computers and educational technology to schools and institutions throughout the country. Last year, the Church also donated neonatal resuscitators and warmers to more than 20 hospitals in Thailand, continuing a 20-year collaboration with the Neonatal Society of Thailand to improve newborn care.

President Dallin H. Oaks speaks with Suriya Chindawongse, the ambassador of Thailand to the United States, in the Church Administration Building on Friday, March 20, 2026. — President Dallin H. Oaks, center left, speaks with Suriya Chindawongse, the ambassador of Thailand to the United States, in the Church Administration Building in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 20, 2026. | Leslie Nilsson, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

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2025 also marked the debut of Light the World Giving Machine kiosks in Bangkok, Thailand. In addition to options to donate to global charities, the kiosks in Bangkok included local Thai charities.

Chindawongse’s visit to Utah also included academic, governmental and institutional engagements aimed at strengthening relationships and promoting dialogue, ChurchofJesusChrist.org reported.

The first Latter-day Saint missionary arrived in Bangkok in 1854 and stayed for four months, according to the Church’s history of Thailand. In the 1960s, Latter-day Saint expatriate families began to meet together, the first Thai convert was baptized, and the first missionaries assigned to preach in Thai arrived in Bangkok. The first meetinghouse was dedicated in 1974, and the Book of Mormon was published in Thai in 1976. The first stake was created in 1995. The late Church President Russell M. Nelson visited Thailand during his global ministry in 2018.

There are more than 24,000 Church members in 43 wards and branches in Thailand, according to the most recent numbers available. The Bangkok Thailand Temple was dedicated in 2023.