Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Ayutthaya

Saint Joseph Catholic Church, Ayutthaya, is the first Roman Catholic church in Thailand. It is located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River in Samphao Lom Subdistrict, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province. The church was built during the Ayutthaya period. According to records by the priests and Bishop François Pallu, the first building was constructed in 1662, three years after his arrival in Thailand. Illustrations of the church are included in his book written in 1667-1668. However, in the records of Father François-Timoléon de Choisy, who arrived with the embassy, it is noted that the church had students from various countries, with excellent management. Vietnamese and Khmer students were proficient in Latin, and there were also Thai and Mon students. The church was thriving and was expected to be constructed with bricks and mortar in the future. As of Sunday, October 21, 1685, it had not yet been built with bricks.