The Shan people are living in Southeast Asia from the area around the Golde Triangle in Burma, Thailand, Southwest China and Laos.

The main group of Shan we find  in the Shan State inside Burma/Myanmar.

Burma now called Myanmar, have had civil war for over fifty years. This country has one of the nineteenth centuries worst record when it comes to violations of human rights. Shan suffer from this, and it forces them to seek refuge in Thailand and other neighboring countries.

The situation of the Shan in Thailand is very difficult. Most have no refugee status, and the only way for them to survive is by hard work and badly paid jobs, and many girls end up in prostitution.

"To be a Shan is to be a Buddhist" it is said. Since the first missionary arrived in 1861, the Shan have been opposing the gospel. Even today, it is less than approx. 0.04% Christians among a population of over five million people and it is considered an unreached people group.
The Shan's are also strongly animists witch is often associated with fear and superstition.

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• Watch a documentary about the Shan people!
  

Facts about missionary work among the Shan

Missionaries began work among the Shan in Burma in 1861. At that time, the Shan State was destroyed because of internal war. These wars, got more of the Shans to emigrate to Thailand, to look for food and safety. The missionaries saw early on that some people were Christians and Shan congregations were established in Burma.

When the missionaries had to leave Burma, some of the churches continued . Currently there are approx. 15,000 Christians, among the 5 million or more Shan Buddhists.

In Thailand,  the missionaries began to work among the Shan in 1953.

The Shan are friendly, but are generally reserved. Today there are only a few hundred Shan speaking believers in Thailand.

China is home to approx. 270,000 Shan and only approx. 500 of them are Christians.

Shan is found in many parts of Thailand, often at construction sites and factories. Shan have come across the border in large numbers despite the fact that the border between Burma and Thailand have often been closed.

Shan does not have refugee status in Thailand, they have no rights and are prone to being misused.

Shan can easily mix with the Thai, because they are very similar, and often the only ones who know that they are Shan, is their employers, and Shan agree to a low salary because they are afraid that their employer will tell the authorities that they are Shan.

• Remember to watch a documentary about the Shan people!