ASIA/THAILAND - Bishop of Udon Thani resigns, successor appointed

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - The Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI on 14 November 2009, accepted the renunciation of the pastoral government of the Diocese of Udon Thani (Thailand) presented by Bishop George Yod Phimphisan, C.Ss.R. in conformity with the Code of Canon Law, canon 401 § 1. The Holy Father appointed as Bishop of Udon Thani (Thailand), Fr. Joseph Luechai Thatwisai, of the clergy of Udon Thani, Professor at the Lux Mundi National Major Seminary in Sampran (Bangkok) and Secretary of the Biblical Commission of the Bishops' Conference.
The new Bishop was born on December 2, 1962 in Phonsung, in the Diocese of Udon Thani. After having finished his elementary and middle school studies, he entered the Propedeutic Seminary of Nakhon Ratchasima, and later Lux Mundi National Major Seminary in Sampran (Bangkok), for philosophical and theological studies. He was ordained a priest in May 24, 1990 for the Diocese of Udon Thani. He has since ministered as follows: 1990-1991: assistant priest at Baan Phai and Dean of the school in Khonkaen, 1992-1993: Language Studies in Lux Mundi Major Seminary, in preparation for future studies, 1993-1997: Studies for the Licentiate in Sacred Scripture at the Biblicum, in Rome, residing at the Pontifical College of St. Paul the Apostle, 1998: pastoral experience and study of English at the Parish of St. Philip the Apostle, Pasadena (California), United States, 1998-2000: Professor of Biblical Theology at Lux Mundi National Major Seminary, 2000-2006: Studies for a Doctorate in Biblical Studies at the Catholic Institute of Paris, from 2007: Professor of Biblical Theology at Lux Mundi Major Seminary, from 2008: Secretary of the Biblical Commission of the Bishops' Conference.
The Diocese of Udon Thani, erected in 1965, is a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Thare-Nongseng, has an area of 50,046 sq.km. and a population of 5,346,154 inhabitants, of which about 17,000 are Catholics. There are 69 parishes, 33 priests (15 diocesan and 18 religious), 20 seminarians and 100 sisters. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 14/11/2009)