Rev. Fr. Raymond Allyn Brennan

In 1972, Rev. Fr. Raymond Allyn Brennan, a Redemptorist priest, was requested to go to help work at St. Nikolaus Church, Pattaya, temporarily, and one morning when he opened the church door he saw a newborn child left at the stairway front. Not knowing what to do, he took care of the child, asking his friends about “how to give milk and how to change the diaper”. News about the fostering of the child spread, resulting in more children being brought to give to him, most of whom were fruits of the presence of the U.S. military base at Sattahip.

During the Vietnam War, Pattaya became a favorite place of the American servicemen who came for recreations, so there were a large number of abandoned children. A military officer and Father Ray consulted each other on how to find ways and means of aid. Eventually, both of them went to see Bishop Thienchai Samanchit, the Bishop of the Chanthaburi Diocese at the Bishop’s House, Siracha, informing him that the American veterans intended to build a home for orphans at Pattaya and present it to the Diocese, of which Father Ray Brennan volunteered to be the manager, since it was found that many orphans were born of American servicemen in the days of their presence at U-Tapao U.S. base during the Vietnam War.

Bishop Thienchai answered the American military officer, saying, “It is not difficult for you to build a home for orphans and then wash your hand and go home, while it is not known where the Diocese will get money from to feed those orphans”. So he asked for an initial capital of Baht 500,000 (Baht Five Hundred Thousand Only). The American military officer nodded approval but asked for 5 years’ time.

Thereafter, Bishop Thienchai took counsel with his advisors as to whether or not to accept the Pattaya Orphanage. Some of the advisors raised an objection, saying that the orphanage should not be constructed, because it was like supporting the easy existence of a growing number of orphans. Some of them said that even if the orphanage did not exist, there were already a large number of orphans. Eventually, the Diocese passed a resolution accepting the Pattaya Orphanage to belong to the Diocese. Father Ray and the American servicemen constructed the orphanage on a land (of approximately 7.6 acres) of the Diocese, of which the Diocese prescribed 2 acres on the rear side for use as the compound of the orphanage. Brother Connie of the Redemptorist Order was the construction drawing maker, while the Diocese reserved 5.6 acres of the land on the road front side.

In the initial period Father Ray contacted the Sisters (Soeurs) of the Order of St. Paul de Chartre to come to be housekeepers looking after the children.

…On October 24, 1978, the Governor of Chonburi Province issued the Pattaya Orphanage establishment license.

…On March 1, 1979, Bishop Thienchai contacted the Sisters of the Order of Lovers of the Cross of Chanthaburi to come to perform the duties in place to date.

…On January 9, 1981, the National Cultural Commission Secretary General issued the Pattaya Orphanage organization license.

…On March 27, 1981, permission was received to be a child welfare organization operating for the adoption of both Thai and foreign children.

When the 5-year schedule fell due, the American veterans collected the amount of Baht 500,000 to give to the Pattaya Orphanage as they had promised.

In 1995, a 3-storey building was constructed as the lodging or boys and mentors.

In 1999, a 5-storey building was constructed as a learning place of Sot Pattana (Audio Development) Kindergarten for dumb and deaf children and as the lodging of both male and female small orphans.

In 2001, a 2-storey building was constructed, the lower floor being the dining hall, the upper floor being the multi-purpose meeting hall, the last piece of construction for the Pattaya Orphanage.

In 2003, after Father Ray’s death, Father Banchong Chaiyara and Father Larry Patin subsequently managed the work of the orphanage.

In 2006, the first building was overhauled.

It had been until January 1, 2008 when the Chanthaburi Diocese assigned Father Michael Weera Phangrak to be the Pattaya Orphanage Director and Father Kritsada Sukkaphat, the Deputy Director.

Currently the Pattaya Orphanage takes care of approximately 160 orphans, ranging from newborn to studying at the university level.