Panya Kritcharoen

Who is Panya Kritcharoen?

The Most Reverend. John Bosco Panya Kritcharoen is the bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Ratchaburi, Thailand.

Born in Bangtan-Banpong, Ratchaburi province, he studied in Thailand and the United States. He was ordained as priest on May 22, 1976 in Ratchaburi, and then worked as assistant priest, parish priest, as well as school headmaster, rector of the diocesan minor seminary, director of the Centre for Evangelisation, member of the Commission for the Pontifical Mission Societies, president of the Commission for Evangelisation of Peoples and pastoral care for health workers.

While being parish priest of Chombung, he was appointed as the bishop of the diocese of Ratchaburi by Pope John Paul II on March 18, 2005. He was consecrated on May 28 by Cardinal Michael Michai Kitbunchu.