Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana

Born in Sam Sen, Bangkok, Francis Xavier Vira Arpondratana was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Bangkok on June 7, 1981, by then Archbishop Michael Michai Kitbunchu. He was the vice-rector of St. Joseph's Minor Seminary in Sampran from 1981 to 1985. He went to study Youth Pastoral Ministry and Catechesis at Salesian University in Rome from 1985 to 1988. He then served as a Director of the Diocesan Catechesis Centre until his appointment as bishop (1988–2009). He also serves as Secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Catechesis. He was also a chaplain of St. Joseph Convent school from 1990 to 1998.

On February 10, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as Bishop of Chiang Mai. He was ordained on May 1, 2009, by Cardinal Michael Michai Kitbunchu. Co-consecrators were the Apostolic nuncio in Thailand, Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, and Joseph Sangval Surasarang, former Bishop of Chiang Mai.^[1]

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• Catholic Hierarchy ^{[self-published]}
• Bangkok Archdiocese (Thai)