Boon Tuan was born on July 18, 1865 in the village of Bang-Pa, Ratchaburi province, Thailand. After the death of his father, Boon Tuan"s family moved to Bangkok, where Boon Tuan and his brother Boon Yee were enrolled at the Christian school at Samray.
Boon Tuan graduated from Williams in 1889 and then enrolled in Auburn Theological Seminary to study for the Christian ministry.
Boon-Itt also founded Padoongrasdra School (Thai: โรงเรียนผดุงราษฎร์) in Phitsanulok province. In 1881, Boon Tuan was enrolled in Williston Seminary, Easthampton, Massachusetts. At this school, and then later at Williams College, Boon Tuan excelled in academics and athletics.
As a student at Williams, Boon Tuan had an evangelical Christian conversion experience and worked with the Young Men"s Christian Association (Young Men’s Christian Association) at the college.
In 1893, Boon Tuan returned to Siam (now Thailand) to begin Christian ministry work in his native country. The newly married couple moved to Phitsanulok, Thailand to begin Christian work in the province.
In 1899, he founded a school for boys which is currently called Padoongrasdra School. Boon Tuan accepted this call to plant a church in Bangkok.
Boon Tuan died of cholera in Bangkok, Thailand on May 8, 1903.
In remembrance of Boon-Itt, Prince Damrong of Thailand"s royal family stated, "Boon-Itt was a true Christian. You may not know that I offered him a position which would have led to high titles of nobility from the King of Siam, to the governorship of a large province, and to a large increase in his income. Yet he declined these honors and financial benefits that he might continue in the service of Jesus Christ." The school and church Boon Tuan founded still exist.
