Thailand RELIGION
Procession of decorated rockets for Fire Festival
Courtesy Tourism Authority of Thailand
King Bhumibol during his period of service as
a Buddhist monk
Courtesy Royal Thai Embassy
King Bhumibol performing ceremony with members of
the Sangha
Courtesy Royal Thai Embassy
Theravada Buddhism, the form of Buddhism practiced in Sri
Lanka, Burma, Cambodia, and Laos, was the religion of more than
80 percent of the Thai people in the 1980s. These coreligionists
included not only the core Thai, but most other Tai speakers, as
well as the Khmer, the Mon, and some members of other minorities,
among them the Chinese. Relatively few Thai were adherents of
Mahayana Buddhism or other religions, including Hinduism,
Christianity, Taoism, animism, and Islam. Of these only Islam,
largely identified with but not restricted to Southern Thai of
Malay origin, was a dominant religion in a specific geographic
area.
Theravada Buddhism was the established religion, in that
there were formal organizational and ideological links between it
and the state. Thai rulers (the king formerly, and the military
and bureaucratic oligarchy subsequently) sought or--if they
thought it necessary--commanded the support of the Buddhist
clergy or sangha, who usually acquiesced to (if not
welcomed) the state's support and protection. A Thai religious
writer pointed out that Thailand was the only country in the
world where the king was constitutionally required to be a
Buddhist and upholder of the faith.
Buddhism's place in Thai society was by no means defined
solely by its relation to the state. The role of religious belief
and institutions in Thai life had changed, and, with increasing
commercialism and urbanization, some observers questioned the
prevalence of Thai piety and good works. However, the peasant's
or villager's view of the world remained at least partly defined
by an understanding of Buddhist doctrine, and significant events
in his or her life and community were marked by rituals performed
or at least supervised by Buddhist clergy. Often, the villager's
city-dwelling siblings would return to the home village for
significant events such as weddings and funerals. Additionally,
much of Thai village life--social, political, economic, and
religious--centered on the local wat.
As is often the case when a scripturally based religion
becomes dominant in a largely agrarian society, the religious
beliefs and behavior of most Thai were compounded of elements
derived from both formal doctrine and other sources. The latter
either developed during the long history of Buddhism or derived
from religious systems indigenous to the area. Implementation of
the same Buddhist rite and tradition often varied from region to
region. In Central Thailand, for example, praiseworthy priests
were selected and honored by the king, whereas in the Northeast
this recognition was bestowed by the people.
Data as of September 1987
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