Religion

The Importance of Religion in Thailand

Religion, considered to be an essential pillar of Thai society, provides the major moral force of Thai family life.  Additionally, it has had a fundamental impact in the molding of the freedom loving, tolerant, yet individualistic Thai people.  Thailand is a country of religious freedom, guaranteed by its constitution.  Buddhism is the national religion, but all major religions can be found there.  The King must be Buddhist according to the constitution, but he is also given the title of “Upholder of All Religions.” Thai people have been very successful at living together in peace and harmony, despite the presence of such a rich diversity of religious beliefs.

Buddhism as the Main Religion

Theravada Buddhism is the national religion of Thailand, with roughly 95% of the population practicing regularly. Buddhism provides an empirical way of life that is free of dogma.  Thai people, who esteem their sense of inner freedom, embrace Buddhism’s emphasis on tolerance and individual initiative, and use its flexible moral, philosophical, and ethical framework to fashion their own method of salvation.

Importance of Buddhist Temples

The 27,000 Buddhist temples found in Thailand do much more than provide a place for the faithful to worship.  The majority are found on the outskirts of villages in the countryside, and their main purpose is to aid people in their search for Nirvana.  However, they also function in many other capacities, such as: village hotels, sources of village news, schools, community centers, hospitals, and recreation centers.  In the larger towns, temples may offer hostel accommodations for students who travel from small villages to further their education.  They may also serve as orphanages, providing free room, board, and basic education.  Often, juvenile delinquents have been sent to these larger temples to be reformed by the caring atmosphere of the elderly monks.

Islam in Thailand

In Southern Thailand, Islam is fairly popular amongst Malay descendents, Pakistani immigrants, and scattered Chinese Muslims.  But even in the country’s capital of Bangkok, you can find numerous mosques throughout the city.