Buddhism, especially Theravada Buddhism, is the state religion and the majority of Thai people are Buddhists. However, the freedom of worship has been enshrined in every constitution of the Kingdom since 1932. It has provided that a person shall have complete freedom to profess any religion, denomination or doctrine, and shall have freedom to practice any religious rites in accordance with his belief except in so far as they are inconsistent with his duties as a citizen or incompatible with public order and good morals. Besides, the constitution affirms that the state shall not deprive a person of any right or benefit to which he is entitled by reason of the fact that he professes or practices a religion different from that of others. In practice, the Thai government has accorded people not only religious freedom but also full support to their faiths. The state deems the patronage of religion as one of its affairs. Moreover, under the constitution the king is obliged to be a Buddhist and the Upholder of Religions professed by Thais in the country.
Buddhism teaches that oneΓÇÖs life does not begin with birth and end with death but is a link in a chain of lives, each conditioned by volitional acts (karma) committed in previous existences. The concept of karma, the law of cause and effect, suggests that selfishness and craving result in suffering. Conversely, compassion and love bring happiness and well - being. Therefore, only by eliminating desire can one find peace of mind. The ideal Buddhist aspiration is to attain perfection through Nirvana (Nibbhana), an indescribable, immutable state unconditioned by desire, suffering, or further rebirth, in which a person simply is, yet is completely at one with his surroundings.
After its introduction into Thailand,Buddhism gained wide acceptance because its emphasis on tolerance and individual initiative complemented the ThaisΓÇÖ cherished sense of inner freedom. Fundamentally, Buddhism is an empirical way of life. Free of dogma, it is a flexible moral, ethical, and philosophical framework within which people find room to fashion their own salvation.
While Thailand has encountered several crises through the centuries, Buddhism has never even once suffered any ill fate in this country. On the contrary, it has flourished here from the earliest times. It has had a profound influence over the Thai arts, culture, tradition, and learning; more important still, it has dominated the character of the vast majority of the Thai people. Buddhist way of life is an integral part of national life. Today 94 percent of the whole population are Buddhists, about 4 percent are Muslims, 1 percent are Christians, and the remainder are Brahmins, Hindus, Sikhs, and others.
The Administration of the Sangha
Although the ecclesiastical authority of the Sangha, or the Buddhist Order, rests with an administrative body in the Sangha itself, the government is also responsible for the affairs of the Sangha. But it confines its responsibility only for the matters connected with the state and laity.
Its aim is to promote unity and joint action between the Sangha and the state, and to provide a channel through which the Sangha can communicate with government authorities. In reality, there has always been harmonious cooperation between the Sangha and the state.
Because the prosperity or stagnation of the Sangha depends mainly on its administration, the system of administering the Sangha claims the first and foremost attention. In former days, the King of Thailand, as the Upholder of Religion, regulated and supervised the Sangha himself. As the Sangha became bigger and better established with a large body of learned bhikkhus, it became more autonomous because the king let it run its own affairs through an administrative body called the ΓÇ£TheraΓÇ¥. However, to achieve perfect harmony between the Sangha and the state, the ΓÇ£constitutionΓÇ¥ of the Sangha, which consists of a series of laws, was enacted by the state. Furthermore, the state sees that the constitution will go well with these laws, and has from time to time brought them up to date.
The laws relating to the Sangha that have been passed are :
(a) The Administration of the Sangha Act, 1903;
(b) The Sangha Act of 1941;
(c) The Sangha Act of 1962; and
(d) The Sangha Act of 1992.
Under the Sangha Act of 1941, the organization of the Sangha was patterned after the parliamentary government adopted by the state. The doctrine of the separation of powers was applied and the balance of powers was designed to be attained by checks and balances between the three organs of the Sangha, namely, the Sangha Sabha as the legislature, the Sangha Montri as the executive, and the Binayadhara as the judiciary.
Although the system worked with some degree of success, a discordant note sounded in some quarters to the effect that ecclesiastical matters should not fall within the sphere of politics. These matters should, it was suggested, be left entirely to the administrative body in the Sangha,known as the ΓÇ£TheraΓÇ¥ or the ΓÇ£EldersΓÇ¥ as they were in the days gone by. As a result, a radical change in organization of the Sangha was made by the Sangha Act of 1962 which came into force on January 1, 1963. And consequently the Mahathera Samakhom, the Sangha Supreme Council, was established.
At the opening ceremony of the first session of the Mahathera Samakhom on 21 January 1963, Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat, the late Prime Minister, mentioned in his message to Somdet Phra Sangharaj, the Supreme Patriarch, its President, that it was the intention of the government that the Sangha Act of 1962 should be passed in order to reintroduce the organization of the Sangha as similar as possible to that in the BuddhaΓÇÖs lifetime, and that it was the intention of the government to give support in every possible way to Buddhism which has been the state religion from time immemorial and whose culture is deeply ingrained in the national character. Under the Sangha Acts of 1962 and 1992, the administration of the Sangha is divided into central and local.
The Central Administration of the Sangha
His Majesty the King appoints a selected ΓÇ£TheraΓÇ¥ or ΓÇ£ElderΓÇ¥ to be the Supreme Patriarch, Head of the Buddhist Order. He is responsible for all ecclesiastical affairs of the order.
Under the Sangha Act of 1962, the Sangha Supreme Council, the Mahathera Samakhom, serves as the Consultative Council, to the Supreme Patriarch who, according to the law, possesses absolute power. In reality, he never makes use of such power, but listens to every suggestion presented by members of the council and calls for votes if the matter is controversial.
The council consists of Somdet Phra Raja Khanas (i.e. high dignitaries in the hierarchy of the order next in rank to the Supreme Patriarch) as ex officio member, and not more than twelve nominated by the Supreme Patriarch from Phra Raja Khanas (i.e. high dignitaries below the rank of Somdet Phra Raja Khana) to hold office as nominated members for a term of two years.
Both ex officio and nominated members act as advisers to the Supreme Patriarch in the council.
Present Members of the Mahathera Samakhom
(1) Somdet Phra Phutthapaphotchanabodi
(2) Somdet Phra Phutthachan
(3) Somdet Phra Mahathirachan
(4) Somdet Phra Maharatchamangkhalachan
(5) Somdet Phra Wannarat
(6) Somdet Phra Phutthakhosachan
(7) Somdet Phra Buddhajinawong
(8) Somdet Phra Mahawirawong
According to the Sangha Acts of 1962 and 1992, the Director-General of the Department of Religious Affairs was the ex officio Secretary-General to the Mahathera Samakhom. After 2002, the Director-General of the National Buddhism Office under the Prime Minister administration becomes the ex officio Secretary-General to the Mahathera Samakhom.
The Local Administration of the Sangha
The administration of the order in the provinces is divided up into regions, provinces, districts, and precincts, corresponding to the divisions of the country by the state for administrative purposes. The Chao Khana Yai (Sangha Regional Supervisor) supervises the assigned regions which are under the control of the Chao Khana Phak (Sangha Regional Governor).
The Chao Khana Changwat (Sangha Provincial Governor) controls a province, whereas the Chao Khana Amphoe (Sangha District Officer) controls a district. The Chao Khana Tambon (Sangha Village Officer) takes charge of a precinct and the Chao Avasa or the Abbot, the principal bhikkhu, is responsible for the wat or monastery.
Monasteries
Buddhist monasteries are constructed from charitable contributions from the general public. In order to obtain a permit to build a monastery, the promoters must submit a detailed proposal of the construction to the Sangha Supreme Council through the Directore-General of the National Buddhism Office. After the Sangha Council has granted a permit, the monastery can be built but it will retain the status of a bhikkhusΓÇÖ lodging. It will be granted a Visungamasima (Supra), and will become a juristic person when the promoters of the monastery have certified to the Sangha Supreme Council that the construction of the monastery has substantially been completed and that bhikkhus continuousl y stay for Retreat at the monastery.
The Sangha Act stipulates that any monastery where the bhikkus no longer reside is regarded as an uninhabited monastery. Its property is to be transferred to the General Fund of the Buddhist Order from which expenses for the general promotion of Buddhism may be drawn. Distribution of the Buddhist Population by Order and Discipline in 1998:
Bhikkhus (Phra) 265,956
Samaneras 87,695
Buddhist Monasteries 30,678
Thai Temples Abroad
(Around the world) 125
Present Ecclesiastical (Sangha)
Organizational Structure
The Supreme Patriarch Sangha Supreme Council
(Mahathera Samakhom)
Sangha Regional Supervisor
(The Chao Khana Yai)
Sangha Regional Governor
(The Chao Khana Pak)
Sangha Provincial Governor
(The Chao Khana Changwat)
Sangha District Officer
(The Chao Khana Amphoe)
Sangha Village Officer
(The Chao Khana Tambon)
TempleΓÇÖs Abbot
(The Chao Avasa)
Islam
Muslims comprise ThailandΓÇÖs largest religious minority and are concentrated mainly in the southernmost provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala, and Satun. Islam is said to have been introduced to the Malay Peninsula by Arab traders and adventurers during the 13th century. Most Thai Muslims are of Malay descent, reflecting the common cultural heritage Thailand southernmost provinces shared with Malaysia.
The Department of Religious Affairs works as the Office of the Secretariat for the Haj Promotion Committee of Thailand, and the Director -General is the Secretary of the Haj Promotion Committee of Thailand.
Ninety-nine percent Sunni and one percent ShiΓÇÖite, Thai Muslims enjoy inspirational and financial support from His Majesty the King, who provided funds for translating the Koran into Thai. Each year the King or his representative also presides over celebrations commemorating the Prophet MuhammadΓÇÖs birthday. Moreover, His Majesty appoints a respected Muslim religious leader as Chularajamontri, or State Counselor for all Islamic affairs. The government also provides funds for building and renovating mosques.
In some southern provinces where the Muslim population is substantial, government-employed Muslims are allowed to leave for important Muslim festivals and allowed to work half-day on Fridays, the Muslim holy day. In such provinces family and inheritance cases are judged according to Koranic law with a Muslim religious judge, or kadi, sitting on the bench. In addition, one four monthsΓÇÖ leave with full salary is also granted to allow an employee to perform the Haj, the pilgrimage to Mecca.
There are approximately 3,102 mosques in Thailand, about 164 of which are in Bangkok. Some 200 Muslim schools offer secular as well as religious instruction. All in all, Muslims in Thailand enjoy full state support and are free to teach and practice their religion according to their own tenets.
There are three effective committees, namely: Central Islamic Committee of Thailand, Provincial Islamic Committee, and Islamic Committee for Musjid.
The Central Islam Committee of Thailand is headed by the Chularajamontri and served by 42 Muslim religious experts. Their main function is to make plans and cooperate with the Ministry of Interior and the Department of Religious Affairs concerning their religion.The Provincial Islamic Committee consults with the provincial government regarding Muslim affairs. Lastly, the Islamic Committee for Musjid manages the musjid. Each committee consists of 15 local Muslims, Imam, Qotep, Bilal, and 12 others. The first three positions which are Imam, Qotep, and Bilal are permanent committee positions. The other 12 members hold a 4-year-term position.
Muslim Education
There are two kinds of schools: namely, religious schools and private religious schools with general education curricula approved by the Ministry of Education. Formal education starts at the age of seven. Religious schools are held at the musjids, teaching the basics of Islam.
Christianity
Christianity was introduced to Thailand by European missionaries in the 16th and 17th centuries. These early Catholic missionaries were later joined by Protestants of the Presbyterian, Baptist, and Seventh-Day Adventist sects. Their converts mainly came from ethnic minorities such as the immigrant Chinese. Despite the small number of Thai converts, Christians have made several major contributions in the fields of health and education.
ThailandΓÇÖs first printing press was introduced by Christians, and King Mongkut (Rama IV) learned English and Latin from Christian missionaries.
Though King Mongkut reportedly told one of his missionary friends ΓÇ£What you teach us to do is admirable, but what you teach us to believe is foolish,ΓÇ¥ during his monkshood before ascending the throne, he nonetheless allowed Christian missionaries to give lectures, even in his own monastery. Christians introduced Western surgery, performed the first smallpox vaccinations, trained the first doctors in Western medicine, and wrote the first Thai - English dictionaries.
Hinduism and Sikhism
The approximately 20,000 Indians residing in Thailand are almost equally divided between Hindus and Sikhs. The Hindu community is mostly concentrated in Bangkok, where it worships at four main Hindu temples. There are also several Brahman shrines at which Hindus and Buddhists alike worship. The Hindus operate their own school where the curriculum is based on the Thai education system, though in addition to Thai, it teaches Hindi, Sanskrit, and English.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Thailand welcomes the integration of the different religious groups in the Kingdom. Evidently at present some Muslims have held high positions in the government among them Mr. Wan Muhammad Noor Matha, Minister of Interior and Mr. Surin Pitsuwan, former Minister of Foreign Affairs.
His Majesty the King granted an audience to His Holiness Pope John Paul II during his visit to the Kingdom of Thailand in 1984. Many Christians help in acquisition of education by running schools from kindergarten to university level. This shows that cooperation is highly valued.
Likewise, the Hindus and Sikhs participate in giving education by creating a school for poor children, regardless of religion. They are also charitable to aged people.
Through the centuries Buddhism has been the main driving force in Thai cultural development. Buddhism has coloured everyday Thai life. Although Buddhism became the major religion, Thais have always subscribed to the ideal of religious freedom and harmony.
The government through the Religious Affairs Department annually allocates funds to finance religious education and to construct, maintain, and restore monasteries, mosques, and churches.
At present Thailand is the location of the headquarters of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, an international Buddhist organization consisting of 135 regional centres in 37 countries which promotes coordination and cooperation to enhance Buddhism throughout the world.
