thai culture
a buddhist nation
While roughly 95% of Thais are practitioners of Theravada Buddhism, the official religion of Thailand, religious
tolerance is both customary and protected by the constitution.
By its very nature, Buddhism is a compassionate and tolerant religion, the aim of which is alleviation of
suffering. Consequently Thais are very respectful of the religious beliefs of others and are very open toward
discussing their Buddhist values to others. In fact, there are many opportunities to visit temples in Thailand and
to study Buddhism or learn how to meditate. Religion in Thailand pervades many aspects of Thais life and senior
monks are highly revered. It is not uncommon to see their images adorning walls of businesses, homes, or as
ornaments inside taxi cabs.
In many towns and villages, the neighborhood temple is the heart of the social and religious life of the
community. Buddhist holidays occur regularly throughout the year and many Thais go to temples on these
important days to pay homage to Buddha and give alms to the monks to make merit for themselves.
Meditation, one of the primary practices of Buddhism, is a means of reflection in order to identify the cause of
individual desire and ultimately alleviate ones suffering. Visitors can learn the fundamentals of this practice at a
number of temples across the Kingdom. Some temples even allow visitors to chat with monks in order to gain
general knowledge about Buddhism or to study it more seriously. While Theravada Buddhism may technically
be considered a philosophy rather than a religion (there is no God), Thai Buddhism is infused with many spiritual
beliefs which are likely the result of lingering animist and Hindu beliefs from centuries earlier.
Most Thai homes and places of business feature a spirit house just outside the building, where offerings are
made to appease the spirits that might otherwise inhabit their homes or workplaces. Furthermore, Buddhist
monks are often brought to new homes or businesses to bless them, and Thais frequently light incense sticks
and pray both to the Buddha images and a host of other Hindu gods whose shrines are located throughout
Bangkok and the countryside.
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