2. Buddhist Cultures in Thailand

The cultures in Thailand are therefore, due to the above facts, formed into one unity, but with their regional diversities in different proportions where alien elements are predominant or otherwise^[1].

The culture of Thailand^[2] expressed in her religion, arts and literature, social system, habits, and customs, reveal a unity in a general sense with her neigbours, the Cambodians, the mons, the Burmeses and partly the Malays^[3].

Fundamentally, the culture of Thailand may be summed up in one word, religion. For every things, arts and literature, social system habits and customs, is developed and clustered around her religion. To complete the facts, Buddhism as the national religion of Thailand is of the southern school, the Hinayan Buddhism, but it reveals some traces of the cults of the Mahayana, Buddhism of the Northern School unconsciously practiced.

Buddhism in a modified form is the mainspring of the national life in Thailand. It has developed by slow creation of centuries to meet every new need, formed their ideals, conceptions and safeguard.

Sculpture in Thailand was confined in the past to casting Buddha images. She carries this art to perfection both in technique and artistic expression. Some ancient specimens of this art can be compared favourably with other nation’s classical arts.

In the Thai social system^[4], the village is the unit. It was, in former day, a self-contained one in its economy and needs. The people’s habits and customs were based mainly on agriculture and religion. Most villages had a Buddhist monastery and a shrine for a village deity. The monastery serve their spiritual needs as well as the people’s education. All arts, crafts and learning emanated from the monastery. From birth till death it centered round it. Its precincts were the meeting place for social gatherings on festive occasions. As to the village shrine it was used only occasionally in times of distress or on New Year’s day when offering were made. It has nothing to do with Buddhism. No doubt Buddhism softened and tamed animism in many of its cults. The above is only a fundamental and comparative statement which a students has to bear in mind when dealing with modern cultural problems. The social system, habits and customs as seen in modern times are superficial modifications of the fundamentals and in a comparative degree only. In some outlying districts where there are retarded developments of cultures due to lack of intercommunication and new idea, the people are still in their primitive state, quite in contrast to the progress in the capital, towns and cities. In these progressive past “old times are changed, old manners gone” and a new type of culture fills its place. This is a sign of progress but it must come gradually. Adapt the old to the new but not in a revolutionally way. The new cultures have also their dangers with problems to be solved, because people take too much interest in politics. To adopt new cultures wholly unsuited to the needs which are peculiar to, and characteristic of each particular place is a danger. Culture ought to be varied with characteristics of its own in each locality and area, harmonizing, however, with the whole: a unity in diversity”^[5].

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

For cultural purposes, Thailand may be divided into four areas, namely the Northern, the North-eastern, the Central and the Southern area.

[2]:

Culture Name: Thai, Alternative Names: Siamese, Central Tai. For more details: http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Thailand.html#ixzz4qOeh0CWW.

[3]:

http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Thailand.html.

[4]:

The most potent national symbols are the king and images associated with Buddhism. The monarch serves as the most important symbol of national identity and unity. Images of the king appear frequently in public and in people's homes, and he is featured often on television and the other mass media. His image is on all banknotes and coins. Showing disrespect for the king is a serious legal offence. Images of the Buddha and shrines are found in public buildings (including schools and government offices) and homes as well as temples. For details: http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Thailand.html#ixzz4qOg29PaR

[5]:

Office of the National Culture Commission, Essays On Cultural Thailand, pp.14-17.