I was hoping to avoid any potentially inflammatory titles, as I’m hoping to discuss what to me has been one of the biggest discrepancies between what’s perceived (at least by the outsiders) to be a key component of the Thai culture, and the reality on the ground. This has to do with what I see as a big disparity between the general perception of Thailand as a Buddhist country, and the actual reality of Buddhism in Thailand and its impact (or often lack of) on the everyday culture.
To get this out of the gate, after having spent a couple of years in Thailand now, I have a strong sense that for the vast majority of Buddhist Thais, their adherence to the Buddhist values is comparable to folks from Christian families in primarily-Catholic countries whose adherence to their religion ends at celebrating Easter, Christmas, and maybe going to Church on special occasions to fulfill their perceived duty.
This is in stark contrast to Buddhists I met in non-Buddhist countries, who after choosing this religion, typically focus intensely on its core values, especially the inner work. Which seems to be extremely rare in Thailand. As an example, while I am aware that most Thais are taught the basics of meditation at a young age, it does not appear that many Thais actually do that later in their lives.
There are certain common aspects of the modern Thai society that often strongly go against those core Buddhist values. Enjoying the experiences above any material possessions, embracing the present moment, noticing and showing appreciation to the simple things in life, are things I find LESS common in Thailand than in many non-Buddhist countries. Let alone among Buddhists outside of Thailand and those in Thailand – they often seem like the polar opposites in terms of adherence or even understanding of those core values.
While I know that there are devout Buddhists in Thailand as well, it appears that the majority of the society is focused on maintaining a shell of the Buddhist infrastructure (including the Temples and Monks), and participating in select ceremonies/festivals, without getting much out of it themselves. They may be donating to a local temple, while completely ignoring the actual message, core, and the values of Buddhism. To a pretty extreme degree too.
On top of that, even the ceremonies and mannerisms are to an enormous extent influenced by Thai folk religions or belief systems, which have nothing to do with Buddhism. A great example is with folks praying or performing ceremonies asking for more money / superficial gain in life. Or believing in “lucky” things or superstitions which would be a pretty confusing and perhaps even offensive idea to an actual Buddhist. Let alone a Monk, while those here appear to be playing along into the folk beliefs, that often oppose the core Buddhist mission to prioritize own inner/spiritual growth.
I’m still not quite sure how to process that a society where 92.5% of folks identify with a belief system that at its core preaches inner work, mindfulness, teaches that posessions are meaningless and all value is found in spirituality, somehow resulted in a society which appears to overwhelmingly live on their phones, and prizes arbitrary status or especially superficial posessions like cars or luxury goods above most. It’s kind of fascinating.
I’m not writing this to criticize this element of the Thai culture. I’m curious if there are any Buddhists on this sub to chime in and share your experiences, and perhaps validate or challenge my observations. I’m not a Buddhist myself, and my knowledge is limited to studying it before my arrival in Thailand, and incorporating some of its common habits (like meditation/mindfullness). But the Thai practice of what I thought is at its core, or what to me seems like the lack of it, as well as how strikingly contradictory the mainstream Thai culture appears to be from many core values of Buddhism, were very surprising to me.
