Experiences of Religious Pluralism in Thailand: Lessons for Southeast Asian Countries
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International Journal of Interreligious and Intercultural Studies (IJIIS) ISSN: 2654-2706, Volume 2, Number 1, April 2019 EXPERIENCES OF RELIGIOUS PLURALISM IN THAILAND: LESSONS FOR SOUTHEAST ASIAN COUNTRIES Montri Kunphoommarl Department of History, Faculty of Social Sciences, Naresuan University, Thailand <[email protected]> Abstract This paper used the historical approach to overview the patterns and practices of religious pluralism in Thai context. The past research work on religious pluralism will be examined in order to ›nd out what concepts and approaches have been used and how they could implement in reality. Most Thai people practice in Buddhism, and they do not have any confiicts with other Thai Muslims or Christian. They live peacefully and harmoniously in co-existence among different religious adherents. The case of Thai Buddhist and Thai Muslim live together happily in the Southern communities will be employed and discussed using social and cultural capital analytical approach. The factors and conditions concerning with religious pluralism are analyzed more in details. The applications of religious pluralism in the study to other Southeast Asian countries will also recommend. Introduction in these areas. In the southern part of Thailand, 3 During the period from January provinces. Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat 2004 to June 2013, the unrests peaked are rich in natural resources. Both Thai in these southern border provinces Buddhists and Muslims settle down in (Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat) including these areas since 1634. These provinces four districts in Songkhla province. were a multicultural society area as seen The peak ›gures showed the period by the archaeological sites, such as the represented during 114 months with mosque and temple. Therefore, both 13,434 incidents of unrest. The result Buddhists and Muslims live in harmony of deaths was 5,755, 2,213 (38.45%) 68 Montri Kunphoommarl Buddhists and 3,394 (58.97%) Concepts and Theories Muslims and 148 (2.58%) unidenti›ed. Community Capital Theory The injured people were 10,200; Main theory used in this study 6,024 (59.05%) Buddhist, 3,211 is community capital. Flora, Flora (31.47%) Muslim and 966 (9.46%) and Fey, (2004) de›ned capital as, unidenti›ed. (Source from http://www. “Capital is any type of resource capable deepsouthwatch.org/node/4570 access of producing additional resources… 12 May 2014) When those resources or assets are However, Thai Buddhists and invested to create new resources, they Muslims in Sai Khao Subdistrict, Khok become capital.” Thus, community Pho District, Pattani Province, Thailand capitals represent assets in all aspects lived in harmony under the coexistence of community life. The community of cultural diversity. They have capitals framework used as an approach encouraged cooperative and exchange to analyze how communities work. work pattern in public or community The seven types of capital include work. In 2006, Pattani Provincial 1) natural; 2) cultural; 3) human; 4) government selected Sai Khao social; 5) political; 6) ›nancial; and 7) Subdistrict as the “Santisuk Subdistrict” built. The overview framework of the (Peaceful and Happiness Area) after community capitals is as the following: the unrest incident occurred in the area. 1. Natural capital refers to those assets This Subdistrict was selected as a study that abide in a location, including site for learning how they live together resources, amenities, and natural in harmony without any confiicts beauty, the it might include parks, and actively take care of community farm land, and features of landscape security. or of nature. Research Objectives 2. Cultural capital includes what heritages are valued, collaboration 1. To study the characteristics of the Sai across races, ethnicities, and Khao Subdistrict that promote Thai generations, for examples, ethnic Buddhist and Thai Muslim to live in festivals, multi-lingual populations, peacefully styles. or strong work ethic. 2. To analyze the factors and conditions 3. Human capital includes the skills and that support religious pluralism abilities of people, and leadership (Thai Buddhist and Thai Muslim) ability to lead across differences, to construct way of life without for examples, local leadership confiicts. development. 4. Social capital refiects the connections between people and 69 Experiences of Religious Pluralism in Thailand: Lessons for Southeast Asian Countries organizations, both close ties that Research Methodology build community cohesion and Qualitative research technique weak ties that create and maintain employed in this study. It focuses on bridges among organizations and document research and reviews of communities. research work conducted during the 5. Political capital refiects access to past 10 years. The concepts and theories power and power brokers, such mainly based on community capitals as access to local, county, state and multicultural perspectives used for government of›cials. descriptive and analytical explanations 6. Financial capital refers to ›nancial the results of the paper. resources available to invest in community capacity building, Research Results business development, and social The results of this study will entrepreneurship. discuss on the following three items. 7. Built capital refers to the Firstly, the general basic information of infrastructure that supports the study area – Sai Khao Subdistrict, the community such as Khok Pho district, Pattani province telecommunications, street, roads, was summarized. Secondly, the water and sewers. main characteristics of study site and Multiculturalism Theory discusses how these characteristics Multiculturalism is the co-existence help promoting the coexistence of of diverse cultures, where culture living together in harmony among includes racial, religious, or cultural multicultural community like Sai Khao groups, and manifested in customary case will be described. Thirdly, this behaviors, cultural assumption and paper aims to ›nd out and analyze the values, patterns of thinking, and factors and conditions that construct the communicative styles. living peacefully style between the Thai According to Andrew Heywood Buddhists and Thai Muslims people in (2017), refiects two forms of such community. multiculturalism. They are descriptive Basic and General Information of Sai and normative ones. As a descriptive Khao Community term, it refers to cultural diversity and The study site (Sai Khao as a normative term, multiculturalism community) was in Sai Khao implies a positive of communal Subdistrict, Khok Pho District, Pattani diversity, based on the rights of different Province. It is about 6 kilometers groups to respect and recognition or to from Khok Pho District with the total the larger society of normal and cultural area of 44,130 square kilometers or diversity. 27,581 rai. Topography of this area is 70 Montri Kunphoommarl mainly lowland which is quite good for Muslims are organized the social agricultural practices with partly plateau activities in Sai Khao Subdistrict as the adjunct to the San Kalakiri mountain following: range. 1. National Children’s Day, ICT The total number of households is Learning Center (January); 1,242 households, with 4,108 people, 2. Sport Cup Competition, divided into 2,009 men and 2,099 organized by Sai Khao Subdistrict women. They are Buddhists about 42 Administrative Organization (April), percent, and Islam about 58 percent. 3. Wild racing and mountain biking The main occupation in Sai Khao event as well as indigenous and District is agriculture work. The ancient food activities (July) farming area was about 3,442 rai of rice 4. National Mother’s Day (August) product; land area about 1,256 rai, with 5. National Father’s Day (December) agricultural plants such as peanut, corn; 6. Guan Ahroh (Muslim food making garden area about 11,506 rai, with the festival) (December and January) product of rubber, durian, long kong Timeline of Sai Klao Subdistrict (lansium), coconut. Garcinia. Sai Khao Subdistrict was an old The education system consists of community with three hundred years 2 primary schools located in Moo 3 of religious places. Thai Buddhist and Moo 1; and a secondary school as and the Thai Muslims also connected pondok school (Muslim school) in Moo community to unite by helping to build 6. The religious institutions consist of 1 a mosque in this Subdistrict in 1634. Buddhist temple located in Moo 3, and In 1914, according to the Local 4 mosques which 2 mosques in Moo 1; Government Act 1914, the ›rst leader of and each one of mosque in Moo 4 and Chief Executive of Sai Khao Subdistrict 6. was Muslim village head; Khun Sawak Both Thai Buddhists and Thai Waluakit (Che Sa Tam). Table 1. Six villages, Tambon Sai Khao Population Number of household Male/Female Moo 1, Ban Yai 943 275 458/485 Moo 2, Ban Luang 561 172 277/269 Moo 3, Ban White Sand House 683 264 343 /365 Moo. 4, Ban Khuan Lang Ses 758 201 347 /367 Moo 5, Ban Sai Khao 527 177 254 /283 Moo. 6, Ban Lam 337 153 330/330 Total 4,108 1,242 2,009/2,099 source: Sai Khao Subdistrict Administrative Organization Access June 4, 2012 71 Experiences of Religious Pluralism in Thailand: Lessons for Southeast Asian Countries During 1976-77, there was a big of people in the community. Some fiight between the police patrol and villagers and civil servants were shot the communist alliance in Sai Khao and bombed. This situation made Subdistrict. This incident caused the the relationships among the villagers villagers shocked and scared of the become alienated and stayed away from community insecurity. each other, not the same as in the past. In 1998, the Climbing San Karakiri In 2006, after the unrest in the mountainous project was organized by South occurred, the villagers formed the villagers of Sai Khao Subdistrict themselves as volunteers for the security and cooperative with Sai Khao waterfall guard in Sai Khao Subdistrict. The conservation of›ce and Subdistrict volunteers were both Thai Buddhists Administrative Organization. The and Thai Muslims actively involved in purpose of this activity was to increase this activity. Then Sai Khao Subdistrict more income for villagers due to the era was selected from Pattani Province to of the economic bubble burst in 1997.