THAI CULTURE ACCORDING TO THE BUDDHIST PRINCIPLES

Abstract

The study of Thai culture and Buddhist principles found that Buddhism has an influence on Thai cultural structure. Thai people are bound to Buddhism beliefs and practices. Therefore, Thai culture and Buddhism cannot be separated from each other. Buddhism is truly the fundamental of Thai society. Buddhism and Thai culture influenced to the society in many aspects as follows: to define the social institutions, to define and control the role and identity of people in the society, to cooperate a unity of the society, to create a common norm, to shade light on the meaning and the purpose of life as well as creating the personality of people in the society.