©
David Debrincat
Thailand Travel Guide
©
David Debrincat
The orange/saffron togas of the Buddhist monks are to be seen everywhere in Thailand. During your trip to Thailand, you will have the opportunity to appreciate for yourself the fervor of the Thai people who built such superb temples and gigantic Buddha statues. The Thai people still hold traditional beliefs, conduct ancestral rites and have many superstitions.
With Christians making up one percent of the population and animists only half that figure, the faithful of these two religions are the exception in a country where 94% of the people are Buddhist. The Muslims In the south, near the border with Malaysia, make up 5% of the population and represent the country's second largest religious group. During your trip to Thailand, you will inevitably have the opportunity to visit a temple or admire a statue of Buddha.
The Thai people venerate these places and make many offerings at them. Foreigners are welcome, but all due respect must be shown during the ceremonies. Buddhism plays a very important role in the daily lives of Thai people, to such an extent that at least once in their lifetime each individual must don the saffron robe and spend a period of time dedicating themselves to the religion. As a religion, Buddhism in Thailand has an image of openness and tolerance. Monks are highly respected and play a major role in society.
In addition to the role played by religion, daily life for the Thai people is governed by a whole range of other beliefs. One example of this is the high respect shown to snakes, which stems from the story of the seven-headed cobra that protected Buddha from torrential rains during his meditation. To prove their respect for life, Thai people purchase caged birds then give them their freedom. Another important tradition is that of making flower offerings. In temples, in vehicles, at marriages and births, or to mark any other happy event in life, it is considered polite to offer flower garlands, lotus buttonholes or flower arrangements. The Thai people are also very fond of lucky charms. Images of Buddha, wooden bracelets and amulets are particularly popular forms of these. To finish on this subject, before constructing any house or building, a spirit house must first be built. This is a sort of miniature dwelling to be maintained and honored with offerings.
