Thailand Religion and The Countless Thailand Temples of Beauty.

Buddhism became the official religion of Thailand during the reign of King Ramathibodi 1 around the mid-1300's. However, the legal code is based on Hindu sources (Dharmashastra) and Thai traditional customs.

Southeast Asia has always been influenced by both Buddhism and Hinduism. Before the arrival of the Thais were the Dvaravati peoples (the earliest known to Southeast Asia) which practiced Buddhism and Hinduism and were thought to be a loose group of Burmese, Malay and Khmer cultures. Theravada Buddhism (meaning teaching of the elders or ancient teaching) came from India, is very popular in Southeast Asia, and is believe to be the earliest form of conservative Buddhism. Buddhism in Thailand also has some ties to Chinese Buddhist practices.

culture is something to witness. Some monks live entirely with-in the compounds of a temple or area and lead a humble life. This humbleness can in turn make one reflect on one's own life. The simple monk robe stands for humility. The prominent color of Thailand monk robes is orange, white or yellow. The color of monk robes usually depended on the cheapest colors available in the area. Red was the cheapest for Tibetan monks, yellow saffron color was the cheapest in Southern Asia. Yellow is also the king of Thailand's color. In Thailand religion, Buddhism is a way of life. Some Thais wake up early in the morning, go to temples, and give out food and basic necessities like soap and towels to the monks. Almost every Thai family has had someone who attended a monk monastery, this probably why Buddhism has remained strong in Thailand religion.

if you ask a Thai about God they will most likely not have much thought on the subject, I was always shocked by this. Buddhism teaches Thais to be a good person, meditate, and the path to enlightenment. They teach about Buddha as a person and a teaching. The complete teachings and history of Buddhism in Thailand is beyond the scope of these pages but can be easily found on the net.

Most people usually don't think about Hinduism when they think of Thailand but the Hindu religion has had a major impact on Thailand religion still plainly seen today.

Hinduism and Buddhism share some similarities and differences. Hindu religious beliefs can vary greatly depending on the area someone lives in and their cultural background. Hinduism is generally thought of as coming from a range of traditions with-in India with no single founder. The Khmer Empire had strong Hindu roots. With-in Thailand religion are many countless proofs of Hindu influence. The city of

is named after Ayodhya, The birthplace of Rama. Rama is a Hindu deity usually green in color and looks human. Rama's story can be somewhat similar to Buddha's at times but more mystical. You'll find names all over Bangkok with the name Rama.

The Erawan Shrine statue of Phra Phrom (the Thai version of the Hindu deity Brahma) near

and BTS Sky train is one of Thailand most popular Asian tourist spots. They put dances on here almost every evening. In 2006 a man hit and broke the shrine. A crowd of worshipers were so angry that they beat the man to death. The shrine was so badly damaged that it was almost completely replaced. There are other Hindu statues like Indra, Ganesh and Shiva seen all over Thailand temple settings as well.

the winged bird man deity who came from Buddhist and Hindu mythology. Garuda is seen all over Thailand government symbols. The pouring of water from bowls is a Hindu culture tradition and done by Thais in all Thailand temples and ceremonies.

Thailand religion also teaches the young to be very respectful of elders, especially teaches and their own mother and father. Sons and daughters are heavily expected to take care of their parents when they are old as well.

Many Thais wear Thai amulets. They believe the amulets protect them as a Catholic would with various saints. These Thai amulets contain images of Buddha, Hindu idols, or various monks through-out history. Trading and collecting Thai amulets in Thailand is

popular, especially with the older generation. The price of the amulets can range widely depending on the condition, age, material and various other factors.