THAI MONKS AND POLITICS : TENSIONS BETWEEN DHARMA AND VINAYA, STATE POWER, AND THE PUBLIC ROLE

Abstract

          This article “Thai Monks and Politics: Tensions Between Dharma and Vinaya, State Power, and the Public Role” aims to examine the dynamics of the relationship between the Thai Sangha and political authority. The analysis is conducted through the conceptual framework of Dhrama and Vinaya in Theravada Buddhism, the legal structure of the Thai state particularly the Sangha Act and the context of contemporary socio-political developments. The study raises a central question How should Buddhist monks position themselves amid two contrasting expectations? On the one hand, Dharma and Vinaya emphasizes serenity, restraint, and non-involvement in worldly or state affairs. On the other hand, monks are regarded as moral leaders and spiritual authorities who exert significant influence over the public sphere.                                                                                                 

          The article argues that this tension is not merely a matter of doctrinal disagreement, but rather the result of a structural relationship of power between the state and the Sangha that emerged during the modern process of political centralization. This development placed the monastic order under a formal bureaucratic system and state supervision. Under such conditions, some monks choose to maintain political neutrality, while others adopt a critical stance or reflect on social problems through the application of Buddhist principles.             

          Therefore the article proposes that understanding the political role of Thai monks requires a multidimensional perspective one that takes into account Dharma and Vinaya, state structures, and contemporary social transformation. It is insufficient to judge monastic expression simply as “political” or “non-political” rather, such expressions must be examined in light of structural conditions and the ethical responsibilities inherent in the monastic vocation.