Theravada Buddhism and Political Engagement among the Thai-Lao of North East Thailand: The Bun Phra Wet Ceremony

Abstract

The Thai-Lao of North East Thailand (Isan), the major ethnic group in a core area of the Red Shirt movement, have long expressed concern with the well-being of the muang – now nation-state – in which they reside. This paper explores the proposition that the moral foundations for continuing political engagement at the muang level are explicitly stated in the annual Theravada Buddhist festival, the Bun Phra Wet, celebrated in almost every Thai-Lao village. Moreover, these concerns also involve appropriate actions by the people to correct the systems in which they live.

• political action
• moral foundations
• Thai-Lao
• Theravada Buddhism
• Bun Phra Wet
• North East Thailand (Isan)

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Leedom Lefferts

Author Details:

Leedom Lefferts is Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at Drew University, Madison, NJ, USA. E-mail: [email protected].

Sandra Cate

Sandra Cate (corresponding author) is a Lecturer in the Department of Anthropology at San José State University, One Washington Square, San José, CA 95192–0113, USA. E-mail: [email protected].