Vajrayāna in Thailand: The Journey of Buddhism as Reinterpreted in a Local Context

Abstract

This article examines the emergence and adaptation of Vajrayāna Buddhism within contemporary Thai society, focusing on how Vajrayāna is interpreted, represented, and practiced under Thailand’s dominant religious and cultural structures. Drawing on the anthropology of religion, particularly Clifford Geertz’s concept of religion as a system of symbols, the study analyzes how Vajrayāna provides a meaningful framework for spiritual practice, ethical self-cultivation, and religious identity among Thai practitioners. The article further engages with sociological discussions of power and religious capital to demonstrate how Vajrayāna in Thailand is selectively interpreted and adapted in accordance with prevailing social norms. Case studies from Vajrasiddha Thailand, FPMT Thailand, and Kagyu Samye Dzong Bangkok illustrate that Vajrayāna Buddhism in Thailand is not reduced to a mere psychological technique or individual self-improvement project. Instead, it continues to function as a living religious tradition whose system of meaning is continually reorganized and reinterpreted within the conditions of contemporary Thai society.