The New Meaning of Religion in Thailand's Online Society

Abstract

This article presents a new body of knowledge concerning the "New Meaning of Religion in the Thai Online Society Era," synthesized through the analysis of social, cultural, and technological transformations that directly influence the roles, forms, and spatial expressions of religion in contemporary Thai society. The study proposes the Digital Religious Dynamics Model, which consists of three interconnected components reflecting structural, interpretive, and communicative shifts within religion. The first component, Transformation of Religious Space, highlights the expansion of religious expression beyond traditional sacred spaces such as temples into digital platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok, creating new forms of spiritual engagement unconstrained by physical boundaries. The second component, Reinterpretation of Religious Meaning and Identity, illustrates how religion integrates with contemporary cultural practices—such as tourism, digital art, and online media—thus recontextualizing sacredness in ways that align with modern tastes and worldviews. The third component, Adaptation for Socio-Spiritual Sustainability, refers to the structural adaptation of religious institutions, clergy roles, and dissemination methods in response to real-time digital communication and generational shifts, while preserving ethical and spiritual values essential for societal cohesion. This new theoretical framework asserts that religion in the Thai online era is not a passive remnant of tradition, but rather an active, dynamic, and adaptive force. It retains its moral and spiritual essence while embracing openness, cultural hybridity, and digital innovation. Religion, in this sense, evolves into a flexible socio-cultural mechanism, capable of coexisting meaningfully with rapid technological changes and modern lifestyles.