Buddhism and Cultural Value Shifts in Urban Thai Society

Abstract

This article presents new knowledge in the form of a conceptual model entitled “Buddhism and the Preservation of Cultural Values in the Context of Contemporary Thai Urban Society.” The focus is on exploring the role and potential of Buddhism in maintaining and transforming cultural values to align with the changing dynamics of Thai society, which is increasingly influenced by globalization, digital technology, and consumerism. These forces have deeply impacted the value structures of the population. The study argues that Buddhism is not only a traditional belief system but also a dynamic value system that offers moral guidance, emotional resilience, and ethical foundations at the individual, familial, and community levels. The proposed model consists of three core components (1) Buddhism as a value system, which functions as a moral compass and a source of spiritual stability (2) Drivers of value transformation, including globalization, materialism, and cultural transition, which have contributed to the decline of traditional rituals and the reinterpretation of concepts such as “goodness” and “success”; and (3) The adaptation of Buddhism in modern contexts through the application of Buddhist psychology, mindfulness practices, and the cultivation of civic consciousness in multicultural societies. The synthesis of findings suggests that Buddhism should be reinterpreted creatively in order to preserve its ethical essence while remaining relevant in a rapidly changing society. This new body of knowledge contributes to the academic discourse in religious studies, cultural preservation, and human capital development at the national level.

          Keywords: Buddhism, cultural values, Thai urban society, social transformation, Buddhist psychology