ABSTRACT
The Dhammacarik bhikkhus' activities in the highlands can be classified into two levels of implementation: individual and household level, and the community level. At the individual and household level the Dhammacarik bhikkhus provide primary health care and help villagers and hill people to deal with the local administration in matters such as taxes, registration of births and deaths, and so on. Most informants who had been in contact with Dhammacarik bhikkhus expressed their appreciation of the opportunity to learn the teachings of the Buddha. However, once they have an established relationship with a Dhammacarik bhikkhu teacher they contribute food and provide bowls of cooked rice. Dhammacarik bhikkhus are principally trained to spread the teachings of the Buddha among the hill tribes. The hill people living in the remote valleys, uplands and highland areas of northern and western Thailand numbered in 1985 some 400,000.
