ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the intimate connections between Buddhism and power in Thailand. Considering practices like divination and spirit mediumship as well as more orthodox contexts like kingship and the monkhood, it argues that Thai Buddhism cannot be divorced from the race for political influence and material wealth. The chapter ultimately investigates the role of religion in legitimising social hierarchy and economic inequality in the kingdom. Delving into the “dark side” of power, it also illustrates how Thai Buddhism offers opportunities for resistance, as people from the periphery appropriate idioms of morality to challenge the status quo.
