ABSTRACT
The cultural life of the vast majority of the peoples of Thailand traditionally centered on the wat, the Buddhist temple-monastery. The process of secularization was not solely a function of Western influences, for it also had roots in the cultural revival initiated in the first reigns of the Chakri dynasty. Literacy acquired during primary schooling is designed to provide students, not with access to the dhamma, but with the ability to read official documents, written materials such as agricultural manuals, and more general secular literature. Although few village children continue their formal education beyond the compulsory course of study, even the minimal compulsory education requirements have produced significant changes in the cultural orientation of people throughout Thailand. Although the press in Thailand is relatively free to present news without reference to governmental dictates, radio and television stations broadcast only news programs that have been cleared by government representatives.
