Thailand

Theravada Buddhism came to Thailand over a thousand years ago, brought by missionary monks from India. Today, Theravada Buddhism is the professed religion of over 90% of the Thai people, and profoundly influences everyday life. Besides sustaining monastic communities, Thai temples have traditionally served other purposes – from being a seat of education to providing information on health and the environment – giving them a vital role in Thai society.

The World Bank has engaged with Buddhists in Thailand by supporting:

• The Khorat Initiative based in Thailand's largest province, Nakon Ratchasima, which is now spread across 4 zones encompassing 47 forests varying in size from 16-550 ha. A survey identified the extent of monastic lands in these areas, the number of villages and the major monastic centers that were to become the administrative foci for the Khorat Initiative. Sixteen temples now form the core of the community management project and their compounds and monastic lands are education and health centers, tree nurseries, meeting places for forestry and heritage groups and training centers on forest management skills. The conservation message inherent in the Dhamma is the bedrock for this project and the traditional respect and authority given to the Sangha has enabled this initiative to be particularly effective and widespread in village communities. Capacity building that initially began with education and training for the monks through the monastic network is now widely spread by the monks and trained lay people through villages and schools.
  
  
• Forums on the Dhamma Sabha for Environmental Education. Three project management forums are held every month with an average of 250 participants at each meeting drawn from all 4 zones. One forum is for monks only to discuss the application of Buddhist teaching in relation to practical projects. The second forum is for monks and community members to assess the project work, request help or discuss the logistics of implementing project work. The third forum is for Forest Network members and includes members of the Thai Forestry Department who have requested a partnership scheme to be drawn up the Khorat Initiative.
  
  
• Regular small workshops that are run by a satellite group of small monasteries throughout the four zones. They operate at a village level and are integral to the overall project, focusing on issues such as forest conservation, the establishment of tree nurseries, and conservation and health education
  
  
• The production and dissemination of material on environmental education for use in temples, schools and field visits. A color chart has been produced as a teaching aid and is now on its third print run. Video training materials, presentation papers for workshops and photographic material for temple and school displays have also been produced.
  
  
• A nursery training school which is run at the central nursery of Wat Huay Bong which has 10 forests in its area of responsibility. Three monks from every forest that is registered with the forestry scheme are sent on regular visits to the school and then return to become trainers. Many of the seedlings are germinated from existing stock or are donated by the local Forestry Department. Some of the districts that border onto the project's forests have witnessed the benefits of increased fodder, forest produce and improved water management and have requested training. In the coming years the scheme hopes to expand beyond its existing zone to incorporate villages who want to register with them.
  
  
• Activities for the development of community forestry that includes the training of forest volunteers from local villages who are taught by forester monks or by lay forestry trainers. Advice is given on germination, seedling management, planting, organic fertilizers, irrigation, agro-forestry, and forest and water.