Factor Effecting Monks’ Role in Promoting Health through Herbal Treatment : A Case Study of Buddhist Monks in Amphoe Mueang, Changwat Chiang Mai

Abstract

The independent Study entitled, ìFactor Effecting Monksí Role in       Promoting Health through Herbal Treatment : A Case Study of Buddhist Monks in Amphoe Mueang, Changwat Chiang Maiî, was aimed at studying the factors        effecting the monksí role in promoting health through herbal treatment in Amphoe Mueang, Changwat Chiang Mai.

The study is a qualitative research. Its data were collected through in-depth interview, and from studying various documents regarding (1) monksí role in giving medical treatment to community, which faded off for a period of times, (2) monksí former role as the community leader, which now decreased considerably and those coming for medical treatment disappeared due to monastic disciplinary rules and the state law curbing those coming for traditional medication, (3) monksí outstanding role in dealing with community development by providing people with religious teachings and education, (4) an opportunity for traditional Thai medical treatment was granted again by the Department of Traditional Thai Medicine Development and the support of Buddhist herbs garden by the Sangha Organization, resulting in the monks having a chance to educate themselves and lay people in taking care of their health with medicinal plants.

The results of the study showed the factors effecting monksí role in Amphoe Mueang, Changwat Chiang Mai in negative aspect was that the government sector gave full improvement and support to the modern medicine, and at the same time did not give significance to traditional medical practitioners, both monks and laypeople, who used to give medical treatment to the people since early times. Moreover, the government enacted law to protect consumers limiting traditional doctorsí practice as well.  Additionally, the Sangha organization had the constraints from monastic disciplinary rules, which were consistent with the state decree controlling the Sangha not to perform medical practice as in the past, which led to temporary suspension of the traditional Thai medicine or medical treatment performed by village medical practitioners as they were considered as quack doctors.   

However, the monksí role in curing diseases for people, disappeared for a period of time, has now been revived. The monks have returned to promote health with medicinal plants because the government has realized the significance and necessity of medicinal plants, and consequently gave the monks opportunity to have higher education and develop themselves. So the monks participated in disseminating the knowledge on health care to people, which was consistent with the national strategy regarding the B.E. 2007-2011 development of Tai wisdom and Tai health, aimed at pushing the Tai health to be one of the national main health cares. At the same time, local people were supported to create their potentials in conserving, developing and protecting the Thai wisdom. Additionally, the government tried to push Thai traditional medical treatment, a medical alternative, to be the main health service system of the country in equal par with modern medicine in order to subsidize the using of modern medicine and/or use traditional medicine for curing some disease instead.