Ministerial Regulation on Charity Places: Chinese Shrines B.E. 2463: Formation and Result

Abstract

This research article aims to study Ministerial Regulation on Charity Places: Chinese Shrines, B.E. 2463, examining both the internal and external factors that led to its promulgation and its subsequent effects on the shrines. The research employs an interdisciplinary qualitative approach involving the collection and analysis of historical, sociological, and anthropological data, along with document studies, interviews, and field data collection. The results of the research found that: 1) Ministerial Regulation on Charity Places: Chinese Shrines originated from the Chinese community in Thailand movement to express Chinese solid nationalist sentiments. Subsequently, the Thai government assumed control and oversight of the shrines, which are central areas of the community, to prevent them from harboring or operating secret societies in the shrines. The government also mandates the appointment of state-approved shrine administrators and inspectors. An account of the shrine's finances and interests must be presented, including the transfer of ownership of shrine land to the state. 2) As the shrines came under state administration, their function evolved from being solely places of merit for the Chinese community to becoming places of merit for the broader public under state governance. This version of the Ministerial Regulation has been in effect in Chinese shrines for over a century without modification. As a result, it may be time to consider updating, altering, and amending shrine regulations to keep them current with shrine duties and the contemporary societal environment.