Buddhism and Resilience in Post-tsunami Thailand

Abstract

This article focuses on Buddhism and resilience in the recovery process following the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami in Thailand. It is based on an anthropological study and deals with how the disaster was handled on a local level and gives examples of Buddhist practices and counselling. The article emphasizes Thai Buddhist monks’ and nuns’ interactions with the survivors and Buddhism’s capacity to strengthen resilience building. It highlights the role of Buddhist temples in providing aid and taking care of survivors in the wake of the disaster, including the indispensable function of Buddhist monks to conduct funerals and other ceremonies, and their vital responsibility for helping the survivors overcome their suffering. The article also shows how the Thai sangha’s institutional gendered structure negatively affected Thai nuns’ potential to help out after the disaster.