KHAO OR MONASTIC RESIDENCE: POLITICAL ORDERING IN THE THAI SOUTH

Abstract

This research aims to 1) study the history of Khao O School and 2) explain the role of Khao O School in organizing politics in southern Thai communities. This is a qualitative research employed through document analysis, in-depth interviews with 18 key informants, and participatory observation. The analytical report reveals that:

  1) The origins of Khao O School can be explained in three dimensions: firstly, from written evidence, such as the "Royal Decree of the Governor of Nakhon Si Thammarat," which is the official and primary source for explaining its history; secondly, from a local legend perspective, which connects it to local myths and narratives and may be interpreted as older than the first explanation; and thirdly, from a regionalist perspective, which views it as a community network involved in trade and transoceanic trade in the South, leading to the creation of the Khao O community and Wat as a spiritual center

  2) Explaining the role of the Khao O School in organizing politics in southern communities, it was found that there was a transition from a source of Buddhist magical knowledge to an influential cultural institution that organized society and connected power networks in the southern region. It served as a center of arts, sciences, and cultural capital, and as a mechanism for social control through beliefs in maintaining moral conduct and adhering to the rules of the teachers that prohibited violations that led to harming fellow human beings. In addition, there was a strong network of disciples who helped to monitor and maintain social order.