A Comparative Study of Sangha Administration under the Sangha Administration Act of 1902, the Sangha Act of 1941, and the Sangha Act of 1962
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Abstract
This research article aimed (1) to examine the historical background and compare the administrative positions of the Thai Sangha under the Sangha Administration Act of 1902, the Sangha Act of 1941, and the Sangha Act of 1962; and (2) to study the relationship between ecclesiastical ranks of monks and administrative positions within the Thai Sangha. The study employed a qualitative research method based on documentary research, analyzing documents, academic articles, books, research studies, newspapers, and other publications. The data were compiled and analyzed using descriptive analysis, guided by concepts of political power in Buddhist perspectives, accession to administrative authority, and political-historical analysis.
The findings revealed that (1) holding administrative positions within the Sangha is closely related to the political system, as Sangha administration forms part of the broader evolution of governance, with organizational structures differing across periods. The Sangha Administration Act of 1902 and the Sangha Act of 1962 reflect centralized systems of authority concentrated in the Mahathera Samakhom, with the Supreme Patriarch exercising authority in conjunction with this body, whereas the Sangha Act of 1941 established a more distributed structure consisting of the Sangha Assembly, the Sangha Council, and the Vinaya Council; and (2) Administrative positions and ecclesiastical ranks are closely linked to access to governing authority through three forms: traditional authority, exercised through royal power in appointing monks to administrative and ecclesiastical positions; charismatic authority, based on seniority, rank, and competence; and legal authority, through formal appointments to positions such as the Supreme Patriarch, members of the Supreme Sangha Council, and other ecclesiastical administrators, all supported by legal frameworks and regulations governing the Sangha.
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