What does the Thailand report establish about raising children?
For raising children in Thailand, Rage 2 Rebuild selects “Education and children’s rights” from Humanists International’s chapter dated 11 October 2020. It describes national institutions or published conditions, not family reactions, emotions or access to an individual service. Check current facts before acting.
Country chapter updated 11 October 2020 · retrieved September 5, 2026. This chapter is more than two years old. Its assessments are not confirmation of current law or a prediction about your circumstances.
Education and children’s rights
In 1999, all Thai children were given the right to education under the Education Act. In 2005 all foreign children living in Thailand also gained the same right. By 2009, there was compulsory free education to children of age 12-15 years.
Constitution and government
The government subsidizes activities of all five primary religious communities. Between 2018-2019, it budgeted 415 million baht (US$13.9 million) for the Religious Affairs Department (RAD) of the Ministry of Culture to provide support to officially recognized religious groups. In addition, it allocated a further 4.85 billion baht (approximately $163 million) to support the National Buddhism Bureau, an independent state agency. The bureau oversees the Buddhist clergy and approves the curriculums of Buddhist teachings for all Buddhist temples and educational institutions. Furthermore, the bureau sponsors educational and public relations materials on Buddhism as it relates to daily life.
Family, community and society
The attachment to traditional religious values translates into conservative views on gender roles and non-conformist sexualities. Human Rights Watch reports that, despite the adoption of the Gender Equality Act in 2015, broad exceptions allow noncompliance based on religious principles or national security, while polls show a still widespread view on the role of women as limited to the household. Concerning LGBT rights, religion negatively affects the perception of non-conformist sexual orientation and gender identities: Theravada Buddhism views them “either as a punishment for sins in past lives, or as a lack of ability to control sexual impulses and tendencies”. As a result, discrimination against LGBT is widely reported, whether on the part of the family, authorities or employers. Even worse is the situation in the Southern provinces with a strong Islamic minority.
Report extracts and assessment data are reused/adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Humanists International does not endorse Elder X. Original reflection guidance is identified separately below.
Which Thailand findings should I check before acting?
Rage 2 Rebuild highlights 4 published findings for raising children in Thailand. Our selection connects the 11 October 2020 chapter with school practices, family agreements and a child’s room to ask questions. Each quote is separate from our practical question. It identifies something to investigate, not a conclusion about your household.
Religious or ideological instruction is mandatory in at least some public schools (without secular or humanist alternatives)
The source finding concerns education or children. National arrangements and the policy of one school are not interchangeable.
A question to verify: What does the named school currently require, what alternative exists, and who is responsible for the decision?
Systemic religious privilege results in significant social discrimination
This finding is about institutional arrangements. It does not establish the beliefs of a resident, a relative or a specific official.
A question to verify: Which named institution is involved in this decision, and what current written rule should be checked?
Discriminatory prominence is given to religious bodies, traditions or leaders
This is a published assessment of institutions, not an individual outcome or a current legal determination.
A question to verify: Which part of this assessment applies to the actual decision, and what still needs current local verification?
The non-religious are barred from some government offices (including posts reserved for particular religions or sects)
This finding is about institutional arrangements. It does not establish the beliefs of a resident, a relative or a specific official.
A question to verify: Which named institution is involved in this decision, and what current written rule should be checked?
How can I support children while my beliefs change?
For raising children in Thailand, Rage 2 Rebuild suggests this decision: Choose one child-related decision and identify whose rights, duties and preferences matter. The two starting points below address school practices, family agreements and a child’s room to ask questions. Check consequential facts with appropriate current help; these are reflection prompts, not a certified procedure.
Make questions welcome without recruiting the child
A child can ask why people believe different things without being asked to choose a side between adults. Use language appropriate to their age and understanding. You can say that you are still learning and that people in the family may answer differently.
Investigate the actual school arrangement
Ask about religious instruction, worship, ceremonies, alternatives, notice to parents and any opt-out process at the particular school. A national policy and a classroom practice can differ. Keep a copy of a published policy only where doing so is appropriate for your circumstances.
Read the full general guide for this decision →
Start with your own question →What would help with raising children?
Rage 2 Rebuild’s Thailand reflection tool offers three starting points for raising children. Choose a situation to see a practical question and a country finding to check. Your choice stays in page memory; it is not sent, stored as a plan or used to diagnose you. You can clear it or read without answering.
You can use the guide without choosing an option.
How did religious identity change in Thailand?
Rage 2 Rebuild’s Thailand table shows Less than 0.1% religiously unaffiliated in 2010 and Less than 0.1% in 2020, using Pew’s all-age population estimates. The seven categories describe religious identity, not how many individuals left religion or experienced harm. Rounded population changes cannot predict acceptance, guilt, safety or a support outcome.
| Identity | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christian | 1.2% | 1.0% | -0.2 pp |
| Muslim | 5.0% | 4.5% | -0.5 pp |
| Religiously unaffiliated | Less than 0.1% | Less than 0.1% | Not calculated |
| Buddhist | 93.4% | 94.4% | +1.0 pp |
| Hindu | Less than 0.1% | Less than 0.1% | Not calculated |
| Jewish | Less than 0.1% | Less than 0.1% | Not calculated |
| Other religions | 0.1% | Less than 0.1% | Not calculated |
“Other religions” combines traditions that cannot be analyzed separately here. A “less than” input stays an inequality; a change involving it is not calculated. Rounding and demographic processes matter. Nationality does not establish anyone’s beliefs.
Pew’s original Thailand table, PDF page 19 ↗ · Methods and downloadable calculations
What kind of support does Rage 2 Rebuild offer in Thailand?
Rage 2 Rebuild offers non-urgent personal conversation about raising children in Thailand. There is no payment to send a message and no guaranteed response time. This is remote contact with Elder X, not therapy, legal advice, emergency help or a verified local referral. Choose qualified support when the decision requires it.
For consequential questions involving law, safety, children, health or institutional records, seek the appropriate qualified source and ask about privacy before sharing identifying details. For general stress skills, the World Health Organization’s Doing What Matters guide is an external educational resource; it is not a study of people using this site or proof of a particular recovery result.
What else should I know about raising children in Thailand?
Rage 2 Rebuild’s six answers about raising children in Thailand address school practices, family agreements and a child’s room to ask questions. The 11 October 2020 chapter’s “Education and children’s rights” passage provides country background. Use these questions to distinguish your next decision, that source’s limits, religious-identity figures and remote contact.
How can I support children while my beliefs change in Thailand?
Rage 2 Rebuild’s starting point for raising children in Thailand is: Choose one child-related decision and identify whose rights, duties and preferences matter. Separate school practices, family agreements and a child’s room to ask questions before choosing an action. The country report provides dated context; it does not settle the personal choice. If essential needs or legal consequences are involved, verify the actual situation with appropriate current help.
What does the country report establish about raising children in Thailand?
Rage 2 Rebuild uses “Education and children’s rights” in Humanists International’s Thailand chapter, updated 11 October 2020, to identify a relevant institutional question. The report flags “Religious or ideological instruction is mandatory in at least some public schools (without secular or humanist alternatives).” That is dated country context, not a finding about family reactions, emotions or access to an individual service. Check the original passage and current facts before applying it.
Can I infer a school’s policy from the country rating?
No. The rating is a published national assessment and may summarize varied arrangements. Ask the school or responsible authority about its current policy and available alternatives. Rage 2 Rebuild’s Thailand guide addresses school practices, family agreements and a child’s room to ask questions; the dated country findings provide context for that distinction, not a prediction about your circumstances.
Should children be told religion is always harmful?
This site does not recommend replacing one compulsory conclusion with another. Children can learn to ask questions, consider evidence and respect people while discussing specific harmful behavior honestly. Rage 2 Rebuild’s Thailand guide addresses school practices, family agreements and a child’s room to ask questions; the dated country findings provide context for that distinction, not a prediction about your circumstances.
What do the religious-identity figures for Thailand establish?
Rage 2 Rebuild’s Thailand table shows Less than 0.1% religiously unaffiliated in 2010 and Less than 0.1% in 2020, using Pew’s all-age population estimates. The seven categories describe religious identity, not how many individuals left religion or experienced harm. Rounded population changes cannot predict acceptance, guilt, safety or a support outcome.
Does Rage 2 Rebuild provide local or emergency support in Thailand?
Rage 2 Rebuild offers remote, non-urgent personal conversation about raising children. No local office, clinician or verified referral network in Thailand is claimed. There is no payment to send a message and no guaranteed reply time. For immediate danger, use appropriate emergency help where you are rather than this form.