The Role Of Religion In Thailand’s Culture Diplomacy Toward Nepal

Culture in international relations has been paid increasing emphasis and culturaldiplomacy, often regarded as an important part of foreign diplomacy, is a powerfulinstrument by governments to foster cross-cultural understanding, build trust betweennations and promote national image and interests.This thesis details about how religion, Buddhism, play an important role forThailand cultural diplomacy to improve international communication and cooperationbetween people in the world, especially between people of Thailand and Nepal. Actors inworld politics have been actively seeking to include culture and religion as an element inthe strategy and conduct of foreign policy. Culture has been a means through which theywere able to generate attractiveness, catch others’ interest and occupy the mind space ofactors abroad.The objective of this thesis is to analysis of the role of religion in Thailand’s culturaldiplomacy toward Nepal through conducting a case study research of Organizationsresponsible for Thailand’s cultural diplomacy in Nepal such as Royal ThailandMonastery. The thesis aims to assess Thailand’s use of Buddhism as a source of itsculture diplomacy in Nepal. The researches try to answer the main question and subquestion: main question, why dose Buddhism work as a source of Thailand culturaldiplomacy toward Nepal, while the majority of Nepal population is not Buddhism? Andsub question, is the conduct of Thailand cultural diplomacy in Nepal enhancing its imagein Nepal and promote the relation between two countries?In order to fulfill the targets, the research following a qualitative design withprofound presentation and analyses based on secondary sources (e.g. reference books,research paper, report, and journal’s articles, etc.) from organization, publishers,universities, research institutes, media outlets, individual researched.For evaluate outcome of the conducting of Thailand culture diplomacy in Nepaluse the interview about the relation between Thailand and Nepal with royal Thailandambassador to Nepal by infoplus, Kantipur, Nepal Television, Published on Sep14,2012.Saturday10.30am and statistic of the increasing of Nepal student in Thailand, statistic of increasing of Nepal tourism go to Thailand and the increasing of Thailandrestaurant in Nepal.This research is done under the framework of the soft power theory and the conceptof cultural diplomacy. The research findings indicate that Thailand and Nepal aresimilarity and linking in religion as Buddhism and Hinduism. The most of Thailandpopulation are Buddhism but Buddhism in Thailand is also influence by Hinduism whilethe most of Nepal population are Hinduism but Nepal is the land of Buddhism birth,Buddhism was influence in Nepal. So two countries are similarity and linked both ofBuddhism and Hinduism, that why Nepalese they are understand Thailand is culture andwhy Buddhism it work as a source of Thailand’s culture diplomacy toward to Nepal.And from the evaluate of the conduct of Thailand’s public diplomacy toward Nepal,researcher finding that, those activity by Royal Thailand Monastery cooperate withembassy of Thailand to Nepal are affecting to people of Nepal and help to promoting therelation between two country especially in the people level as well.