Opinions of the population aged 13 and above on interreligious understanding

Religion plays a crucial role in fostering long-term national stability, serving as a spiritual anchor for individuals, a source of unity within communities and humanity at large, and a foundation for education, ethics, and moral conduct. It also upholds cultural traditions and helps alleviate human suffering, both physically and mentally. The objectives of this study were: 1) to examine interreligious understanding; 2) to explore the implementation of religious teachings in practice; and 3) to formulate policy recommendations aligned with the National Strategy, the National Reform Plan, the Ministry of Culture’s Strategic Plan, and the Department of Religious Affairs’ Strategic Plan. This study employed a survey research method, targeting Thai citizens aged 13 and above. A total of 15,015 respondents representing five religions—Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Brahmanism-Hinduism, and Sikhism—from various regions of Thailand were selected. Data were collected using questionnaires and analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square, t test, and ANOVA. The results revealed that: 1) overall, 73.57% of respondents demonstrated a good level of interreligious understanding, with Christians showing the highest percentage (91.43%), followed by Sikhs (75.24%), Buddhists (72.93%), Muslims (69.71%), and Brahman-Hindus (68.57%); 2) in terms of implementing religious teachings, 91.20% of respondents reported doing so. Among religious groups, Brahman-Hindus had the highest rate (100%), followed by Muslims (98.38%), Sikhs (98.10%), Christians (96.86%), and Buddhists (90.21%); and 3) the policy recommendations formulated aligned with the National Strategic plans and aimed to promote interreligious understanding and the practical implementation of religious teachings among Thai citizens. Religious teachings can help develop the nation's human resources by promoting religious practice, fostering interfaith understanding, and encouraging the application of religious principles in daily life to build peace and harmony, contributing to sustainable development. To support this, two key actions are recommended: (1) religious institutions should proactively implement community-based plans that use religion to enhance spiritual well-being and empower citizens to address personal and social challenges; and (2) educational agencies should create locally relevant curricula that integrate moral and religious teachings, helping youth connect knowledge with ethical values for everyday life.