Abstract:
In this thesis, three objectives were purposely made: 1) to study the contexts of Prasat District, Surin province, 2) to study the diseases which could be cured through the rite (Jolmamuad) of Khmer Thai Buddhists in Tamor Sub-district, Prasat District, Surin province, and 3) to study the influences of belief in curing the diseases through the rite (Jolmamuad) of Khmer Thai Buddhists in Tamor Sub-district, Prasat District, Surin province. This research employed the qualitative methodology done by studying documents and interview in the field.
The research results were found that:
In the contexts of Prasat District, Surin province, it was found that the economic growth is lower than Mueang District where eighteen sub-districts and two hundred and forty-one communities are under its government. The ethnic population in the district mainly comprise of Khmer, Laos, Kui and Chinese, but most of them are ethnic group of Khmer, the tradition in the district is somehow mixed between these tribes and thereby resulting in having various traditions and rites.
When it comes to the diseases which could be cured through the rite (Jolmamuad) of Khmer Thai Buddhists in Tamor Sub-district, Prasat District, Surin province, it was found that most of diseases cured by the rite Jolmamuad are the ones where its causes cannot be identified by doctors who practice the contemporary medical treatment, sometime the patients possess the stranger symptom than normal ones. Thus, the patients would be taken to traditional doctors or the medium to examine the symptom in order to find the right treatment. Once examined by the medium, the rite Jolmamuad will be held according to their belief where musical playing and dancing are performed while carrying out such rite. It comes as a surprise that some patients get recovery whereas some do not. As a result, they are of the view that individual Kamma plays the crucial role in this matter.
As regards the influences of belief in curing the diseases through the rite (Jolmamuad) of Khmer Thai Buddhists in Tamor Sub-district, Prasat District, Surin province, it was also found that healing the diseases through rite Jolmamuad or Panjolmamuad is the belief dated back to the ancient system of medical treatment where there was less prosperity of medical science which was different from the present. In fact, the present medical treatment has been advancing more than the past, yet such a belief still remains. In the research, two influences were shown as follows: 1) in the influence of belief; people in Prasat District still believe that some diseases could be remedied through the rite Jolmamuad despite more present of modern medical treatment, and 2) in the fluence of morality affecting on peoples ways of life in a society; the rite Jolmamuad has been giving rise the principles of certain morality or good behavior to people who share the belief of gratitude, love and harmony to one another in the community.