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THAIS 785
property indefinitely. The nuclear family housed in its own separate dwelling is
the ideal.
The Muslim family organization of the lower socioeconomic stratum differs
slightly from the upper- and middle-income group. Though the basic social unit
is the simple nuclear family consisting of a father, mother and their unmarried
children, at times these households are composed of more family members.
Some may become small extended families, including married sons or daughters
with their offspring. Joint families with several siblings living together with their
children in the same household are not uncommon for these lower-income Muslim
families.
Thai Muslim children attend the same primary schools as other Thai children.
But after regular school hours in the early evening they also attend the religious
school maintained by their community mosque. This part-time religious instruction
includes the teaching of basic Arabic, Quranic teachings and prayer techniques.
There are 80 schools with special curriculum of this type, and they
average 90 students to each school. They are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry
of Education and are strictly regulated by the Thai government. Another type
of Islamic school is the full-time institution devoted to the study of Islamic
teaching. Islamic science, history and theology make up the core of the curriculum.
Classes are taught in Arabic. There are only 10 such schools in Thailand.
With the exception of the descendants of Iranians and a few Indian Muslims
who are Shia, Thai Muslims are Sunni Muslims. Like other Southeast Asian
Muslims, Thais' religious traditions have been influenced by the Shafi legal
tradition. In actuality, in northern and central Thailand the Shariah plays little
part in legal proceedings for Muslims. They are subject to the same secular
judicial processes as any other Thai citizen. Shariah does have an effect on ritual
complexes and Islamic ideology as it is expressed in the Muslim communities.
In the rural communities where Muslims are in a minority, the Islamic tradition
exists as a syncretic blend of pre-Islamic spiritualism and Hindu-Buddhist concepts
conjoined with Islamic precepts and obligations. Many observers have
noted the "folk" quality of the Islamic tradition in village communities. Beliefs
in phii (Thai animistic spirits), mauphii (Thai spirit doctors), communal feasting
practices which parallel Buddhist institutions and other indigenous beliefs are
combined with Islamic concepts.
While Thai Muslims have adopted much of the culture of the Buddhist majority,
they nevertheless have distinct values. They view Buddhists as "pig
eaters" who are inclined towards violence, gambling, sexual immorality, dishonesty,
usury and drunkenness. This derogatory stereotype is of course idealized
and does not apply universally. Thai Muslims perceive themselves as "people
of the Book," a minority group which does not have any of the social problems
of the larger Thai society. They are concerned that their fellow Muslims and
their children will be contaminated by the larger Thai society. Hence there is a
great deal of stress put on these ideals in their Islamic religious activities. Muslims
also accentuate a stronger sense of family solidarity than do Buddhists. Many