jailcd2024053: Restorative Potential of Thai Buddhist Temple: New Dimension within ART

Abstract

Thai temples, scattered throughout Thailand, bear significant importance in Thai society. With a rising awareness of mental stress in Thai urban life, there is a growing curiosity about spaces that can facilitate relaxation. This inquiry explores the potential of Thai temples as restorative environments for urban dwellers, emphasizing the need to study these spaces. Grounded in Attention Restoration Theory (ART), which identifies four key attributes—'Being Away,' 'Fascination,' 'Extent,' and 'Compatibility'—that contribute to a restorative environment, this study investigates how these principles manifest in Thai temples. While Western religious settings consistently exhibit ART attributes, they also incorporate context-specific dimensions like spirituality. Considering the diverse roles of Thai temples in the community, it is hypothesized that they possess unique restorative dimensions. The study focuses on Rampoeng Temple, a prominent site for Buddhist meditation in Chiang Mai. Through interviews and a motivation survey completed by 305 participants, the research identifies eight motivational dimensions: Buddhist meditation practice, Spirituality, Fascination, Being Away, Necessity, Social orientation, Tradition, and Contemplation. The study confirms Thai temples' restorative nature, aligning with ART principles. Three motivational factors strongly correspond with established scholarly findings, while the remaining dimensions reveal nuanced aspects specific to Thailand, suggesting potential approaches to enhance restorative experiences in this context.