Mediating Buddhism in Thai Television Drama in the Digital Era as Religious Practice

The thesis examines how the Thai television drama industry and Thai audiences circulate their understanding of Buddhism through contemporary television drama and online participatory culture between 2014 and 2020 when the local television system has shifted from analogue to digital system. The study investigates three levels of religious mediation: 1) ideological negotiation between Buddhism and other ideologies that Thai television drama is made to perform; 2) the producer-generated representation of Buddhist teachings in contemporary television dramas, and 3) the audience's multiple roles interacting with the case studies and other social media members.