Effect of Sacred Music in Thailand
Thai Buddhism
Thai society in general, they are Buddhism society for a long time. And they are Teravada temple. You will see the music in Christian society but not more in Buddhism. And Thai Buddhist will known as listen to music it's will be a sin because there's wrong on Buddhist's rules
Buddhist rules call Precept they will be 227 but they're 5 precept that use in general, otherwise for monk or practitioner
they are many group number of precept first precept For general people (5 precept)
To refrain from taking lives of creatures.
To refrain from taking things that are not given.
To refrain from all sexual activities.
To refrain from false speech.
To refrain from intoxicating drinks and drugs which lead to carelessness.
For practitioner (8 precept) they will be at 3 rules from 5 precept**.
To refrain from eating after lunch time.
To refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to entertainment
To refrain from lying on high or luxurious sleeping place.
Precept no.7 is "To refrain from dancing, singing, music, going to entertainment." Then in Thai Buddhist's society, there's not populate more like Christian.
But in present day some of Thai Buddhist's professor like Buddhadasa Bhikkhu gave new interpretation of this rule "the pure music in human culture, may use in the practice but must not be enemy for your practice or your heart or mistake from Buddhist's 8 precept " last part of rule no.7 they have "that will be enemy for your heart" it's mean Thai Buddhist can use some kind of music in their religion. He gave his opinion that music that didn't be like precept no.7 shouldn't forbidden for Buddhist people.
Pure music in human culture may use for heart practice and not be enemy for practice or mistake from 8 precepts.That's music with out text, not be excite the passion. Performer must be good concentrate all time. Use to help for control your heart and audience can be mediation like Zen's music. Shouldn't have excited text but can be for invite to the peace like chanting it's specially lyrics. There's many passion music in radio. It's hard to find music that invite to strong. Our child have non confident and behave badly. (Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, Buddhadasa Likkit 2 p.468 )
You have been see Buddhist music clearly in some country like Tibet but not musch in Thailand because Thai is Teravada Temple while Tibet is Mahayana Temple. Teravada original temple of Buddhism they idea is do everything same with the past, old traditional but Mahayana is new temple they idea is free, they didn't use all word, they keep only important thing.
Climax point is when before Budda will gone he command his principle name "Pra Anon" he told "ดูกรอานนท์ โดยกาลล่วงไปแห่งเรา ถ้าสงฆ์ต้องการก็จงถอนสิกขาบทเล็กน้อยเสียบ้างก็ได้" it's mean they can edit some unnecessary words if they want.
Then it's conflict in monk because one side want to edit like Budda command but other didn't sure that which is unnecessary words then they think should keep it all. Buddhism separate for 2 temple is Teravada and Mahayana
Buddhist music in Thai will use in religion event or some event outside the temple more than use in ceremony like Christian hymn as we know as Thai music.
For 2-3 years ago they're big current of Thai arts conserve, Absolutely music is one part of them. Today we look arts in other country til we forgot our arts. Thai music is one of sacred music that be forgotten. The social values and economic metamorphosis, The arts change to education more than practice and no one explain about reality of Thai music or Buddhist music in Thai. I think
Thai Christian
For Thai Christian they are binding with music for long time. Christian culture will have music with ceremony and in Protestant music can adapt for era now they are some Thai artist composed Christian music in EDM style. Christian must learn the Bible's words, there's true that hard to understand, sometime music can help for understand easier. For people that not be Christian, some of them think Christian ceremony look interested and easy to join more than some religion because they have music and they music have a wonderful color. For other musician sometime Christian church is place for playing. Musician who want to find some event to play sometime Christian church is one of good choice even it's volunteer event. For children whose study in Christian school, Christ song is one of best memories time, because they have sing for a lot, when they graduated one thing that they never forgot is hymn that they had been sang every day.
Now you can see that there's music in two religions. The difference of words arts and faith affect to difference in music and music has effect to society too, even not much because for religion, words and scripture must be first but in many time you can see music has effect to the society while you unconsciously. Sacred music is not music in general that you can listen every time or every place but there's valuable,there's beginning of many musical style and music culture that we can see on present day. In Christian music you will see many of detail and music development in every time that we will see in some big religion event like Christmas there's new song composed in every years, but classical song still used. Because the music form of Christian song, the song is good for western music studying, the song like hymn is original for classical music. Christian has grow with music but not much in Buddhism. Buddhism didn't talk much about music but it doesn't mean they don't have. Buddhism (in Thai) use same song for a long the music will use in some important even and education. It's already sometimes forgotten but all Thai people know about this and keep them to not be lose, that music name "Thai music". Buddhist song have pattern and music note different from western then musician must study first before play. Something that same in two religions is music can make people in to the peace and prepare to the ceremony.
REF :พระไตรปิฏกภาษาไทย 2006 p.199 - 200
REF :J.F.McKechine Buddhist history for young English version translated by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu