A sweeping study reveals that between 2010 and 2020, the share of people affiliated with any religion dropped by at least five percentage points in 35 countries. In some cases, the decline was much sharper, with Australia, Chile, and Uruguay each slipping by around 17 points and the United States by about 13 points. The findings point to a broad, ongoing shift in religious life across continents, rather than a sudden collapse in any one place. For Thailand, a country where Buddhist identity sits at the cultural center, the implications are both fresh and provocative: how faith, family routines, education, and public life adapt in the face of a slowly changing global pattern.
The study frames this change as a “secular transition,” a framework that mirrors how societies move through demographic transitions from high to low birth and death rates, albeit in the realm of belief and belonging. Secular transition suggests that declines in religiosity tend to unfold generation by generation, not as a single leap. Across the 111 countries and territories surveyed between 2008 and 2023, researchers describe a three-step sequence: participation in religious activities first wanes, then the personal importance of religion in daily life declines, and finally, belonging to a religious group becomes less common. This progression tends to start at different times in different places, and it rarely runs in reverse.
Within this pattern, the youngest generations—those aged 18 to 39—are the first to alter their religious behavior, while older adults often retain higher levels of participation and identity. In a number of countries, including large parts of Europe, the gap between generations is most pronounced in belonging to a religion. In other places, such as the United States and many nations in the Americas and Asia, all three steps in the sequence are visible: younger people attend services less, say religion is less important, and are less likely to identify with a religious group than their elders. In Africa and parts of Asia, early-stage changes can be seen where older and younger cohorts still share a strong sense of religious identity even as participation declines.
The research highlights notable examples. In Senegal, older adults attend worship weekly at about three-quarters, while younger adults are roughly 14 percentage points less likely to participate. In Denmark, a striking contrast exists: about 79% of older adults remain religiously affiliated, but younger adults under 40 are about 26 points less likely to identify with any religion. In the United States and many other countries in the Americas and parts of Asia, all three elements—participation, importance, and belonging—show downward drift among younger generations. The study also underscores that persistence of religious life is not uniform; some regions and faith traditions show resilience, while others exhibit deeper secular shifts. Even within Muslim-majority or Hindu-majority countries, the trajectory can vary, and some places resist or delay the secular transition for cultural, historical, or institutional reasons.
For Thai readers, these patterns are both a mirror and a caution. Thailand’s religious landscape is deeply shaped by Buddhism, a tradition that informs daily life, festivals, family rituals, and community networks. Temples have long functioned as centers of social life, education, and mutual aid, offering spaces for meditation, charitable activities, and learning outside formal schools. In urban centers like Bangkok and throughout the country, families often weave religious practice into routines—morning alms, temple visits on weekends, and festivals that reinforce social bonds. The Pew study’s emphasis on generational differences invites questions about how Thai youths and adults might experience faith over the coming decades, and how public life—education, healthcare, and governance—will respond if a younger cohort places religion differently in their personal value system.
There are important, country-specific implications for Thailand. If a broader secular shift takes root gradually, Thailand could observe a rebalancing of how religious identity, belonging, and community support interact with public systems. Buddhism already contributes a rich moral and social framework that underpins charitable work, elder care, and education in many communities. As younger generations in some contexts place relatively less emphasis on religious identity, the role of family, school, and civil society in providing meaningful meaning, ethical guidance, and social safety nets may become more prominent. This does not mean faith will vanish in Thailand; rather, it may adapt—integrating traditional Buddhist teachings with modern life in workplaces, universities, and digital communities. In Thai cities, for example, youth-centered programs could blend mindfulness and mental health support with secular education, creating inclusive spaces where values like compassion, service, and community responsibility are cultivated beyond religious classification alone.
Thailand’s cultural context offers both resilience and a path for thoughtful adaptation. Buddhist communities in Thailand are deeply embedded in local culture, temples, and rituals that reinforce social cohesion and collective welfare. The nation’s strong family orientation, respect for elders, and a long history of religious festivals provide a stable social fabric even as global patterns shift. Yet the digital age and rapid urbanization bring new challenges: busy lifestyles, shifting work patterns, and diverse online communities can affect how meaning and belonging are sought and found. A secular transition framework helps illuminate these pressures without prescribing a single destiny. It invites policymakers, educators, and faith-based groups to collaborate in ways that preserve social capital while honoring individual growth and changing identities.
The potential future for Thailand will depend on choices made today in education, health, and community life. Schools can help by fostering critical thinking about beliefs while reinforcing universal values such as empathy, service, and social responsibility. Universities and workplaces can create inclusive spaces that accommodate diverse beliefs and encourage interfaith and intercultural dialogue. Public health campaigns may increasingly rely on trusted community networks beyond formal religious settings to encourage behaviors that improve well-being and resilience, recognizing that belonging and social support often emerge from a complex mix of family ties, neighborhood ties, and civic associations as much as from religious affiliation. In this sense, secular transition does not necessarily erode social cohesion; it can reframe it in a way that still honors Thailand’s deep-rooted traditions while embracing modern life.
From a cultural storytelling perspective, Thailand’s response to global secular shifts could draw on longstanding traditions that emphasize harmony, communal care, and compassionate action. Buddhist concepts such as alleviating suffering, practicing kindness, and engaging in mindful living align with contemporary public health and educational goals. Temples and monastic communities can partner with schools and health centers to extend mental health support, literacy, and life-skills training in a non-coercive, inclusive manner. This approach respects both the spiritual dimension many Thai people value and the secular realities of a diverse, interconnected world. It also provides a practical path for keeping faith communities relevant in a changing era by embracing technology, youth voices, and cross-cultural collaboration.
The study’s central takeaway—that secular transitions unfold in steps and at varying speeds—offers a sober reminder for Thai society: changes in beliefs and belonging are often gradual, uneven, and deeply tied to how communities adapt their institutions to new realities. Leaders must recognize that religiosity may endure in meaningful ways even as participation or explicit identification shifts. The goal is not to preserve religion in a fossilized form, but to nurture social solidarity, moral discourse, and shared public goods—health, education, and safety—through inclusive, evidence-informed policies that respect tradition while encouraging constructive innovation.
What should Thai families, schools, and policymakers consider in light of these findings? First, strengthen the role of family and community in supporting well-being, while ensuring that education systems promote critical thinking and ethical reasoning accessible to all students, regardless of faith. Second, cultivate interfaith and intercultural dialogues that build trust and reduce social fragmentation, especially in urban, diverse environments. Third, empower health and education institutions to collaborate with religious and community organizations in delivering mental health resources, preventive care, and youth development programs. Fourth, recognize that even as religious identity evolves, core values—compassion, service, responsibility—remain deeply relevant in Thai society and can be reinforced through both secular and faith-based channels. Finally, keep monitoring local trends with transparent, methodologically sound research so that policies stay responsive to how communities actually experience faith, belonging, and meaning in everyday life.
In short, the global secular transition described by the Pew study is neither a uniform collapse nor an inevitable fate for any country. It is a nuanced, generation-spanning shift that reshapes how people connect with beliefs, communities, and public life. Thailand’s unique blend of Buddhism, family-centric culture, and a robust civil society offers both continuity and opportunity. By weaving together traditional values with inclusive, evidence-based approaches in education, health, and community life, Thailand can navigate this changing landscape while preserving social cohesion and a sense of shared purpose for all generations.