Thailand Seeks to Learn from Indonesia’s Model of Religious Moderation

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Thailand has expressed strong interest in adopting lessons from Indonesia’s approach to integrating religion with national unity, as a delegation from the Royal Thai Army met with the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Jakarta on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.

The delegation, led by Major General Chakrit Ucharattana, Deputy Commander of the 4th Army Area, visited the Directorate of Islamic Higher Education (PTKI) to explore cooperation on religious moderation.

The initiative was facilitated by the Office of the Royal Thai Army Attaché at the Thai Embassy in Jakarta, with representatives from the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) praising Indonesia’s success in managing diversity and promoting moderate Islam.

“Indonesia has demonstrated that religion and national unity can go hand in hand. We would like to learn from Indonesia, especially regarding religious moderation,” Major General Chakrit said, as quoted on the Ministry of Religious Affairs official website.

He noted that Indonesia is regarded as a leading example of a Muslim-majority country that fosters peaceful coexistence among diverse communities.

The Major General also highlighted challenges in Southern Thailand, where misinterpretations of Islamic teachings have contributed to sensitive security issues. He pointed out that some violent incidents in religious boarding schools (pondok) have been wrongly carried out in the name of jihad, contradicting the true values of Islam.

He further explained that Thailand maintains close educational ties with Indonesia, with thousands of Thai students currently studying in the country and many alumni returning home. The Thai side expressed readiness to equip these groups with a deeper understanding of religious moderation to help address domestic challenges.

Responding to these concerns, Director of Islamic Higher Education (PTKI), Sahiron, emphasized that Indonesia officially recognizes six religions, all protected under the state ideology of Pancasila.

He introduced the Ministry’s flagship program, Moderasi Beragama (Religious Moderation), which promotes inclusivity, mutual respect, and resilience against extremism.

The program has been disseminated through Training of Trainers (ToT), curriculum development, and academic seminars, encouraging educators to contextualize religious teachings in a moderate and contemporary way. Sahiron noted its success in preventing conflict and fostering social harmony.

He also expressed Indonesia’s readiness to share best practices with Thai students and institutions, proposing collaborative seminars, curriculum exchanges, and joint initiatives with the Thai Embassy in Jakarta.

“As many people around the world suffer due to misunderstandings and extremism, religious moderation becomes essential. Through moderation, we learn to respect one another, protect our nations -- both Indonesia and Thailand -- and live together peacefully,” he said.

The meeting marked an important step toward strengthening Indonesia–Thailand cooperation in promoting moderate Islam, enhancing educational ties, and contributing to regional peace and stability. ***