NAGA IMAGERY AND THE IMPACT OF THE INTERNET ON NAGA WORSHIP IN THAILAND

Abstract

Naga, the guardian of Triratna, dominates the waters and is an important cultural image of Thailand, as well as an auspicious symbol of ordinary life. There is a large and subtle naga cultural heritage that includes folk literature and festivals in Thailand. Whether old traditions or new cultural creations, cultural heritage using the naga theme is often combined with visual art and the images and beliefs of naga are spread through the Internet via works including sculptures, murals, emoticons, animations, festivals, amulets, fabrics, and exhibition artworks. This study aims to analyse the iconography of naga images in visual art in Thailand and explore the changes that naga worship has undergone on the Internet. We found two important changes: (1) Naga images are diverse and have become part of the cultural industry; and (2) naga worship is expressed through naga images and has taken on multiple meanings different from previous religious connotations. The Internet has led to changes in the way the Buddhist doctrine is propagated, including different interpretations of naga images, through the challenges of virtual worlds.