The Process of Development of Quality of Life for Female Sex Workers in Economic Areas of Thailand by Buddhist Peaceful Means

                       This dissertation entitled “The Process of Development of Quality of Life for Female Sex Workers in Economic Areas of Thailand by Buddhist Peaceful Means”, aims to: (1) study the context, problems, and essential needs of female sex workers in Thailand’s economic areas; (2) study Buddhist peaceful means for promoting their quality of life; and (3) develop and propose a process for improving their quality of life through Buddhist peaceful means. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative research. Data were collected from 24 female sex workers, 103 members of the general public, five Buddhist scholars, and five related experts through questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The data were analyzed by content and thematic analysis for qualitative data and descriptive statistics for quantitative data.

                       The findings are as follows:

                       1) Regarding the first objective, most female sex workers entered the profession due to economic hardship, family responsibility, and limited opportunities. They experience social stigma, low self-esteem, and psychological distress, while family networks serve as both a source of support and pressure. Younger generations show more diverse views, reflecting moral and cultural transitions within modern Thai society.

                     (2) Concerning the second objective, the study found that stigma, gender bias, and moral judgment significantly affect sex workers’ mental health and development. Buddhist peaceful means—grounded in The Noble Eight-fold Path, including Sīla (ethical conduct), Samādhi (concentration), and Pañña (wisdom) —can serve as transformative methods for seeing through illusion, self-acceptance, mental healing, and value reorientation. Research from the studies highlights the significance of gender disparities in mental health. The recognition of masculine and feminine roles has consistently influenced cultural expressions that develop throughout various layers of human society. To break the cyclical patterns of division, it is essential to integrate the inner and outer dimensions of existence.                                       (3) Regarding the third objective, the proposed developmental process: the Reflection-Restraint Integrative Insight Model (RII), which applies Buddhist principles including Sīla (ethical conduct), Samādhi (concentration), Pañña (wisdom), and direct understanding of paṭiccasamuppāda (dependent origination). The model repositions Reflection-Restraint (Sīla) as the primary transformative site, identifying ethical restraint as the decisive cutting-through of grasping. Integrative stabilization rather than withdrawal and recognition of reality as the Insight disclosed through the removal of obscurations rather than produced through cultivation. These principles foster understanding of reality and self-awareness. This clarifies the cyclical nature of suffering through the links of paṭiccasamuppāda (dependent origination), which originate with ignorance and result in birth, ageing and death, allowing individuals and collectives to liberation from delusion both internally and externally. Foster understanding of the reality that exists before us within the Middle Way as a dynamic system applicable to individual, aesthetic and collective domains, allowing the mind to attain insight and infinite compassion, ultimately leading to peace.