More than 95 percent of the Thai people are Buddhists. But it's not just a dominant religion, it also provides the basis for the country's moral philosophy and its peoples' way of life.

In a temple on the outskirts of Bangkok, a dozen people are chanting. They are expressing their reverence and respect for the Buddha as well as giving good wishes to mankind in general. In this way, they believe they can get merits. In Bangkok , it's now popular for ordinary people to go to as many as 9 temples in a single day to get these merits.

Serving as a Buddhist monk is something all Thai men are expected to do. Some will do it only for a few weeks. The current Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, for example, became a monk for 15 days in 1956. Government officials are allowed to leave with full pay in order to serve. But some will remain in monkhood for the rest of their lives.