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What role did village temples play in many Tai communities?
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Tai languages
Major divisions of the Tai languages and related languages.
In many Tai communities, the wat—which serves as a temple compound or monastery—functions as the vital social and religious center of the village.1
These temples play a significant role in the community structure, where communal leadership is provided by the village headman in collaboration with the Buddhist monks and village elders. Furthermore, the temple is deeply integrated into the lives of the people, as most young men in these communities spend a period of time serving as monks.1