The purposes of this study were to examine four factors among Thai
Muslims, namely the circumstances surrounding celibacy, the demographic
characteristics of celibates, and the determinants of celibacy as well as the living
arrangements of celibates. This study was based upon the Population and Housing
Census of 1970, 1980, 1990, and 2000 by the National Statistical Office.
The main hypothesis was that urbanization is a determinant factor of
celibacy. The Singulate Mean Age at Marriage (SMAM), proportions, and logistic
regressions were employed in the analysis.
Overall, the results of this study support the hypothesis that urbanization
is a factor of celibacy among Thai-Muslims. The results clearly show that the trend
toward celibacy among Thai-Muslims appears to have been in a transitional phase
during the thirty-year period, and is currently moving toward a more modern pattern
characterized by later marriage, with a substantial proportion of the population
remaining single. Moreover, the proportion of celibates and the age at first marriage
have both increased, especially among females who live in highly-urbanized areas such
as in the Bangkok Metropolis.
With a particular focus on the four provinces which have a high
proportion of Muslims in the southern region of Thailand, the patterns of celibacy in
2000 are still related to the characteristics of urbanization. Living in an urban area is
a significant determinant of celibacy among Thai-Muslims of both sexes. Finally, this
part of the study also finds a considerably high proportion of celibates, especially the
males, who live alone and who will be the elderly living alone in future.
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