This qualitative study aims to explore the roles played by monks in the utilization of Thai wisdomforhealth care, by interviewing monks in the province of Prachinburi. This interview consisted of 10 Buddhist monks from 10 monasteries situated within the province which revealed that before they became monk healers, most of them were not trained in health care methods before being ordained.

In this reason found that, when they had ordained into Buddhism, these monks revealed their intention to care for the people๛s health. Therefore, these monks studied health care methods by stressing the Thai Traditional Medicine from Thai wisdom to be able to care for the people seeking help for health related problems. This utilization of Thai wisdom included the compliation of knowledge and equipmentsused in Thai Traditional Medicine, which are gathered within the monasteries and care taken by the monks for their ulmost value to the population. The role played by ten monks in utilizing Thai wisdom for health care as shown by this study can be divided into 5 significant aspects including: promoting knowledge from studies of traditional health care, utilization of folk medicine, administration and local leadership, revival and preservation of traditional medicine knowledge, and the restoration and conservation of the environment with the establishment of herb gardens for use in Thai Traditional Medicine from Thai wisdom. These monks already have the population’s faith, confidence and respectability in their role, facilitating their extended responsibility in taking care of people’s health as monk healers. This study is able to conclude that the roles played by monks in the utilization of Thai wisdom for health care must be further supported for Thai wisdom to become an important alternative in health care.

Key words : Role, Thai wisdom