The dictionaries are coming out with ผู้ถืออเทวนิยม which seems a bit of a mouthful. What would be a normal way of describing yourself as an atheist in conversational Thai?

I'd just say ไม่มีศาสนา

คนไม่เชื่อพระเจ้า

https://www.facebook.com/ThaiAtheist

I'd just say ไม่มีศาสนา

Yeah, i'd go for that one too...

I'd just say ไม่มีศาสนา

Saying you don't have a religion suggests you're a lost soul, possibly open to conversion. Saying you're an atheist suggests you've considered but rejected religion. I'd be surprised if there was no common word or expression for it in Thai.

Lest we forget that Buddhism is an atheistic religion.

Years back when I had my Thai ID renewed, when I told I didn't have any religion, this is what they put on my card:

ไม่นับถือศาสนาไดๆ

My father got very upset and told me next time just say you're Buddhist. Because having that on your card may turn some people off. So in Thai society it's better to have any religion than none.

This would be my advice to you too. Sometimes it's better to just lie about it than to stand out and miss some opportunities.

Personally though, I definitely don't define myself as an atheist, because even the concept of "religion" is a non issue for me.

"ไม่นับถือศาสนาไดๆ" means something like "Do not adhere to any religion".

I have a similar experience, for some reason, you must be a bad person when you don't have a religion.

Every year the immigration officer fills in Buddhist for me, when I say I don't have a religion.

I remember years back I lost a lucrative account after I revealed to them that I didn't have any religion. They were Muslim from the middle east and I don't quite remember how we ended up discussing religion. His reaction was like "You must have a religion!". After that they ceased any contact.

It was a lesson learned. Certain religious groups will even think of you as a subhuman if you don't have any religion.

In the end, by proclaiming yourself to be atheist or non religious will only make these people view you as some kind of infidel, and you certainly won't earn any respect from them. The mere fact that these people are religious shows that they don't really have rational thinking, so it is just best to pretend that you also have a religion to get on with the business.

Even with good friends or family, the issue of religion can be a very emotional one, especially if they are deeply religious, so it's really just best to avoid this topic and just say you have some kind of religion.

If you're farang, just tell that you're Catholic, Protestant, or just "Christian" and most Thai people will just nod in acceptance and get on with the business.

China is an atheist country and most Chinese are atheists so Thais (and others) had better get used to doing business with atheists. It's probably more of an issue if you're Thai as you'd be rejecting one of the three pillars of 'Thainess'. I'm definitely not going to start lying about my religion. I do like the point about lack of rational thinking though and suppose if it's really in your interests the best thing may be to lie.

Officially, China is atheist country, yes.

But nearly all Chinese adhere to some kind of Confucianism, Taoism and/or Mahayana Buddhism. There's also a substantial number of Christians.

Officially, China is atheist country, yes.

But nearly all Chinese adhere to some kind of Confucianism, Taoism and/or Mahayana Buddhism. There's also a substantial number of Christians.

There is no contradiction here. Atheism refers to a belief system that does not include a transcendent god-like superior being. There may be some atheists who have no religious affiliation whatsoever, but Buddhists clearly do not fit into that category.

In that case, edwardandtubs statement wouldn't really make much sense either, would it?

"Thais (and others) had better get used to doing business with atheists" implying Thais are not atheists?

Even the exact meaning of "atheist" is open to interpretation because it depend on exactly what you want to consider as "deity". Is it only "that god" or any of the hindu gods and deities, or reverence for any deity, such as goddess of mercy, which is revered and worshiped by most Chinese. The buddha in many countries (such as Thailand) is for all intent and purposes revered and worshiped like a god, despite ironically was against his own wishes.

We're drifting way off topic here but Confucianism is not a religion any more than Marxism is. Who, when asked their religion, would put down 'Confucianist'? Buddhism on the other hand worships Buddha like a god (although this was not his intention) and teaches about the afterlife so is clearly a religion. I don't think most Chinese adhere to Confucianism, although they may respect his teachings.

ไร้ศาสนา