"Anam Nikaya" is a sect of Chinese Buddhism adhered to by Vietnamese living in Thailand, who form an ethnic group closely related to Thai society called "Yuan" by the Thais. The Yuan, or Vietnamese, have been immigrating to Thailand at least since the Thonburi period (1767-1782). They have established Vietnamese Buddhist temples in their own community, with a history of over two centuries. Presently, these temples continue to uphold the traditions and rituals of Vietnamese Buddhism, serving as the primary center for Vietnamese culture. Within significant traditional customs, they emphasize the expression of their Anam Nikaya identity. Encouraged by the royal family and the government, this religious sect has become an integral part of Thai Buddhist society, maintaining close ties in areas such as attire, prayer, education, and charitable endeavors. Currently, Anam Nikaya has approximately 300 monks residing in 28 temples across different regions of Thailand. However, Chinese language literature about Anam Nikaya is scarce, and academic research on this topic is lacking. In an effort to address this gap, this article utilizes the "HTF" (History, Text and Fieldwork) research methods advocated by Daniel Overmyer. It delves into the historical development of Anam Nikaya in Thailand and conducts a two-year (January 2021 to December 2022) field investigation to explore the different historical periods and characteristics of Anam Nikaya. Finally, this article also attempts to examine the current state of Anam Nikaya Buddhism and investigate whether its future development will align more with "Folk Buddhism" or "Humanistic Buddhism".
