Muslim businesses in Bangkok, Thailand

Muslim business in Thailand has become more important recently after the involvement of them in many types of business particularly in Bangkok. Their participation in commercial enterprises was found not to be competitive with non-Muslim communities in Thailand. Some elements that hinder them from operating their business efficiently are lack of skills in managing business, lack of capital funds and not fully practicing Islamic religious beliefs. Nevertheless, the types of their business have still not been studied thoroughly. This study aimed to examine the types and the situations of Muslim businesses in Bangkok, Thailand. It also examines aspects of religious practice among Muslim business and their perceptions in business. The method used in this study was qualitative. The data were gathered using semi-structured interviews. Content analysis was used in this study. The findings show that commercial business is the most dominant business practice among Muslim businessmen in Bangkok. The conventional bank and the involvement of riba are still practiced by some Muslim businessmen. Nevertheless, Islamic business practices are being improved due to the awareness of Islamic religious teachings. Capital fund is the most crucial problem in running businesses among the Muslims in Bangkok. The main contribution of this work is the documentation of information on the position of Muslim businesses, job organization and religious practice knowledge. Likewise, it also gives solutions about practicing Islamic business in Bangkok, Thailand to the government and the Muslim community

Waqf Management in Thailand: A Case Study in Bangkok Mosques

Waqf properties in Thailand have been increasing since the presence of mosques in Thailand. However, the waqf is not managed in a convenient manner. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the form of waqf management, the situation of waqf management and the expression of waqf managers of mosques in waqf management. The study surveyed the Islamic committees of mosques via questionnaires and interviews. The results showed that the greatest form of waqf management in Thailand is the rental form. The key problem of waqf management is the lack of understanding of waqf management, and the key obstacle is waqf administrative law. The results of this study contribute to waqf management knowledge especially in terms of waqf management in non-Muslim countries. Furthermore, this study provides information in terms of the statistics on waqf, the function of waqf management in development and the economic significance of waqf management