In Thailand, the state, the Christian church and the general public engaged fiercely in the phenomenon through competing claims that their individual beliefs, faiths and rights were being put in jeopardy.

Though the outcome of the "Da Vinci Code" saga seems to have pleased everyone - with the censorship of the last 10 minutes of the film being lifted - there remains an extreme hypocrisy within Thai society that urgently needs to be ironed out.

Congratulations to those who voiced discontent with the dictatorship of the censors. This could be construed as a rejection of the state's version of so-called political and religious correctness, and of the anachronistic nature of Thai bureaucrats, who often believe in their ultimate power to prescribe what is best for society. The release of the full version of the film can therefore be considered the return of the people's right to judge and evaluate things for themselves.

But beyond the despotic character of the censorship committee, a more serious problem has emerged from the "Da Vinci Code" controversy. It is the issue of cultural insensitivity vis-a-vis mainstream belief. A large part of the public, mainly composed of Thai Buddhists, not only targeted the absurd decision by the censors but also strongly criticised the Christian minority for making a fuss over a film that they deemed disparaging of their religious faith.

One even suggested that Christians had forgotten that this is a Buddhist country and that their faith is a "minority religion".

The attempt here is not to promote the power of the Christian minority in Thailand to force their beliefs on the rest of population, but rather to reveal that there prevails a religious insensitivity towards groups of different faiths and backgrounds in the country. One vivid example is the Buddhist-Islamic antagonism in the South.

Religious insensitivity has been deeply rooted in Thai society because of the Buddhist faith's monopolisation of Thai hearts and minds. Thais perceive Buddhism as the answer to all questions. Buddhism has been made a main part of the Thai national identity - something sacred and uncompromising. Hence, when threatened by other faiths, the Thais quickly claim their Buddhist supremacy against what is seen as an alien belief.

A professor at the University of Leeds refers to the religious insensitivity in Thailand as a consequence of growing "Buddhist chauvinism". Buddhist chauvinism acts as a barrier to other forms of belief, resulting in a lack of understanding of the concepts of those different religions.

It is doubtful whether most Thai Buddhists truly comprehend the content of Christianity or Islam. The government's proposal to spend profits from the national lottery on development projects in the Muslim South represents one clear example of how religious insensitivity can spawn resentment amongst the Southern population.

The "Da Vinci Code" has fanned the flames of anger within the Christian community not because the film revolves around Jesus marrying Mary Magdalene and a conspiracy to cover up their union or because it distorts the Holy Bible or even because its failure to separate fact from fiction could erode the Christian faith in Thailand and worldwide. What Christians considered "unjust" was the high degree of religious insensitivity and the double standards that remain prevalent in the world of Thai Buddhism.

Imagine anyone trying to write a similar thriller based around Buddhism. They would be hounded and pilloried and threatened with death. Thousands would riot in protest. Even though some of the protesters would never have read the book, either because they are illiterate or cannot afford it, still they would come out in full force to defend their beloved religion.

Not long ago, the Thai government protested about a famous restaurant in the heart of Paris where a giant Buddha image was placed as an object of decoration. The government demanded the restaurant's owner remove the image as it showed disrespect to Buddhism. Thailand presented itself as a champion of Buddhism by claiming to safeguard what was believed to be a national treasure.

It's not just religious insensitivity that has made headlines in the past few weeks; cultural insensitivity also brought about possible tension between Thailand and its immediate neighbours. The release of the film "Mak Tae" ("Lucky Loser") had to be postponed due to complaints by the Lao government that its country was once again being humiliated by the supposedly superior Thai nation. The film portrays the general Thai perception of Laos as a backward nation, in need of help and understanding from Thailand.

In another film, "Ghost Game", a horror tale that features scenes with strong similarities to the Khmer Rouge's notorious S-21 interrogation centre, the producer was forced to apologise for being insensitive to the historical brutality faced by the Cambodians. Both films highlighted the superior attitude adopted by Thais, who love to make jokes about their "inferior" neighbours.

As seen before, the superior-inferior game can be disastrous. It allows regional politicians to make political gains by exploiting cultural insensitivity, sometimes through physical confrontation, in the name of protecting national dignity.

Sensitive issues such as faith and culture easily cause conflict if people force their opinions. Reasonable criticism based on respect and understanding is to be encouraged, as it generates a dynamic and democratic society. The true spirit of democracy, which Thailand claims to be a component of being "Thai", should not be about the right of the majority Buddhists to be entertained by what might hurt the minorities' sentiments.

The need here is for the majority to be a little more sensitive and supportive of the minorities and citizens of all faiths.

Dr Pavin Chachavalpongpun is a Singapore-based independent writer.

Pavin Chachavalpongpun

Special to The Nation