On 4 November 2017, H.E. Mr. Chaisiri Anamarn, Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, presided over the Offering Ceremony of Royal Kathin Robe graciously bestowed by His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun to the congregation of monks at Huyen Khong Temple in Thua Thien - Hue province, Vietnam.  Also present at the ceremony were H.E. Mr. Manopchai Vongphakdi, Ambassador of Thailand to Vietnam, Mrs. Ureerat Ratanaprukse, Consul-General of Thailand in Ho Chi Minh City, members of Team Thailand in Vietnam, as well as Thai business people and more than 500 Thai and Vietnamese residents in the country. During the Kathin Celebration held in accordance with local tradition on the previous day, Mr. Anamarn delivered a speech emphasizing that the Royal Kathin Ceremony not only strengthens the cordial ties between Thailand and Vietnam, but also deepens the relationship between the peoples of the two countries. 

          The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been granted royal permission to offer the Royal Kathin Robe annually to Buddhist temples in Vietnam for 13 years and this is the second time that the ceremony has been held at Huyen Khong Temple. At the end of the ceremony, the donation amounting to THB 540,400 was presented to the temple consisting of contributions from His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association, the Vietnamese Association in Thailand as well as Thai and Vietnamese participants. Huyen Khong Temple was established in 1973 and has undertaken a number of philanthropic projects, such as a flood relief project to help those affected by floods in the northern and southern parts of Vietnam. The temple also established a Huyen Khong Buddhist Club, where lessons on Theravda Buddhism are taught on Sundays. It is also noteworthy that Abbot Phra Phap Tong is the first Buddhist monk in Vietnam who has earned the clerical title (first level) “Phra Sudhammawongse” following the royal appointment on 5 December 2016.