Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents Royal Kathina Robes at Sounantharam Temple, Savannakhet, Lao PDR

วันที่นำเข้าข้อมูล 19 Oct 2025

วันที่ปรับปรุงข้อมูล 20 Oct 2025

| 83 view

On 19 October 2025, H.E. Mr. Kiattikhun Chartprasert, President of the Thai-Lao Association for Friendship, presided over the Presentation Ceremony of the Royal Kathina Robes at Sounantharam Temple, Savannakhet, Lao PDR. His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua of Thailand graciously bestowed the Royal Kathina Robes upon the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand for presentation to the congregation of Buddhist Monks there. The Ceremony was led by Venerable Phra Vongsin Rattanaphone, the abbot of Sounantharam Temple, and 30 members of the Savannakhet Sangha.

The event was also attended by Ms. Jirusaya Birananda, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim of the Royal Thai Embassy in Vientiane, Mr. Patt Padhamachit, Consul-General in Savannakhet, Mrs. Maratee Nalita Andamo, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Information, officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Team Thailand, the Thai-Lao Association for Friendship, and members of the Thai and Laotian Buddhist communities, and distinguished guests from the Lao PDR’s side, including H.E. Mr. Bounchome Oubonpaseuth, Governor of Savannakhet Province, and Dr. Inlavanh Keobounphanh, Vice President of the Lao Front for National Development Central Committee.

This year’s Royal Kathina offering received contributions from His Majesty the King, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Thai and Laotian devotees with total donations amounting to 1,262,200 Thai Baht, around 325,700,000 Laotian Kip (approximately 490,000 Thai Baht), and 261 US Dollars (approximately 8,500 Thai Baht).

Sounantharam Temple is a Theravada Buddhist temple over 70 years old. It is also the second-oldest temple in Kaysone Phomvihane City, Savannakhet, after Wat Chainyaphum, which received the Royal Kathina Robes graciously bestowed by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great in 2001.

This event marks the 26th Royal Kathina Ceremony organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Lao PDR. In addition, this event follows the recent official visit to the Lao PDR by the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand on 16 October 2025 and also coincides with the celebration of the 75th Anniversary of the Thailand–Laos Diplomatic Relations this year. These important occasions underscore the deep and long-standing connections between the two countries rooted in the shared faith and cultural heritage.

Since 1995, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has organized the Presentation of the Royal Kathina Robes annually at Buddhist temples abroad as part of Thailand’s cultural diplomacy efforts to strengthen friendship and foster people-to-people ties through Buddhism. The initiative has gradually expanded from neighbouring countries to ASEAN members, South Asia, and East Asia. In 2025, the Royal Kathina Robes are being presented in eight countries - India, Myanmar, Malaysia, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Lao PDR, Viet Nam, and China.

Images