Political Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Presented the Royal Kathina Robe at Malwathu Maha Viharaya, Kandy, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

วันที่นำเข้าข้อมูล 28 Oct 2025

วันที่ปรับปรุงข้อมูล 28 Oct 2025

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On 25 October 2025, Mr. Jukr Boon-Long, Political Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, along with Mrs. Kamolrat Boon-Long, spouse of the Political Advisor, presided over the presentation ceremony of the Royal Kathina Robe, graciously bestowed by His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, at Malwathu Maha Viharaya, Kandy, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

The ceremony was led by Most Venerable Tibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Mahanayaka Maha Thero, Abbot of Malwathu Maha Viharaya, and attended by Mr. Gamini Senarathne, Commissioner General, Department of Buddhist Affairs of Sri Lanka; Ambassador of Indonesia to Sri Lanka; Ambassador of Myanmar to Sri Lanka; H.E. Mr. Paitoon Mahapannaporn, Ambassador of Thailand to Sri Lanka; Mr. Panidone Pachimsawat, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Information; officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Royal Thai Embassy in Columbo; as well as members of the Thai and Sri Lankan Buddhist communities.

This year’s Royal Kathina offering received contributions from His Majesty the King, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and Thai and Sri Lankan devotees amounting to 396,200 Thai Baht, 261,650 Sri Lankan Rupee, and 20 U.S. Dollars.

Malwathu Maha Viharaya is one of the most important monasteries of Siamese Buddhism in Sri Lanka. It was founded around the 21st century B.E. in the royal garden of the Kandy royal court. Inside the temple complex, there are ancient architectures and valuable artifacts, reflecting the glory of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, namely (1) Uposathaghara or Chapter House, built in 1753 after the restoration of ordination, and remains an important symbol of Buddhism in Sri Lanka to this day. This Uposathaghara is the place where novices and monks from more than 5,000 monasteries across Sri Lanka travel to receive ordination and perform religious duties; and (2) Poya-ge, a meeting hall for monks for important ceremonies and meetings, as well as ancient Kandy-style stupas and temples.

This event marks the 22nd Royal Kathina Robe offering ceremony in Sri Lanka, which helps strengthening the long-standing bilateral relations between Thailand and Sri Lanka, with Theravada Buddhism connecting the two countries. Sri Lanka attaches importance to Thailand as a contributor to the revival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

Since 1995, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has organized the presentation ceremonies of the Royal Kathina Robes annually at Buddhist temples abroad as part of Thailand’s cultural diplomacy initiative in strengthening friendship and fostering people-to-people ties through Buddhism. The scope and numbers of countries have gradually expanded from neighbouring countries to ASEAN Member States, South Asia, and, eventually, 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 - bringing the total to 198 ceremonies in 13 countries over 31 years.

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