Prayers to ring in 2012
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The New Year will be welcomed with Buddhist prayers being said at temples in Bangkok and the rest of the country.
The prayers are aimed at boosting the morale of flood victims, as well as blessing the country and His Majesty, Phra Phrome Mathee, assistant abbot of Wat Samphanthawong, said yesterday.
So far, around 30,000 temples in Thailand and about 300 temples overseas have agreed to take part. Prayer sessions outside Bangkok will be sponsored by the ThaiHealth Promotion Foundation, while those in the capital will be supported by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.
The main event will be held at Sanam Luang, where 32 senior monks will lead prayers from prestigious temples from 1pm on December 31 to 1am of New Year’s Day.
Apart from this, seven other events will be held at Sanam Luang, including cultural shows related to Buddhist teachings and a public display of a Buddha image built in honour of the King.
“About 10 million Buddhists are expected visit Sanam Luang," Udomsil Srisaengnam, chairman of ceremonies, said.
Meanwhile, iPhone, iPad and iPod users can obtain a digital version of the prayers, while Twitter users can follow the events at #PrayforLife. More information is available at www.thaihealth.or.th.
