PM leads cabinet in merit-making ceremony at Government House
Prime Minister and Finance Minister Srettha Thavisin on Tuesday morning led members of the cabinet in a merit-making ceremony at Santimaitri Building in the Government House compound to mark the New Year before the first cabinet meeting of 2024.
Srettha was accompanied by his wife Pakpilai in giving alms to 67 monks, and paying respect to statues and shrines at the Government House. The number 67 is the last two digits of this year’s Buddhist Era 2567.
Before heading to the Cabinet meeting, the premier told the press that he planned to start spending the night at the Government House from January 7 onwards, in a bid to save the commute time from his house.
“It could be on either January 9, 12 or 14, but will not be before January 7, as the 7th is the auspicious date,” said Srettha.
Thais believe 7 and 9 are lucky numbers. 7 is the number of steps that Siddhartha Gautama, who later became Buddha, took after he was born. Meanwhile, 9, or ‘Kao’ in Thai, is a homophone with the verb that means to step forward or to progress.
