Crowds of people join alms-giving for end of Buddhist Lent

THAILAND, October 31 (TNA) - A number of temples across Thailand were crowded Wednesday, as Buddhist people, both Thais and foreigners, joined alms-giving ceremonies and prayers for their good luck to mark the end of this year's Buddhist Lent. In Chiang Mai province in the Thai North, thousands of government officials, led by Chiang Mai Governor Thanin Supasaen, as well as local people gave alms to over 500 monks and novices at Chiang Mai University. Such the merit making also took place at the Three Kings Monument Square in the Nakhon Chiang Mai Municipality and several Buddhist temples in the northern Thai resort province. In Songkhla province in the Thai South, Governor Krisada Boonraj led Buddhists to offer alms to 99 monks at the Naga Staircase on the Khao Tang Kuan hill in the Nakhon Songkhla Municipality, part of the donations of which will be sent to needy Buddhist temples in Thailand's three southern border provinces and four districts of Songkhla plagued by violence. In adjacent Phatthalung Province, Buddhists not only offered alms to Buddhist monks, but they also conducted a Buddha image boat-towing ceremony to the Saesuk Lampam Beach in the Lampam locality of Muang district, as the activity is a unique event for Phatthalung's people, marking the end of the Buddhist Lent. In Ranong province, also in the Thai South opposite Myanmar, Thai and Myanmar Buddhists joined ceremonies to mark the end of the Buddhist Lent at local temples. Ceremonies to celebrate the 2,600th anniversary of the enlightenment day of Lord Buddha were also organized. The participation of Myanmar people at the Thai temples showed good bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries. (TNA)