Thailand to hold first ever ASEAN prayer session

BANGKOK, Oct 30 (TNA) -- The Thai Ministry of Culture has joined forces with Buddhist organisations and universities to organise a prayer session at temples and tourist attractions nationwide on New Year's eve or known as the New Year Celebration Prayers, which this would be the first year that 14 provinces along the borders with neighbouring countries would also be holding the activity and encouraging the neighbouring countries to join in with the sacred act. Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat said the ministry would be organising the same prayer session to welcome in the New Year just like previous years, as the project has been well received by all sectors. This year's project is set to be held between December 31, 2015 - January 1, 2016, where the ministry has asked for cooperation from monks, temples, as well as public and private agencies, culture provincial offices, and Buddhist network organisations across the country to assist in organising the prayer session in all central and regional temples, important tourists destinations, and provinces connected to neighbouring countries. What makes this year more spacial, said the minister, is that the ministry has also asked Buddhism clubs in universities to set up the prayer session at their respective university as well. The minister further noted that the ministry would, for the first time, organise the ASEAN prayer session in 14 provinces along the border, which are connected to neighbouring countries to invite other ASEAN member states to join in with the activity, a move aimed to strengthen the bonds between the peoples of both sides through religion. (TNA)