138 historic Buddhist temples in the southern border provinces are scheduled to undergo restoration and repair. To further foster understanding amongst the region’s many diverse populations, the government is also opening a museum.
To prepare for the restoration of 138 ancient temples in the country’s Deep South, Deputy Government Spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek addressed the press. She mentioned that SBPAC, the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center, has been in charge of the initiative. The Internal Security Operations Command, Region 4, Forward Command, the Fine Arts Department, and the Office of National Buddhism are all partners in this endeavor.
Many of the temples that will be renovated are well over a century old, have seen significant damage over the years, or are in extremely inaccessible locations. The local Buddhist communities in the Deep South hope that their restoration will serve the spiritual needs of the community and allow people to resume religious activities as before. Ten elderly temples and seven lonely temples will be renovated in 2023 to fulfill dual purposes as places of worship and community gatherings aimed at fostering peace.
The government, according to Ratchada, is also attempting to conserve historic mosques, and the Yi Ngo area of Narathiwat now has a museum dedicated to Islamic cultural heritage and a Koran learning center. These locations will teach about the holy Koran and Islamic culture and encourage people of different backgrounds to get along and learn from each other.
The government is providing funding for Thai Buddhists to travel to India and Nepal for religious purposes in the first few months of next year, the spokesperson said. The money will also be used to help Thai Muslims make the Hajj journey to Saudi Arabia. Anyone hoping to join the program must have taken part in virtuous initiatives in the border provinces to the south and be chosen by a special committee.
