BANGKOK, June 4 — Thailand’s central Ayutthaya province is planning to cooperate with Sri Lanka in building the first Sri Lankan temple in Thailand to strengthen the religious bond between the two countries.
Ayutthaya Governor Witthaya Pewpong said that the province, along with the Department of Fine Arts and the Sri Lankan government would build the temple on area of around 36 rai in the middle of a rice field near the deserted Wat Kra Chai temple of Baan Pom subdistrict, Phra Nakhon Sri Ayutthaya district in Ayutthaya province.
The main objective of the monastery’s construction is to celebrate the 260th anniversary of Buddhist relations between the two countries.
The religious bond between Thailand and Sri Lanka dates back more than 250 years, when Phra Uba Lee, a monk from the Ayutthaya era traveled to restore the belief in Buddhism in Sri Lanka.
Construction of the temple will be in accordance with the sister-city agreement between Ayutthaya of Thailand and Kandy of Sri Lanka, where after the construction of the Sri Lankan temple is completed, Sri Lankan monks would arrive at the temple for retreat during the Buddhist Lent.
Both sides have also agreed to build a Thai temple in Sri Lanka.
