Bangkok – Thailand’s Ministry of Culture has unveiled an encyclopedia of the nation’s most revered Buddha images.
The encyclopedia, “108 Holy Buddha Images of Thailand,” contains the history and details of Buddhist masterpieces from different eras and kingdoms. The preface was written by Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha.
The book was commissioned by the ministry to conserve Buddhist culture and to provide an educational resource for people to learn about Thai art and culture. Buddhist devotees who plan to visit historically significant temples can use the encyclopedia as a guide.
Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat presided over the book launch on Friday. The Department of Religious Affairs, a unit of the Ministry of Culture, has begun distributing the first 3,000 copies to government offices and schools across the country.
The encyclopedia can also be downloaded from the websites of the Ministry of Culture and the Department of Religious Affairs at www.m-culture.go.th and www.dra.go.th, respectively.
