BANGKOK, 30 September 2012 – The National Office of Buddhism (NOB) has revealed more than a hundred temples across the country have been seriously affected by the flooding to the level that monks cannot go out to receive alms-offering.
NOB Director General Nopparat Benjawatananun said that the continued flooding in the lower part of the North, in central Thailand and the country’s eastern region has affected 111 Buddhist temples, to date.
Mr. Nopparat said that the situation has been so serious that monks at these flood-hit temples have to move things to a higher ground while finding it impossible to go out to receive daily alms-offering.
He added that the NOB is still awaiting the damage report from the southern region as the number of temples and monks hit by floods remain unknown. As these temples have been literally cut off from the world, the NOB Director General is asking the public to provide necessities to the flood-affected monks.
In the meantime, the NOB is collaborating with various agencies to deliver medicines and some necessities to the temples in need while warning those in flood risk areas to prepare for any unexpected situation.
In addition, the NOB reported that the restoration work at the Phutthamonthon Buddhist Park in Nakhon Pathom Province, where 60 percent of the entire property was damaged by last year’s flood crisis, is still underway and is expected to be completed within 6 months.
