The government has instructed relevant agencies to continue working together to ensure the safety of communities, preserve their quality of life and maintain the Sangha network in the three southernmost provinces of Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani.
During a recent inspection, Prime Minister’s Office Minister Anucha Nakasai and representatives of Buddhist networks met to discuss measures to ensure the safety of local monks and Thai Buddhists in three border provinces and areas of Songkhla province.
Anucha’s visit, scheduled to end on December 18, would include a meeting with the Supreme Patriarch. Other high-ranking officials scheduled to participate in the inspection include Rear Admiral Somkiat Pholprayoon, Secretary-General of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Center; Thatchayanat Jianthanatkanon, Secretary to the Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office; and Kraiyut Homkrailat, Inspector-General of the National Buddhism Office.
Minister Anucha said the visit also provided him with necessary information on the southern border clergy’s current working and living conditions, allowing for the government’s future budget allocation for the group and others in the region to be handled and distributed effectively.
Additionally, he confirmed that the central administration would continue working with the National Office of Buddhism to assist temples experiencing issues with their utility bills. (NNT)