The Cabinet has approved a motion to allow government employees to join a mass ordination campaign marking the 96th birthday anniversary of the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand.
Deputy Government Spokesperson Traisuree Taisaranakul announced that all civil servants, government employees, temporary employees of government agencies, state enterprise employees and workers have been approved to take a paid leave of absence in order to participate in the campaign.
The event commemorates the 8th cycle birthday anniversary of His Holiness the Supreme Patriarch on June 26th. One cycle is equivalent to 12 years on the Thai calendar.
The campaign will take place over 17 days, from June 15 to July 1, at Wat Ratchabophit Sathitmahasimaram in Bangkok.
Participants also include representatives of private sector networks, students and the general public. The program is a joint effort between Wat Ratchabophit, the Office of the Prime Minister, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the National Office of Buddhism.
Traisuree explained that the project timeline includes accepting applications from February 20th to March 31st, reviewing qualifications in April, announcing the list of participants in May, and holding a hair-cutting ceremony on June 15.
On June 16, a ceremony will be held to present the robes and receive blessings from His Holiness, followed by the ordination on June 17.
The monks will be defrocked on July 1st. Participants will not be considered absent from work and will receive their regular salary during the 17 days. (NNT)
