Thailand receives Buddha tooth on loan from China with great fanfare

On Wednesday, December 4, Thailand received a Buddha tooth on loan from China to commemorate two important anniversaries.

China entrusted the sacred relic to the kingdom to mark the 72nd birthday of His Majesty King Rama X , celebrated on July 28, and the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which will take place next year.

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Buddha 's tooth will be on display at Sanam Luang in Bangkok from Thursday, December 5, until February 14, 2025, Valentine .

Government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub said the precious relic arrived in the kingdom at 12:20 p.m. on Wednesday at the Royal Thai Air Force's Wing 6 base in Don Mueang.

At 1:19 p.m., Thai and Chinese monks held a chanting ceremony, joined by Chen Ruifeng, head of China's National Administration of Religious Affairs, Vice Prime Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit, and other leaders, including Chinese Ambassador Han Zhiqiang.

The Buddha's tooth is transported to a pavilion in Sanam Luang Park in Bangkok on December 4, 2024.

A large procession of more than 2,700 people left the airport at 2:42 p.m. and passed through Yaowarat Street (in Chinatown) and Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue before the relic was enshrined in a pavilion in Sanam Luang.

Sanam Luang (Thai: royal lawn) is a 121,406 square meter park located opposite the Grand Palace , a highly revered site that houses the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

A dedication ceremony was presided over by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra at 5 p.m.

Buddhists gather outside a pavilion in Sanam Luang Park where the Buddha's tooth relic is kept on December 5, 2024.

People can pay homage to the Buddha relic every day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The government also arranged public buses, prepared flowers for worship and postcards of the sacred relic for the public.

The sacred relic, normally kept at the Lingguang Temple in Beijing, was discovered in 1955 in an ancient pagoda near Xi'an.

It was then enshrined in the Buddha Tooth Relic Stupa inside the temple, which is one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Buddhists in China.

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Source: Bangkok Post