Hanoi (VNA) – Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana visited Quan Su pagoda in Hanoi on September 16 for a prayer ceremony for peace and well-being, as part of their ongoing state visit to Vietnam.
The Vietnamese delegation included Chairman of the Presidential Office Le Khanh Hai, Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung, and representatives of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS). On the Thai side were Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Thai Ambassador to Vietnam Urawadee Sriphiromya, among others.
Monks, nuns, Buddhists and local residents lined the pagoda grounds, waving Vietnamese and Thai flags alongside five-colour Buddhist banners to welcome the royal couple.
The King and Queen offered candles and flowers, after which monks and Buddhists chanted prayers for their peace and well-being, and deeper progress in the Vietnam-Thailand Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as well, timed to the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
The ceremony captured the socially engaged spirit of Vietnamese Buddhism and reaffirmed both countries' pledge to build a peaceful, cooperative and prosperous world.
Thailand's long history has kept Buddhism deeply embedded in its cultural and religious life. Its Buddhist traditions, handed down through generations, remain a source of national pride.
Cultural affinity and profound Buddhist exchange distinguish Vietnam-Thailand ties, most visibly through the Annamnikaya Buddhist sect.
Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Thanh, President of the Vietnam-Thailand Friendship Association, said the sect's roots in the northeastern Thai provinces of Nakhon Phanom, Udon Thani and Sakon Nakhon offer vivid proof of the soft power, cultural similarities and profound cultural exchanges between the two peoples.
The Thai Royal Family has patronised Annamnikaya pagodas across generations, a mark of cultural tolerance and appreciation for the Thai people of Vietnamese descent.
Annamnikaya Buddhism has become an integral part of Thailand's religious life. Its monks, nuns and followers have repeatedly returned to Vietnam for events such as the United Nations Day of Vesak and international Buddhist conferences, and for working visits with the VBS./.
