Tag: Thailand

‘Peace walk’ monk returns to Thailand

Source: bangkokpost.com

A Thai Buddhist monk recently returned to Thailand after finishing his walk across America to promote world peace.

Phra Sutham Nateetong, 59, completed his walk from Santa Monica, California, to New York on June 30 and returned to Thailand on Wednesday. 

His journey from the West to the East Coast of America took him 121 days to complete and spanned 5,013 kilometres. 

“America gives you a picture of the world. I saw all kinds of people and faced all kinds of weather conditions during the walk,” he said. 

Phra Sutham received support from people all over the United States.

“Native Americans were very supportive of me,” he said. “They appreciated my presence and gave me blessings whenever we met.”

He added that Laotians and Thais in America were also very supportive of his journey. 

Fans took turns accompanying him and sharing the news about his walk with those living in the areas that he was passing through. Some offered him food and money, while others travelled for several hours just to pay their respects, he said.

In some areas, he became the talk of the town because none of the residents had met a Thai person or a Buddhist monk before. 

He also insisted on continuing his entire trek by foot despite pressure from some supporters to pass through certain areas using a vehicle, due to fears of potential attacks. 

“They prioritise peacebuilding so much. American people love peace, not war. Only capitalists and weapons and oil traders want wars. They manipulate politics too. But ordinary Americans love peace and live peacefully,” he said.

Some cities and towns such as Eureka, California, provided protective police motorcades anyway. 

“I think people know that I went to promote peace and nothing else. They understand,” he said.

“Learning to live with those who think differently from us is an art that brings happiness to people and the world,” he added. 

Phra Sutham plans to resume his walk in France after he spends Buddhist Lent in Bodh Gaya, India, where Lord Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment beneath a Bodhi tree.

IRCTC launches tour packages from Vizag to Rajasthan, Gaya and Thailand

Source: yovizag.com

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd. (IRCTC) has initiated special tour packages from Vizag to Rajasthan, Gaya, and Thailand. The tours will be conducted in the months of August and September to facilitate those looking to explore the aforementioned places.

Overall, the packages will include airfare, a visit to several famous tourist destinations, accommodation in 3-star hotels, breakfast and dinner as per itinerary and many other facilities.

Land of Royals- Rajasthan
The trip to Rajasthan has been organized in such a way that all the major tourist destinations, including Saheliyon ki Bari in Udaipur, Hawa Mahal, Jal Mahal, the Dargah Sharif in Ajmer, and the Narangah Fort, will be covered. The 5-day trip will commence with a connecting flight to Rajasthan will departing from Vizag on 13 August. The tour will cover prominent sightseeing cities like Jaipur, Pushkar, Udaipur and the Shilpgram Village of arts and crafts. The trip will eventually end on 18 August with a flight returning to Vizag.

The package will cost Rs.36590 for single occupancy, Rs.30870 for double occupancy, Rs.29940 for triple occupancy, Rs.26545 for a child with a bed, Rs.22340 for a child without bed. The package includes a tour manager as well.

Gaya Pind Daan
IRCTC has also introduced tour packages to the states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh covering 4 nights- 5 days stay in Patna, Bodhgaya, Varanasi, Sarnath, and Allahabad. Famous tourist destinations like the Mahabodhi Temple, Vishnu Padam Temple (also called the Pinda Pradanam), the Kal Bhairav Temple, the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Patalpuri. Tourists will also get an opportunity to do the legendary Aarthi at the Ganga Ghats.

The package will cost Rs.31295 for single occupancy, Rs.23755 for double occupancy, Rs.23325 for triple occupancy and Rs.22090 for a child with a bed.

Treasures of Thailand
IRCTC will also be organising a tour from Vizag to Thailand. The trip begins on 15 August with a flight leaving Vizag at 12:10 am. The first day of the tour will witness a visit to Gems Gallery in Pattaya and an evening Alcazar show followed by a night stay in Pattaya. After breakfast, the tourists are expected to proceed to Coral Island and the Nong Nooch Tropical Garden. Food will be arranged at an Indian restaurant. Once in Bangkok, arrangements will be made to visit places like the Wat Traimit, Wat Pho, i.e. the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, Safari World, Marine Park, etc.

The package will cost Rs.47141 for single occupancy, Rs.41535 for double occupancy, Rs.41535 for triple occupancy, Rs.39488 for a child with bed and Rs.31569 for a child without bed.

Leh accords grand reception to ‘Pad Yatra for World Peace’

Source: statetimes.in

TSEWANG RIGZIN
LEH: A number of religious and political organisations of Leh accorded a grand reception to Pad Yatra at Shey, as around 200 monks, nuns and laypersons from Thailand reached Leh after a strenuous month-long ‘Pad Yatra (peace march) for World Peace’ from Bodhgaya via Dharamsala to Ladakh on foot.

The delegates of Pad Yatra started their journey from Bodhgaya last month after offering prayers at sacred Mahabodhi temple. After having an audience with Dalai Lama in Dharamsala and seeking his blessings on 25th May, the Sangha members embarked on a month-long spiritual journey on foot towards Ladakh, crossing the high Himalayan terrain. The yatra was led by lord Abbot of Royal Thai Temple, Singburi province in Thailand, Phrateppariyattisuthi Thongsuk and was organised in collaboration with Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre (MIMC), Leh. This was the 4th consecutive year of historic Dhamma Pad Yatra.

A number of leaders from different communities also took part in concluding part of Pad Yatra, for about 10 Km from Shey village to Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS) Choglamsar, and prayed for world peace. President Ladakh Gonpa Association, Gelong Shatup Chamba; Skyabje Tokdan Rinpoche, Dy Chairman LAHDC Leh, President Municipal Committee Leh Dr Isehy Namgyal, Vice President Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) P T Kunzang, LBA Youth President Konchok Stag, LBA Women Wing President Rinchen Lamo, President Anjuman-Moin-Ul Islam Dr Abdul Qayom, President Anjuman Immamia Ashraf Ali Barcha, President Christian Association Dechen Chamgha, President District Congress Committee Tsering Namgyal, President Bar Association Leh Mohd Shafi Lasu, President All Ladakh Tour Operators Association Tsetan Angchok, Chief Patron Sindhu Darshan Yatra Samiti, Sr. RSS Pracharak Indresh Kumar and a number of people received the delegation of monks, nuns and laypersons on their arrival in Leh and also took part in the last leg of peace march.

Congratulating the delegates for a successful month-long Yatra for World Peace, founder-President MIMC, Bhikkhu Sanghasena expressed gratitude to all leaders from different communities of Leh for extending a warm welcome to the delegates from Thailand.

The Pad Yatra concluded at CIBS with inauguration of a three-day International Conference on ‘World Peace’, ‘150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’, and ‘Preservation of Cultural Heritage of Himalayas’ in Acharya Nagarjuna Auditorium of CIBS. The conference is being organised by MIMC in collaboration with Save the Himalayas Foundation, New Delhi; Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, Nalanda; Central Institute of Buddhist Studies (CIBS), Leh and Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Leh.