Ariya's World 6 - Luang Pu Thongsuk Sampanno, Prominent Elder Monk from Isan

On February 9, 2026, remembering the 17th anniversary of Phra Khru Phothikhun Sathit (Luang Pu Thongsuk Sampanno) from Wat Phochai Nimit in Maha Sarakham Province. A spiritual descendant of Luang Pu Sathu Sukthammo, he was a famous elder monk of the Isan region who served as the abbot of Wat Phochai Nimit and district monk leader. Born Thongsuk Sangathip on May 26, 1929, in Mueang Chia village, he completed primary education and helped his family with farming. In 1949, he was ordained at Wat Thong Nop Khun, quickly mastering Buddhist scriptures and achieving the highest level of Dharma studies. He studied ancient scripts and became interested in spiritual practices under the guidance of Luang Pu Sathu, becoming his last disciple. After wandering through forests in Isan, Laos, and Cambodia, he returned to his home temple, gaining widespread respect for his strict adherence to Buddhist disciplines. Pilgrims would visit him for blessings, and he used donations to develop the temple. He held various administrative positions in the monastic hierarchy, including becoming an abbot and district monk leader, and received multiple ecclesiastical promotions. In his later years, he battled lung cancer.