Buddhist Clergy Launch Temple-Community-State Development Initiative
Senior Buddhist clergy launched the Temple-Community-State Happiness-Building Project at a workshop in Pathum Thani Province, calling for unity between religious institutions, government, and communities to build social resilience and natio
On Tuesday, July 21, 2026, Somdet Phra Mahaviravaṅgs (Suchin Akkachino), a Mahatthera Council member serving as chairman of the steering committee for the Temple-Community-State Happiness-Building Project, presided over the opening ceremony and delivered a blessing at the project's 2026 operational workshop. The event was organized by the project's driving committee in cooperation with the National Office of Buddhism and was attended by Phra Thammarattanaphon (Somsak Chotindhro), abbot of Wat Khian Khet Royal Temple and chairman of the central management committee, along with Deputy Permanent Secretary of Interior Nirat Pongsitthawaon, National Office of Buddhism Director Udompon Ekiam, Pathum Thani Deputy Governor Dongpon Rujithammathat, Thanyaburi District Officer Nopdol Plonsue, government officials, and residents at the Royal Commemorative Auditorium at Wat Khian Khet in Thanyaburi District, Pathum Thani Province.
In his remarks, Somdet Phra Mahaviravaṅgs emphasized the importance of unity as a guiding principle for living together in society. He noted that when religious institutions and the public act as one, the nation can safely overcome any crisis. He stressed that all agencies and organizations must unite to promote love and goodness in society through collective effort, citing the Temple-Community-State Happiness-Building Project as a prime example of collaboration between temples, communities, and the state to create lasting happiness.
He further stated that the project serves as a genuine bridge of cooperation between the government and the monastic order, playing a crucial role in cultivating citizens who contribute to national well-being. He emphasized that promoting Buddhism and maintaining social peace and order are not the responsibility of the clergy alone but a duty shared by all citizens working together, and he expressed his hope that the meeting would benefit all sectors and help advance the nation and Buddhism.
The Temple-Community-State Happiness-Building Project is part of a Buddhist reform initiative designed to make temples clean, pleasant, and suitable for learning while sustainably managing the environment according to Buddhist principles through the participation of the clergy, government, private sector, and local communities. Thirteen organizations signed a memorandum of understanding on February 26, 2023, to implement the project. To date, the project has been driven at all levels with temples and agencies under the Department of Local Administration, Department of Interior, Department of Community Development, Ministry of Public Health, and the private sector working in partnership. Approximately 30,004 temples—representing 72 percent—have joined the project since 2019.
