Luang Pu Thongdee Celebrates 94th Birthday with New Commemorative Coin
Luang Pu Thongdee, the 94‑year‑old abbot of the Sala Forest Meditation Centre in Maha Sarakham, celebrated his birthday with the release of a new commemorative coin. The coin, named Maha Phok Thap, was consecrated on 6 August 2026 in a ceremony attended by several senior monks. Proceeds will support a fund for preserving his relics.
He decided to become a monk at the ordination hall of Wat Ban Hua Khua, with Phra Kru Prachap Wongkun as his preceptor. Later he moved to Wat Ban Sala, became abbot in 1997, and received the royal ecclesiastical title Phra Kru Hem Sarakhun in 2005. He led villagers to develop Wat Ban Sala, but in 2010 he sought solitude and moved to the old cemetery on the village's southwest side, establishing the Sala Forest Meditation Centre to teach Dhamma, holding annual practice sessions on important Buddhist days. In 2026 Luang Pu Thongdee, aged 94, his disciples led by “Aod Sila Asan” organized a merit‑making ceremony to raise funds for a relic preservation fund, deciding to produce a commemorative coin called the Maha Phok Thap edition. The coin is oval with a loop; the front shows a half‑body likeness of Luang Pu Thongdee, while the back bears yantra inscriptions. Production numbers include: nine pieces of nine‑round alloy with a smooth back and auspicious stamp, nine lead pieces without wing cut, smooth back with auspicious stamp, twenty‑nine pieces of satta alloy with yantra stamp number 168 for nine rounds, and three hundred sixty‑five copper pieces, among others. The consecration ceremony took place on 6 August 2026, the day of the 94th birthday celebration, attended by senior monks Luang Pu Phongsak Saamo of Maha Sarakham, Luang Pu Dam Kantasilo of Maha Sarakham, and Luang Pu Suk of Surin. The purpose is to create a powerful amulet, as the participating monks are believed to possess supernatural abilities. Contact: 08‑6225‑4665.
