Kassapa Buddha relic arrives in Bangkok

BANGKOK, December 3 (TNA) - Kassapa Buddha relic, the sacred tooth of the third of the five Buddhas of the present kalpa, has arrived in Bangkok from Bhutan's palace and is now placed at Sanam Luang ceremonial ground in the Thai capital for public worships on the auspicious occasion of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 84th birthday on December 5. Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office Surawit Khonsomboon presided over a ceremony, held at Thailand's main Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Friday, in taking the sacred tooth of the Kassapa Buddha over a ceremonious car to Sanam Luang. Given as temporary loan for four months to Thailand and Thai people on the occasion of His Majesty the King’s 84th birthday, Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk has told Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra that the sacred Buddha tooth is expected to help boost the morale of Thai people, in the wake of the country's flooding crisis. Bhutan's monks said this is the first time that the Kassapa Buddha sacred tooth has been taken out of Bhutan's palace, noting that it has been brought to Thailand to represent close relations between the two Asian nations and the Bhutan monarchy's shared celebrations with the Thai people on the revered and beloved Thai monarch's 84th birthday. (TNA)