The Ministry of Culture opens a route to pay homage to the revered monk Luang Pu Thuat who walked on the fresh sea water, inviting tourists to follow the path of faith and belief to enhance auspiciousness in Songkhla Province.
Ms. Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol, Minister of Culture, presided over the opening ceremony of the activity ‘Following the Path of Faith: The Path of Paying Homage to the Venerable Monk, Luang Pu Thuat Walking on the Fresh Sea Water’, which was attended by Mr. Chaipol Suk-iam, Director-General of the Department of Religious Affairs, Mr. Somnuk Promkhieo, Governor of Songkhla Province, Songkhla Provincial Cultural Office, heads of government agencies in Songkhla Province, and representatives of relevant government and private agencies.
The Ministry of Culture, through the Department of Religious Affairs, has extended the activity ‘Following the Path of Faith: Paying Homage to the Venerable Luang Pu Thuat Walking on the Fresh Sea Water’ under the project of the Pilgrimage of Merit in the Re
ligious Dimension by using religious soft power in line with the policy of the Ministry of Culture to help stimulate the grassroots economy and promote the potential of virtuous communities to be tourist attractions and learn about arts, culture, and ways of life, as well as to encourage children and youth to develop knowledge and virtue. Somdej Phra Kho or Luang Pu Thuat is known to Thai people in all regions as a monk with miraculous powers and great supernatural powers, earning him the nickname ‘Luang Pu Thuat Walking on the Fresh Sea Water’. His extraordinary history has been told for a long time and has expanded into beliefs and faith. In order to promote tourism in the religious dimension, a route to pay homage to Luang Pu Thuat has been opened according to beliefs along the route, starting from Wat Ton Lieb,
which has a belief in ‘a solid foundation in life’. 400 years ago, this temple was the place where Luang Pu Thuat’s placenta was buried at the base of the Ton Lieb tree. If you come to pay homage
to the stupa where Luang Pu Thuat’s placenta is buried at Wat Ton Lieb, it will help increase your merit and bring good fortune to your life.
As for Na Phel Monastery, there is a belief in ‘raising children easily, being good and healthy.’ It is said that Mr. Hu and Mrs. Chan, the parents, tied their child in a hammock under a mango tree in the rice field and went to work in the rice field. When they returned, they saw a large king cobra coiled around the hammock. They quickly found flowers to ask for forgiveness from the gods to protect their child. After that, the serpent released its body from the hammock and slithered away. However, it turned out that there was foam from the serpent’s saliva that had hardened into a crystal ball on their son’s chest (which later became the crystal ball of Luang Pu Thuat). Currently, at Na Phel Monastery, there is a stucco sculpture that recreates the event.
Wat Dee Luang has beliefs in ‘education, work, and finance.’ Wat Dee Luang is where Luang Pu Thuat was ordained as
a novice at the age of 14 to study various subjects. Abbot Chuang, the former abbot, ordained him as a novice for Luang Pu Thuat. Abbot Chuang’s stupa is located in front of the chapel. If you come to pay homage, it will help increase your merit and bring good fortune in terms of ‘being intelligent, knowledgeable, and successful in education.’
And Wat Ratchaprathit or Wat Phakho has a belief in ‘prosperity’ because it is the place where Luang Pu Thuat resided. There are many ancient sites and artifacts enshrined, such as Phra Suwanna Malik Chedi Sri Rattana Mahathat, which enshrines the Buddha’s relics. Luang Pu Thuat brought the twin crystal balls to enshrine on the top of Suwanna Malik Chedi Sri Rattana Mahathat.
There is also a well for washing robes, which is the well where Luang Pu Thuat used to wash his robes and is also believed to be a sacred well that can cure illnesses. There is also a temple with a footprint, which is where the left footprint of the Buddha is enshrined. It is believed that this f
ootprint was the one where Luang Pu Thuat performed a miraculous act by stepping on it before disappearing from Wat Phakho.
Source: Thai News Agency