On Friday 20 April 2018, the Royal Thai Embassy in Abu Dhabi hosted a Buddhist merit making ceremony to celebrate Songkran Festival which was presided  over by  H.E. Mr Komate Kamalanavin, Ambassador of Thailand to the UAE.  The Buddhist ceremony was conducted by  Than Chao Khun Phraphawanathammaphinan, Abbot of Wat Na Luang in Udon Thani province comprising of  four monks and  was attended by Mr Rangsan Srimangkorn, Acting Consul-General, Mr Panot Punyahotra Consul (Commercial Afffairs) of  Thai Trade Center  Dubai Office, Miss Sunaree Kongsatid, Acting Minister Counsellor of the Labour Affairs Office;  as well as diplomats and staff from Royal Thai Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Royal Thai Consulate General in Dubai and over  200 Thais and foreigners living in the United Arab Emirates.  

In the afternoon, to uphold the Thai traditional water pouring ceremony during the Songkran Festival, the participants joined in the water pouring ceremony to receive blessing from the monks which was later followed by the elders. In addition, Thai traditional performances were also available for the participants to enjoy such as  Thai dances from the children who studied the Thai Class project of the Embassy, Thai dances performed by representatives of the Thai Ladies Circle in Abu Dhabi, the Miss Junior Songkran Beauty Contest as well as carving workshop, “Luk Chub” demonstration workshop, free Thai-style icecream and ice-flake from the Thai Ladies Circle in Abu Dhabi.

During the monks’ stay in Abu Dhabi, the Embassy also hosted a meditation retreat during 21-23 April 2018 for those interested to have an in depth practice of the Buddhist insight meditation and the  Thai Ladies’ Circle in Abu Dhabi and the Thai community in the UAE presented an off season offering  to Wat Na Luang for the construction of the “Bunlue Dhamma” Pavilion.