Ambassador Ureerat joins Thai and Singaporean Buddhists at historic Wat Anand Metyarama temple.
SINGAPORE – On 12 May 2025, Her Excellency Mrs Ureerat Chareontoh, Ambassador of Thailand to Singapore, presided over a merit-making ceremony at Wat Anand Metyarama, marking the sacred occasion of Vesak Day.
The event drew participation from officials of the Royal Thai Embassy, members of Team Thailand in Singapore, and a diverse congregation of Thai and Singaporean Buddhists, reflecting the enduring spiritual and cultural ties between the two nations.
Ambassador Ureerat took part in several key rituals during the ceremony. She lit ceremonial candles inside the temple’s chapel and joined in listening to a Dhamma sermon highlighting the significance of Vesak Day, which commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and passing of the Lord Buddha.
One of the ceremony’s highlights was the traditional “Vien Tien” candlelight procession, where participants walked around the temple’s main chapel in respectful homage to the Buddha. The ritual, observed widely across Buddhist communities, serves as an act of devotion and spiritual reflection.
This year’s Vesak Day observance at Wat Anand Metyarama, Singapore’s oldest Theravada Buddhist temple and a key spiritual landmark for the Thai community, underscores the role of religious diplomacy in strengthening cross-cultural understanding.
Source: Royal Thai Embassy, Singapore
