On 14 April 2024, H.E. Ms. Arjaree Sriratanaban, Ambassador of Thailand together with Heads of Thailand Agencies in Canberra and officials and staff of the Royal Thai Embassy and their families, attended the religious rituals on the occasion of the Thai New Year and Songkran festival at Wat Dhammadharo, Lyneham, as part of traditional Thai ways of Songkran celebration. The ceremony includes merit making by offering alms to the monks, robe offering, bathing the Buddha image, pouring fragrance water into the hands of the monks and seeking well wishes from the monks.

 

The Royal Thai Embassy and Team Thailand agencies joined other Buddhists, Thai and foreign, in opening stalls offering various dishes of Thai food. All proceedings from the sale went to support the temple. The Embassy wishes to extend our thanks to the Thai community in Cairns, Queensland, for their generous support for the holy basil leaves used for spicy Thai basil chicken and pork (Kraprow Kai & Kraprow Moo) offered by our stall.