FULL-MOON NEWSLETTER
29th July 2026
Greetings everyone,
I hope this month’s newsletter reaches you all well and you have been enjoying the warm summer weather! Today marks the beginning of the annual three months rains retreat for monastics in the Theravada tradition, traditionally involving settling down in one location for a period of more intensive practice. I’m sure you will all join me in wishing the community at Wat Phukad a fruitful rains retreat!
There are several updates this month, beginning with a message from our chairperson Tan Sudassano:
“As most of you must now be aware, the plan to establish a monastery in Scotland has recently been suspended and the Wat Buddha Metta Scottish Charity, which was established to pursue this plan, is currently undergoing closure. Sadly it was felt that the particular combination of conditions necessary for its success were not sufficiently present. One factor that was taken into account was the key role that Luangpoh Sudhiro would need to play in such a project, his long term and current health problems and the potential debilitating impact a prolonged stay in the UK climate would have on them. It was felt that his time and energy would best be focussed on his current activities in Thailand.One of these activities is at a critical and exciting stage in it’s development. It is the Dhammacari House project which comes under the umbrella of the Buddha Savika Fund which itself is part of the Buddha Metta Society Charity. The Buddha Savika fund is administered by Mae Chee Bpla. It began by providing suitable cremation facilities for Mae Chees and has blossomed into supporting their welfare and that of other young women as they pursue their education at Mahamakhut Buddhist University, Isaan Campus, Khon Kaen.Unlike novice monk students at the University who can be accommodated and supported at nearby monasteries, the Mae Chees and their lay colleagues live in rented accommodation and some way needs to be found to meet that cost along with their educational, food and other living expenses. Currently Mae Chee Bpla, with the help of her parents and the guidance of Luangpoh Sudhiro, is supporting five Mae Chees and three lay women, two of whom were once Mae Chees at Wat Makhut Vimutti Giri. They are an international group which includes five Thais, two Mae Chees from Laos and a lay woman from Indonesia. They are clearly thriving in what can be described as an extended family of kindness.The plan is to develop the buildings and the land occupied and owned by Mae Chee Bpla’s family, which is situated in Khon Kaen near to the University, to provide a home that consists of communal facilities and ten individual living units. An adjacent piece of land is being purchased to provide a garden and scope for development. A community of mutual support based on Dhamma principles which already exists will then be able to develop further and the costs of supporting the students through their university career will be much reduced. There will also be opportunities for visitors from overseas to stay with and share in the life of this special community.”
Since this update from Tan Sudassano, I’m pleased to report that the adjacent piece of land has already been purchased and work on clearing the land in preparation for building the new Dhammacari house is already well underway.
As many of you will have already gathered, the community around Wat Phukad has been growing over the past few months. Two new Maechee’s have joined the group of students supported by the Buddhasavika fund, Maechee Pu and Maechee Gung, who are twins from Laos, and this month also saw the ordination of a young American man Tan Attasanto, formerly known as Brian, alongside eight Thai men taking temporary ordination. The group ordained on the 15th of July, to honour the Sangharaja’s 99th birthday.
Work on the new Uposatha hall at Wat Phukad is also developing well. With the completion of the ceiling and lights in the hall itself, work on the surrounding wall is underway.
Finally, the daily morning chanting and Friday afternoon Dhamma discussion zoom groups are still running smoothly and are open for all to attend.
Best wishes,
Gregory Scotland
