Ayutthaya – On 12 October 2026, at 13:00 hrs. Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU) held a memorial ceremony to express profound gratitude and remembrance on the anniversary of the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great for the year 2026. kindly presided over by Most Ven. Prof. Dr. Phra Brahmawatcharatheeracharn, Rector of MCU, lit candles and incense stocks and led the congregation to pay homage to the Triple Gem. Following this, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Surapol Suyaprom, Vice Rector for General Affairs, acting on behalf of the Rector, laid a wreath and delivered a memorial address. The event was attended by the university's administrators, faculty members, staff, and students, who gathered in unison at Somdet Phra Buddhacharn (Art Asabhamahathera) Building, Vipassanadhura Institute (2nd floor), to demonstrate their unwavering loyalty.

On this occasion, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Surapon Suyaprom delivered a eulogy praising King Rama IX, the Great's boundless grace throughout His 70-year reign. He highlighted the late His Majesty's selfless dedication of physical strength and wisdom to royal duties for the well-being and happiness of the people across the kingdom. He also reflected on the Royal Initiative Projects and the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy, bestowed by His Majesty Rama IX, the Great as a guiding light and a shield of resilience for the citizens' livelihoods.

Furthermore, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University expressed immeasurable gratitude for His Majesty's contributions to the institution and the realm of Buddhist education in Thailand, highlighting the following significant milestones:

• The first complete translation of the Pali Canon (Tipitaka) into Thai was accomplished during the reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great (Rama IX). To mark the 25th Buddhist Century Celebration (1957 CE), the Sangha Supreme Council established a committee to translate and publish the entire 45-volume Tipitaka from Pali into Thai for the very first time in Thailand.

• In 1957, His Majesty King Rama IX, the Great granted personal funds of 210,000 baht as initial capital to support the university in translating and publishing the Thai version of the Tipitaka (Buddhist canon). This monumental task was completed in 1999 to mark the auspicious occasion of His Majesty’s 72nd birthday.

• On September 27, 1984, His Majesty King Rama IX, the Great signed the Act on the Determination of Academic Standing of Graduates in Buddhist Studies. This granted MCU graduates the same academic dignity and degree rights equivalent to those from other state-recognized educational institutions.

• On September 21, 1997, His Majesty King Rama IX, the Great enacted the Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University Act, officially establishing the university as an autonomous state institution and a legal entity dedicated to academic education in Buddhism.

• On May 21, 2004, His Majesty King Rama IX, the Great graciously established the "King's Scholarship for Thai Monks" project to provide educational opportunities for Buddhist monks, novices, and university students, an initiative that continues to this day.

• Annually, His Majesty King Rama IX, the Great graciously bestowed ecclesiastical titles upon the monastic personnel and royal decorations upon the lay staff of the university, a tradition that endures to the present.

Subsequently, Prof. Dr. Phra Brahmawatcharatheeracharn, Rector of MCU, administered the precepts, and the monks chanted Buddhist mantras to dedicate merit to His Majesty King Rama IX, the Great. Prof. Dr. Phra Brahmawatcharatheeracharn, along with the administrators, faculty members, staff, and students, then joined in chanting and practicing meditation, dedicating merit to His Majesty King Rama IX, the Great.

Towards the conclusion of the ceremony, the administrators and attendees collectively pledged to adopt His Majesty Rama IX, the Great's royal initiatives as their guiding principles in performing their duties and conducting their lives to create enduring prosperity for the nation. They continue to hold the deeply beloved Monarch of the Thai people in eternal remembrance.