Nay Pyi Taw June 27
Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who was in Thailand on a goodwill visit, accompanied by wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, Lt-Gen Myo Zaw Thein, Lt-Gen Soe Htut and senior military offi cers of the Office of the Commander-in- Chief (Army), and Myanmar Military Attaché (Army, Navy and Air) Brig-Gen Khin Zaw, visited Wat Chaimongkol Monastery and Wat Luang Phor Aee Monastery in Pattaya this morning.
First, the Senior General and wife arrived at Wat Chaimongkol Monastery and paid homage and offered lights to the Buddha image in the monastery. They next paid homage and offered alms to Abbot Prapanyarattana Porn. The abbot presented the Senior General and wife with a Buddha statue as a Dhamma gift. Then, merits were shared and gained.
The Senior General, wife and party went to Wat Luang Phor Aee Monastery where they paid homage and offered gold foils to the Buddha image. They then viewed the statues of the predecessor abbots and their personal items in the compound of the centennial pagoda. They were there conducted round by a monk.
The Senior General, wife and party paid homage and presented offertories and cash donations to Abbot Laungpor Ei, who presented them with Dhamma gifts. The Senior General, wife and party shared merits gained.
Later, the Senior General and party visited the sea turtle breeding camp of the Royal Thai Navy. An official briefed on breeding and taking care of sea turtles and release of them into the sea with a video clip. The Senior General asked what he wanted to know.
The Senior General and party viewed breeding of sea turtles and studied the clinic where surgical operations were being performed on the injured sea turtles. They were conducted round there by officials. The Senior General, wife and party released sea turtles into the sea and made cash donations for the breeding camp.
The sea turtle breeding camp of the Royal Thai Navy collects about 30,000 turtle eggs a year, takes care of them until they reproduce and releases about 5,000 to 7,000 adult turtles into the sea as a measure to protect sea turtles. The camp also performs operations on the sea turtles suffering injuries after being caught in fishing hooks and other sea turtles sustaining injuries for various reasons. The camp raises four species of sea turtles. Anyone can visit and study the breeding camp free of charge. The camp is being run with funds provided by the Royal Thai Navy and public well-wishers.
