"As dusk settled over Pathum Thani, the grounds at Wat Phra Dhammakaya Temple transformed into an ocean of faith, adorned with a swath of amber robes and white-clad devotees. Footage captured on Tuesday shows tens of thousands of devotees seated in harmonious stillness as they engaged in communal meditation, before a ceremonial candlelit procession to commemorate Makha Bucha Day. Monk Puserat expressed his delight at welcoming visitors to the temple, emphasising inner peace and its global impact. “I'm very, very honoured and happy to welcome everybody and have a chance to really spread the message of world peace to inner peace,” he said. The atmosphere was later awakened by a deep, resonant wave of Pali chants rising from the congregation of monks and followers, with thousands of voices blending into a singular drone that echoed through the air. Opal, a devotee, shared her excitement at visiting the temple and witnessing the engagement of many people. “I feel very happy and very excited to see a lot of the writing here and a lot of people. I feel just like many people still love the Buddha and still believe of the Buddhists. So today I feel excited,” she said. As night deepened, devotees clutched candles and lotus buds, moving in slow, silent circles around the main ordination hall. Makha Bucha Day provides Thai Buddhists with an opportunity to reflect on the profound teachings of the Buddha. Traditionally celebrated on the full moon of the third lunar month in the Buddhist calendar, it honours the occasion of the Buddha's meeting with his disciples."