Muslims pray for harmony

Written by Writer on Saturday, October 25th, 2008

THE SOUTH

Muslims pray for harmony

POST REPORTERS

All mosques in Thailand held Hayat prayers yesterday to seek divine intervention to bring peace, harmony and fortune to the country.

Muslims attend a mass Hayat prayer for peace and harmony in the country at a school in Phuket yesterday. The prayer was part of nationwide Muslim prayers held at the suggestion of the Chularatchamontri’s Office. ACHADTAYA CHUENNIRAN

Phuket provincial Islamic committee chairman Bamrung Sampaorat said the prayers came after a suggestion by the national Islamic administrative Chularatchamontri’s Office.

Mr Bamrung said the office had earlier sent a letter to every mosque calling for the nationwide Hayat prayers yesterday to seek blessings for the country that is beset by an economic slowdown and a political crisis.

In Phuket alone, Muslims attended prayers at 51 mosques yesterday. Yusop Yangtalay, a Muslim school director, hoped the mass prayers would help Thailand get back on track soon.

In Yala, more than 2,000 people from government officials to businessmen attended a mass merit-making ceremony to seek peace with the spirits of dead insurgency victims at Wat Buddhabhumi temple in Muang district yesterday.

More than 500 monks from 266 temples in Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla collected alms.

Yala deputy governor Krissada Boonrat said money from 1,600 funds, worth 3.2 million baht in total, was given as relief assistance to teachers, police and soldiers in the deep South.

Meanwhile, an intelligence source warned about a possible major strike in the restive region in the near future.

A militant group planned to use a car bomb in the attack, the source said. No date was given.

Bangkok Post
Saturday October 25, 2008