Ajarn Khaek Mantrasayam, also known as Ajarn Khaek Rueso, performed the eye-opening ceremony for the Phra Upakut statue holding an alms bowl while standing on a turtle, as well as a casting ceremony for the Jatukam Buddha at the Xian Mantrasayam Shrine in Soi Wat Botong, Botong Subdistrict, Lat Lum Kaeo District, Pathum Thani Province. Meanwhile, his students contributed survival kits to support military operations on the Thai-Cambodian border.
On 16 Dec 2025 GMT+7, at the Xian Mantrasayam Shrine in Soi Wat Botong, Botong Subdistrict, Lat Lum Kaeo District, Pathum Thani Province, Ajarn Khaek Mantrasayam, also known as Ajarn Khaek Rueso, together with students and members of the public, gathered to take part in the eye-opening ceremony for Phra Upakut and the casting ceremony for the Jatukam Buddha to contribute merit towards building the shrine.
The eye-opening ceremony for the Phra Upakut statue holding an alms bowl standing on a turtle is considered a sacred ritual to consecrate and activate the power of Phra Upakut (the arhant who dispels evil and grants fortune). Devotees worship to seek blessings for wealth, prosperous trade, stable love, and protection from danger. The event atmosphere included former students who had won first prize lottery awards worth 30 million baht and others who had achieved success in their careers. They joined in donating essential goods and preparing survival kits to support soldiers fighting along the Cambodian border, as well as displaced people at evacuation centers. Contributions were also made to royal-sponsored charity kitchens in the area. Collected items were loaded onto trucks to be sent to evacuation centers in the border region of Sa Kaeo Province and to assist flood victims in southern Thailand.
Mr. Thanatsit Kaeo-in, also known as “Hia Tuta,” a medical equipment business operator, revealed that he sells surgical instruments. Previously, his business faced a severe downturn and he had debts amounting to several million baht. After becoming a student of Ajarn Khaek and participating in various merit-making ceremonies, along with guidance from Ajarn Khaek on how to improve his life, his situation gradually improved. What was once a large debt has now nearly been cleared. Regarding his studies, he is determined to complete a doctoral degree; he previously faced financial difficulties but then met a doctor who provided advice and support. Now he is just 5% away from finishing his PhD. He said it is a personal belief, but whenever he faced obstacles in work, finances, or study, he would pray for the blessings of Ajarn Khaek and the merit from creating Phra Upakut statues to help him succeed. Over the past month, he has felt his wishes fulfilled and has continuously joined Ajarn Khaek’s merit-making activities. Learning about the current effort to send supplies to soldiers on the border, he joined in to support the troops as a reliable backer.
Ajarn Khaek Mantrasayam, also known as Ajarn Khaek Rueso, stated that after students joined the eye-opening ceremony for Phra Upakut, a group including Pa Pong Nuam Mana from “Ban Mee Dee” and other disciples collectively contributed goods such as daily necessities, food, and canned fish to support brave soldiers fighting against the Khmer. These items were gathered and transported by truck to royal-sponsored charity kitchens at donation centers in Sa Kaeo, Sisaket, Surin, and Sa Kaeo provinces. Additionally, during the floods in Hat Yai, they also collected and sent supplies to help southern residents affected by the major floods there. This reflects the intention of Ajarn Khaek and his disciples to share and assist villagers severely impacted by flooding and to boost the morale of the soldiers sacrificing themselves to protect the nation.