We, at Phi Phi Island, and the Trustees & Committee members of Phi Phi AID all wish you a belated Happy New Year.

Much has happened since the November-December Newsletter. During those months I was very busy helping with the organisation of one of the tsunami commemoration events on Phi Phi Island, which took place on Christmas Day. Twenty one Buddhist monks of 13 different nationalities from a monastery in North East Thailand visited the island. The Thai Government arranged and paid for their transport, but the two ‘hosts’, Neng, (Managing Director of Paradise Resort) and I (Chairman of Phi Phi AID) funded everything else. 

We are very grateful to Khunying Supinda who was an invaluable help with all the organisations. The monks chanted, prayed, gave Dhamma talks, held group discussions, spoke with individuals, and created an atmosphere of peace and tranquility where strong emotions were experienced. Many came to the island because they had either lost loved ones the year before, or they had suffered in other ways because of the tsunami.

At the end of the day at dusk, before the monks departed, many symbolic fire lanterns rose high into the sky.  It was a day I will never forget; it gave me and all present peace and comfort.  I only wish all of you reading this could have shared the experience with us.  It was a ‘healing’ event.

Our heart felt thanks to the Abbot and the monks.