Nonthaburi: Wat Suan Kaew temple has decided to temporarily pause accepting new donations as it grapples with rising oil prices, resulting in a substantial monthly financial burden of 10 million baht.
According to Thai News Agency, Phra Payom Kalyano, the abbot of Wat Suan Kaew, elaborated on this decision during the "Share the News" program on MCOT News FM 100.5. He clarified that the temple has not ceased its charitable activities but is taking a temporary break from accepting new donors due to the crisis triggered by soaring oil prices and ongoing geopolitical tensions. Despite these challenges, the temple continues to support its thousands of beneficiaries.
Phra Payom highlighted that the main issue arises from the significant increase in fuel costs, which have surged from 500 baht to several thousand baht, making donation collection financially unsustainable. Additionally, fuel shortages have occasionally hindered the temple's ability to travel and collect supplies, thereby disrupting their aid operations.
The temple currently employs approximately 1,300 to 1,500 individuals, sometimes nearing 2,000, with a monthly wage bill of 8 million baht. When combined with food and other expenses, the temple's total monthly expenditure reaches approximately 10 million baht. The temple also takes care of over 400 to 500 animals and maintains more than 40 donation vehicles, which collectively incur a daily fuel cost of 10,000 to 20,000 baht.
During school holidays, the number of working children will be decreased, and their wages will be adjusted from 200-300 baht to 150-200 baht. The temple plans to reassess the situation after six months before making decisions about rehiring.
Phra Payom also urged Thais to embrace the spirit of Dharma during Songkran by showing compassion, generosity, and family care. He stressed that bringing happiness to one's family is a noble act, and even simple gestures such as calling elderly relatives to offer encouragement are valuable. Furthermore, he cautioned the public to remain vigilant against scammers when making charitable donations.
Phra Payom concluded by emphasizing that this crisis is the most severe in over two decades, necessitating a pause in new recruitments. He called upon everyone to apply Buddhist principles in their lives, encouraging adaptation, reduced comforts, and collective effort to navigate through these challenging times.