To celebrate the 72th Birthday Anniversary of Phra Maha Surasak Chivanandho on June 9, 1997, the monks, the temple committee and laypeople organized many events during June 6-8, 1997. Educational seminars and meditation workshops were held. The National Council on Social Welfare of Thailand organized “Thailand: Present and Future” seminar, while Maha¬chulalongkornrajavidyalai University organized “Thai Missionary Monks: The Age of Givers and Leaders” seminar led by Phra Dhammakosajarn (Panya Nandha) and Phra Rajaworamunee (Prayoon Dhammajitto). His Excellency Nitya Pibulsonggram, the Thai ambassador to the U.S., gave a speech on “The Next Decade of Thai Missionary Monks in the U.S.”
After the celebrations, the missionary monks and the laypeople started to promote Buddhism through internet technology. The IIRT Corp with the collaboration of the Council of the Thai Bhikkhus in U.S.A. and Wat Thai Washington, D.C. organized a course for missionary monks and the general public called “Buddhism Promotion through IT Project” in December 1998. The monks learned how to create homepages to promote Buddhism in the modern world.
