A government project to produce an English translation of the Tipitaka, the earliest collection of Buddhist scriptures, is expected to be completed and ready for publication in two years, according to Culture Minister Itthiphol Kunplome.
"The translation is 20% complete and progress is now accelerating thanks to efforts being made to streamline the task," Mr Itthiphol told the media after chairing yesterday's meeting of the sub-committee in charge of the project.
The minister said the resulting volumes will serve as a tribute to His Majesty the King's coronation in 2019 and his ascension to the role of patron of the Buddhist faith.
The Supreme Sangha Council is proceeding with Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn as an adviser to the project. Yesterday, the sub-committee endorsed a further injection of funds from the next fiscal year starting next month.
The money will be spent on hiring experts to translate the scriptures, as well to procure software to hasten the process and increase its accuracy.
There will also be a kitty to pay for a public relations campaign to promote the project domestically and abroad.
The Department of Religious Affairs will present spending details to the sub-committee for approval, the minister said.
Yesterday's meeting also appointed two new sub-committee members, Ravindra Panth, the former vice chancellor of Nava Nalanda University, and Karam Tej Singh Sarao, former head of Buddhist Studies at the University of Delhi.