From October 18th to 20th, 2025, the Thich Dong Sa Temple in the Golden Triangle New Village, Dong Peng District, Bokeo Province, Laos, was solemnly filled with Buddhist devotion and a large gathering of devotees. To support the construction of the new ordination hall, a grand ceremony was held to celebrate the construction of the Golden Pagoda and to offer clothing to the deceased. Devotees and representatives from various sectors gathered for this event, which held both religious significance and social value.
The ceremony was jointly presided over by Kham Nhham Vong, President of the Bokeo Provincial Buddhist Association, Kham Chheng Phonbanya, Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the Bokeo Provincial Buddhist Association, and Hupaning, Abbot of Thich Dong Sa Temple. Eighty-nine monks participated, highlighting the sacredness and solemnity of the ceremony. Deputy Secretary of the Bokeo Provincial Party Committee Kham Yam Khamsayyak, former Deputy Governor Khamphaya Phubanya, and other government leaders at various levels attended the event, joining devotees from all over to witness this important moment.
As an important carrier of Lao Buddhist culture, the Golden Pagoda celebration and the collective Kathina robe-giving ceremony deeply resonate with Laos' long-standing "Twelve Customs and Fourteen Traditions," perfectly blending religious belief with folk traditions. The sacred golden pagoda at the heart of the celebration, entirely covered in pure gold, stands 19 meters tall and is surrounded by 12 white jade Buddha statues and numerous smaller pagodas; every detail embodies the piety and strength of believers from all sides. The construction of the new ordination hall, proceeding concurrently with the Golden Pagoda celebration, has also garnered significant attention. The hall is planned to be 40 meters long, 16 meters wide, and approximately 50 meters high, constructed with durable reinforced concrete and topped with high-quality, durable tiles. Upon completion, it will become the core venue for cultural heritage preservation, religious activities, and collective discussions for the villagers of the new village, injecting new vitality into the community's cultural life.
During the event, all villagers of the Golden Triangle New Village worked hand in hand with the temple administration to beautify the environment and meticulously planned and arranged the procession route. The route was adorned with auspicious ornaments such as trees of merit and gold and silver, creating a strong religious atmosphere and festive spirit. Meanwhile, the organizers meticulously arranged several educational traditional ceremonies and cultural lectures, enriching the villagers' spiritual and cultural lives and effectively enhancing residents' sense of participation and cultural identity, thus forging a powerful force for community development.
On the morning of October 20th, as dawn broke, many villagers, young and old, gathered in front of the temple to participate in reciting prayers, blessing ceremonies, and public welfare activities with devout hearts. Through solemn rituals, they expressed their gratitude for the nurturing grace of their parents, the teachings of their teachers, and the cultivation of their community, jointly praying for peace and tranquility in their homeland and a happy and fulfilling life. The atmosphere was warm and harmonious.
It is worth mentioning that the event was held in Jin Sanjiao New Village, a modern community funded and built by the Jin Sanjiao Special Economic Zone, initially intended to resettle relocated residents of Ban Kuang Village. In 2012, the village was officially completed and named "Golden Triangle New Village." As the first modern community in Laos with over 100 households and centralized water, electricity, and sewage treatment, it boasts comprehensive public facilities including schools, hospitals, and temples, completely transforming the lives of local villagers. Mr. Zhao Wei, Chairman of the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, solemnly promised, "The Lao people lend me a piece of land, and I will return a city to them." Today, this thriving and harmonious new village, along with the continuously burning and spiritually connected Wat Tong Sa, is a vivid example and the best testament to this promise. Then-President of Laos, Choummaly Sayasone, personally attended the village's relocation ceremony and highly praised the community's achievements. The Lao government also awarded Mr. Zhao Wei the "Second-Class Development Medal" in recognition of his outstanding contributions to promoting regional economic development and improving people's well-being.
Today, the Golden Triangle New Village is experiencing steady population growth and its community vitality is increasingly vibrant. The Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, with its core strategy of "tourism-driven development," has not only improved its infrastructure but also driven the development of surrounding industries through models such as "company + farmer," creating numerous job opportunities for villagers and significantly improving their material living standards and enriching their spiritual and cultural lives. Against the backdrop of Laos's profound Buddhist cultural tradition, temples are not only spiritual homes for believers to express their faith and cultivate their minds but also important spaces for uniting community forces and preserving national culture. The successful hosting of this series of events at Wat Thongsa vividly demonstrates how the development achievements of the Special Economic Zone truly benefit the people, and how the happiness of the local people is deeply integrated with and resonates with the development of the Special Economic Zone. In the future, with the continued development of the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, it will undoubtedly bring more development opportunities to the surrounding areas, writing a new chapter of win-win cooperation and improved livelihoods between China and Laos.
