Thai king and queen pray for peace at Hanoi pagoda as state visit ends

Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Queen Suthida visited Quan Su Pagoda in Hanoi on Wednesday and attended a prayer ceremony for peace.

As part of their state visit to Vietnam, the Thai king and queen visited Quan Su Pagoda in Hanoi and paid homage to the Buddha on Wednesday morning.

The royal couple and their delegation were welcomed by Most Venerable Thich Thanh Nhieu, abbot of Quan Su Pagoda, along with monks and Buddhist followers.

Attendees from the Vietnamese side included Le Khanh Hai, chairman of the Office of the President, and Pham Viet Hung, Vietnam's ambassador to Thailand. The Thai side included Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who is serving as minister-in-attendance, and Urawadee Sriphiromya, Thailand's ambassador to Vietnam.

The Thai king offers candles and flowers at the pagoda.

The king and queen light candles in the main hall.

Monks and Buddhist followers chant sutras, praying for the peace and well-being of the king and queen and for Vietnam-Thailand relations to keep growing as the two countries mark 50 years of diplomatic ties.

The Heart Sutra contains Buddhism's core teaching on "emptiness," which Buddhists believe dispels afflictions, untangles inner obstacles and turns the mind toward serenity. The sutra is also recited to spread compassion and to pray that humanity be spared from war, natural disasters and conflict.

The prayer ceremony reflects the socially engaged spirit of Vietnamese Buddhism and affirms both countries' commitment to jointly building a peaceful, cooperative and prosperous world, according to the Vietnam News Agency.

Queen Suthida listens as monks and Buddhist followers chant sutras.

The Thai king and queen pay homage to the Buddha.

Vietnam and Thailand share close cultural affinities and deep Buddhist ties. Quan Su Pagoda, which houses the working offices of senior monks on the Executive Council of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, has previously welcomed Cambodia's king and India's prime minister.

The king and queen extend their greetings and wishes for good health and peace to the senior monks leading the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha.

Monks of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha see the king and queen off.