Thailand moves ahead with 45-volume English Tipitaka project

BANGKOK — 11 September 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun chaired the first 2026 meeting of the committee overseeing the English Tipitaka project, aimed at making Thailand’s Buddhist scriptures more accessible to an international audience.

The meeting was held at Government House and attended by members of the Sangha and the committee responsible for producing the English version of the Tipitaka.

Suphajee, who chairs the project’s patronage committee, said the English-language Tipitaka project is a major collaboration between the Ministry of Culture, through its Department of Religious Affairs, the Sangha Supreme Council and the National Office of Buddhism.

The project aims to make the teachings of the Buddha more accessible to both Thai and foreign audiences, while also serving as a religious merit-making initiative to commemorate His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s accession to the throne and his declaration as a patron of Buddhism.

The project plans to produce 45 volumes comprising 21,941 pages: eight volumes of the Vinaya Pitaka, 25 volumes of the Sutta Pitaka and 12 volumes of the Abhidhamma Pitaka.

The next phase will focus on accelerating translation, verification and editorial processes to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the texts. The project will also develop educational materials and publicity campaigns to help Thai and foreign audiences access, study and appropriately apply Buddhist teachings.

Preparations are also underway to publish the English-language Tipitaka in print for wider distribution, as well as in e-book format. The digital edition is intended to provide greater access to Buddhist knowledge in line with modern learning habits, allowing people and researchers to conveniently study, research and understand the contents of the Tipitaka.

Suphajee said the meeting also approved the establishment of three subcommittees to drive the project: the Subcommittee for Producing the English-language Tipitaka, the Subcommittee for Translating the English-language Tipitaka, and the Editorial Subcommittee for the English-language Tipitaka.

The three panels will support and coordinate work in their respective areas in a continuous and systematic manner, with experts and specialists taking part in the process.

The project is expected to contribute to the preservation and dissemination of Buddhism by making the English-language Tipitaka an accessible source for studying the Buddha’s teachings. It also aims to enable people in Thailand and abroad to apply those teachings in their daily lives and help promote Thailand’s Buddhist heritage to the international community.