Honorary degree for Phuket’s oldest monk

PHUKET: About a thousand people from all over Thailand turned out today (Friday) to celebrate one of Phuket’s most respected monks – and possibly the world’s oldest person – being awarded an honorary degree.

Friday 16 September 2011, 04:50PM

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Luang Pu Supha, the head monk at Wat Luang Pu Supha in Chalong, was presented the degree by representatives of Maha Chulalongkorn Rajavidyalaya University, Bangkok, in recognition of his extensive community work.

Now aged 116 – a claim which, if verified, would make him the world’s oldest living person – Luang Pu Supha has been a monk since he was aged nine. During that time he has helped many people in the community, as well as helping to build houses for monks in Phuket, Singapore and Malaysia.

Tomorrow, Luang Pu Supha will also award 270 academic scholarships to enable disadvantaged students the chance to study in Phuket.