For the first time, the Lord Buddha’s relics and important Buddha statues from 13 countries have been temporarily installed at Sanam Luang for large-scale Buddhist prayers in a religious countdown to the New Year.

The relics and Buddha statues were ferried on carriages pulled by men attired in traditional costumes were on Saturday transferred from the Maha Chetsadabodin pavilion court to the spacious ground of Sanam Luang in a procession.

The religious countdown this year will see the participation of Sangha chiefs and top officials in charge of religious affairs from 13 countries namely Cambodia, China, Japan, Bhutan, India, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, Mongolia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Vietnam with Thailand as the host.

Besides the main event at Sanam Luang, Thai Buddhist temples across the country and in the world will organize their own praying ceremony on the Near Year’s Eve.

The praying ceremony is to commemorate all former Thai kings and for world’s peace as well as the peace and reconciliation in Thailand.