Highest Honor – Bangkok Bank has been awarded the “Sao Sema Dharmachakra Award 2024”, the highest honor for promoting and contributing to Buddhism. The Bank takes great pride in being the first and only financial institution and commercial bank to achieve this recognition while reinforcing its status as a “trusted partner” to Thai society. The Bank’s executives and staff have joined and preserved Buddhist activities that are organized each year, such as the Royal Kathin robe offering ceremony for 58 years and the ceremony to celebrate graduates of the 9th Grade Buddhist Theology exam for 51 years, as well as participating in other religious activities.
Bangkok Bank Executive Vice President Miss Pochanee Kongkalai represented the Bank in receiving the “Sao Sema Dharmachakra Award 2024” from Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in the category of associations, organizations, foundations and agencies with activities promoting Buddhism. This is considered the highest honor in religion, and is organized by the Department of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Culture, to promote and honor good deeds and announce honors to those who have done good deeds for Buddhism. Bangkok Bank is the first and only financial institution and commercial bank to receive the “Sao Sema Dharmachakra Award 2024”, which reflects the success and pride in being committed to conducting business responsibly and creating sustainable value for society in terms of promoting and maintaining Buddhism in line with the Bank's sustainability policy for 80 years. religious activities.
Miss Pochanee said that: “Throughout the past 80 years, Bangkok Bank has adhered to the principle of operating its business with responsibility and creating sustainable value for society, in accordance with the policy of managing the organization for sustainability under ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) principles, especially in the social and religious dimensions. The Bank has continuously placed great importance on the preservation of Buddhism through various activities, in order to pass on good traditions and cultures while strengthening relationships with the community as well as promoting morality and ethics within the organization.
The Bank has been committed to conducting activities to promote Buddhism for half a century. The activities organized annually include:
- Organizing the Royal Kathin Robe Offering Ceremony: Bangkok Bank is the first financial institution to receive the royal grace of presenting the Kathin robes to royal monasteries in every region of the country for 58 consecutive years since 1967 with the hope of lightening the royal burden and preserving Buddhism, culture, and traditions for the benefit of Buddhist monks. At the same time, the Bank has invited its executives, staff, customers, and the general public, including local people, to jointly restore the buildings and religious sites in each temple where the Kathin robes have been presented, with an aim to create participation and happiness for Buddhists who are an integral part of the sustainable continuation of Buddhism.
- Organizing the ceremony to celebrate graduates of the 9th Grade Buddhist Theology exam to pay homage and express congratulations to the monks and novices who have diligently studied until they successfully passed the 9th Grade Buddhist Theology exam, which is the highest level of education in the Pali section of the Thai Sangha. Bangkok Bank is the first and only private sector company that has organized the celebration ceremony for monks who successfully pass the 9th Grade Buddhist Theology exam every year since 1974, which is the 51 consecutive years, demonstrating the Bank's strong determination to support and sustain the education of the Thai Sangha.
- Organizing activities to bring the Bank’s directors, executives and staff to pay homage and perform Samijikamma (ask for forgiveness) to the members of the Sangha Supreme Council and senior monks during the Buddhist Lent festival. This is a tradition that Bangkok Bank has continued to practice for a long time.
The “Sao Sema Dharmachakra Award” is the highest honor in Buddhism. It is also the indication of the Bank’s responsible business operations that create sustainable value for society in terms of preserving Buddhism, in line with the Bank's sustainability policy. At the same time, the Bank has encouraged all sectors, including the Bank’s representatives, customers, business partners, government and private agencies, especially local people, to play a role and participate in these religious activities, which is the key to driving sustainability in the long term, while reinforcing the Bank's status as a ‘leading regional bank’ which is committed to being a ‘trusted partner and reliable close friend’ to Thai society.
The “Sao Sema Dharmachakra Award” is considered the highest honor award given to individuals or organizations that have made contributions to Buddhism and are eligible to receive it only once because it is considered the highest in a lifetime. The award is made from ordinary materials and is in the shape of a Dharmachakra wheel placed on a round pillar. The concept is that the Dharmachakra is a symbol of the proclamation of Buddhism and those who have made contributions to Buddhism are considered pillars of Buddhism and play an important role in sustaining and supporting Buddhism. The committee has considered, selected and presented this award since 1982.