Rescuing the Society Project
“Rescuing the Nation Project” by Luang Ta Maha Buo Nganasampanno also known as “Robe Offering for National Fund Raising” occurred in 1997. The reason for this Project was because Luang Ta Maha Buo had travelled to distribute the appliances to many hospitals in the remote areas. He then realised that the hospitals were suffering from the
massive amount of indebtedness. This problem was caused by the change of foreign exchange rate system which negatively affected by the financial crisis in Thailand. Luang Ta felt greatly sorrow about this crisis. He then initiated a project for all the Thai people to donate their gold, dollars, foreign currencies and Thai Baht to help the nation facing the economic and social recession. This Project was greatly successful. The gold and money received from this donation would totally passed on the the Bank of Thailand in order to deposit them with the Depository Bank Notes Account (คลังหลวง).
“Rescuing the Nation Project” received the first donation on 30th January, 1998 being the amount of US Dollars 2,500 and formally began the Project on 12th April, 1998 hosted by Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Walailuck Supreme Royal Kumari. Unitil 9th January, 2010, the Depository Banknotes Department received funds from the Project for 15 times; comprising of gold of 967 bars, 12,079.80 kg. or 388,000 oz., and foreign currency approximately of US Dollars 10,000,000, being the total of approximately Baht 15,000,000,000.
After Luang Ta had passed away, this Project had continued and delivered the funds to the Depository Banknotes Department for the 16th time being the last delivery; comprising of gold 73.64 bars of 920.5 kg. Therefore, the total gold bar delivered to the Depository Banknotes Department was 1,040 bars being Baht 19,188,413,280 Baht which when combined with the US Dollars previously delivered to the Depository Banknotes Department of US Dollars 10,214,600 or Baht 306,965,073.36 worth the value of Baht 19,495,378,353.