President of the Buddhadhamma Foundation

Name: Yongyut Thanapura

Born: 10 March 1951 at Udon Thani City, Udon Thani Province, to Mr. Ruengrung and Mrs. Kurab.

Education

1968: High school education, Amnuay Silpa School, Bangkok.

1975: Bachelor’s degree, the Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok.

Activities During Study at University

1970: Entered to study at the Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University.

1971: Became a member of the Student Rural Development Volunteer Club; Vice Chairman of the Student Rural Development Volunteer Camp, Sao Hai District, Saraburi Province.

1972: Became a committee member of the Student Rural Development Volunteer Club; Vice Chairman of Promotion of Youth Employment, Sao Hai District, Saraburi Province.

1973: Joined the student movement to fight against the military dictatorship government.

1975: Graduated from Chulalongkorn University.

Life and Work

1977: Founded Tap Kwan Co., Ltd., an architecture company; owner and managing director.

1979: Joined with Professor Dr. Pravej Vasri to found and direct Moh-Chao-Ban, a Thai health magazine for promoting self-healing and home remedies. (In 1981, Moh-Chao-Ban magazine became Moh-Chao-Ban foundation.)

1986: Founded Synchai Development Co., Ltd., a housing estate company; partner and a member of the executive committee.

1987: Founded the Buddhadhamma Foundation, published and distributed Dhamma books, in particular those written by Ven. P. A. Payutto; president.

Offered 11 rai of land (4.35 acres) for constructing Wat Nyanavesakavan at Nakhon Pathom Province, with Ven. Debvedi (P. A. Payutto) as the abbot. During the early stages of development, assisted in designing and laying out the monastery, covering land with soil, and supervising the building work, including construction of driving piles, parking lots, monastic residences, and water tanks.

1988: Submitted the application to the Department of Religious Affairs for authorizing Wat Nyanavesakavan to be a monastery, and received the formal authorization on 11 January 1989.

1993: Cooperated with Dr. Apa Suvarna-apa, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Education, Kasetsart University, and Mr. Bruce Evans to compile the biographical data and list of accomplishments of Ven. Dhammapitaka (P. A. Payutto) and presented this to the Committee of Teacher Training, the Ministry of Education (now called the Rajabhat Institute) for submission to UNESCO. As a result, Ven. Dhammapitaka (P. A. Payutto) was awarded the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education in Paris.

1998: Became a member of the World Fellowship of Buddhists. (Headquarters at 616 Benjasiri Park, Sukhumvit 24, off Soi Medhinivet, Sukhumvit Road, Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110, Thailand.)

2002: Cooperated with Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Sompone Punyagupta (the owner of Vichaiyuth Hospital) to found the Assembly of Buddhist Organizations of Thailand. Acted as a secretary-general to organize the Magha Puja celebration at Sanam Luang for eight years, from 2002-2009.

2004: Organized the Asalha Puja ceremony at Sanam Luang, in association with Phra Depmedhi (Ven. Peesucharto), the Provincial Monastic Official of Bangkok and the abbot of Wat Mahathat. Assisted with this task for three years.

Became a committee member of the National Buddhism Office’s Printing House.

2005: Became a member of the executive organization committee for reviving and developing the Visakha Puja ceremony at Sanam Luang, under the auspices of the Center of Promoting Thai Buddhism, under Wat Bowonniwet Vihara with Phra Depdilok (Ven. Rabaep) as secretary-general.

Became a consultant of the Commission for Religious Affairs, Arts and Culture, House of Representatives, Parliament, with Lieutenant Dr. Kudeb Saikrachang, as president. Assisted with this task for two years, from 2005-2006.

2006: Became a committee member of the Dharma Association of Thailand (under the Royal Patronage of Her Royal Highness Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Boromarajajonani); performed this task for four years, from 2006-2009.

2012: Initiated the translation of Buddhadhamma from Thai into English for the second time, hiring Mr. Robin Philip Moore, USA nationality, as a translator. This task took five years, from 2012-2016.

2017: Published the first printing of the English edition of Buddhadhamma, 5,000 copies, as a gift of the Dhamma, for distribution around the world.