[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 86 (Thursday, May 19, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E539-E540]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING PHRA WIJITDHAMMAPANI AS A DISTINGUISHED LEADER IN CENTRAL 
     FLORIDA FOR ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH

                                  _____
                                 

                            HON. DARREN SOTO

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 19, 2022

  Mr. SOTO. Madam Speaker, Phra Wijitdhammapani was named Sunan 
Kruakaew. He was born on August 3, 1957, in Ranot District, Songkhla 
Province, and was the son of Mr. Pum Kruakaew and Mrs. Om Kruakaew.
  At the age of reaching the educational criteria, he attended primary 
school at Wat Kaset Chonlathi School. After that, he turned his life 
around to find a temple to study and practice dhamma. On July 14, 1973, 
at the age of 16, he was ordained as a novice with Phra Kru 
Suwattanaprasat a preceptor.

[[Page E540]]

  On July 1, 1978, at the age of 21, he was ordained at Wat Somanat 
Vihara, Bangkok with Chao Phrakhun Somdej Phra Wanrat (Jub 
Thithadhammo), the abbot of Wat Sommant Vihara, to be a preceptor.
  Since being ordained as a novice, monks have continued to study the 
discipline. He was given duties continually related to the community 
because they must perform their duties in teaching Dhamma and 
meditation all the time.
  In the year 1993, he was assigned by Phra Thepwaraporn and was 
approved by Chao prakhun Somdej Phra wanrat (Jab Thitadhammo), the 
abbot of Wat Sommanat Vihara, to practice religious activities in the 
construction of the Wat Florida Dhammaram in Kissimmee, Florida to be a 
spiritual center of people of all nations. Teaching both morality and 
meditation training.
  On April 15, 1993, Wat Florida Dhammaram was opened as a meditation 
center. Then, construction work began on the place of meditation in 
order to be ready to set up the center for the community to coexist in 
peace. Wat Florida Dhammaram has been developed progress until the 
present.

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