He also gave them Dhamma advice.

“His Holiness has advised us to serve the country without any recklessness,” Prime Minister and NCPO chief Prayut Chan-o-cha said after the audience with the country’s highest-ranking monk.

Prayut said the top monk also emphasised that one should never be complacent.

“We should be aware of what we think and what we do. We were told to understand that luck and rank will never be with us forever. We must not be obsessed with such things,” he said about the advice.

Prayut said he understood such Dhamma advice and his government had taken it to heart.

“I’ve never intended to stay on in power forever,” he said. “But I have intended to promote a morality-driven bureaucracy.”

The prime minister, his deputies, ministers and deputy ministers visited the senior monk at Ratchabophit Sathitmaha-simaram Temple after the temple abbot had been officially appointed the country’s highest-ranking monk.

“He has not given any specific request about religious-affairs management,” Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam said.

Earlier this month, HM King Maha Vajiralongkorn chose the abbot of Ratchabophit Sathitmahasimaram Temple – then known as Somdet Phra Maha Muneewong – as the new Supreme Patriarch. On Sunday, an investiture ceremony for the appointment took place at the Emerald Buddha Temple in line with beautiful traditions. The new Supreme Patriarch is receiving visitors from Monday until today. A huge number of Buddhists have turned up at the royal monastery every day, many of them with beautiful garlands in their hands.

Two rounds of audiences have been arranged each day. The morning round takes place from 9am to 10.30am. The afternoon audience takes place from 2pm to 4pm.

The temple had handed out commemorative books and coins to visitors. Due to the high interest, they ran out of stock on Monday morning.

Phra Prommunee, the assistant abbot of Ratchabophit Sathit-mahasimaram Temple, said the temple would publish the books again to mark the 90th anniversary of the Supreme Patriarch, which is June 25. “His followers will also prepare 10,000 commemorative coins,” he said. The Supreme Patriarch has urged Buddhists to do good and embrace unity for sustainable prosperity.