We at DVA send Metta to all the Thai people. May you all be healthy and safe.
In 2020, DVA launched our third countrywide Project in Thailand, joining our Projects in Sri Lanka and Vietnam, which have been going strong. We are excited to have as our Director Dr. Chirra Taworntawat, P.hD., who likes to be called “Coach Bank”. Coach Bank is a former monk and is currently a Buddhist practitioner. He received his Ph.D. in public health at the renowned Chulalongkorn University in Thailand. He is bilingual, speaking Thai and English, having attended secondary school in the UK. Bank is also well known in Thailand for his vegan mentoring on his YouTube Channel Coach Bank with over 418,000 followers. You can also find Coach Bank on his Facebook: เคล็ดลับง่ายๆรักษาโรคด้วยอาหาร และการเป็นเศรษฐีความสุข
We are working with the approximately 300,000 monastics in Thailand, the vast majority of whom eat a great deal of animal flesh and animal products. Some of the biggest and most influential temples in Thailand are working with DVA by welcoming our presentations on the health benefits of a plant-based or, at least, a vegetarian diet. Dr. Bank, P.hD. and Dr. Ting made our first presentation in 2020 at the renowned Wat (temple) Mahathat.
Recent Presentations
DVA Thailand Project, led by Director Dr. Bank, who has a Ph.D. in Public Health, has made well-attended presentations at 35 Wats, including: Mahathat, Rama 9, Patrum, Toongsaeri, Ladprao, Prommarangsi, Lamkradam, Prayasurain, Gog, Lamgadaan, Somchin, Prachabumrung, Laksam, Witmuttayaram, Bangteoy, Pleang, Palerdtum, Lerdtumnimit, Todsatid, Hong, Mahapruktaram, NakProk, Prayong, Samakkitum, Khuchan, Perd Udom, and Fuwannapum.
Cooking Classes
In partnership with Sinergia Animal, DVA Thailand has been conducting cooking classes with the kitchen staff at a number of Wats, including Rama 9 and Lerdtumnimit.
DVA believes that by offering classes on how to cook healthy, great-tasting food, the Wats will serve more plant-based meals, improving the health of the monks and setting an example for other Wats all over Thailand.
Dr. Bank, Ph.D. continues to make Facebook live presentations on our DVA Thailand Facebook page about the health benefits of a plant-based diet with a number of monastics watching. Using his Public Health background, Dr. Bank is also sharing nutritional information with many monastics by telephone.
DVA’s President Bob Isaacson had a very productive meeting with the abbot of Wat Chet Lin in Chiang Mai. The abbot invited DVA to make a presentation hoping that we will help him persuade the other 21 monks to give up animals as food.
Our DVA team visited Trang, Thailand in late July and made a presentation to almost one hundred monks on the health benefits of a plant based diet and trained the kitchen staff of a well known Wat on delicious and nutritious cooking.
DVA’s Thailand Project Team
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Dr. Chirra Taworntawat (Bank), Ph.D., Director of DVA’s Thailand Project, a Ph.D. in Public Health at Chulalongkorn University, former monk, and YouTube Channel personality. |
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Venerable Srikanade Panyapachoto (Ven. P) has been a Thai monk for 12 years. Throughout his ordained life, he has always been interested in the health of other monks and using food as medicine. He has been helping other monks obtain benefits and other privileges that monks ought to receive in healthcare. He does that by founding a well-known Facebook group called “Pra Chuay Pra” (meaning monks help monks). The group focuses on having discussions about the issues monks have. They also provide support to monks who need travel expenses, food, or medicine.Ven. P has health problems of his own which are mainly respiratory, lungs, and allergies. Through his experiences of taking medications, he found that medicine could not heal him like food. The type of food that he primarily found answers to his problems is plant-based. That is why he’s convinced that using the right kind of food and herbs and avoiding consuming animal products are the best ways to take back control of his health and monks alike.Ven P. is helping DVA interact with monks and answering questions from lay people on the DVA Thailand Facebook page.Place of residence: Buddhimit Temple, Saraburi Province. |
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Aom Sasinan, Assistant to the Director of the DVA Thailand Project. |
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Venerable Bhante Anandajoti, member of DVA’s Advisory Board, Professor at International Buddhist College (IBC) in Songkhla, Thailand. |
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Dr. Pirata Chiravatcharatikul (Ting), Thai Traditional Medicine Doctor, has presented at eleven wats so far with Dr. Bank, PhD. |
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Varapol Chensavasdijar (Jop), Thailand Chapter Leader and Thai diplomat. |
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Kalayanee Yimsiri, founder of the Veganerie Restaurants in Bangkok, is one of DVA’s Diet Consultants. She is also a well known vegan advocate, appearing often on television. Her daughter Jah Yimsiri is an internationally known vegan chef. |
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Heng Guan Hou, Myanmar Chapter Leader, Entrepreneur, and Vice President of the Center for a Responsible future, formerly the Vegetarian Society Singapore. |