June 14, 2019
Staff members from the Digital Humanities Center (DHC) and Tipiṭaka Research Center (TRC) divisions participated in a workshop titled "Managing Open Access Cultural Digital Data." This workshop, organized by the Digital Humanities Research Group at Khon Kaen University, offered a comprehensive program. The morning session, led by Assistant Professor Wirapong Chansanam, focused on "Linked Open Data and Semantic Search." In the afternoon, Associate Professor Wanida Kanarkard delivered a special lecture on "Cultural Heritage Tools." The final segment of the workshop involved the development of research proposals for managing digital information in the realm of cultural heritage, guided by the expertise of Professor Gobinda Chowdhury and Associate Professor Kulthida Tuamsuk.
June 15, 2019
The Seminar on Lanna Palm-Leaf Manuscripts took place at the DCI Center for Buddhist Studies on June 15, 2019. The morning session featured presentations on 3 compelling topics: "Palm-Leaf Manuscripts in Lanna," "Exploring Colophon Data from Manuscripts Discovered in Muang District, Chiang Mai Province," and "Methodological Approaches for Selecting Tham Manuscripts to Create Critical Editions."
In the afternoon, a lively discussion unfolded on the topic of "The Preservation and Traces of Extant Manuscripts in Lanna." Esteemed ancient script experts, including Ven. Ammarin Santidhammo, Assistant Professor Dr. Viroj Inthanon, Dr. Phisit Kotsupho, and Mr. Boonlert Senanon, led this discussion. The panel was moderated by Dr. Suchada Srisetthaworakul and Mr. Watana Phungchuen.
August 16, 2019
On August 16, 2019 the representatives of DHC & MPC attended “The Conference on the Transmission of Pali Canon in the 21st Century” at International Tipiṭaka Hall, Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University. After the conference, the participants had a chance to visit the International Tipiṭaka Hall located on the 2nd floor of the Maha Chulalongkorn Building. This place is meant to serve as the source of all the Buddhist Teachings and to contribute to the teaching and studying ofTheravada Buddhism.
August 16-17, 2019
Between August 16 and 17, 2019, DTP staff members attended "Ubon Bai Lan Forum No. 1." This forum was organized by the Faculty of Liberal Arts at Ubon Rajathanee University in collaboration with the Mani Wanaram Museum, located at Wat Pa Noi in the Muang District of Ubon Rajathanee Province. The primary objective of this forum was to rekindle interest in the study of palm-leaf manuscripts. During the opening ceremony, Phra Thep Worachan, the President, emphasized the importance of actively studying palm-leaf manuscripts rather than leaving them dormant in cabinets. Manuscripts serve as invaluable sources of 'evidence,' 'ideas,' and 'Damma' (teachings).
On the same day, another group of DTP representatives attended a seminar at the Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University, focused on the Transmission of the Pali Canon over 2,600 years.
September 27-28, 2019
Between September 27 and 28, 2019, the Manuscript Preservation and Studies Center (MPSC) convened its first board meeting. This gathering brought together experts in ancient scripts from various institutions and universities, including the National Library of Thailand, the Manuscript Conservation Association, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, and Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University's Chiang Mai Campus. The agenda focused on collaborative strategies in areas such as manuscript surveys, database development, and knowledge dissemination.
November 9, 2019
On November 9, 2019, the Tipiṭaka Research Center (TRC) organized "The 2nd Seminar on Pāli Texts and Manuscripts" at DCI (Bang Ban) in Ayutthaya. This seminar featured presentations by ten scholars who concentrated on exploring variant readings within the Majjhimanikāya. The event included valuable commentary and suggestions from Professor Dr. G. A. Somaratne of Hong Kong University and Dr. Yukio Yamanaka, which the scholars can utilize to enhance their research.
November 11-12, 2019
On November 11 and 12, 2019, representatives from DTP participated in the 15th International Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences (IC-HUSO 2019), which was hosted by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Khon Kaen University. The keynote address was presented by Professor Dr. Manfred Hutter from the University of Bonn, Germany. His presentation delved into the theme of 'Religion and Development in a Pluralistic Society,' offering valuable perspectives on the study of diverse religions in the age of globalization