On October 8, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and his wife Pich Chanmony donated 15.3 tons of rice to 51 pagodas in Pursat province to help temples short on supplies ensure monks' basic living needs during Pchum Ben.
The donation ceremony was held at Keo Vaingke Pagoda and presided over by Touch Kun, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, with senior monks, religious figures, Pursat Provincial Deputy Governor Lun Sarith, and representatives of relevant departments in attendance.
According to local religious affairs department data, Pursat province has a total of 209 pagodas and 2,184 monks. The recipient pagodas are distributed across the province's 7 districts and cities, with each pagoda receiving 300 kilograms of rice, prioritizing temples with larger monk populations and tighter supplies.
In his remarks, Touch Kun conveyed greetings from Senate President Hun Sen and his wife Bun Rany, as well as from Prime Minister Hun Manet and his wife, to the monks and the public. He said the government values people's livelihoods and Buddhist affairs, and encouraged monks and the public to jointly safeguard social peace, actively respond to the "clean, bright, and quiet pagoda" initiative, while also reminding youth to stay away from drugs.
It is reported that during the 2026 Pchum Ben period, Hun Manet and his wife donated rice to a total of 871 pagodas nationwide, with the total amount reaching 261.3 tons. This assistance to pagodas in Pursat province is part of a nationwide donation campaign aimed at helping monks observe the holiday's religious activities with peace of mind.