British Somdet

On July 12th of this year, British-born monk Ajahn Jayasaro (Shaun Chiverton) made history as the first foreign national elevated to the highest Thai monastic rank of Somdet Phra Ratchakhana.

Somdet (สมเด็จ): Supreme Phra (พระ): Venerable Ratchakhana (ราชาคณะ): Royal Monastic Order

As a student under the revered Ajahn Chah in the Thai Forest Tradition, he ordained as a monk at age 22, at Wat Nong Pah Pong in 1980.

He is currently 68 years old and resides in a Hermitage near Khao Yao National Park.