PHUKET'S renowned monk Luang Pu Supha celebrated his 114th birthday at the Phuket temple named in his honor on September 17 by awarding scholarships to 200 students and urging them in a speech that belied his age to study English and other languages. ''Don't be like me, I can only speak Thai,'' he said. ''Concentrate on your life, concentrate on your studies.'' A crowd estimated at 7000 joined Luang Pu Supha at the temple in southern Phuket. He recently returned from a trip to Indonesia.


PHUKET'S best-known monk made his birthday eve special today by joining about 300 people at an amulet-making ceremony.

The ceremony, in the grounds of the Phuket temple named after him, mixed chanting with smoke and the pouring of metal on the eve of his 114th birthday.

Tomorrow more celebrations will follow as the remarkable man attracts the attention of Buddhists all over Phuket and beyond. Speculation that he may be world's oldest man has not pleased Luang Pu Supha's carers, who believe he deserves to be honored for a long lifetime of teaching.

The temple named in his honor is continuing to expand, much to the delight of his followers. Today's foundry-like atmosphere produced clouds of smoke from the hot metal.

A network of white cord linked all the people who came to mark the occasion. Already there are scores of chairs set out for the birthday ceremony tomorrow, with more white cord dangling inside and outside to link everyone to Luang Pu Supha.

It's bound to be another remarkable chapter in the life of Phuket's most remarkable man. Wat Luang Pu Supha is close to Wat Chalong and the Big Buddha, the other two must-see Phuket places for Buddhists and anyone who wishes to gain a taste of Thai culture.