Somdet Kiaw

Somdet Phra Buddhacarya (Kiaw Uppaseno)
File:Somdet Phra Phuttacharn.jpg Somdet Kiaw in a procession
Religion	Buddhism
School	Theravada, Maha Nikaya
Other names	Somdet Kiaw
Dharma names	Uppaseno
Personal
Nationality	Thai
Born	(1928-03-03)March 3, 1928 Koh Samui, Surat Thani, Thailand
Died
Senior posting
Title	Phra Medhisudhibongsa (1958) Phra Rajavisuddhimedhi (1962) Phra Debgunabhorn (1964) Phra Dharmagunabhorn (1971) Phra Brahmagunabhorn (1973) Somdet Phra Buddhacarya (1989)

Buddhacarya (Thai: สมเด็จพระพุฒาจารย์; rtgs: Phutthachan), dharma name Upaseṇo (Thai: อุปเสโณ; rtgs: Uppaseno), born as Kiaw Chokchai (Thai: เกี่ยว โชคชัย; rtgs: Kiao Chokchai), and commonly known as Somdet Kiaw (Thai: สมเด็จเกี่ยว; "His Holiness Kiaw"), was a Thai prelate who was the abbot of Wat Saket and the Acting Supreme Patriarch of Thailand, the effective leader of all Buddhist monks in Thailand. He was appointed Acting Supreme Patriarch in 2005 due to the failing health of the incumbent Supreme Patriarch Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana. He was a monk of the Mahanikaya order, and is of Thai Chinese descent. His appointment provoked severe criticism from Luang Ta Maha Bua (of the Dhammayuttika Nikaya order) and Sondhi Limthongkul, who claimed that the appointment created two Supreme Patriarchs and contravened the royal prerogative of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. In 4 March 2005, Maha Bua even petitioned King Bhumibol Adulyadej to remove all of Kiaw's royal titles.

Notes

^a His full dignitarial title was "สมเด็จพระพุฒาจารย์ ภาวนากิจวิธานปรีชา ญาโณทยวรางกูร วิบูลวิสุทธิจริยา อรัญญิกมหาปริณายก ตรีปิฎกบัณฑิต มหาคณิสสร บวรสังฆาราม คามวาสี อรัณยวาสี" (rtgs: Somdet Phra Phutthachan, Phawana Kit Withan Pricha, Yanotthaya Warangkun, Wibunla Wisutthi Chariya, Aranyika Maha Parinayok, Tri Pidokka Bandit, Maha Khanitson, Bowon Sangkharam, Khammawasi, Aranyawasi).

^b He was formally styled as "Somdet Phra Buddhacarya (Kiaw Upaseṇo)" [สมเด็จพระพุฒาจารย์ (เกี่ยว อุปเสโณ)].