Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Suwat Liptapanlop, who recently presided over the library's opening, said the Bt300-million facility boasted more than 20,000 books.

He said it would be useful for Mahachulalongkorn Rajavidayala and Mahamakut Buddhist university students, as well as interested members of the public. The library also plans to develop online content in English, to reach foreign scholars in a bid to make Thailand the world hub for Buddhist studies, he said.

At the World Visakha Puja Conference at Buddhamonthon yesterday exhibitions and shows from Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Nepal, China and Thailand opened. They continue until Friday.