merits, he received honorary degrees from the Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU), Thammasart University and Sripatum University in Thailand. He received the royal honorific names Phrasrivisuddhimoli (in 1956), Phraratchavethi (in 1962), Phrathepwarawethi (in 1967), Phra Thamthirarathmahamuni (in 1973), Phrathampanyabodi and Phra Maha Ratchamangalacharn (in 1995). His last honorific made him officially a member of the Supreme Sangha Council. He has presided over meetings of the council since 2005, when he became the acting Supreme Patriarch. Although the number of monks and mae chi has decreased since the time of Luang Pu Sodh, the temple still boasts a number of 200–400 monks, 80–150 novices, 160–300 mae chi ('nuns') and 30–100 resident volunteers, as reported in the 1990s and 2000s. Appointment as Supreme Patriarch stalled (2013–15) After the deaths of Somdet Phra Yanasangworn and caretaker Somdet Kiaw in 2013, Somdet Chuang became the acting Supreme Patriarch. However, he did not receive the full position, as the Thai junta refused to forward the nomination to the King for approval. In December 2013, during the protests which led up to the 2014 coup d'état, Somdet Chuang made a public statement opposing the protests, asking protest leaders and Suthep Thaugsuban to stop causing civil unrest, in respect of King Bhumibol's birthday. After the coup d'état, the junta started a National Reform Council to bring stability to Thai society, which the junta stated was required before elections could be held. As part of the council, a panel was started to reform Thai religion. This panel was led by Paiboon Nititawan, a former senator who had played a crucial role in the coup. Backed by the bureaucracy, military and Royal Palace, Paiboon sought to deal with any shortcomings in the leading Thai Sangha through legislative means. He was joined by coup leader Phra Suwit Dhiradhammo (known under the activist name Phra Phuttha Issara), a then monk and former infantryman. On 5 January 2016, Somdet Chuang had been nominated by the Supreme Sangha Council to take the post of Supreme Patriarch officially. Phra Suwit objected to this nomination, and held a petition to stop it, which succeeded. Moreover, in February 2015, Paiboon tried to reopen the 1999 case of Luang Por Dhammajayo's alleged embezzlement of land. Somdet Chuang and the rest of the Sangha Council were also involved in this, as they were accused of being negligent in not defrocking Luang Por Dhammajayo. First, the Sangha Council reconsidered the embezzlement