Sansanee Sthirasuta

Sansanee Sthirasuta, better known as Mae Chee Sansanee, was a Thai Theravada Buddhist spiritual teacher and maechi. She was known for teaching meditative practices and encouraging the role of women in Buddhism, and was the founder of Sathira-Dhammasthan, a learning centre and spiritual retreat in Bangkok.
Sansanee was born Sansanee Panyasiri. She left her hometown in Ayutthaya province for Bangkok at the age of 15, becoming a model and television personality. She was briefly romantically involved with millionaire socialite Sthira Sthirasuta, but after finding out he was already married eventually decided to abandon worldly life and become a maechi at the age of 27. She founded Sathira-Dhammasthan in 1987, with Sthira as a benefactor, and initially focused on providing refuge for victimized women.