THE BANGKOK CHRONICLES: NOTES BETWEEN CROSSWORDS AND YOSI BREAKS

I was busy doing a bundle of crosswords killing the 3 hours until my flight to Bangkok and did not notice the man seated in front of me.

“Saan ang lakad, bro?”

I looked up surprised but expecting who would be asking such question. That’s how I met Kuya Melo Naguiat (Pampanga Lodge No. 48) who was also on his way to Bangkok with Ateng to watch the Thailand Tennis Open. And that’s when I realized what is meant by the symbols where one brother may know another.

Kuya Melo was a past District Deputy Grandmaster. It would perhaps surprise the people around us if they would know that it was only our first meeting. And yet our long warm conversation would made it look like we had known each other for some time.

We were on the last plane out before the airport was closed due to heavy rains. I was on my way to attend the Bangkok-leg of the United Nations Framework for Climate Change as an official observer. Typhoon Ondoy has just arrived and would unintentionally thrust the Philippines into the limelight during the Bangkok climate change talks as the world’s reluctant poster country on how climate change affect people’s lives.

In Bangkok, I bumped into Kuya Usec. Fred Serrano (Makiling Lodge No. 72) of the Department of Agriculture during one of those yosi breaks in between sessions. I can see the quizzical looks of the other Philippine delegates with us. I’m sure they were thinking why would Kuya Fred call me kuya when he looks older than me? And then I called him kuya too?

That’s one mystery they’ll have to discover on their own, if they’ll ever will.

Outside the UNESCAP where the Bangkok talks are being held, wave after wave of protesters came. And the shutterbug that I am urged me to go out and shoot them, which I did, and ran into Kuya Milo Tanchuling (Rafael Palma No. 147) of the Freedom from Debt Coalition. Again, a yosi bonding moment. And these quizzical looks. I can almost read their minds: “Kapatid ba ni Milo yung kausap niya? E ba’t kuya ang tawag niya samantalang hamak namang mas may edad si Milo?”.

Kuya Serge Francisco (Model Lodge No. 373) of the Philippine Rice Research Institute was also in town for a conference. Unfortunately, our hotels were on the extreme sides of the city. That and the legendary traffic gridlock of Bangkok plus the inhumane schedules we have to work on prevented us from having an impromptu Singha Beer-cum-Thai spicy beef salad fellowship. Kuya Fred told me though during one of our yosi breaks that Kuya Serge is his college classmate at the University of the Philippines in Los Banos. “Malayong mas pilyo sa akin yan,” he added.

I did tried brother hunting in Bangkok too. And there are quite a few under the Grand Lodge of Ireland, the Grand Lodge of Scotland, the Grand Lodge of the Netherlands, the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Delaware, and the National Grand Lodge of France. The lone lodge under the United Grand Lodge of England is Chula Lodge No. 9745 and they meet only once every third Saturday of the last month of every quarter at the Sukothai Hotel along South Sathorn Road, Bangkok. I leave on October 10. Maybe some other time then.

It was my fifth trip to Bangkok but an entirely new experience. The highlights of my previous trips were mainly shooting those old Buddhist temples, exploring the Thai noodle cuisine, and bargain hunting along Sukhumvit, Pratunam, and Chaktuchak Market. I went home with a more profound appreciation of the brotherhood in this trip.

In Bangkok, I met some brothers and I am one of them.

FOOTNOTE: This article's text and photo are both by Bro. Shubert Ciencia who recently attended the 2009 Bangkok Climate Change Talks. The photo above shows the author (left) with Kuya Usec. Fred Serrano (right) at the UNESCAP building in Bangkok, Thailand. This article was also published in the September-October 2009 issue of "The Craftsman".