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Chakri Dynasty commemorated on April 6
Chakri Dynasty - Chronology of the present-day Dynasty of Thailand
Chakri Day (April 6) was first instituted by H.M.
King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) in the year 1919 to commemorate all the Kings
in the Chakri Dynasty, which started with Rama I and continues to this
day with Rama IX, H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great.
The reigning Kings in the House of Chakri brought
peace and tranquility to the people within Thailand’s borders and
successfully protected the Kingdom, maintaining sovereignty and
integrity through crucial periods threatened by European colonization
and two World Wars.
In commemorating Chakri Day the national flag is
proudly displayed by the people of Thailand and all government officials
and members of the community participate in traditional ceremonies,
making offerings of flowers and garlands at the many statues of Kings in
the House of Chakri.
The Chakri Dynasty was ushered in on 6 April 1782
when a close aid of King Taksin, General Chakri, marched back into
Thonburi and assumed the throne as H.M. King Buddha Yod Fa Chulalok the
Great (Rama I). Each Monarch thereafter has had “Rama” as part of their
title.
Banks, government offices and most business offices
are closed on Friday, April 6 in observance of this special day.
King Buddha Yod Fa Chula Lok the Great
(Rama I) 1782-1809
King Buddha Yod Fa Chula Lok was born in Ayutthaya on
March 20, 1737, the son of Phra Aksorn Sundara Smiantra, he was formerly
known as Thong Duang. Following the fall of Ayutthaya in 1767 he entered
the service of Phraya Taksin and fought by his side in almost every
campaign until the latter became King Taksin, establishing the capital
at Dhonburi. He was created Luang Yorkrabat, then Phra Rajvarin, Chao
Phraya Chakri and eventually Somdetch Chao Phraya Maha Kashatriya Suk by
King Taksin, and following the deposition of King Taksin in 1782 at the
age of 45 he was chosen King, becoming the founder and first ruler of
the House of Chakri two hundred years ago. On the year of his accession
he moved the capital from Dhonburi to the opposite bank of the Chao
Phraya River, thus founding the city of Bangkok. It was during his reign
that the Grand Palace was constructed and he installed the Emerald
Buddha in the Chapel Royal following its completion. He died in Bangkok
on September 7, 1809 and, as many historians have stated, the modern
Siam dates from his reign.
King Buddha Loet La Nabhalai
(Rama II) 1809-1824
King Buddha Loet La Nabhalai was the son of King Rama
I. He born in Rajaburi on February 26, 1768 he accompanied his father on
military campaigns as a young man. He was 16 when his father ascended
the throne and was immediately created a Prince of the rank of Somdetch
Chao Fa and given the name of Isarasundorn. Appointed Maha Uparaja, or
Deputy King by his father in 1806, he was the only Maha Uparaja to
eventually succeed to the throne during the period of the Chakri
Dynasty. He became king on the death of his father at the age of 42,
King Rama I. His reign was a period of consolidating the achievements of
the previous reign and he began the custom of appointing senior princes
to supervise over the different departments of state. He is best
remembered though for his interest in the arts. He was an artist,
writer, composer, which flourished during his reign. He died on July
21,1824, at the age of 58.
King Nang Klao
(Rama III) 1824-1851
King Nang Klao was born in Bangkok on March 31, 1788
the future King Rama III was the son of King Rama II by a junior wife,
Chao Chom Riem. At the time of the death of King Rama II his supposed
heir, Prince Mongkut, had entered a monastery as a monk and Prince
Chesda Bondindra, as he was then styled, was chosen as king by the
Accession Council at the age of 37 and reigned for 27 years. He proved
an able ruler and during his reign trade prospered and territorial
advances were made as the vassal states of the north and east came more
firmly under the rule of Bangkok. During his rule, in 1833, the first
treaty with the United States was signed. King Rama III had no queen and
thus had no children of Chao Fa rank, and so on his death on April 2,
1851 at the age of 65, the succession passed to his half-brother, who
became King Mongkut (Rama IV). Although he had no son to reign as King
it is an interesting genealogical fact that among his descendants were
five future Kings, because his granddaughter, Queen Debsirindra, was the
mother of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), thus every descendant of King
Chulalongkorn has a lineal descent from King Rama III.
His Majesty King Mongkut (Rama IV) 1851-1868
His Majesty King Mongkut was born on Thursday the
18th of October 1804. He was the second son of Phra Buddha Lertla
Naphalai (King Rama II) and Queen Sri Suriyendra. His Majesty King
Mongkut modernized Thailand in both commerce and education, and
instituted reforms, which would adapt the country to western ways. Known
as the “Father of Thai Scientists”, he was famous for his astrology.
Before becoming King, the then Prince Mongkut entered the monkhood.
Ironically, it was this period in monkhood, which required him to take a
vow of poverty and self-denial, which gave Prince Mongkut a good
understanding of statecraft. It allowed him to meet people from all
walks of life, from the humblest to the elite, Thais as well as
foreigners. He travelled to various parts of the Kingdom, barefoot,
depending on offerings of food and other necessities from the people.
From the Thais, he gained an invaluable first-hand insight into their
welfare and livelihood. From the foreigners, he obtained precious
information about the outside world, especially about technology and
science.
King Chulalongkorn
the Great
(Rama V) 1868-1910
Also known as Phra Chula Chomklao Chaoyuhua, and the
eldest son of King Rama IV, King Chulalongkorn was born in Bangkok on
September 20, 1853 and was crowned King on October 1, 1868, following
the death of his father. The first few years of his reign were under a
regency. King Chulalongkorn is perhaps the most revered of all the
Chakri Kings. During his long reign of 42 years 23 days great advances
were achieved for the country.
The King actively pursued a policy of modernizing the
country and had a number of Europeans in his service to oversee such
projects as the building of the first railway in Thailand. He himself
made two visits to Europe, one in 1897 and another in 1907, during which
he became acquainted with most of the rulers of Europe. He successfully
managed to cultivate the idea of Siam as a buffer state between the
colonial possessions of the European powers in South East Asia. The
price he paid for losing certain border territories was amply rewarded,
for Siam was never colonized - the only country in the region to
maintain its sovereignty throughout the period of colonial expansionism.
He died on October 23, 1910.
King Vajiravudh
(Rama VI) 1910-1925
King Vajiravudh was born at Bangkok on January 1,
1881. King Vajiravudh’s reigning title was Phra Mongkut Klao Chaoyuhua,
was the second son of King Chulalongkorn.
Following the death of his elder half-brother, Crown
Prince Maha Vajirunhis, in 1895, he was appointed Crown Prince. He was
educated in England and his great love of literature and poetry in both
Thai and English together with his scholastic abilities was later to
manifest itself during his reign. Among his lasting achievements were
devising a system of transliteration of Thai into English and of
translating the entire works of Shakespeare into Thai. His passion for
traditional Thai theatre and ballet has left a mass of published scores,
which form the basis of the study of these arts to the present day. In
1916 King Vajiravudh declared war on Germany and Thai troops fought with
the Allies during the latter part of World War I. He died in Bangkok on
November 26, 1925 at the early age of 44.
King Prajadhipok
(Rama VII) 1925-1935
King Prajadhipok was born in Bangkok on November
8,1893. King Prajadhipok succeeded to the throne on the death of his
elder brother, King Vajiravudh. His reign coincided with the worldwide
economic depression, which followed the Wall Street crash of 1929, but
its effects were not unfelt in Siam. On April 6, 1932 the country
celebrated the sesquicentenary of the Chakri Dynasty, two months later a
coup d’etat was staged with the eventual transferral of power to a
Legislative Assembly. Thus the 150-year absolute rule of the Chakri
Kings came to an end and the Constitutional Monarchy of the present day
was born. On December 10, 1932 King Prajadhipok granted a constitution
to the Thai people and just over two years later, on March 2, 1935,
having gone to live in England in order to receive medical treatment, he
abdicated the throne. King Prajadhipok died in England on May 30,1941,
during World War II, and his ashes were brought back to Bangkok by his
widow, Queen Rambhai Barni, in 1949.
King Ananda Mahidol (Rama VIII) 1935-1946
King Ananda Mahidol born on September 20,1925,the
elder son and second child of H.R.H. Prince Mahidol Adulyadej, Prince of
Songkla. He succeeded his uncle, King Prajadhipok, as King on March 2,
1935. King Ananda Mahidol spent his early years in Switzerland,
receiving his education there and made occasional trips to Thailand. He
returned to Bangkok after the end of World War II, but his life and his
reign came to an abrupt end when he died, on June 9, 1946. King Ananda
Mahidol was never crowned and shortly after his death his younger
brother and successor, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, posthumously altered his
regnal title and raised him from seven to nine levels of royal umbrella,
as a fully crowned and anointed sovereign.
King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great (Rama IX)
1946 to the present
HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) was born on
December 5, 1927. He succeeded his elder brother as King on June 9,
1946. On April 28, 1950 King Bhumibol Adulyadej was married to Mom
Rajawongse Sirikit Kitiyakara, a great-granddaughter of King
Chulalongkorn and the following week, on May 5, 1950, was crowned as
King and his wife was installed as Queen in a glittering ceremony in the
Grand Palace. Their Majesties have four children, Princess Ubol Ratana
Rajakanya, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, Princess Maha Chakri
Sirindhorn and Princess Chulabhorn Valayalaksana. During his reign King
Bhumibol Adulyadej made numerous state visits abroad as well as having
received many Heads of State in Bangkok.
As his reign advances, the growing reverence of the
Thai people for their sovereign has become ever more apparent. On May 5,
1987, to mark his then forthcoming 60th birthday, the prime minister of
Thailand proclaimed King Bhumibol Adulyadej “the Great”. On July 2,
1988, HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great celebrated his record reign -
the day on which he had reigned longer than any of his predecessors. On
the occasion of the 60th anniversary of his accession to the Thai Throne
in June 2006, HM the King and Queen presided over splendid festivities
as representatives of 25 royal houses from Europe, Africa, the Middle
East and Asia had come to Bangkok to honour His Majesty King Bhumibol
Adulyadej the Great. To this day, he remains the longest reigning
monarch in the world.
Excerpts courtesy of Sawasdee magazine/Pattaya Mail
Father Ray’s dream is fulfilled as HRH Princess
Sirindhorn visits Redemptorist Vocational School
A letter of thanks from the Redemptorist Center
Suporntham Mongkolsawat, the school’s director, said
Her visit was a joy and an inspiration to everyone at the Redemptorist
Vocational School.
At 9 a.m. on Thursday February 15, the Thai anthem
“Maharoek” was struck up on traditional musical instruments, which
rivaled and reverberated with the heartbeats of more than 300 disabled
people. Large clouds moved to block the sunlight, the national flag
waved matching the movement of the golden leaves, there was a
comfortable land breeze, and everyone had happy smiles. Hearts beat
stronger along with the time for waiting for full rejoice. A long-held
dream was about to be realized.
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn
stepped out of the royal car in front of the national flagpole of the
Redemptorist School in Pattaya. The waiting people felt a great surge of
happiness. If only Father Ray could have been here for this great day.
“Her Royal Highness the Princess watched when I
repaired a TV, which made me very excited. She also gave compliments and
made us all very happy. It has been an extremely valuable experience in
my life,” said Sriprasuk Chua-In, a last semester electronics student.
The Redemptorist Vocational School for the Disabled
is a private school. It was established by Father Raymond Brennan, known
to everyone as Father Ray, a Catholic Redemptorist priest who found his
calling in Thailand, where he stayed working amongst the underprivileged
for 42 years. The school had its official opening in 1987 with two
courses for physically handicapped people. They could study to be
electricians or programmers, free of charge.
Father Ray’s reason for establishing this school was
that he recognized the fact many intelligent and potentially skilled
people were unemployed because they happened to be physically
handicapped, and they had no opportunities to study and have
occupational training. Consequently they became a burden on their family
and on society, and they suffered from a lack of self-esteem.
HRH the Princess takes keen interest in the advances
at the school.
The Redemptorist Vocational School is a boarding
school, and is open to disabled people from all over the country.
Currently there are 193 students. The length of the course is two years,
and now the school teaches students to be programmers and system
developers, webmasters, electronics specialists, and English for
computers and business management. After completing the course the
Redemptorist Job Service Center will look for jobs for the students. In
more than 20 years more than 2,000 students have graduated.
Apart from teaching occupational subjects, the school
participates in outside projects. Students become involved in organizing
facilities and events for disabled people in Pattaya, developing
websites and computer systems for the official sector, repair of
electronic equipment for the community, and even providing support when
disaster strikes, such as when they helped the tsunami victims in
Phang-Nga, and those who suffered flooding in Utaradit.
This is all very much part of the school ethos, and
its official policy that states: “Rehabilitation of disabled people for
the development of life and society”.
The original female dormitory at the school was a
two-story wooden building. There was no elevator or wheelchair ramp, it
was dilapidated and crowded, and didn’t have an appropriate safety
system. Father Ray decided that the building had to be replaced with
something far more modern and productive, and began raising income in
1999. He had always said to his students that, “If my new building is
completed, I would like to invite Her Royal Highness Princess Sirindhorn
to open it.”
Father Ray passed away on August 16, 2003. Father
Banchong Chaiyara continued his work and was able to start construction
of the new dormitory at the beginning of March last year. This was done
with capital supported by the Pattaya Orphanage Trust at an amount of 25
million baht, and the Alumnus Association collection of inland capital
at an amount of 8 million baht.
A multipurpose building was constructed for female
student lodging, a computer room, a language room, and a design room.
Inside the building is a wheelchair ramp and an elevator for
wheelchairs, and a safety system was installed according to the
international standard.
Her Royal Highness Princess Sirindhorn arrived to
open the building on February 15, a day that the students and staff will
remember for the rest of their lives.
“Her Royal Highness the Princess watched when I
repaired a TV, which made me very excited. She also gave compliments and
made us all very happy. It has been an extremely valuable experience in
my life,” said Sriprasuk Chua-In, a last semester electronics student.
Pat Tanticharoenwong, in his first semester of the
second school year, an information development student who will finish
his education by the end of this September, expressed similar
sentiments.
Pat and his friends created a house system control
program for disabled people, especially for severely disabled people who
have difficulty moving. The highlight of this program is that it can be
controlled using a computer, and it will connect to the telephone system
and setup monitoring times. Pat reported this to Her Royal Highness, and
later expressed his happiness.
“I have been working on this project day and night,
and I prepared a report for Her Royal Highness the Princess. All of
these activities made me very tired, but I wasn’t tired anymore when I
saw the Princess arrive. I was very happy,” said Pat. “She smiles and is
friendly, always talks to everybody, and takes notes using a common
notebook and pen, which expresses her sense of economy and real
attention to detail.”
It was Kannika Tamma, a student in the first
education year of English computers and business management, who
reported so fluently in English to Her Royal Highness. Kannika is from
Chonburi, and was extremely proud to be the female student
representative. Before starting at this school, she had done handiwork
at home. Now she learns diligently in the hopes of having better work,
such as being an operator in a 5-star hotel. Kannika is confident of
being able to work in several types of positions after graduating.
“I was very excited when I saw Her Royal Highness the
Princess,” said Kannika. “She was so elegant. I tried to pronounce words
correctly when she came closer, because I was afraid that I might lose
my voice and not be able to report to her. It felt good to succeed, even
though my heart beat very fast. I will remember this experience my whole
life.”
Inviting HRH the Princess to come to the Redemptorist
School in Pattaya has been a big dream for all personnel and students
for more than 10 years. The school has reached the 20 year mark, and on
this day the dream came true. Everyone contributed their ideas and
gathered together to decorate the location, create a project and
exhibition, and prepare the entire ceremony by themselves, including the
disabled people, working without any support from professional
organizers.
The school’s personnel and students were divided into
several groups, to paint the sports field fence, clean the location,
erect the exhibition board, present the invitation letters and
confirmations by phone, create the 20-year memo books, name badges,
signs for the location, and more. Everyone participated in this great
event. Even though most had no experience, everything worked out very
well, although with some minor obstacles to overcome.
School personnel, students and all organizers and
supporters for this event echoed these sentiments: “Not tired and very
proud to prepare for the coming of HRH the Princess. Seeing the good
cooperation and unity of teachers and friends will release all
exhaustion…” “I had the willpower and learned a lot from this event … I
woke up at 3 a.m. to clean the ceremonial location, which made me very
proud…” “We have been working for more than ten years, and today we had
a chance to take a photo with HRH the Princess. It was a great
experience for me, a person who came from up country…” “It was my best
work … I was happy and had ideas to use my ability, and I was proud and
nervous about having a small talk with HRH the Princess … to create
something for disabled people and my homeland…” “Father Ray would be
very proud if he was still alive… everyone was full of happiness. It’s a
great historical event for everyone at the Redemptorist School in
Pattaya.”
Suporntham Mongkolsawat, the school’s director, said
Her Royal Highness has great concern for underprivileged youngsters and
disabled people. Her visit, said Suporntham, had been a joy and an
inspiration to everyone at the Redemptorist Vocational School.
Before leaving, she had applauded the work done
there, and the devotion to the cause of helping the disabled achieve
their full potential in society. Even though Father Ray is no longer
with us, his work will continue.
This visit by HRH the Princess was ‘Like the Holy
Water Flourishing in the Hearts’ for all teachers, personnel and
students, including the Redemptorists and all supporters.
HRH the Princess’s birthday was on April 2, 2007:
“May holy grounds in this world, the Buddha, and the prestige of the
Rama Dynasty ordain HRH Princess Sirindhorn to be healthy, to be a
shelter and Holy Water Flourishing the people’s Hearts for a long time”.
With complete respect,
We, the Redemptorist School in Pattaya
Brethren celebrate extraordinary year at memorable Freemasons evening
Bro. Dr. Daljit Singh Nagreh Right Worshipful District
Grand Master speaks to the congregation. Seated are (l-r) Bro. Krisda
Arunvongse, Bro. Mike Johnston, Bro. Dunstan Fernandez and Bro.
Christopher Moore.
Paul Strachan
Freemasonry is a word that conjures up images of
clandestine societies with ancient rituals, traditions and so many
secrets that perhaps for many people seems a world for which they are
forbidden to enter.
Bro. Bill Davy (right) presents a gavel to Bro. Christopher Moore,
RWM of Lodge Lane Xang on behalf of the brethren of Lodge Dennistoun,
Brisbane Australia.
Recently I was invited to a Harmony evening at the
Royal Cliff Grand to get an insight into this surreptitious organization
which had for years been a source of intrigue to me.
Being Scottish I felt rather embarrassed that my
knowledge of the Freemasons was so little, although somewhere at the
back of my mind, I remember years ago climbing up the narrow staircase
of the magnificent Scott monument on Edinburgh’s Princess Street with
the knowledge that this tribute to Sir Walter Scott had been funded by
the Masonic Lodge.
Mike and Chris the newly installed masters greet each other.
But this was a distant memory based on hearsay, so on
the night I grabbed the chance to have a chat with the Right Worshipful
District Grand Master Dr. Daljit Singh Nagreh, who quickly pointed me in
the right direction as to the values of Freemasonry.
He informed me that freemasonry is an honorable
fraternal society, which is over 250 years old, whose members share
moral and metaphysical ideals.
Nowadays the organization, which is not so much
operating, as speculative and uses the instruments of stonemasons as
metaphors to teach moral lessons to make good men, into better men.
Bro. James Soutar (left) gratefully receives the donation on behalf
of the Pakanyor Foundation from Bro. Mike Johnston.
He went onto say that it is not an organization that
anyone can just join, members are selected.
I asked him what traits they look for in seeking new
members; he told me that men who are honorable and respectable in
society would be the kind of man who could benefit from being a Mason
and in turn could benefit fellow Masons.
While it has often been called a Secret Society it is
more correct to say that it is an esoteric society, in that, certain
aspects are private.
Freemasonry in the 21st century
has become less a secret society and more of a ‘society with secrets’.
Benevolence and Charity is the cornerstone of Masonic
ideals.
The Right Worshipful District Grand Master told me
that the only secret part nowadays was how to identify a fellow
freemason.
With the advent of the Internet the secrecy that once
shrouded organizations such as the Masons has been lifted to give a
wealth of information to those who seek it.
All of the Grand lodges have websites. Another thing
that I learnt was that Freemasons meet as a lodge and not necessarily in
one.
Bros. Martin Frutin, Kevin Fisher and Barrie O’Sullivan, three true
blooded Scots parade in the traditional Haggis.
Most modern freemasons regard the traditional concern
over secrecy as a demonstration of their ability to keep a promise.
This evening of Harmony was a celebration of events
that had taken place earlier behind closed doors where the new masters
of Lodge Lane Xang and Lodge Pattaya West Winds were installed, along
with the office bearers, which of course only members were privy to that
ceremony.
However, the dinner had a number of ladies and
non-freemasons such as myself in attendance.
There is a degree of formality to these Harmony
evenings and quite rightly so, the traditions are ancient and highly
regarded and can only be kept alive by the new brothers adhering to
these codes of conduct.
There is great respect between members, referred to
as brethren, which somewhat lured me into this honorable society even if
only from the periphery.
It seemed to me that Freemasons are very proud of
their heritage and happy to share it.
It was like a great big networking evening where
everybody had a common goal to help their fellow man.
As ever, the Royal Cliff Beach Resort served up dish
after dish of mouthwatering cuisine, replete with some fine wine.
Bro. Duncan Niven RWM of Lodge St. John performs the
ancient ritual of addressing the Haggis.
The toasts came fast and furious and through the
formality, a clear sense of camaraderie came shining through.
It was then time for some music by way of Brother
Peter Malhotra who led the collective through a rousing rendition of the
Masters song.
Right worshipful master of Pattaya West Winds Mike
Johnston thanked everyone for coming to the joint LPWW and LLX harmony.
Most especially, the delegations from the sister lodges and brothers
from Morakot and Chula lodges.
He also gave thanks to the district office bearers
for travelling from Malaysia at great expense, in time, money and effort
to once again provide the lodges with a truly grand installation
process.
His voice softened as he told the audience: if you
have noticed a bit of deja vu, you’re right. I’m back again. “They say
in songs of yester year, that: ‘it’s always better the second time
around’. Well, I can’t say that for sure, but I will get back to you on
that next year.”
He added that being RWM for the past Masonic year had
been a real pleasure and that he had had the opportunity to work with
and learn from some of the finest people on the planet. He continued by
telling us some of the achievements that had been made in the past year.
Mother Nature again called upon the Brethren of LPWW
to respond to the needs of her victims. In June a horrific flood and
subsequent fire destroyed a major portion of the infrastructure at the
Pakanyor Foundation in Chiang Mai, leaving many children without proper
shelter for sleep and schooling. Hearing the call for help the brethren
of LPWW located 2 shelters that had served the original purpose (tsunami
relief in Phuket), accomplished there release, de-installation, and
transported them to Chiang Mai where they were rehabbed and installed
for use.
The movers and shakers on this job were Bros. Kevin
Fisher, Middy Campbell, David Doll and Mr. Pakanyor Foundation himself
Brother James Soutar. During the course of carrying out these duties Bro
David Doll and Bro Soutar was injured in a car accident. Jimmy was
bedridden for many months but had recovered enough to come down to
Pattaya for the installation ceremonies.
This whole scenario was again played out in December
2006 when severe flooding required a very similar effort to assist two
schools in Ban Yai Nonthaburi. LPWW Brethren found another 2 shelters
that had served their original purpose and went to work on the process
of moving, transporting, rehabbing and reinstalling them in two
locations in Nonthaburi. Prime movers and shakers on this job were again
Bros. Kevin Fisher, Middy Campbell and Tony Shuttleworth.
In September LPWW joined the Charity Club of Pattaya
in a Gala Ball to raise funds for use on selected charities. LPWW share
of the funds raised amounted to 120,000 baht. LPWW brethren and the
general committee agreed that the funds should be split into 2
donations.
One donation of 60,000 baht went to the Camillian
Social Center in Rayong, run by Fr Giovanni Contarin, who provides
shelter and medicine to patients of all ages inflicted with the HIV
positive virus.
The other donation of 60,000 baht was given to the
Pakanyor Foundation, which is run by Bro. James Soutar. The foundation
provides a lifeline to the Mon hill tribes in the Chiang Mai and Chiang
Rai areas.
RWM Mike greeted the newly elected and installed
masters: Duncan Niven of Lodge St John, Chris Moore of Lodge Lane Xang
and RWM Chumpol Nilavadhanananda of Lodge Rattankosin and wished them a
successful year in the in the chair of King Solomon.
Brother Mike Johnston is obviously a well loved
figure and received a warm round of applause form his brethren and
visiting guests.
It was then the turn of Right Worshipful Master of
Lodge Lane Xang, Chris Moore to speak. He thanked Right Worshipful
Depute District Grand Master, Bro Dunstan Fernandez, for the masterful
way in which he installed him into the chair and also congratulated the
newly installed Office Bearers of Lodge Lane Xang and in particular the
Immediate Past Master, Bro Leighton Fowles for the excellent way he had
guided the Lodge during the last year.
Chris said, “Lane Xang is a small Lodge but our
numbers are growing and I look forward to increasing our membership
further in the coming year. We also plan to visit many lodges during the
year and look forward to welcoming you at our meetings in Bangkok.”
Then something happened that I hadn’t seen since a
Burn’s supper back in Scotland - a haggis was brought into the room by
three true blooded Scots, and was ceremonially delivered to all those
who were able to put their vegetarian thoughts aside for a moment.
All in all it was a wonderful evening and by the end
of it I had made new friends and was very grateful to be given an
insight into such an honourable organization.
I went home with these words ringing in my ears:
“Benevolence and Charity remains our cornerstones; aid to those less
fortunate continues to be our prime concern. The brethren will do
everything possible to have a positive impact on our community and
improve the lives of those in need, while exemplifying Masonic Ideals.”
It was indeed a memorable evening for all concerned.
Bro. Mike Johnston (seated centre) Right Worshipful
Master of Lodge Pattaya West Winds No. 1803 S.C., with members of the
District Grand Lodge of the Middle East and members of his lodge.
Bro. Christopher Moore (seated centre) Right
Worshipful Master of Lodge Lane Xang No. 1632 S.C., with members of the
District Grand Lodge of the Middle East and members of his lodge.
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