Hermes100

are kettle-bells really any good. I am a 55 year old dane. Am I too old?

Any suggestions?

thanks

well, its certainly nice to see that some people still care

I will try and keep this short.

The story first kick's off when I went and had a meal with friend's of mine a few week's ago on sukumvit.

It was my first night back for quite some time so when ( and this is true) Batman suddenly appeared and started abusing some 50 'ish european man and his lady friend, looking as though they wanted to enter I thought it was some kind of floor show or perhaps a prank arranged by my friend's or that I had been drinking too much!

What started out as a sort of quite amusing, if a little odd drama between The batman and the other ( who I later learnt was british and a regular not well well liked) soon became distasteful when it became obvious that some real violence was being meted out to his 'victim".

Not that he did much to defend himself against any of it and I gather from the staff that he was quite keen not to have the police involved. I later gather that the victim claimed a knife was used. Nobody I knew or asked including the staff saw this. Face saving no doubt.

Anyway, it was surreal, imagine the scene....I like a number of others reached for our phones to record the event which must of lasted a good few minute's. I turned away when I saw which way it was going, young children were present and the language was crude- it was all so weird.

The batman made some pretty heavy claim's and dished out some pretty heavy treatment. The man was totally humilated .

A few days later I went back into the restaurant and asked the staff about it.

What was going? In short I was told the 'victim" was "well known" and had upset the batman( seriously, they said this as one might expect being told that someone in the tax department was upset, completely deadpan and matter of fact)

Who is the batman I asked " a good customer" I was told to cheeky ,smiling face who then produced a name card with his photo on it! apparently after dishing out his brand of street justice the batman has changed close by and gone back to the place for a meal and a laugh with some patron's!

I was given a sort of leaflet with a photo of two men and all sorts of links. One of the batman( and it really looked like him too), the other of the victim( from a set of passport photo's-all in different names) that had been left on the street and was reportedly seen in other location's.

There was even a link of the event with running commentary( not always so clear) on youtube for awhile ( I am against youtube being used to glamorize overt acts of violence).

I have to say, it was very interesting, in the batman makes some heavy claims about a man he call's a rapist, human trafficker, a drug dealer, a drug smuggler. He claims if true and unchecked are amazing.

All this was accompanied by "evidence" We see several address in Thailand which have been bought illegally with the proceeds of drug revenues, we see the gentleman being followed around the big shopping centre ( the names escapes me) close by making phone calls from his mobile and from public phones. It was definitely the same man.

He( the batman obviously) provides a wealth of information , even an FBI document which basically list's this man as ' someone to watch" ( the batman obviously has some pretty well connected friends although everything could be doctored and BM, even asks us to check ourselves and provide numbers to do so! )and some distasteful footage of a man he claims was his partner receiving a very heavy beating by a gang of other men ( all Asian) This is not pleasant viewing and lost the batman many points.

Surely if true the law enforcement authority's could be the ones to dish out any form of punishment.

What made me think this was all a hoax was the amazing claim that a UK person was able to completely change his name on his travel document ( passport) with no reference to the previous name! So, in effect becoming a completely new person and free of any hassles any previous name may of incurred.

I checked into and found it to be true. It is called " deedpoll"

I am amazed . How can this be thought of as okay? why is this condoned by the government which claims to want to stop this sort of things and lectures other poorer nations on how they should behave.

We hear so many complaints about the local system here ( BM claims this man has paid of his local police) and yet here we have the Brits who allow a law that surely cannot have any place in the current world climate. All these mans names are listed( how did the BM get them) , as are many of his associate's and so are many of his asset's( houses, bank account names,etc).

I am told it is illegal to do many of the things he did and yet it is aided by the outdated, ridiculous law.

Would any British official care to comment? is this really true or are my sources incorrect. If it is and it really seems to be- how on earth can this be allowed?

No wonder Thailand has been given a name of safe haven for British criminals- and who is at fault?

Of course there are some terrible Thai movies; just as there are terrible Hollywood ones.

But, like Hollywood, there are excellent ones too.

Some favourites off the top of my head:

Bangkok Dangerous

One Take Only

Beautiful Boxer

Shutter

Nor Chor

and, of course, one of the best films ever made anywhere: Tears of the Black Tiger

PS, not Bangkok specific and I think this topic will do better in General; so moving it there.

Don't forget "Volunteers" starring John Candy and Tom Hanks, watching John Candy speak Thai is hilarious

very good choice. of course we cannot compare to the western developed nation's- but on the whole they are improving and their is some real talent. I just wish they would stop making beauty queen's actresses.

What makes you say Thailand will soon be a force in the international film community? They already have a huge film industry here, what is changing?

The original Bangkok Dangerous is the best Thai movie I have ever seen.

I agree- so much better than the hollywood one

Which films do TV readers think best show Thailand.

The culture, the landscape, the beauty,etc

And which films made here by Thai directors are the most suitable for non speaking westerners?.

Judging from what I have seen.Thailand will soon be a force to be reckoned with in the international film community .

This makes my very happy because I have seen some great talent here.

OK - settle down please.

This topic is not about the teachings of Budha & how they are interpreted by the locals; we do have a specific fourm for that on Thai Visa.

It is about things you would like change in Bkk.

Back on topic please.

sorry , we must of been typing at the same time- back on topic. I do apologize.

happy to help. please let us know the progress and good luck

Yes, they are going under and selling off.

who are you to explain Thai Buddhism to a Thai?

It seems pretty arrogant and presumptuous to me.

why would such remarks, especially to your employees, rate anything more than a vacant stare? you are lucky you don't get slapped.

so one has to be thai to show someone a mistake?

if that were true my goodness where would we be...

God, i fear for this land. Surely the fact that they are not doing as Buddha asked shows that they are in dire need of education.

"Slapped.."- typical retort of someone who knows that they are wrong and have lost face and then show their trues colors by a childlike and really quite pathetic and sad threat.

Real progress there, a real point for the Thai camp and logical robust thinking. These are the words of a backward coward who simply cannot stand being found lacking and so try's( and fails) to gain some ground.

And people wonder why there is so little progress.

Congratulations on the best self slap I have seen for a long time! Very amusing, thank you.

"People being made aware of why they are bowing to something which is neither a religious symbol and/or an effigy that specifically did not want that ."

Good one!! I've asked members of my staff who wai to every gold statue if they knew that Buddha said people should forget him when he died so he wouldn't be treated as a god.....blank stare...but this is Thailand, they say...yes but Buddha himself said forget him...blank stare.

Did he say forget his teachings?

Buddha didn't want people to worship him but I have never read anywhere in his teachings that he asked that he or his teachings should be forgot. Keep in mind that a wai is a way to show respect and not a prayer although it may appear this way to those who use a similar gesture when they pray to a God.

No doubt people incorporating many things into religions and believes that others believe shouldn't be there just as Christians/Catholics use symbols and images in their prayers and many have images of Jesus unless by shear luck are false images.

One could also question the respect and reverence a family member may have for an object that helps them feel connected to a loved one who has passed away. But not sure it means the person has elevated that loved one to God like status.

Then please read more. Perhaps Krishnamurti rather hard hitting opinions on things here. " it is all lie's" could help.

Wai is just used.

People do so because they have been told to. It becomes an automatic instinct particular to 3rd world nations.

And it is this sort of thing and worst, the defense of it, masquerading as national pride that really is quite pathetic.

They do not really know why they do and do not seem to care.Although quite cute- it is so misplaced. This brainwashing.

They have not been told that this is specify against the effigy they do it to also mistakenly regard as religious figurehead, when it most definitely is not. Mistake upon mistake.

You see, we can dance all day long, and what you say does have some point.

But it falls down when basically most people simply just do not know what they are doing and why. and far,far worst is that inquiry is frowned upon and on some subject-illegal.

Parents who truly love their children allow them to question everything when they reach the right age. If they do not, they remain children.

Look around the streets of Bangkok. What do you see?

If you see a mature ,progressive, democratic,society then please let me know.I shall recommend a good doctor!

And then when it is pointed out to them retort the biggest cop-out of all. This has been mixed with that great old chestnut national pride.

" well, just you have just made me look foolish, but,,,, this is Thailand"

As harsh as I may sound I do love this country and am glad to see things changing.

I like the advice of changing the way one looks at something- cute. Does not really change anything much other than ones own perspective. Which may feel good, but does not really help in so many ways.

Child prostitution

All prostitution ( but some say then it would no longer either be Bangkok nor on the map!)

Elephants in the city

A more accountable police force.

People being allowed to question everything.

An education system that actually educates instead of basically teaching non -thinking.

The notion that " we are poor because we did something wrong in a past life"

Less of the western criminal element

Awful government health care ( a young local lady was turned away from a private hospital because of some policy that dictates that locals must show proof of funds!) A top local hospital "lost" my friend's body some years ago. I waited 7 hours to be told something I knew! Mind you, in Europe we should improve our lot too.

People being made aware of why they are bowing to something which is neither a religious symbol and/or an effigy that specifically did not want that .

Foreigners who are always moaning but make this beautiful land their homes! ( a bit like me today!)

All in all, I love my short time here. I just cannot abide seeing good people kept down and not so nice things going on

How can one be converted to something that is not a religion? How can this ridiculous oversight continue?

Old budda must be turning in his grave.

Please do not say " well, some people see it as one" The fact is the man who gave us this beautiful gift did not see it that way and nobody has the right to turn it into something it is not, then ' sell" ( and this is the correct word i think) it because it suits.

Look at the words of Krishnamurti.

What was he referring to when he said ' it is all lie's'?

Thailand wants to be taken seriously and shrug its 3rd world status.Perhaps a good start would be to stop accepting agenda driven claptrap which only goal is to keep people from thinking for themselves and keep the ruling elite ruling. Religion is so passe. Has not the fact that it has simply not withstood the tests of time tell us anything?Things are even worse when something which is not a religion becomes one and nobody seems to notice or care.

When disaster hit Haiti Thailand pledged a few million. As can be expected this was not forthcoming and pledges9 which mean very little) can be in goods which equal value. So, what was sent?, million's of ( outdated) skin whitener cream!

Please see james rhandi on youtube on this subject.

In my opinion, and that of vitualy all other's who have investigated this subject it is another complete fraud.

I would respectfully ask anyone to see this true evidence and then say that they refute it.

Please bear in mind that if one's takes it and feel's better it does not in any way prove- anything.

What has been proven is even in china it is used a suggestive medicine. in other words, top doctors at beijing say ( as they did to Rhandi " we know its fake, but it is cheap, and keeps people quiet")

Rather like horrorscope's ,etc. ( I would most definatly put all relgion's under this too)

Did anyone happen to see the bizarre footage of a man who was all dressed up as Batman manhandle another westerner by an Italian restaurant on Soi 33 a few week's ago? That would win hand's down. Plus it was really interesting documentary . Where is it? I can no longer find it. I also noticed a great one of a Thai policeman exercising severe restraint by trying to talk some sense into a drunken young holiday maker . His effort's are in vain and in the end he resorts to kung-fuey type kick and KO the miscreant ! Is there some sort of restriction's in place here on youtube and any other site's?

But one thing to buy here comes to my mind: medicines. Even the imported ones much cheaper than in the West.

You get caught with this stuff on you (BKK or UK) and you will be in serious trouble.

really.. I almost always show them when I arrive back in Europe and have never once had any trouble.

Here ,the only place that they would be seen is when I leave I suppose. I am not sure what you mean by " caught" I am not hiding them and can show, if necessary , a prescription .I never have had a reason to.

I have had a prescription when returning, but in all these year's have never been asked to show it ( although i was once asked to show receipt's for a leather Hugo Boss jacket .

Also, I only have a few month's supply, and they are all for my use only.

I can only surmise that you have made a generalization that does not apply to all.

Or am I missing something?

I take a lid top of noni juice 15 minutes before a meal to aid in weight loss. Whilst evidence on this seems a bit scare it does seem to help

homeopathy is a complete fraud. Please see James Rhandi youtube expose on this.

All in all Father Joe certainly has done a lot of very good work.

Any form of superstition , religious belief's, horror scope, and all that good old tosh is at best a sign of a backward society.

And we in the west would do well to remember that the worlds most powerful nation is really no better with a staggeringly high percentage of its population

still clinging to antiquated outdated, proven false belief's and not a single one member of its senate having the gut's to proclaim themselves an atheist.

Quite frankly, it's a disgraceful waste of a human mind.

They did not fair so well during WWII.

They faired better than any of the other countries who declared war on the allies.

But surely, that mean's very little. rather like saying a midget is taller than a dawf !And certainly not that they faired at all well.

Hence the state of some things many year's later.

Can anyone who has ever done this please answer me a few question's.;

1- Am I too old to do this? ( I am 52 and considered fit by my doctor )

2- Is it true that this sport can be bad for some joint's?

Any other advice on this- it look's such fun.

I meant for deaf people .

I can relate indeed