JonnyF

If you're referring to "Eddie the Eagle", I can assure you he was far from second rate. He was at least fifth rate ????. He wasn't so much a national hero as he was an endearing figure who was famous for his lack of success, but yes he was thought of fondly, if somewhat a figure of fun. If you're talking about serious competitors in motorsport, the UK has produced some all time greats like Lewis Hamilton, Carl Fogarty, Joey Dunlop, Jonathan Rea etc. and currently have 2 drivers in the top 6 of F1. We also have the most F1 championship titles of any country, ever.

Not at all. Once again the point has gone right over your head, or maybe you are simply deliberately creating a straw man? My criticism is not of the rider (as you imply in your post) but of the politician trying to bask in the glory. Like I said, national hero should be a label reserved for people who have achieved great things, and not necessarily in sport. Throwing around such a label simply devalues the term. Winning a couple of motorbike races in the second tier of the sport is a good achievement and commendable, well done to the rider and let's hope he can progress to the top tier and do well there. However, labeling him a national hero is clutching at straws for a politician looking to bask in the glow of someone else's success, get his name in the news and whip up some nationalism at a time that the government is woefully failing the Thai people. I hope that wasn't too complicated for you.

OK, let me make it simple for you as it appears that your username is not intended to be taken literally. The point is whether being a second tier sportsman with some limited success makes you a national hero. Allow me to use an analogy. It would be like if I claimed that Ohara Davies is a national hero. Who is Ohara Davies, you might ask? He’s a pretty average boxer from the UK, not bad, but nothing special. Then when you question whether a second tier boxer from the UK is really a national hero, I retort “Well, he could beat YOU up”. It’s an inane argument. Real low brow stuff. The type of "comeback" I’d expect from my 10 year old Nephew ????.

I'm pretty sure a previous report said he worked in a government office or had some kind of government job. Can't find it now, but if so I suspect he has some kind of connection that allowed him to buy his way out of this. Pretty sickening either way, given that he confessed.

So if I am reading this correctly, as long as you are not making extract and not growing it for commercial purposes you just need to register on the FDA app (which probably won't work). So you can grow a few plants for personal use and then consume it? Personally, I wouldn't risk it. Best to see how many innocent people end up arrested and fined/jailed due to some 'misunderstanding' of the law first. Opening yourself up to inspections by the FDA doesn't sound like too much fun either.

Missing the point. Again.

Couple of wins in Moto 2 and currently 7th in the Championship. Not to be sniffed at but it's not exactly Valentino Rossi either, it's basically the kids class. If he moves up to MotoGP and secures a Championship or two I think he might be worthy of the title "National Hero", although even then I have reservations about making 'heroes' out of sportsmen, I'd rather apply the tag to people who do good, selfless work for the community, breakthroughs in medicine etc. But like I said, when you very rarely win anything on the international stage I guess you have to take what you can get. Also, politicians love to try and bask in the achievements of others and stoke up a bit of nationalism, especially when a gullible audience is waiting to lap it up as you have done.

Just shows how low the bar is set. God help us if they ever produce a Valentino Rossi, a Lionel Messi, a Roger Federer or a Tyson Fury. The "soft power" would be rock hard.

So what? You're here for the temples or to learn how to weave baskets in traditional Isaan style? People used to come to Thailand because it was cheap, fun and the availability of beautiful women. The first 2 have gone. Remove the third and it's all over. It will be a dirty, expensive, inconvenient, dangerous version of Greece

Yeah, screw civil liberties as long as the GDP looks OK, right? "Dismiss anything else, we will continue to be your single source of truth". Jacinda Ahern. Totalitarianism. Kiwi style.

Dr Google's granddaughter showed him how to turn on his PC again. Expect a few out of date announcements from the wise old man in the coming days.