Cliokchi Hans Hermans

[Rosella]

RIP Hans

In life there are many kinds of people, too specifically say this person or that person is either good or bad is totally ridiculous, no matter who they are or what they have done !!

I had some wonderful times with Hans and will remember them for the rest of my days.

I have never met anyone who has half the knowledge he had for Orchids, nor probably ever will again.

Hans was a very controversial bloke to say the least, I have witnessed the many side of his personality and he was surprisingly just a human being like the rest of us.

I know for sure he did take advantage of some people and that a lot of people took advantage of him as well.

I also know for sure he did a hell of a lot of good for other people as well.

I am not saying one cancells out the other, thats how it was.

We must always remember that we don't have the right to judge anyone anytime, all we can do is accept people for what they are and make our own choices as to how to conduct and live our own life.

How many can say that everyone we have met in life have liked us or we have liked them, none I am sure. Thats just the way it is.

To put the boot into someone after he is dead is a pity, and a bit sad, and would anyone of us like this to be done when we ourselves go.

Any way I have had my say and I'll just leave it at that.

Worth a thought I'm sure.

RIP Hans

 

[Bolero]

In life there are many kinds of people, too specifically say this person or that person is either good or bad is totally ridiculous, no matter who they are or what they have done !!

I had some wonderful times with Hans and will remember them for the rest of my days.

I have never met anyone who has half the knowledge he had for Orchids, nor probably ever will again.

Hans was a very controversial bloke to say the least, I have witnessed the many side of his personality and he was surprisingly just a human being like the rest of us.

I know for sure he did take advantage of some people and that a lot of people took advantage of him as well.

I also know for sure he did a hell of a lot of good for other people as well.

I am not saying one cancells out the other, thats how it was.

We must always remember that we don't have the right to judge anyone anytime, all we can do is accept people for what they are and make our own choices as to how to conduct and live our own life.

How many can say that everyone we have met in life have liked us or we have liked them, none I am sure. Thats just the way it is.

To put the boot into someone after he is dead is a pity, and a bit sad, and would anyone of us like this to be done when we ourselves go.

Any way I have had my say and I'll just leave it at that.

Worth a thought I'm sure.

RIP Hans

Um welcome to the forum, interesting first post.

 

[rdlsreno]

Sorry to hear this. He will be truly missed.

Ramon

 

[SlipperFan]

With all that has been said, I am reminded of Shakespeare, in Julius Caesar:
"The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones".

Personally, I prefer to think of the positive influence he had here, on this forum.

 

[quietaustralian]

RIP Hans

Wow, Hearing that Hans had past away is quite a shock. It was only two weeks ago that he invited my wife and I to stay with him. In my experience he was exceptionally knowledgeable, generous and treated me and especially my wife with respect and honesty. I remember one occasion where on admiring some beautiful specimen plants, he took some huge divisions and gave them to my wife. He wouldn't take any money for them, he said to her that "I can see in your eyes that your in love with orchids so I cant keep the lovers apart". I'm sorry that some people had bad experiences with him but we'll never forget him and remember him fondly.



Regards, Mick and Luan

 

[gonewild]

How old was Hans?

 

[valenzino]

How old was Hans?

Only 52 yo!!!
Excuse about not been active in this thread but no time at the moment...soon will open a new thread about him....
Ciao Hans...missing...

 

[Rosella]

How old was Hans?

Hans was born 21/11/58

 

[cnycharles]

it sounds like hans was very human, like all the rest of us (like someone else already commented)... shall we all post our own idiosyncrasies here? come on, be honest now!

 

[orchidfreak]

RIP Hans

I feel so sad about the sudden death of Hans. I visited his nursery several times. I was amazed of all his knowledge. I loved his vast collection of species and he always give me very fair prices and some orchids free on top. On Jan 27th I visited him at his home. He was already weak. He claimed not getting enough oxygen because of his clogged nose. I thought he will recover. When leaving I said to him “Hans, next time I see you in the nursery again!” Now I feel sorry not to have urged him to call a doctor. He will be truly missed. Yesterday I dropped by his orchid farm again - at least the orchids are still taken care of.

 

[Rick]

Hans was born 21/11/58

A Scorpio

I bet his star chart is fascinating!

 

[Candace]

A Scorpio

I bet his star chart is fascinating!

Is that the new Scorpio or the old Scorpio?oke:

 

[Rick]

Is that the new Scorpio or the old Scorpio?oke:

Excluding the "snake" sign between the old scorpio/sagitarius even the "new" scorpio would probably still cover the cusp dates from about the 20th to 23rd) at the typical month transition. In general the "new" look from the recalc of the Babalonian chart shifted the Sun signs by about 1/2 a month. It's tough to take this stuff too seriously, but its lots of fun.

In my old ephemeris He has Scorpio sun and Aries moon.

Lots of Sagitarius and Scorpio in other planetary positions.

Looks like a very adventersome, competitive, fun loving guy, with lots of secrets

 

[werner.freitag]

I have no idea about the stars and their meaning, but some of your descriptions could fit quite well.

I am very sad about his death, too. Living in the north of Thailand I visited him several times last year, just started to like him. He had a tremendous knowlegde about orchids. Some advice is now being used for my plants. I always got a very reasonable price for very well cultivated plants.

I could no believe some of the stories about him. But now a got a better picture because of the comments of TIHN , Rosella and his Dutch friend. Their statements fit to my experience perfectly.

Again, a big loss for the orchid world and for us here.

Werner

 

[Marc]

I have never known Hans, but I do know people who have. I've heard some stories about him as well but I don't feel it adds anything to this topic.

What surprised me more is that Hans was born not so far from were I live ( within 10km or so ).

All in all there is one thing left to say.

Rest in peace Hans Hermans

 

[Katai Phrao]

Katai Phrao Orchids

Brett,

Hans died in the hospital of natural causes, no investigations or whatsoever in progress.

It is not the place to speak about that, so later I will open another thread myself. If overseas there has been issues with him possibly, in Thailand, I would say that the things are way different except for two people, who happen to be my friends and got issues. So I am not 'blind' or partial, but one must be fair.

I will just say that in Thailand, Hans did a lot of good things for the people, and the orchid people.

He did have issues with some Thai growers, that's correct, but minor ones compared to what he did for the physical people in Thailand.

I have seen myself disgusting stories of people that he helped and they afterwards spitted on him, like this woman from the Jatujak who complained about Hans, he ordered plants from her a month before, and did not pick up those, it was big problem for her, Hans was soooo baaaad...

This very same woman had her own mother who had a cancer. She told Hans a year before, and he paid all the expenses in Burumgrad, so she has been saved. He never asked any money or plants in return. I reminded her, she said 'it's different things'. When she had to pay the fine to the police as they caught her countless times selling wild orchids in Jatujak, she would call Hans and get the money for the fine instant. All of that was nothing to her.

The Pandora box will be opened on some stories soon, like his former caretaker who got a house built and paid by him.

He went to the hospital a couple of years ago, and she stole everything during his first long stay in intense care. Millions of plants, I will post the pictures. That woman was nothing before he hired her.

He paid a complete house on the nursery land - that he was renting from her relatives - for them and their parents. She was entitled to steal everything for two reasons. First he did not pay her two months of salary - he was under intensive care. Second Hans girlfriend would steal everything, so it was better she took control of everything before, and 'give it back to Hans later'. ********, just thieves. Amongst the stolen plants, a large Australian shipment.

Brett, maybe you are quite new or not educated yet for Thailand, but there, for many people, everything you have done good in the past is 'normal' to them, and no need to talk about. They are not grateful. But if you make a single mistake with those very same people you helped, you are immediately very bad.

Ask Joe, the famous leucochilum breeder in Chiang Mai. He can tell you the truth, both sides, about many thai stories.

I will add a couple of things here:
- In the nursery stolen by Katai and P'Neung was the largest orchid species collection in the world. None could come close to it. There was an exhaustive collection of Madagascar orchids amongst many other plants, that would make Marcel Lecoufle hobby collection look bleak. They came from many sources, including Olaf Pronk. Everything was there, including the rarest species and forms. I still have the pictures. They were under way of propagation at that time. Amazing place, believe me.
- When Hans Hermans was in the hospital at that time, they sold many plants to many thai growers. I have seen it myself with my eyes. Very rare things, impossible for Thai growers to obtain. They moved out to another nursery a lot of plant to hide them and sell them after. Everyone knows this in Thailand and many people have a good laugh about. Yet, they are respected, trusted, and still in the business as of today.

As a friend only, without any business involved, Hans was oddly amazing, generous and excessive.

I would like to introduce myself who I am. I am Katai- the owner of Phrao Orchids Nursery. I am Janyaporn Thawornsatitsakul. Now I am doing my business at Phrao district, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Before doing this current orchid business, I used to work as a nurse at Phrayathai Hospital 2, and I knew Hans and took care of him from 2000 to 2006.
I was accused in parts of the conversation in Slippertalk’s webboard.
You know Hans was my patient and yet we are friends who took care each other. He was my boss.
Many time he joke with me and his staff ………”Katai” I born to be boss….and I said…Sure Hans ,your are our Big Boss.
We spent some times in the past that is quite long, and I think it is enough to call each other true friends. I believe that we both knew very well about the past situation. When time passed, the past situation made us shy to meet and talk each other.
Hans always knew,deep in his heart,that who were his friends and I should know that.
Unfortunately his weaknesses got in the way of the rest of his life.
As Hans as he is ,I could say I still like him and will miss him.

 

[Tinh]

I would like to introduce myself who I am. I am Katai- the owner of Phrao Orchids Nursery. I am Janyaporn Thawornsatitsakul. Now I am doing my business at Phrao district, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Before doing this current orchid business, I used to work as a nurse at Phrayathai Hospital 2, and I knew Hans and took care of him from 2000 to 2006.

Is this a joke? You were the legal owner of the orchid nursery on the paperwork, as anyone can read here:

http://www.freelists.org/post/orchids/Hans-Hermans

You story sounds really beautiful as you wrote it. Please let everyone know where you got the Madagascar stocks? From Patpong or Soi Cowboy?

You know Hans was my patient and yet we are friends who took care each other. He was my boss.
Many time he joke with me and his staff ………”Katai” I born to be boss….and I said…Sure Hans ,your are our Big Boss.
We spent some times in the past that is quite long, and I think it is enough to call each other true friends. I believe that we both knew very well about the past situation. When time passed, the past situation made us shy to meet and talk each other.
Hans always knew,deep in his heart,that who were his friends and I should know that.
Unfortunately his weaknesses got in the way of the rest of his life.
As Hans as he is ,I could say I still like him and will miss him.

Beautifully written. Maybe 'the past situation' was that you took everything when he was ill at the hospital?

 

[s1214215]

Well, its all a matter of whatever you say Tinh. I could bring up a whole lot of smear and rumour that is being said about you in Bangkok after this debacle as you seem to have offended many people here. I dont think its worth it though. No matter what comes of this, one this for sure, the truth wont be known. There will always be people on both sides of this argument it seems.

I will say on my side, Katai has been a good person to me, sent me very large consignments of plants, without payment until I saw them. She has never done bad by me or other people I know.

Brett

 

[NYEric]

 

[chrismende]

Such a sad thread! I had been among those who always welcomed Hans' comments and rejoiced that he was among us contributing.
I remain happy that we had his presence for a few months, at least, and regret that I didn't have a chance to have more contact with him.
It certainly sounds as if his early death was preventable, too... perhaps no one really understood how ill he was in time. That is tragic.
As to all the other innuendos: I would prefer not to have heard any of it. It has forever dirtied my otherwise happy memories of Hans. Just because the internet makes it possible to widely spread information does not make it advisable always to do so. Please, those of you who had unfortunate information to impart, remember that "all beings" cannot benefit from such stories.