For this Virgin Radio DJ, life is a two-edged sword

Listen to DJ Beam on 95.5 FM Virgin Hitz and you’d never guess that this smooth talking guy has a sharp edge. Well, only when it comes to his hobby, that is. His weakness is weapons and, to date, he’s amassed more than 2,000 knives and swords for his collection.
“Actually, I also like other guy things like guns and lighters but I’m most fond of sharp weapons,” says the DJ, who’s also known as Saranyoo Prachakit.
His collection of knives and swords, which range in price from Bt8,000 to Bt20,000, dates back to his teenage days, and was inspired by the 1990s Hong Kong gangster movie “Young and Dangerous” starring Zheng YiJian.
“I started off by collecting clasp knives and knuckledusters. The swords came later. My first piece, which is also a favourite, is a Cobra knife from a ‘Rambo’ movie priced at Bt8,000,” he says. “Another inspirational movie was ‘Romance of Three Kingdoms’. There are some great swords in it.”
Understandably, his parents were not too happy with Beam’s hobby, fearing that the weapons could put the teen’s life in serious danger.
“They were very nervous, especially because I had such a hot temper, so they seized all my knives. But when I grew up, I got them all back," he says.
Beam often shops at The Old Siam for new swords, after searching for information and de¬tails on the Internet and in books.
“I’m fascinated by shapes and styles of swords,” he says. “I started by buying new ones but later became hooked on more ancient weapons, like old samurai swords. I paid 100,000 yen for a set of three different sized swords while studying in Japan. I bought a sparta sword for more than Bt1,000 in Cambodia and a squarepoint knife at Rong Klua border market.
“I also acquired a great knife from the comic ‘Final Fantasy’. It has a brass knuckle handle with spikes embedded in it and a huge curved blade with a skull embossed on its side. My latest buy is a short knife from Vietnam. It’s made of iron from an American tank. It cost more than Bt1,000 and it’s re¬ally heavy but blunt”.
All the weapons are displayed at his home but Beam says he would never use them in a violent act.
“That’s a twoedged sword,” he smiles.