The Bangkok Podcast

Greg Jorgensen & Ed Knuth

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Online since 2010! Greg Jorgensen and Ed Knuth have been knocking around Bangkok since the turn of the century. Exploring dark corners, eating amazing food, and interacting with fascinating people, the two have gotten to know and love Thailand's capital in all its confusing, mysterious glory. Every week they chat about topics near and dear to those living here, those visiting here, or those who are just curious about what it's like to live in Asia's craziest city. Want to explore Bangkok on your own? Check out Greg's self-guided audio tours on Voice Map! https://voicemap.me/publisher/greg-jorgensen

Action Figure Overload: How Accurate Are the Thai Versions of the Viral AI Trend?

Greg and Ed jump on the bandwagon and discuss the recent trend of images of ‘action figures’ generated by AI. ChatGPT especially seems quite good at creating semblances of plastic blister packs filled with dolls and accessories that might go along with them. Hence, the guys take a look at 9 different images based on Thai stereotypes before offering images of their own action figures, which AI helpfully created for them. Figures include such classic stereotypes as a ‘Pattaya Old Boy,’ a Content C

Apr 22, • 44:38

Interesting Friends And Strange Characters: Expat Connections [S7.E66]

Greg and Ed discuss some interesting expats they have met over the years - both good and bad - and what lessons they have managed to glean from them. Thailand is a bit of a strange stew of expats; with many different types of people coming together in a foreign land, you are apt to meet and/or befriend people in Thailand that you never would back home. The results can be positive or negative, but either way, there can be lessons to be learned. Greg begins with an anecdote he’s mentioned on the s

Apr 15, • 42:32

Myanmar Quakes & Bangkok Shakes: Thoughts on the March 28 Earthquake

Greg and Ed address the unavoidable topic du jour: the earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28 that was felt all the way to Bangkok. Greg begins by pointing out that even though much ink and many words have already been spilled on the topic, listeners may be concerned about traveling to Bangkok now or the safety of Bangkok’s buildings in general. They guys decide to do their civic duty and chime in. First, they relate their personal stories - Ed was at home first thought he was getting dizzy

Apr 8, • 35:41

Sopping, Soggy, Sodden, Soaking Songkran: The Thai New Year is Here! [S7.E64]

With the big holiday nearly here, Greg and Ed reminisce about their various Songkran experiences over the years. Ed notes that last year was a breakthrough year: he actually went out and ‘threw water’ for the first time in many years and had a blast. Greg points out that it’s pretty common for expats to love Songkran at first, but then quickly switch to avoiding the raucous celebrations for many years. Greg has found special Songkran celebrations specifically designed to be kid-friendly, which h

Apr 1, • 39:00

Second Opinions & Jedi Lies: Stories From Bangkok's Hospitals [S7.E63] (Classic Recast)

A fabulous re-cast episode from season 3! Sooner or later, we all spend some time in the hospital, so Greg and Ed riff on their myriad experiences in Bangkok hospitals over the years. But before we get into that, we should note - due to Thailand’s strict defamation laws, some of the places we talk about will remain nameless. But with that out of the way, we can say that Thailand in general has pretty good medical care, and it is standard advice for travelers in neighboring countries to get over

Mar 25, • 45:35

The Russians are Coming! What the Influx Means for Phuket [S7.E62]

Greg and Ed discuss the massive influx of Russians (and some Ukrainians) into Thailand, particularly the island of Phuket. Numerous stories have been written in the last year about the unusually high number of long-stay tourists and expats who appear to be escaping the conflict in Europe, some even calling the trend an ‘invasion’. No doubt the sunny climes, pleasant smiles, and great food of Thailand provide a tempting alternative for those who have the means to make the journey.  Ed begins by

Mar 18, • 26:43

Bangkok Pains: Distilling Bangkok Into a Board Game [S7.E61]

Greg interviews Tim Swainson and his team at creative agency Invisible Ink about their Thai-centric board game, ‘Bangkok Pains.’ The show begins with introductions from the creative team at Invisible Ink, and Tim then gets into explaining the game. The first rule of Bangkok Pains is that all players start in debt, mirroring the plight of many Bangkokians, both natives and foreigners. There are the standard board game pieces, in this case, everything from an iconic plastic chair to a bottle of fi

Mar 11, • 44:54

How Thick is Your Bubble? Piercing the Thai/Expat Barrier [S7.E60]

Following a great suggestion from listener Kelly, Greg and Ed discuss the ‘expat bubble,’ the tendency for expats (and tourists) to primarily spend time with foreigners, rather than experience the same Bangkok that the majority of Thais are experiencing. Kelly noted that on her recent solo travels in Bangkok, she often found truly Thai markets that were very cheap with delicious food but also that she was the only Westerner there. Certain other cheap food courts, such as those in Big C, would ha

Mar 4, • 31:51

George Dupont: The Only Thai to Fight in the US Civil War [S7.E59] (Classic Recast)

We recount the fascinating story of George DuPont, the only Thai person who fought in the American Civil War. The first record of George in the U.S. is in 1859, but almost nothing is known of how or why he ended up in the United States. We know that in 1862 he volunteered for a New Jersey regiment to fight for the North in the American Civil War. Shockingly, he fought in and survived the battles of Antietam, Chancellorville, and Gettysburg, three of the bloodiest battles of the war. He was event

Feb 25, • 27:07

Ajarn Ed: Explaining America to Thai University Students [S7.E58]

Greg questions Ed about his main job - teaching ‘American Studies’ to Thai college students. Effectively, Ed’s job and his side gig (the podcast) are opposites of each other, given that he is attempting to explain Thai society and culture to foreigners on the podcast.  Ed begins with America 101 - basic lessons about the U.S. that every Thai person should know, especially before traveling there. First, the U.S. is physically a VERY big country, but also quite diverse. The Northeast is quite diff

Feb 18, • 39:05

Hmmm…A Few Things About Bangkok That Are Over & Underrated [S7.E57]

Greg and Ed discuss various aspects of Bangkok that they believe are either overrated or underrated. The guys start with things that they believe get too many props. Greg mentions the Grand Palace and the Damnoen Saduak floating market that tend to be too touristy and overcrowded, but that there are unsung superior alternatives where tourists could better spend their time. Ed counters with Thai customer service, which he credits for being genuinely warm but which he believes is often unprofessio

Feb 11, • 38:07

Redefining What A Modern Family Means in Thailand [S7.E56]

Continuing the exploration of some of the unexpectedly progressive moves that Thailand makes from time to time, Greg interviews his friend Jacob, an American, and his husband Geng, a Thai, about their marriage in Thailand as two men and their efforts to build a family through surrogacy. The couple begins by relating how they met and began dating, and Jacob adds that even at that stage he was looking into becoming a single father through some type of surrogacy. Luckily Geng was on board, and they

Feb 4, • 54:59

Bangkok's Craft Brew Godfather: A Chat with Khun Chit [S7.E55] (Classic Recast)

Greg interviews the fascinating Wichit Saiklao, godfather of craft beer in Thailand and founder of Chit Beer, with podcast friend Scott Coates sitting in for fun. Khun Chit relates how he first learned about homebrewing while living in the States, and after returning to Thailand and buying a small house on the river island of Ko Kret, he decided to give it a try with a kit he bought on Amazon. Just seven years later, he is a legend of Thai brewing, not just because of his own popular craft beers

Jan 28, • 41:55

What Changes Would Ed Make if He Was in Charge of Thailand? [S7.E54]

Greg and Ed engage in a bit of fantasy as Ed imagines what he would do if he were the Prime Minister (or maybe more accurately, dictator) of Thailand. Ed begins with the caveat that he can only see the world through his own eyes, so his dream policies probably will not align with the average Thai person or maybe even most foreigners.  Ed presents a total of ten changes he would make to the country if he could, and Greg gives wise counsel for each proposal. In no particular order, Ed suggests bui

Jan 21, • 44:07

What's It Like Being An Exchange Student in Thailand? [S7.E53]

Greg interviews our new friend Jannik Hiller about his experience as an exchange student in Thailand. Jannik explains that while a university student, he decided he wanted to do an exchange year in a country completely different from his native Germany, so he settled on Thailand, despite never having been here before.   Greg wonders about the quality of education in Thailand versus Germany, and Jannik explains that he was willing to sacrifice some academic quality just for the experience of trav

Jan 14, • 47:20

Keeping Resolutions in Bangkok: A Fool's Errand? [S7.E52]

Greg and Ed ring in 2025 with a difficult look back at their New Year’s Resolutions from 2024. They recognize the obvious: if you don’t keep your resolutions, you only have yourself to blame. But they try to answer the interesting question of whether Bangkok itself might make keeping certain resolutions more difficult.    Ed begins with a confession that he mostly failed in his efforts to improve his Thai. His plan was to study a well-regarded PDF of common Thai expressions, and while he did suc

Jan 7, • 34:54

Looking Back, Looking Forward: What’s Next for BP in 2025 [S7.E51]

In a year-end wrap up, Greg and Ed discuss their favorite shows of the year and some plans for the podcast in 2025. Ed begins by waxing rhapsodic over his early year interview with David Cluck, Hollywood assistant director who has been based in Bangkok for the last 10 years or so (S7, Ep. 6-7). The flow of the interview was aided by the fact that David and Ed are friends, but Ed points out that it’s rare to sit down with a friend and discuss their career in depth. As a film nerd, Ed (and Greg) e

Dec 31, 2024 • 36:05

Setting Down Roots in Bangkok: Should You Rent or Buy? [S7.E50]

Greg and Ed tackle the age-old question for expats living in Thailand: Should I buy or rent a condo or house? The boys begin by making clear there is not one simple answer to this question, and it depends a LOT on a person’s particular circumstances, such as budget, length of stay, and investment expectations. Nevertheless, there are general questions that everyone should consider when making this decision. Hat tip to a video that ThailandBound posted for providing the brainstorming.    The guys

Dec 18, 2024 • 30:26

Filmmaker James Newman on his Documentary Bangkok: City of Angels [S7.E49]

Greg interviews writer and filmmaker James Newman, a long-time expat in Thailand who recently made a documentary film about our beloved city of Bangkok. James starts out explaining his background in London as an insurance executive, his subsequent departure to Thailand, and his career as a writer during the e-book boom of the naughts. Around 2017 he transitioned to filmmaking and made a successful short film called ‘Crazy Medicine,’ directed by friend of the podcast Richie Moore.  But today’s sh

Dec 10, 2024 • 42:47

Behind the Scenes: Making an Episode of the Bangkok Podcast [S7, E48]

In a first, the Bangkok Podcast turns its focus on itself as Greg and Ed explain the process by which they create two shows almost every week of the year. The boys begin discussing their approach to brainstorming topics for new shows. Given that the podcast has been around for more than 10 years and there are more than 700 back episodes in total, coming up with fresh ideas is not easy. So the guys tend to mine their personal experiences, the lives of their friends, evergreen news stories that hi

Dec 4, 2024 • 46:36

From the Vault: Five Observations on What Makes Thai Culture Thai [S7.E47]

In a first for the podcast, the boys decide to review a part of the Bangkok Podcast website - the relatively new for Season 4 ‘Resources’ section. A few weeks back we posted a page called ‘Some Thoughts on Thai Culture,’ and it elicited some responses from friends of the podcast, so we decided to dig into it. We don’t want to rehash what’s already there, so if you haven’t read it yet, mosey on over and check it out. In brief, the page lists 5 key characteristics of Thai culture: 1) Respect for a

Nov 26, 2024 • 41:37

Marriage Equality in Thailand: More Complex Than it Seems [S7.E46]

Greg interviews our senior legal correspondent Dave Lawrence on the status of marriage equality in Thailand. Listeners may remember that the Thai parliament passed a same-sex marriage bill last year, and it has jumped through a few more hoops and is ALMOST in effect. Dave explains that on January 22, 2025, should be the magic date when marriage between two adults of either gender should be 100% legal and legit.  The guys run through a bunch of different topics, ranging from the history of marria

Nov 19, 2024 • 47:14

Yet Still Even More Expat Merit Badges! Do You Have Any? [S7.E45]

Greg and Ed revisit a favorite show theme: Thailand merit badges, achievements by expats which solidify your status as someone truly making a life in Thailand rather than just passing through as a tourist. For earlier merit badges, check out Season 5, Episodes 29 and 60. Ed begins by bringing up a true sign that you are no longer a noob: learning some of the Northeastern dialect, or ‘pasaa Isaan.’ Both guys confess they have yet to cross this barrier (central Thai is hard enough!). Greg then men

Nov 12, 2024 • 37:51

Phil in Udon Thani Talks About Leaving Bangkok for Something New [S7.E44]

Ed interviews our buddy Phil Allen about his adventures visiting, and eventually living in, the Isaan region of Thailand. Phil begins by explaining his arrival in Bangkok about five years ago as a roving economist working primarily in financial technology. Unfortunately, the pandemic struck and Phil found himself in a very strange situation in a brand new country. He decided to take the aggressive approach and move from AirBnB to AirBnB in different neighborhoods around Bangkok before a full loc

Nov 5, 2024 • 57:49

Do You Have to be a Weirdo to Thrive in Bangkok? [S7.E43]

Greg and Ed revisit an old topic from Season 2, Episode 48: Do you have to be weird to live in Bangkok/Thaiand as a foreigner? Ed begins by noting that the question depends on exactly why an expat has chosen to live here. Are they in the military? Are they on a corporate package? Are they here for a significant other? These options leave room for fairly ‘normal’ people. But what about expats such as Greg and Ed, who seem to live in Thailand without an outside force making it necessary? And of co

Oct 29, 2024 • 31:51

Wats & Working Girls: How Thailand Balances Buddhism and Red Lights [S7.E42]

Greg and Ed begin a new series called “Thailand: Land of Contradictions” with the first installment addressing a fascinating, apparent conflict in Thai culture: how can Thailand have so many temples on the one hand, but also so many ‘working girls’ on the other?  The Land of Smiles is well-known as a very Buddhist country, in the sense that approximately 95% of Thais identify as Buddhist. Now many might not be strict in the truly religious sense, but there’s no doubt that many aspects of Thai cu

Oct 22, 2024 • 30:39

Future Southeast Asia's James Clark on Thailand's Transport Infrastructure [S7.E41]

Greg interviews James Clark, the founder of Future Southeast Asia, a website and newsletter focused on transport and urban development in Southeast Asia. The guys begin with the most exciting developments in Thailand’s railway system, and James mentions the 250 km/hr high speed rail which will run from Bangkok to Nong Khai and then on into Laos and China. The standard rail should also be finally extended to Chiang Rai in the next few years.  Greg and James then go on to discuss various developme

Oct 15, 2024 • 49:54

What Are the Limits of "Mai Pen Rai"? [S7.E40]

Greg and Ed discuss one of the pillars of Thai culture, the general attitude of ‘mai pen rai’ or ‘no problem.’ As the guys have mentioned many times, this attitude is one of the main reasons that living in Thailand is so enjoyable for expats. Thai people tend to be less confrontational, less prone to anger, and less likely to take offense than Westerners, making living in ‘The Land of Smiles’ a fairly easy transition for most people. But can this approach be taken too far? The guys think so. A r

Oct 8, 2024 • 31:07

Counselor Amy Pothong Talks About Mental Health in Thailand [S7.E39]

Mental health in Thailand has never really had its time in the spotlight, but things are slowly changing as more and more Thais realize that taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health. On this episode we are joined by Amy Pothong, a licensed counselor and founder of Golden Leaf Therapy and Counseling in Phuket.  Amy walks us through the landscape of mental health in Thailand, including some of the reasons that the subject is often taboo, with el

Oct 1, 2024 • 46:57

Political Cheat Sheet: Prof. Ed Sums Up Ten Years of Thai Politics [S7.E38]

In our semi-annual update on Thai politics, Ed does his best to explain the current situation and how Thailand arrived here over the last ten years. He begins with the framework that defined Thai politics for almost 15 years: one party led by the Shinawatra clan that was populist and relied on the support of Thai farmers in the Northeast and the conservative Democratic Party and military establishment that represented the middle class and above relied on support from Bangkok. While the populist

Sep 24, 2024 • 42:20

The Dangers of Letting Bangkok’s Delivery Apps Take Over [S7.E37]

Greg and Ed discuss the ‘delivery lifestyle,’ the habit of staying at home and relying on delivery services to bring food and products straight to your doorstep. Both guys admit to slipping into this habit, but Greg enjoys getting out more and tooling around town in his fancy automobile, so it’s Ed that has really embraced this habit. The question is this: Is it good or bad?  Ed begins with some obvious pros: it’s super convenient and allows you to avoid the stress of traffic and crowds, somethi

Sep 17, 2024 • 41:41

Journalist Patrick Winn Discusses His Book ‘Narcotopia’ [S7.E36]

Greg welcomes back Patrick Winn to the podcast, an intrepid writer and expert on all things dark and shady in Southeast Asia. He previously appeared on the show to discuss his book “Hello Shadowlands,” and he returns to explain his new work, “Narcotopia: In Search of the Asian Drug Cartel That Survived The CIA.” Patrick begins by explaining the unique political situation that the country of Myanmar is in right now. Besides a literal civil war, portions of the country, such as the ‘Wa State’ in t

Sep 10, 2024 • 53:08

What Comes Next: Greg & Ed Try to Predict Bangkok’s Future [S7.E35]

Putting on their best tarot reading hat…or numerology hat…or tea leaf hat…whatever…Greg and Ed make their best prognostications about the future of Bangkok, relying only on their accumulated wisdom and experience. Greg begins by asking Ed whether Bangkok will ever solve its ‘sinking’ problem, and Ed responds pessimistically. Although the science is clear that the sea is rising and Bangkok is sinking, the government does not seem to be taking any drastic action to address the impending calamity,

Sep 3, 2024 • 38:56

Journalist Dominic Faulder on the Complex History Between Thailand & Myanmar [S7.E34]

Greg interviews Dominic Faulder, associate editor at Nikkei Asia, long-time journalist in Southeast Asia and observer of the political and diplomatic machinations of Myanmar, and Thailand and Vietnam over the past 40 years.  The main thesis of the episode is this: How should a country such as Thailand respond when its neighbor Myanmar is in the midst of a destabilizing civil war? Dominic begins by pointing out what’s different about the current situation compared with events in its turbulent pas

Aug 27, 2024 • 54:03

Selling Thailand to the World: How do the Non-Travelers See Us?

In the wake of Ed’s recent high school reunion, Greg and Ed discuss how to sell Thailand to all different types of people, especially those who have only learned about the place through stories, TV and often dubious word of mouth.  The Land of Smiles is of course known by everyone for certain things: nightlife and red light districts, beaches, and good food. But what about visitors who are not interested in those things? How is it possible to pitch Thailand to other types of travelers? At the re

Aug 19, 2024 • 32:11

Don't be That Guy: Expat Stereotypes You Should Avoid [S7.E32]

Greg and Ed discuss some negative expat stereotypes - roughly the person you (probably) don’t want to become while living in Thailand...at least forever. We all fall prey to stereotypes sometimes - they have to come from somewhere - but if you’re not careful, you can become comfortable with some of these lifestyles and before you know it, they come to define your new identity in your new home, and suddenly you’re known as The Whiner, or The Apologist. And that’s just the beginning! Heaven forbid

Aug 13, 2024 • 33:42

Phra Pandit Lends His Insight: What Buddhism Says About the Seven Deadly Sins - Part 2 [S7.E31]

On part 2 of 2 Greg continues his interview with returning show favorite, Phra Pandit on the Buddhist interpretation of the Seven Deadly Sins of western religion. Without wasting any time they pick up where they left off last week and dive right into it with sloth, one of Greg’s favorites. Defined in Buddhism as ‘torpor’ or ‘indolence’ Phra Pandit explains that in Buddhism this trait tends to hinder meditation, and can lead to someone being withdrawn and apathetic, which of course is not somethi

Aug 6, 2024 • 30:43

Phra Pandit Lends his Insight: What Buddhism Says About the Seven Deadly Sins - Part 1 [S7.E30]

Greg interviews returning show favorite, Phra Pandit on the Buddhist interpretation of the Seven Deadly Sins of western religion. After a brief introduction explaining Phra Pandit’s current (temporary) abode in Toronto, Canada, the guys get down to business. First, Phra Pandit notes that in his work with highly varied groups of people, there is often agreement on ‘good’ and ‘bad’ qualities in people. That being said, he notes that not every religion would necessarily value each quality equally.

Jul 30, 2024 • 33:23

Bangkok in Your 20s vs Your 50s: We Discuss the Pros and Cons [S7.E29]

Having had the somewhat unenviable (?) POV of living in Bangkok both in their 20s AND in their late 40s (and more), Greg and Ed pro/con Bangkok for different age groups. Is Bangkok really a city for twenty-somethings or fifty-somethings? Greg begins by focusing on the older crowd. On the plus side, Bangkok offers many social opportunities that have a cultural bent, such as the Siam Society, museum groups, and even gourmet restaurants that tend to appeal to a more mature crowd with disposable tim

Jul 23, 2024 • 31:34

Lawyer Dave Lawrence Gives a Legal Perspective on Divorce in Thailand [S7.E28]

Greg and Ed interview Dave Lawrence of Pegleg Legal about the technicalities of divorce in Thailand. Although Ed previously discussed his big ‘D’ on an earlier show, his situation was so simple that it’s probably not representative of the typical divorce. Dave begins with his process for new clients. First, he asks if the marriage was registered in Thailand. Many ‘couples’ actually never get legally married in Thailand, which of course changes your legal rights. Second, he asks if the couple has

Jul 16, 2024 • 48:32

AI vs The Big Mango: What ChatGPT 4o and Gemini Know (and don’t know) about Bangkok [S7.E27]

Greg and Ed perform an interesting test of the current state of AI: can you actually trust what different AI’s have to say about Bangkok and Thailand? Greg uses ChatGPT, while Ed is a Google guy through and through, so Gemini it is. The first question involves a bit of Thai history: exactly when and for how long did Thailand use a red flag with a white elephant? Proper research reveals the correct answer is 1855-1917, but ChatGPT misses by a wide mark, with an answer of 1917 to 2017 (!). Gemini

Jul 9, 2024 • 32:53

Blending Fact & Fiction: Paul & Yuangrat Wedel Return to Discuss Their Novels Set in 1900s Siam Part 2 [S7.E26]

This is Part Two of Greg and Ed’s interview with Paul and Yuangrat Wedel, returning guests to the show who previously talked about their book “Radical Thought, Thai Mind.” This time around the fascinating couple discuss their two novels, “Beads On A String” and “Dark Karma,” each historical fiction based in Southern Thailand. In this part of the interview, the couple focus on the historical characters and events that are interwoven into the fictional narrative. Greg asks about the sensitivity of

Jul 2, 2024 • 43:26

Blending Fact & Fiction: Paul & Yuangrat Wedel Return to Discuss Their Novels Set in 1900s Siam [S7.E25]

Greg and Ed interview Paul and Yuangrat Wedel, returning guests to the show who previously talked about their book “Radical Thought, Thai Mind.” This time around the fascinating couple discuss their two novels, “Beads On A String” and “Dark Karma,” each historical fiction based in Southern Thailand. The two begin with a discussion of the origin of the novels. In short, Yuangrat grew up in the deep South of Thailand with a family of mixed ethnicity, including Thai, Malay, Mon, and Chinese ancestr

Jun 25, 2024 • 38:40

Ed’s City Review: Bangkok vs Hong Kong - Which One Comes Out on Top? [S7.E24]

Continuing our regional focus of late, Greg and Ed discuss Ed’s recent trip to Hong Kong and how it compares to big, bad Bangkok. Ed begins with a big caveat: he’s not really much of a traveler, and he spent only 2 ½ days in Hong Kong, so his take is that of a true noob. That being said, Ed begins on the positive side, noting how geographically beautiful the city is, being situated on mountainous islands that present incredible photo opportunities.  However, when compared to Bangkok, Ed found a

Jun 18, 2024 • 39:56

Regional Podcast Pals: Joah McGee on Covering Tragedy & Hope on Insight Myanmar [S7.E23]

Wrapping up our short series on our regional podcast peers, Greg interviews Joah McGee from the Insight Myanmar Podcast. Joah begins by explaining his early life in Myanmar and how he initially went to the country to study meditation and later secured a proper job doing training for an American Embassy-related organization. He managed to juggle professional life dealing with politics, with a personal life in monasteries practicing meditation. This eventually led Joah to making a documentary abou

Jun 11, 2024 • 36:50

Bangkok Devaluation: A Few Things That Used to Matter…But Don’t Anymore [S7.E22]

In a possible new series, Greg and Ed discuss things that have become less important or meaningful since they began living in Thailand. In short, stuff that we used to value a lot that just seems not to matter as much anymore. Ed begins with the somewhat obvious: clothes in general just matter a lot less. Never a fashion guy, Bangkok’s ‘uni-season’ is perfect for him since he can basically wear the same thing all year round. Greg - famous for his consistent shorts/t-shirt/vans outfit, concurs th

Jun 4, 2024 • 31:04

Regional Podcast Pals: Mike Tatarski on Producing the Vietnam Weekly from Ho Chi Minh City [S7.E21]

Greg interviews Mike Tatarski of the Vietnam Weekly podcast. Mike begins by explaining the podcast originated out of his Substack newsletter of the same name. After taking a course in ‘entrepreneurial journalism,’ he got motivated to fire up the podcast, and the rest is history. He manages to produce a show per week as a one man band operation but has reached a substantial audience.  Greg and Mike then go on to talk about similarities and differences between his show and the Bangkok Podcast. On

May 28, 2024 • 46:20

Looking Back on the 2006 Coup and Why We’re Still Feeling it Today [S7.E20]

Greg and Ed revisit the 2006 coup in Thailand and reminisce about the oddness but also impactfulness of the experience. Ed begins with a quick recap of the career of Thaksin Shinawatra, the billionaire business tycoon who swept to power (democratically) in 2000 on a promise to fix the Thai economy which was still reeling from the 1997 financial crisis. He did in fact manage to stabilize the economy and easily won re-election in 2004. Although controversies did mar his terms, his ability to repay

May 21, 2024 • 36:36

Checking in on Bangkok’s Craft Beer Scene with BangkokBeerGuide.com [S7.E19]

Greg interviews Clif from BangkokBeerGuide.com about the ever evolving craft beer scene in Thailand. Cliff begins with the basic premise for the website and related social media: to act as a guide for locals and visitors to all the beer drinking opportunities in Bangkok, especially craft beers made by locals. The guys then review the famously restrictive Thai laws governing beer and alcohol in general, such as the prohibition on purchasing alcohol from 2 pm to 5 pm in the afternoon, and high min

May 14, 2024 • 47:10

Bangkok Superlatives: Stories From Decades in a Crazy City [S7.E18]

Greg and Ed try a new type of show in which they troll their memories for extreme experiences, something that expats in Thailand seem to have a lot of. Greg begins with his scariest experience in Thailand. As a relative noobie, he engaged the services of a shady visa firm and was later called out on it by the Canadian Embassy. At the time, he didn’t know if a heavy fine, deportation, or even jail was in order, but luckily he got away with a much smaller punishment. Ed follows with a different ty

May 7, 2024 • 46:12

Philosopher Dr. Soraj Hongladarom on Buddhism, Ethics and AI [S7.E17]

Greg interviews Dr. Soraj Hongladarom on the intersection of AI, ethics, and Buddhism. Dr. Soraj begins by discussing his background in the study of philosophy in the U.S., in particular early modern Western philosophy. After returning to Thailand, he transitioned to the study of the philosophy of technology and science, which today of course, means AI. Dr. Soraj explains that different cultures certainly have different approaches to some ethical issues, and he is currently interested in how Bud

Apr 30, 2024 • 39:25

Bangkok for Nerds! Understanding the Chaos With Some Sweet Math [S7.E16]

If math can be used to solve everything from the orbits of galaxies to the swirl in a snail’s shell, then surely it can be applied to Bangkok to shed some light on the chaos? In a fun show, Greg presents certain semi-mathematical ‘equations’ to help us all understand Bangkok a bit better. While not scientific in the strictest, these rules of thumb may help you navigate the chaos of the Big Mango with a little more confidence.  First, the guys discuss all the variables that affect traffic travel

Apr 23, 2024 • 31:36

Stuart McDonald from Travelfish on Tourism Recovery in Thailand Through Visas, Backpackers...and Weed? [S7.E15]

This is Part 2 of our interview with Stuart MacDonald, Asian tourism expert and founder of TravelFish.org, arguably the best single resource for traveling in Southeast Asia. In this half of the interview, Greg, Ed and Stu revisit the tricky topic of ‘overtourism,’ an issue which attempts to find a balance between economic revenue from tourism, which in theory is good for local economies, and damage to the environment, which of course can in the long run make things worse for local people. Stu gi

Apr 16, 2024 • 40:05

Stuart from Travelfish Talks How (and how not) to Help Tourism Recover Sustainably [S7.E14]

Greg and Ed interview their old friend Stuart of Travelfish, master of all things travel and tourism in Southeast Asia. Greg begins by reading a quote from an article on the weird duality of tourism: by sacralizing a location, tourism results in its ‘desecration by footprints.’ Stuart gives his take and undoubtedly agrees that this is generally true, hence his take on ‘environmental tourism,’ or tourism that is very conscious of its effect on the locations it promotes. He explains that the cons

Apr 9, 2024 • 42:47

Bangkok History Highlight: 20 Years Later - Looking Back at the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami [S7.E13]

In a twist on our history episodes, Greg and Ed revisit the devastating tsunami of 2004. Greg begins with a thorough summary of the event, which begins with an absolutely massive earthquake off the coast of Sumatra that caused a rift and shift on the ocean, creating immense waves that would affect multiple continents. Reverberations were felt as far away as the state of Oklahoma. The devastating results eventually took the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in Southeast Asia.  Greg and Ed

Apr 2, 2024 • 46:05

AmericanThaiGuy Ron Weaver on the Complicated Issue of Racism in Thailand [S7.E12]

This is Part 2 of Greg and Ed’s interview with Ron Weaver, otherwise known as ‘AmericanThaiGuy’ on social media. Ron begins Part 2 by directly addressing his experience as a black man in Thailand. He carefully explains his preference for living in Thailand over living in the U.S., explaining that although Thai people typically don’t prefer darker skin, their approach to the preference is indirect rather than confrontational. He argues that Buddhist culture truly tends to focus on whether a perso

Mar 26, 2024 • 42:12

AmericanThaiGuy Ron Weaver on Mastering Thai…and Social Media [S7.E11]

Greg and Ed interview Ron Weaver, aka ‘AmericanThaiGuy,’ on his life as an expat in Thailand as well as his excellent Thai language skills. Ron begins by waxing rhapsodically about his first visits to Thailand, when he fell in love with the weather, the food, the nice people, and shockingly, the women. Although he loved the country, communication was so frustrating that he vowed to learn the language. But unlike 95% of expats who make that vow, he actually did.  The guys trade language learning

Mar 19, 2024 • 48:15

Foreigners Acting Badly: What Does it Take to Push Thais Over the Edge? [S7.E10]

Greg and Ed discuss the Thai temperament and what exactly causes Thais to occasionally blow their collective lids. Greg uses the recent example of a Swiss expat who kicked a Thai woman in the back, allegedly because she was inappropriately sitting on the steps of his condo and blocking his path. Somewhat surprisingly, the incident went viral, much to the Swiss man’s detriment. The guys speculate as to what it was about THIS incident that caused it to blow up. Was it the fact that he used his foo

Mar 12, 2024 • 31:27

Our Friend Mookie Could Raise Her Kids Anywhere. So Why Thailand? [S7.E9]

Ed interviews his former student Mookie about her experience studying in the U.K. and her later choice to move her family back from the U.K. to Thailand. The two old friends begin reminiscing about Ed’s university program and how Mookie really was an unusual student. Most young Thai women tend to be very shy in class and rarely express their own opinions. But Mookie was different, showing up on the first day of class ready to debate! They quickly move on to Mookie’s decision to get a master’s de

Mar 5, 2024 • 1:02:45

Ahh, Memories... Greg and Ed Discuss Those Vivid Early Bangkok Days [S7.E8]

Getting a bit nostalgic after listening to Tay-Tay’s latest album, Greg and Ed reminisce about their respective first year’s in Bangkok by recounting their most vivid early memories, something that’s unique for everyone but plays a big role in setting the tone for your time here.  Ed explains that he came here a little bit older than many expats, and relatively speaking, had his ‘shit together’ so to speak. No visa runs, no desperation at the end of the month to pay bills. But what he wasn’t rea

Feb 27, 2024 • 35:48

Adventures in Filmmaking With Expat Extraordinaire David Cluck - Part 2 [S7.E7]

This is Part 2 of Ed’s interview with friend and expat extraordinaire David Cluck. The guys pick up where they left off, discussing the holy grail: living in Thailand but making a Western salary. David explains how he began to get work in Thailand and for a while balanced a life in L.A. with one in Bangkok. He shares numerous anecdotes from his work on the Hua Hin Film Festival, which eventually led him to intersect with the cast and crew of “Only God Forgives” and a meeting with Ryan Gosling. D

Feb 20, 2024 • 52:59

Adventures in Filmmaking With Expat Extraordinaire David Cluck - Part 1 [S7.E6]

Ed interviews David Cluck, a Bangkok-based filmmaker, friend of the podcast and bona-fide “interesting expat”. The guys begin talking about their mutual love of Thailand, but then go back to the beginning to hear about David’s early life as a musician in Southern California and how he transitioned into working at a local TV station. That led to some work on commercials and short films and then slowly and surely into work on bigger budget film projects. David regales Ed with stories of working wi

Feb 13, 2024 • 56:06

Land of Frowns: Ed Details Lessons Learned from a Thai Divorce [S7.E5]

We’re getting a bit personal on this episode as Ed talks about his marriage and eventual divorce in Thailand. Although it’s a difficult topic, enough time has elapsed that Ed is ready to discuss whether or not his experience provides any lessons for expats in the Land of Smiles (and sometimes frowns).  First, Greg asks Ed about the actual legal procedure of getting a divorce and whether it involved a lot of paperwork. In Ed’s case, the process was easy because it was by agreement; the only hitch

Feb 6, 2024 • 41:15

Dr. Natthawat Hongkarnjanakul on Thailand’s Space Ambitions [S7.E4]

Ahh, Thailand. Beaches, sunsets, late-night parties, serene temples, and…space technology design and future satellite launch site?  Greg interviews Dr. Natthawat Hongkarnjanakul of the Thai Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, essentially Thailand’s version of NASA. Dr. Natthawat begins with his background studying aerospace engineering in Thailand and later in France on a scholarship. Next, he talks about GISTDA, and the Thai government’s interest in space research. Greg not

Jan 30, 2024 • 45:42

Expat Wins! Six Situations That Level Up Your Bangkok Life [S7.E3]

Greg and Ed discuss situations - whether they come from luck or strategy - that can seriously improve your quality of life in Bangkok. The guys try to avoid the super obvious things - getting a better job, meeting the person of your dreams - to focus on factors that are more advantageous than one might expect in Thailand.  Ed begins by emphasizing the importance of living close to where you work and having a short commute. While some might put this in the obvious category, the boys both agree th

Jan 23, 2024 • 31:30

Photographer Tim Russell on the Fading Glory of Hualamphong Station [S7.E2]

Greg interviews well known Bangkok-based photographer Tim Russell about his book ‘Bangkok Station,’ which focuses (literally) on the iconic and now mostly defunct Hualamphong Train Station. Tim begins by explaining his early days twenty years ago as a traveller in Vietnam and how he picked up photography as a way to document his travels. Eventually he made his way to Thailand and managed to pass through Hualamphong in its heyday. The guys discuss Huamlamphong’s design by an Italian architect and

Jan 16, 2024 • 42:58

New Year Resolutions: How to be a Better Expat in Thailand [S7.E1]

In a spirit of optimism and renewal, Greg and Ed discuss their New Year’s resolutions as expats. What are their goals for 2024 to grow as expats in Thailand? Greg begins by committing to read The Falcon of Siam, a famous novel set in 18th century Thailand, and to watch The Overture, a film about a famous classical musician in the Royal Palace. Ed wants to focus on improving his Thai, and he developed a plan to learn to read a collection of 9,000 Useful Thai Expressions, a popular PDF among serio

Jan 9, 2024 • 32:18

Holiday Bonus Show Preview!

Hey guys, I know we said we were done for the year, but we have one last little surprise for you. We sat down with two of our very good friends John and Poom to record a special bonus show for our patrons. But since it’s the season of giving and all that malarkey, we thought it might be fun to release the first 14 minutes of the show to our non-patron listeners too. Ain’t that special? Keep in mind our bonus shows are a bit more freewheeling and improv-based, and often have some spicier language

Dec 25, 2023 • 14:44

Our Bangkok Survival Kit: Tips and Tricks if You're Exploring Bangkok on Foot [S6.E70]

Just before the boys take off for the holiday, and hordes of new visitors arrive, Greg and Ed give advice on how to survive a long day exploring Bangkok, be you a tourist or just an expat trying to check off some boxes. The guys run through numerous items, some of which might seem obvious but which still can be easy to forget. Others have only been realized from some hard-earned wisdom as long-time expats in the City of Angels. For example, Greg extolls the virtues of noise-cancelling headphones

Dec 19, 2023 • 37:09

Childline Thailand: Tackling Abuse & Neglect, Offering Hope & Safety Part 2 [S6.E69]

This is Part 2 of Greg’s interview with Ilya Smirnoff of Childline Thailand. Ilya begins with the ‘timeline of a child,’ which is basically a roadmap of the rights and responsibilities of children as they age. It begins at birth, when responsible parents should get both a birth certificate and house registration certificate for the newborn. At age 7, Thai children have the right to attend nursery school, and at age 12, young people become criminally responsible for at least some of their actions

Dec 12, 2023 • 33:32

Childline Thailand: Tackling Abuse & Neglect, Offering Hope & Safety - Part 1 [S6.E68]

Greg interviews Ilya Smirnoff, the director of Childline Thailand, an NGO dedicated to the rights of children in Thailand. Ilya begins by explaining his early life as a monk, and how he eventually left the monkhood and began doing charity work. The basic genesis of Childline Thailand was to provide a single phone number for children to call to gain access to information about all the government services that are designed to help children in trouble. The organization was able to get the simple ph

Dec 5, 2023 • 36:38

Don’t Do These Things: How to Earn an Expat Demerit Badge [S6.E67]

In a follow-up to previous episodes on expat ‘Merit Badges,’ Greg and Ed discuss ‘DEmerit Badges,’ mistakes that long term expats make that they should NOT make. In other words, if you’ve lived in Thailand for a while, and you act like a n00b, you deserve a demerit. Greg begins with the classic fashion faux-pas of all foreigners in Thailand for more than a few months: wearing elephant pants. As the official mark of being brand new to Thailand, these flimsy pajama bottoms are verboten for long-ti

Nov 28, 2023 • 36:31

Neo-Buddhism: How Thailand's Largest Religion Reacts to Change [S6.E66]

Greg interviews our old friend Phra Phandit, resident podcast expert on all things Buddhism and religion. This time the topic is ‘Neo-Buddhism’ or the way Buddhism has changed and adapted over time, in particular the way it has been appropriated in the modern era by Western culture and pop culture in general. Greg sets the stage with a quote about ‘modern’ Buddhism that has eliminated supernatural beliefs, ritual, and the monkhood, and instead focused on interior exploration and happiness in thi

Nov 21, 2023 • 43:37

The Secret to Expat Happiness: Managing Your Expectations [S6.E65]

Greg and Ed discuss how to manage your expectations in Thailand as a strategy for surviving and thriving in the Land of Smiles, or indeed, as an expat anywhere outside of your comfort zone. Ed explains that in giving advice to a recent arrival, he emphasized being smart about what to expect. Instead of trying to change Thailand to something familiar or to get it to fit some previously determined standard, it’s better to simply appreciate what Thai people are good at and accept what they are not

Nov 14, 2023 • 31:48

Superstition, Religion and...Architecture? Thai Spiritual Permanence with Dr. Andrew Johnson Part 2 [S6.E64]

This is Part 2 of Greg’s interview with Andrew Johnson, cultural anthropologist extraordinaire and investigator of the extremely niche topic of the relationship between Thai supernatural beliefs and local architecture.  Greg and Andrew begin where they left off last week, discussing what it’s like as ‘rationalists’ to interact with relatively superstitious Thai people. Andrew relates a classic story of a Thai woman who encounters a ghost in a nearby field and who simply calls the police who end

Nov 7, 2023 • 42:18

Thai Superstition vs Western Skepticism: Building Bridges with Dr. Andrew Johnson Part 1 [S6.E63]

Part 1 of 2! Greg interviews author Andrew Johnson, a cultural anthropologist with an expertise in the supernatural beliefs of Thailand and how they interact with urban planning and architecture. First, Greg inquires about the nature of ‘superstition’ in Thailand, and whether Thai people truly live up to their reputation for being ‘superstitious.’ Andrew notes that the distinction between ‘religion’ and ‘superstition’ is really a modern formalization of certain ‘official’ religions, Buddhism in

Oct 31, 2023 • 43:33

Can You Find Food That's Delicious AND Healthy at the Vegetarian Festival? [S6.E62]

Greg and Ed venture out into the real world to record the show on location to answer an age-old conundrum: Is it possible to find healthy, non-fried starch food at the famous vegetarian ‘Jay’ Festival in Thailand? The guys, being veteran expats, have experienced the vegetarian festival many times in the past, and both feel that while it has its benefits, the food itself is neither particularly tasty nor super healthy. But have they misjudged it? Only some new research can answer the question. Th

Oct 24, 2023 • 27:43

Thai Tourism: On Its Way to a Full Recovery - But Is That a Good Thing? [S6.E61]

Please help us by taking our first Bangkok Podcast listener survey! Click here to get started, it only takes a few minutes. Everyone who fills it out will get 50,000 baht!* Greg and Ed discuss the current state of Thai tourism and whether the recovery is behind or ahead of predictions. Ed begins by citing a chart for the last full pre-COVID year of 2019, when Thailand came very close to having 40 million foreign tourists. Shockingly, that number went to nearly zero in 2020 and 2021, and the reco

Oct 17, 2023 • 37:10

Greg Gets Schooled: Linguist Stu Jay Raj Critiques a Thai Conversation Part 2 [S6.E60]

Please help us by taking our first Bangkok Podcast listener survey! Click here to get started, it only takes a few minutes. Everyone who fills it out will get 50,000 baht!* This is the second part of Greg’s interview with resident Thai language expert Stu Jay Raj, in which Stu critiques a conversation that Greg had in Thai with a co-worker. The two begin by discussing the unusual role that linguists have in digging deep into exactly why language works the way it does, something the average perso

Oct 10, 2023 • 36:00

Greg Gets Schooled: Linguist Stu Jay Raj Critiques a Thai Conversation [S6.E59]

This week it’s Greg’s turn to feel the wrath/wisdom of our in-house Thai language guru, Stu Jay Raj. After Ed did it a few months ago, our listeners have been waiting for Greg to take the hot seat, so here it is. Greg recorded a short conversation with his friend Tong, and the show starts with a replay of that conversation.  Greg begins by self-flagellating, but Stu tries to buck him up and reassure him that there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Stu begins by pointing out Greg’s choppy way o

Oct 3, 2023 • 46:58

The Massive Bangkok Bomb that Didn’t Go Boom [S6.E58]

In a return to our Thai history series, Greg tells the story of a massive truck bomb in Bangkok - that never exploded. In March of 1994, a U-Haul-style truck pulled out of the parking lot of Central Chidlom department store and accidentally struck a motorcycle driven by a 21-year old named Boonsern, who will become the unlikely hero of our story. The truck tried to flee, but a number of other motorbike guys forced the truck to stop. The driver of the truck was a foreigner and couldn’t speak Thai

Sep 26, 2023 • 29:54

What You Need to Know About Writing a Will in Thailand [S6.E57]

Greg interviews our senior legal correspondent Dave Lawrence from Pegleg Legal about a very important but often put off issue: getting a will in Thailand. Dave begins by discussing general concerns that might apply in any jurisdiction, not just Thailand. For example, anything of value that is ‘titled’ with the government, such as land or cars, and then also bank and investment accounts, should be dealt with first. Next, Dave suggests considering ‘heirloom’ gifts, objects that might have family o

Sep 19, 2023 • 45:38

Greg vs Ed vs You: The Great Bangkok Podcast Trivia Episode [S6.E56]

This week Greg and Ed take a page from a regular segment on the bonus show and challenge each other with some trivia questions, spanning Thai history, geography, religion, pop culture, and language.  The guys begin by trading questions about Thailand’s provinces, Ed with a question about provinces bordering Cambodia, and Greg with a question about provinces bordering Bangkok. Next is language, with Ed bringing up the source of Thai script and Greg coincidentally asking about the discovery of the

Sep 12, 2023 • 41:15

Unpacking the Rewards of Meditation Retreats with Phra Pandit [S6.E55]

Ed interviews recurring guest of the show Phra Pandit on meditation retreats. This is Part Two of a two part series; Part One is a basic introduction to meditation. The discussion begins with Phra Pandit giving some very solid advice for choosing a retreat: make sure you know the accommodations, including food and lodging, are at least adequate. Later he makes clear that luxury isn’t the way to go, but sharing a tent while covered in mosquitoes may not be the best way to begin your journey to in

Sep 5, 2023 • 49:11

Sticker Shock! Listeners Clue us in on Bangkok's Price Swings [S6.E54]

In this show Greg and Ed respond to the opinions of our, ahem, massive group of followers on LINE about prices in Thailand: specifically both what is cheaper than you would expect and what is more expensive than you would expect. Ed starts things off with a general mini-rant about fruit. In semi-tropical Thailand, wouldn’t it make sense that fruit was both plentiful and cheap? Not so Ed claims, even for such famed Thai fruits as the mango, which can be quite expensive off season. Greg opines tha

Aug 29, 2023 • 38:08

Linguist Rikker Dockum on the Royal Society's Thai Language Oversight [S6.E53]

Greg interviews old friend of the podcast Rikker Dockum, Thai language expert extraordinaire about the Thai Royal Society, an organization dedicated to overseeing, promoting and regulating the Thai language. Rikker begins by explaining that he actually wrote his undergraduate thesis on the Society more than 20 years ago, so he’s a longstanding follower of their work. He notes that it originally modeled itself after the French Academy, which, among other things, develops French words for English

Aug 22, 2023 • 49:36

Greg & Ed Return to Thailand With a Few Thoughts on Travel [S6.E52]

The guys trade stories about their recent trips, Greg to Canada and Ed to Singapore. Ed begins with a few observations about the island nation. First, Singapore lived up to its reputation of being clean and orderly. Everything from the airport to the streets operated smoothly, and the population seemed to obey all the traffic laws all the time. This was a clear contrast with Bangkok, where traffic laws are contextual options.  Second, the technology was more advanced than Thailand and probably e

Aug 15, 2023 • 43:09

Democracy in Asia: Its History, Variants and Purpose with Ajarn Ployjai Pintobtang, Part 2 [S6.E51]

This is part two of a two-part interview with Khun Ployjai Pintobtang, a lecturer in history at Chiang Mai University, about the history of democracy in Thailand and Asia. The discussion picks up where it left off, on the particular characteristics of Thai culture and society that might make it harder for democracy to take root. Greg begins by bringing up Ed’s frequent point that there’s essentially an ‘official’ Thailand, how Thai elites describe their country, that is often at odds with what e

Aug 1, 2023 • 46:52

Democracy in Asia: Its History, Variants and Purpose with Ajarn Ployjai Pintobtang, Part 1 [S6.E50]

This is Part One of a two-part interview with Khun Ployjai Pintobtang, a lecturer in history at Chiang Mai University, about the history of democracy in Thailand and Asia. Ed begins by asking A. Ploy her take on an old trope: that Asian culture is unsuited for democracy because of its foundations in Confucianism, which is well known for its fixed, hierarchical relationships. A. Ploy quickly counters that this idea is outdated given the relative success of democracy in countries such as South Kor

Jul 25, 2023 • 49:04

What Age is the Best Age to Relocate to Thailand? [S6.E49]

Greg and Ed debate the pros and cons of coming to Thailand at different ages, with the obvious caveat that there’s no right answer that applies to every person and that no matter when you come to the Land of Smiles, you can always (usually) make it work. Ed begins with the observation that early 20s might be the worst time, especially if you lack maturity and self-control - Thailand just has too many dangerous distractions. Greg notes that he managed to come in his mid-twenties and make it work

Jul 18, 2023 • 29:49

An Intro to Meditation and How it Works with Phra Pandit [S6.E48]

Ed interviews our favorite expert on Buddhism, Phra Pandit. This time the focus is on meditation, exactly what it is, and what role it plays in the Buddhist religion as a whole. Phra Pandit begins with explaining the basic difference between meditation and prayer: meditation is a form of mental training in which the meditator focuses on an ‘object of meditation,’ such as the breath, and attempts to build up concentration and focus on that object.  However, meditation ultimately has a spiritual g

Jul 11, 2023 • 49:41

The Where, Why & How Much of Choosing the Right Hospital [S6.E47]

Greg and Ed discuss an important conundrum facing expats and tourists in Thailand: When sick or injured, should you go to a private Thai hospital or a public one? The difference in cost is substantial, typically somewhere between a factor of three and ten. For major procedures you probably want to spring for private care, if you can, but for ‘standard’ things like stitches and sprains, is a public hospital okay? Greg begins with the very recent story of his son needing stitches for a split lip.

Jul 4, 2023 • 45:02

Legal Talk: What to do if You Get Stopped by the Thai Police [S6.E46]

Greg interviews resident legal expert Dave Lawrence about the ins and outs of interacting with police officers in Bangkok. The guys begin by going over the various options for run-ins with the boys in brown in Bangkok, which run the gamut of being stopped while walking down the street, while riding a motorbike, or while in a taxi or car at a checkpoint.  The guys run through their own personal experiences, which luckily turned out harmless enough.  Greg then queries Dave about a person’s exact r

Jun 27, 2023 • 50:40

Expat Identity: Do You Really Want to be Treated Like a Thai? [S6.E45]

Greg and Ed discuss whether or not they prefer to be treated the same as Thai people are treated. On the one hand, after living in Thailand for twenty years, the guys feel like they’ve ‘earned’ the right to be accepted into Thai society and be treated with the same respect a Thai person would be. Ed recounts his frustration with meeting Thai people who do not ‘wai’ him even after learning that he is an ajarn at a Thai university. On the other hand, to be TRULY Thai, the boys would also be subjec

Jun 20, 2023 • 32:34

Retouristing with Jim Cirillo: Using Thailand to Reinvent Yourself [S6.E44]

Ed interviews his old friend Jim Cirillo, a good example of a repeat tourist (or re-tourist) to Thailand, the sizeable population of people all over the world who keep coming back to Thailand but for a variety of reasons have decided not to live here. A global Thailand fan club, if you will.  The guys begin by recounting Jim’s first visit to Thailand in 2002, when traffic was even more chaotic and elephants roamed the streets of Bangkok. Fast forward to 2016, and Jim returned to get a break from

Jun 13, 2023 • 51:16

Questions, Queries & Complaints About Bangkok's Transport Systems [S6.E43]

Sparked by a recent news story, Greg and Ed consider the ways in which Thai public transportation misses the mark. Granted, both guys agree that overall, public transportation in Thailand is actually pretty good, and miles ahead of where it was when they got here. The MRT and BTS have expanded considerably in recent years, regional airports dot the country, and an extensive railway line spans the country. Nevertheless, certain quirks in the system just don’t make sense, and the boys decided to

Jun 6, 2023 • 42:52

The Roaming Cook On Thonburi’s Endless Old-School Food Options [S6.E42]

Greg interviews Gary Butler or ‘The Roaming Cook’ about his YouTube channel and the wonders of food in Thonburi, the cool side of the Chao Praya River. Gary begins with some background information: he’s a native Londoner who had a career as a house painter (!) but who started a Thai food blog back in 2015. He eventually moved to Thailand and began a YouTube channel focusing on street food throughout the city. However the guys quickly focus on the Thonburi side of Bangkok, which Greg points out d

May 30, 2023 • 43:32

After the Election: A Look at What Happened and What's Next [S6.E41]

Greg and Ed go over the election results, with Ed leading the way and doing his best to evaluate his pre-election predictions. First, Ed discusses the obvious way the election was NOT a surprise: the conservative parties (UTN, Palang Pracharath, and the Democrats) were destroyed as expected. If anything, their decimation was even worse than expected.  Second, Ed mentions how the election did involve somewhat of a shocker: the Move Forward Party overperformed and actually beat the Pheu Thai Party

May 23, 2023 • 40:51

When You're the Victim: Stories of Crime in Bangkok [S6.E40]

Greg and Ed discuss their personal experiences as victims of crime in Bangkok. Greg opens with a recap of his recent bike theft story which has been discussed in more detail on the bonus show. Although the bike has yet to be retrieved, the Thai police were surprisingly responsive and professional. Greg then relates a couple encounters with pickpockets and an odd experience with an angry street kid. All in all, not bad for twenty years in a giant, teeming metropolis. Ed then talks about his expe

May 16, 2023 • 37:44

Blood Donation in Thailand: Explaining the Dire RH- Shortage [S6.E39]

Greg interviews Ryan Cullinan of the Thailand RH- Blood Donation Facebook group. The guys open with a discussion of the nature of blood donation: everyone knows it exists, everyone knows they SHOULD do it, but due to lack of social pressure, many people never donate. Greg manned up though for this show and went and gave blood. Check out the pics of his adventure below. Ryan tells the story of how he got involved in blood donation in the first place. Long story short, a close friend of his in Tha

May 9, 2023 • 46:22

An Election Looms: What Are the Major Political Parties Offering Thais? [S6.E38]

In this show, Ed does his best to summarize the Thai political parties contesting the upcoming elections, as well as their various policy positions. As an overview, Ed notes a couple general themes. One is the possible return to power of the Pheu Thai party, the heir to the previous Thai Rak Thai party and Shinawatra clan. Thai people are not entirely sure whether they want to fully turn the page on the previous era in Thai politics, and this election will do a lot to settle this issue. Second,

May 2, 2023 • 46:18

Is Bangkok a Livable City? We Compare it to 6 Urban Planning Benchmarks [S6.E37]

In a unique episode, the guys take six characteristics of a ‘livable city’ (established by renowned urban planner Alex Garvin) and give their own opinions on how Bangkok fares. Neither guy knows what the other is gonna say, so part of the fun is seeing where they agree and disagree. The first characteristic is that a city must be open to people with different backgrounds and goals. The guys roughly agree on this issue, with Greg giving Bangkok a score of 7 and Ed a score of 6. The second charac

Apr 25, 2023 • 38:43

Fake vs Real: The Hidden Risks in Thailand's Counterfeit Economy [S6.E36]

Greg interviews Wiramrudee ‘Pink’ Mokkhavesa, an attorney at the law firm of Tilleke & Gibbins in Bangkok. Tilleke is one of the most well-known firms in the city, and it is probably most famous for its intellectual property group, which leads the fight against counterfeit goods in Thailand and Asia. Khun Pink begins with a brief introduction to her firm, but then launches into an explanation of the ‘counterfeit museum’ located in their law offices which displays various fake products that the f

Apr 18, 2023 • 43:11

The Pitfalls, Loopholes and Risks of Riding a Motorbike in Thailand [S6.E35]

Greg and Ed take up the somewhat grim topic of motorbike accidents in Thailand. As this episode is essentially the Songkran episode for this year, the timing could not be more appropriate because more people die in road accidents during the ‘7 dangerous days’ around the holiday than during any other time of the year. Ed takes the lead and tries to break down the situation. First, Thai roads in general are just more dangerous than almost anywhere in the world, most likely due to lax enforcement o

Apr 11, 2023 • 35:00

Hot Thai Kitchen's Pailin Talks About Thai Food, Western Tastes & Her New Cookbook [S6.E34]

Greg interviews Pailin Chongchitnant of Hot Thai Kitchen, a returning guest from Season 3, Episode 4. Pailin begins with a basic introduction to her YouTube channel: she de-mystifies Thai cuisine (and how to cook it) to the English-speaking world. Each video typically encompasses one complete recipe, and she takes pains to make sure the steps are friendly to beginners as well as more advanced chefs. Further, she provides ingredient alternatives when specific Thai things might be hard to find for

Apr 4, 2023 • 50:58

Thai Politics: Where We Are, Why We’re Here, and What’s Coming Next [S6.E33]

Greg begins by explaining the momentous time we live in: soon there will be a general election in the Land of Smiles. He turns to Ed, allegedly a professor of political science, to give a primer (long ‘i’) on the upcoming election scene, but with a focus on how we got here in the first place.  Ed begins by going all the way back to the elections of 2000, when Thailand was reeling from the economic crisis of 1997 and straddled with billions of dollars of debt to the IMF. On to the scene marched a

Mar 28, 2023 • 42:50

Authors Paul & Yuangrat Wedel Discuss the History of Radicalism in Thailand - Part 2 [S6.E32]

This is the second part of a two part interview with Paul and Yuangrat Wedel, longtime scholars and writers on Thai history and society. The first part of the interview focused on the roots of radicalism in Thai politics, especially the cultural impact of the Hindu ‘sakdina’ system. The second part begins with a discussion of the 1932 coup that led to the dissolution of absolute monarchy.  Paul explains the education of both Pridi Banomyong and Phibul Songkhram in France, and their desire to bri

Mar 21, 2023 • 1:00:40

Authors Paul & Yuangrat Wedel Discuss the History of Radicalism in Thailand - Part 1 [S6.E31]

Greg and Ed interview a fascinating and very erudite couple, Paul and Yuangrat Wedel. Paul, a native of New Jersey, met Yuangrat, a native of Nakhon Si Thammarat, in Bangkok in the late 1970s and through various twists and turns ended up both getting advanced degrees in the States and carrying on a romance and eventually getting married. (Their daughter, documentary filmmaker Pailin Wedel, is a former guest of the show, as is Pailin’s husband Patrick).  After setting up their life in Thailand,

Mar 14, 2023 • 54:06

Bangkok vs the World: Reading the Data to See How We Stack Up [S6.E30]

Greg and Ed look at a few recent world rankings to see where Thailand fits into a world with nearly two hundred different countries. First, Greg brings up the ‘Global Power City Index,’ a comprehensive ranking of 48 large cities around the world that focuses on a city’s ‘magnetism’ or ability to attract visitors and expats. Greg outlines some of the factors measured, including livability, environment, economy and cultural interaction. Ed guesses that Bangkok will probably rank fairly low based o

Mar 7, 2023 • 36:25

Richard Barrow on Twitter Trolls, Upset Officials & Train Guides [S6.E29]

This is Part 2 of our epic interview with Richard Barrow, giant among expats in Thailand. In the second half of the discussion, Richard continues with explaining his slow rise as a ‘citizen journalist,’ first simply documenting his travels around Thailand, but eventually becoming a chronicler for English-speakers of daily events in the country. The yellow and red shirt political struggles and natural disasters such as the floods of 2011 meant that the expat community was in serious need of a ded

Feb 28, 2023 • 59:17

Richard Barrow on Life in Samut Prakan and Finding a Niche Online [S6.E28]

Greg and Ed meet the icon Richard Barrow in Samut Prakan and interview him about his unusual life in Thailand. Richard begins by explaining his life roaming Asia as a young man on his way to Australia. By chance he made some connections in Thailand at a small Thai school in Samut Prakan, leading to a quaint few weeks experiencing ‘real’ Thai culture, wholly separate from the normal touristed locations. The memory stuck with him and he subsequently returned to become a teacher at the school, and

Feb 21, 2023 • 1:03:14

What Does ChatGPT's Artificial Intelligence Make of Bangkok? [S6.E27]

Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, you’ve probably heard of ChatGPT, a brand new AI writing tool that produces some shockingly advanced stuff. It’s only a few months old but it’s already threatening to upend a number of industries in a big way. So, in a slightly odd show that shows how technologically hip the Bangkok Podcast is, Greg and Ed discuss ChatGPTs take on Bangkok and Thailand, Greg queries the new search engine with a host of questions about the Land of Smiles to see how mu

Feb 14, 2023 • 36:45

Talking Acting & American Grub with Actor "Poo" Boonthanakit [S6.E26]

Ed interviews Sahajak “Poo” Boonthakit, Thai actor and entertainer. K. Poo begins by explaining his unusual childhood: his father was a Thai diplomat and when Poo was a young boy his family moved to Nairobi, Kenya, where Poo would spend the next 11 years. Poo discusses life in Kenya among Africans and Indians and white ‘colonialists,’ but also the incredible natural phenomena of the African savannah. However, in high school, Poo’s family would move to New York, where he at first became more Amer

Feb 7, 2023 • 45:59

Is Thailand Really the "Land of the Free"? [S6.E25]

Greg and Ed get all deep by asking the question “Is Thailand really the Land of the Free?” And what does “freedom” even mean? Many people know that the word ‘Thailand’ is supposed to translate as the ‘Land of the Free.’ The guys first discuss the etymology of the word, with both Google and linguist friends revealing the actual provenance of that translation is unknown, and it’s possible that it is more of a folk belief than something linguistically legitimate.  So how about in real life? Walking

Jan 31, 2023 • 38:26

Bangkok’s Dark Side: Justin Dunne on His Creepy “Bangkok Haunt” Tours [S6.E24]

Greg interviews Justin Dunne of ‘Bangkok Haunt,’ a tour company in Bangkok that focuses on Thai ghost stories and their relevant locations. Justin is an old friend of Greg’s and after trading a few stories of the old days, the guys get into their mutual love of the city of Bangkok but also their mutual fascination with Thai spirit houses. Justin explains that his interest in Thai people’s supernatural beliefs led to a study of Thai ghost stories especially as they relate to the city of Bangkok.

Jan 24, 2023 • 49:49

What Do You Miss Most About Thailand? Overseas Listeners Let Us Know [S6.E23]

In a special listener voicemail show, Greg and Ed discuss what listeners miss most about Thailand. The guys go through a bunch of different messages, each expressing a unique characteristic of the Land of Smiles that keeps them pining for more. Starting off is Erich, with classic praise for Thai people themselves, which may be the country’s greatest asset. A little further down the list is Jett from Los Angeles, with a unique lament for the Ministry of Rural Roads (actually Department of Rural R

Jan 17, 2023 • 29:29

The Extraordinary Life of the Siamese Twins: Chang and Eng Bunker [S6.E22]

We dive back into history with the remarkable story of Chang and Eng Bunker, more famously known as the Siamese Twins. Born and raised in Samut Songkhram province just south of Bangkok, they had a fateful encounter with a Scottish trader by the name of Robert Hunter - himself an interesting fellow - and their lives were never the same. Siam at the time was little more than a vague backwater “somewhere in Asia” and because of their unique condition, the twins agreed to follow Hunter to the US and

Jan 3, 2023 • 41:07

Ed Gets Schooled: Linguist Stu Jay Raj Critiques a Thai Conversation Part 2 [S6.E21]

In Part Two of Ed’s Thai lesson with guru Stu Jay Raj, the two push through Ed’s sample Thai conversation. Stu continues to emphasize the importance of proper pronunciation of vowels, even going so far as to say it is more important than tones themselves. But Stu also gives several examples of Ed using sentence structures borrowed directly from English that, while grammatically correct in Thai, do not sound natural to native speakers. Additionally, Ed has a habit of using phrases that could tip

Dec 27, 2022 • 39:29

Ed Gets Schooled: Linguist Stu Jay Raj Critiques a Thai Conversation [S6.E20]

Ed goes back to school and gets a Thai lesson from the master himself, Stu Jay Raj. Ed recounts a common backstory, wherein he made serious effort to learn Thai during his first two years in Thailand - and even ended up marrying his Thai language teacher! But after that, he more or less plateaued and is looking for a way to jump start (or jump ‘re-start’) his Thai language learning.  In Part One of a two part series, Stu analyzes a short conversation Ed recorded with a Thai friend, Anna from Lam

Dec 20, 2022 • 50:42

A Lawyer’s Take on Thailand’s Controversial Foreign Land Ownership Law [S6.E19]

Greg interviews Bangkok-based lawyer Dave Lawrence about the ins and outs of foreigners owning land in Thailand. Dave begins with his backstory: he went to law school in Ohio where he met his future wife while she was getting a master's degree (also in law), and upon graduating they returned to Thailand for what was expected to be two years. That has now turned into 12 years, and in the meantime Dave has worked several different legal jobs at law firms as well as private companies. Dave then exp

Dec 13, 2022 • 40:58

Un-Jaded: Seeing Bangkok’s Best Through New Eyes [S6.E18]

In a show fueled by a visit by Greg’s mother, the guys discuss first impressions of Bangkok, and whether or not they have become jaded as long term expats. Greg includes a short interview with his mom, but bases the show on all of her insights over the last few weeks as a relative newbie in Bangkok. First, Greg mentions that his mom finds Thailand very colorful, whether it’s clothes, art, taxis, or restaurants. At first the guys are a bit skeptical, but as they run through the examples they real

Dec 6, 2022 • 36:11

Promoting Plant-Based Sustainable Living in Bangkok [S6.E17]

Ed interviews Max and Jo Hellier of Root the Future, a small social enterprise based in Bangkok that promotes sustainable living and plant-based diets. Max and Jo begin with their origin story: Jo, a vegan and former model, and Max, a ‘video dude,’ developed a business concept for a boutique hotel in Thailand that had to be abandoned during COVID. Subsequently, they combined their talents and started producing social media content expressing their concerns over climate change and their preferenc

Nov 29, 2022 • 52:25

Bangkok Taxis: New Solutions for Old Problems [S6.E16]

Greg and Ed discuss a topic first brought up in a bonus show back in season 2: what to do about taxi drivers who won’t take you where you want to go? Although there are no doubt many larger problems in Thailand, on a day to day basis, perhaps recalcitrant taxi drivers are the most annoying.  Ed runs through a gamut of possible solutions. The first is simply to somehow enforce the current law, which already requires taxis to accept all riders. The guys admit that simple enforcement may be the big

Nov 22, 2022 • 42:05

MuvMi’s Electric Tuk-Tuks Want to Change How Bangkokians Get from A to B [S6.E15]

Greg interviews Tim Koncewicz from electric tuk-tuk company MuvMi to chat about their mission to provide a safe and environmentally clean alternative to gas-powered tuk-tuks. Unlike normal taxis and old-school automobiles (pfft), MuvMi focuses on ‘microtransit,’ which means moving people within local communities instead of across town. So MuvMi might take you from one part of your neighborhood to a nearby location, or to the BTS or MRT for a longer ride. The company already has 300 vehicles arou

Nov 15, 2022 • 45:27

Expat Confessions: Things We Should Have Done by Now, But Haven't [S6.E14]

Greg and Ed bare their souls with ‘expat confessions’: things in Thailand they are embarrassed to say they have never seen or done, but that they should have, given their years in the Kingdom.  Ed begins by admitting he’s never travelled to Laos, Burma or Malaysia, despite them being right next door and highly recommended. Greg talks about some of his trips and agrees, it’s a pretty startling omission, especially Laos, which almost everyone agrees is worth a visit. Ed vows to make it right. Greg

Nov 8, 2022 • 38:50

Buddhist Scholar Justin McDaniel Discusses the History & Meaning of Thai Amulets [S6.E13]

Greg interviews Buddhist scholar Justin McDaniel on the topic of Buddhism amulets. Justin is a true scholar of religion, especially Asian religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism, but he developed a strong interest in Buddhist amulets after he visited Thailand for the first time when he was a young man.  Greg asks Justin what actually makes an amulet special, and Justin goes into a lengthy explanation of the ‘recipes’ and ‘ingredients’ that go into an amulet’s construction, from very specific typ

Nov 1, 2022 • 45:09

Bangkok in Memoriam: A Look Back at a Few Places We Miss the Most [S6.E12]

Every Bangkok newbie has places that are near and dear to them, and which play a role in their early days of getting settled and finding your groove in Bangkok. Greg and Ed discuss some of these Bangkok institutions that meant a lot to them in their early days, but have since been torn down and paved over. Ed notes that Bangkok is famous for turnover in the restaurant and bar space, but certain places do stand the test of time: Saxophone Pub on Victory Monument for example. Unfortunately, a bunc

Oct 25, 2022 • 38:44

Cause & Effect: The Thailand Clean Air Network Talks Health and Poison Air [S6.E11]

Greg interviews Khun Weena from the Thailand Clean Air Network, a guest who previously appeared on Episode 66 of Season 4, when Thailand was in the middle of a crazy air pollution crisis. Since then K. Weena and her organization have been hard at work preparing reports for the government on the status of air quality in Thailand. In fact, her group has recently finished a 700 page green paper outline solutions for the Thai government to pursue. Weena outlines the extensive research she helped or

Oct 18, 2022 • 44:45

Is Thailand a Woke-Free Zone? [S6.E10]

Greg and Ed open up a can of snakes (this is Thailand after all) and discuss whether Thailand is a ‘woke-free’ zone. The guys begin by realizing that the word ‘woke’ itself does not have a very clear meaning. Depending on who you are, ‘woke’ could mean a woman being paid the same as a man, being cool with varied genders, races, and religions, or someone who has taken victimhood to an extreme and become worse than the problem it’s trying to solve.  That being said, the guys do have some takes. Ed

Oct 11, 2022 • 37:40

Amy Lefevre Joins to Talk Careers, Cliques and Finding Your Level in Bangkok [S6.E9]

With interest in Thailand returning to pre-pandemic levels and the podcast getting an increasing number of emails asking for advice on living and working here, Greg interviews old acquaintance Amy Lefevre, a half-Thai British woman, on her unique career journey in Asia and what they’ve both learned about finding (and keeping!) a job in Bangkok.  The two begin with the importance of language skills and the difficulty of competing with educated Thais who typically have decent English, and then seg

Oct 4, 2022 • 48:03

The Best Apps for Making Life in Thailand Fun and (Dare We Say It) Easy [S6.E8]

Greg and Ed dive into the crowded App and Play stores to discuss the various phone apps that make living in Bangkok easier. Greg begins by giving props to our excellent listeners who submitted a whole bunch of recommendations - so much, in fact, that we simply weren’t able to cover them all! Ed confesses that he relies primarily on Google Maps and Google Translate for countless day-to-day functions, but he mentions that he recently stumbled upon an app called BMA Traffic that has live feeds from

Sep 27, 2022 • 35:29

Environmental Journalist James Fahn Updates His Outlook on Thailand’s Eco-Efforts [S6.E7]

Greg interviews James Fahn, the Executive Director of Internews’ Earth Journalism Network. Greg begins by opening a discussion about James’ book “A Land On Fire,” which was published in 2003, after James worked as the environmental editor at The Nation newspaper in Bangkok in the 1990s. James explains that at The Nation, he wrote extensively about environmental issues in Thailand and Southeast Asia, including doing investigative reporting on corruption and corporate malfeasance that damaged the

Sep 20, 2022 • 38:50

22 Years Later: Ed Boils Bangkok Down to 5 Reasons He Stays [S6.E6]

Ed reminisces on 22 years in Thailand and tries to summarize exactly why he has decided to stay for so long. It’s hard to sum up, of course, but Ed manages to come up with five positives and three negatives, and Greg helps to clarify things as he goes along.  On the positive side, Ed mentions Thailand’s depth and variety, with many niches and subcultures that it would take a lifetime to explore. As Greg notes, if you are bored in Bangkok, the problem is not Bangkok. Ed also talks about how some

Sep 13, 2022 • 40:15

Finnish Ambassador Jyri Järviaho on Diplomatic History, Economic Trade & Vodka [S6.E5]

Greg interviews Jyri Järviaho, Finland’s Ambassador to Thailand. Although Greg makes a valiant attempt at pronouncing the Ambassador’s name, the two begin by discussing the difficulty of Finnish, with the Ambassador explaining that it is a unique language that it is completely different from its neighbors, especially its western ones, such as Germany and Sweden. Next, the Ambassador recounts his diplomatic journey from a small village in Finland to university and later to a job with the Ministry

Sep 6, 2022 • 38:48

The Mystery of Old Western Songs in Thailand That Won’t Die [S6.E4]

Greg and Ed discuss the fascinating topic of old Western pop songs that enjoy a shocking degree of popularity in Thailand. For those foreigners who have spent any amount of time in the Land of Smiles, there are just certain songs you are likely to hear over and over again in restaurants and bars. Why these particular songs? Well, the guys just don’t know, but do their best to offer some theories. The big three have to be “Hotel California,” “Country Roads,” and “I Will Survive.” Greg suggests th

Aug 30, 2022 • 36:42

Stu Jay Raj on Cursing, Dirty Talk & the Importance of Tones Part 2 [S6.E3]

Greg finishes up his interview with linguist and raconteur Stu Ja Raj. Stu begins with a classic: the super annoying fact that the Thai numbers 11 and 18 can be very difficult for foreigners to pronounce correctly. Stu explains in detail the small differences in tongue placement that make such a difference to Thai ears. This segues into a discussion of the ultra-common word ‘kap khun kap’ and how even this basic word for ‘thank you’ is often mispronounced by foreigners. Stu next explains the con

Aug 23, 2022 • 46:23

Stu Jay Raj on Cursing, Dirty Talk & the Importance of Tones [S6.E2]

Greg interviews our old pal Stu Jay Raj - linguist, polyglot, and true Renaissance man. As you would expect, the topic is the Thai language and foreigners’ struggle to learn it properly, but with a focus on the trouble you can get into if you don’t understand how tones work.  Stu begins with an important point: the nature of English allows a fair amount of flexibility in pronunciation and accent without sacrificing intelligibility, whereas Thai does not. In short, ‘getting close’ to correct Thai

Aug 16, 2022 • 41:09

Coming Up On Season 6...! [S6.E1]

As is tradition, Greg and Ed spend the first episode of the brand new season 6 (!) looking back, looking forward, and discussing podcasting as a whole.  When Greg and Tony first started speaking into their panty hose-covered mics (seriously) in 2010 they had no idea they’d be laying the groundwork for such a long-running show. From the days of hauling gear to a rented room to record face to face, to taking advantage of online recording and discovering new ways to streamline the workflow and work

Aug 9, 2022 • 35:07

A Virologist Talks Vaccine Research & Thailand's Scientific Street Cred [S5.E71]

In the last episode of Season 5, Greg interviews Samaporn Teeravechyan, also known as Dr. Joy. Dr. Joy works at the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, essentially the arm of the Thai government that focuses on scientific research. She explains that her expertise is in virology, and that she received her Phd in the United States after moving around the world as a child. Currently, Dr. Joy’s focus is on the development of a nasal vaccine for COVID-19. Greg asks Dr. Joy why

Jul 26, 2022 • 47:26

Gotcha! Ten Situations When the Score is Bangkok 1, You 0 [S5.E70]

Bangkok’s a big city that’s got her own rules. You can try to fight them, but in the end, in certain situations, no matter how much you beg and plead, Bangkok wins, and you lose. Greg and Ed discuss ten ways Bangkok can own you: frustrating ‘gotchas’ that are devilishly difficult to avoid. Even veterans of the city with tons of experience still sometimes forget the nuance or fail to think about the what-ifs and end up standing there like a fool, muttering under their breath. This still definitel

Jul 19, 2022 • 42:21

The Million Baht Kid: Returning to Thailand After Growing Up Abroad [S5.E69]

Ed interviews Emily from Calgary, Canada, a unique ‘expat’ in Thailand if there ever was one. Emily was born 19 years ago in Nong Khai, Thailand, to a Canadian father and Thai mother, and spent the first years of her life as a look-kreung kid in Issaan. But her parents relocated to Calgary where she quickly assimilated and became a full-on Canadian. She went to grade school and high school there, only to have her parents retire back to Nong Khai earlier this year, with Emily in tow. Ed asks Emil

Jul 12, 2022 • 41:19

Fun AND Educational? Some Notable Bangkok Firsts [S5.E68]

In a new concept, Greg and Ed discuss various Bangkok ‘Firsts’ in an effort to improve their knowledge of the city’s history and development. Loosely based on a trivia format the guys go back and forth asking each other about key milestones in Thai history, some quite significant, with others just quirky or interesting. Starting with shopping malls and bridges and moving on to airports and politics, Greg and Ed go back and forth asking each other about some of the more notable events in the hist

Jul 5, 2022 • 37:23

Luxembourg Ambassador Jean-Paul Senninger Talks Diplomacy & Cultural Identity [S5.E67]

Greg interviews the Luxembourgian Ambassador to Thailand, Jean-Paul Senninger. As a diplomat with a long list of postings around the world, from his home base at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Washington, D.C., Spain, Turkey and finally Bangkok, where he is the chief diplomat for several Southeast Asian nations. Jean-Paul talks about the difficulty of juggling differences of developed countries such as Singapore and Thailand with struggling countries such as Laos and Myanmar but admits that

Jun 28, 2022 • 39:17

Pot Luck Surprise! The Highs and Lows of Weed in Thailand [S5.E66]

Greg and Ed discuss the recent decriminalization of cannabis in Thailand, the recent changes around town it’s caused, and whether or not they think it will last.  First, Ed does a quick interview with our resident Weed Expert, Kitty Chopaka, who is both a ‘ganjapreneur’ and social activist. Kitty explains that the current situation is somewhat of a ‘technical foul,’ as the cannabis plant itself was delisted as a narcotic with the intent for it to be regulated by a new law, but that new law is st

Jun 21, 2022 • 44:51

From Toothbrushes to Curses: Storytime With Christopher G. Moore [S5.E65]

This is Part Two of Greg’s recent interview with uber-expat Christopher G. Moore, author, raconteur, and general man-about-town. In true Renaissance guy fashion, the two men jump from topic to topic, each more interesting than the next. First, Greg asks Chris about how translations of his books are undertaken, and Chris tells a fascinating story of how the length of the translations of his novels in China are arbitrarily set by the Communist Central Committee. You’d think they’d have better thin

Jun 14, 2022 • 40:13

From Page to Screen: Christopher G. Moore on Hard-Boiled Bangkok [S5.E64]

Greg interviews Christopher G. Moore, long-time friend of the podcast and senior Bangkok expat, known for his extensive fiction and non-fiction writing as well as his legendary conversational skills. Chris begins by relating his recent short film project, a Bangkok noir featuring his most famous character, Vincent Calvino and what it takes to bring a fictional character to life in Bangkok, a city that’s a character all of its own. Greg and Chris discuss his writing career and 17 (!) Vincent Calv

Jun 7, 2022 • 43:02

Understanding Thailand: Some Rules of Thumb That Explain a Lot [S5.E63]

Greg and Ed pull together all their accumulated wisdom about Thai culture and society into six pithy theories to aid expats and tourists alike. Ed begins with his classic ‘Universal Theory of Thailand,” that everything good in the country comes from Thais being so nice, and that everything bad in the country ALSO comes from Thais being so nice. The guys discuss how true this is, before Greg drops his own grand theory that nothing gets improved in Thailand until it becomes embarrassing for Thaila

May 31, 2022 • 42:49

Seeing Thailand Through Film: Director Paul Spurrier [S5.E62]

Ed interviews Paul Spurrier, a British expat in Thailand who has been in the film industry his entire life. Paul begins at the beginning, how his first movie ever in a movie theater was “The Sound of Music,” and it had such an impact on him that he decided to become an actor (at age 8!). After a prolific career as a child on stage and screen, including films with stars such as Richard Harris, Richard Burton and Roger Moore, he decided he didn’t want to re-invent himself as an adult actor and ins

May 24, 2022 • 56:49

Busting Some Myths About Prostitution in Thailand [S5.E61]

Ed leads a discussion and semi-rant about a persistent myth regarding the history of prostitution in Thailand that was recently perpetuated by a YouTube video by Thaiger. The myth goes like this: prostitution wasn’t much of a thing in Thailand until the Vietnam War era, when the demand created by American GIs on rest and relaxation resulted in a booming sex industry.  Ugh. Where to start? Well, first of all, prostitution is called the oldest profession in the world for a reason, and there’s clea

May 17, 2022 • 36:36

Achievement Unlocked! Even More Expat Merit Badges [S5.E60]

Because the first show was so fun to do - and full of great listener-generated ideas! - Greg and Ed revisit the idea of expat ‘merit badges,’ a recognition of classic experiences in Thailand that indicate you are more than just a tourist. I mean, try to come to Thailand as a tourist and not eat bugs, that’s easy-peasy! We’re talking about real skills or achievements that show you’ve not only been here for a while, but have actually gone out of your comfort zone to learn and get your hands dirty.

May 10, 2022 • 32:48

Author Chris Baker Discusses Thai History, Culture & Conflict [S5.E59]

Greg and Ed interview expat legend Chris Baker, co-author (along with his wife Pasuk Phongpaichit) of A History of Thailand, in addition to several other well-known books on Thailand. Greg and Ed gush over the fact they have both read Chris’s most famous work, something that every serious expat needs to do at some point.  Chris begins by relating the lovely story of meeting his wife in England and subsequently relocating to Thailand where he worked a variety of jobs before settling down and co-

May 3, 2022 • 54:42

Greg’s Canada Trip: Thoughts on Reverse Culture Shock [S5.E58]

It’s Greg’s turn for some reverse culture shock as he relates his return to Thailand from the Great White North of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Ed first notes the differences between his situation and Greg’s: he still has family in Ohio, while Greg’s family are no longer there. Plus, Ed’s habits tend towards the international, such as Starbucks and Subway, so he can feel at home around the world.  For Greg though, Calgary is really another place entirely, especially in the winter, and he reacted si

Apr 26, 2022 • 38:28

The Psychology of Tourist Scams with Tourism Expert Ding Xu [S5.E57]

Anyone who has been to Thailand knows the old “Ohhh, the temple is closed today, why don’t you come with me to this gem store?” Despite warnings in literally every bit of content about traveling to Thailand, thousands still fall prey to this scam every year. But why?? To answer this we are joined by Ding Xu, a PhD candidate in tourism at Australia’s James Cook University. Ding’s research goes deep into understanding the culture, economy and psychology of the tourism industry as well as the touri

Apr 19, 2022 • 50:25

Thai Games: From Playgrounds to Cards to Beetle Fighting [S5.E.56]

Thanks to a suggestion from a listener Greg and Ed discuss the fascinating topic of games that are common - if not unique - to Thailand. Both guys have some familiarity with some games played in public such as ‘takraw,’ but many of the others are part of this strange world called ‘Thai culture’ that the guys apparently don’t actually know that well. Greg begins with a children’s game in which one child sings a song while counting by syllable on another child’s hand.  When the singer stops on a f

Apr 12, 2022 • 40:15

Rules & Etiquette: Public Speaking as a Buddhist Monk [S5.E55]

Greg interviews our old friend and recurring guest Phra Pandit, about public speaking as a Buddhist monk. Beginning with some public speaking basics, such as the three things that really matter when you give a speech: what you have to say, who you are, and how you deliver, our venerable friend emphasizes that how you deliver a speech is what you have the most control over and is also completely separate from the content. Using Trump as an example, he explains that Trump’s public speaking techniq

Apr 5, 2022 • 44:10

The World Happiness Index: How Does Thailand Measure Up? [S5.E54]

In the wake of the 2022 World Happiness Report - which saw Thailand drop by quite a few spots - Greg and Ed jump into the fascinating topic of the happiness of Thailand compared to other countries. How can you possibly measure something like the ‘happiness’ of a country? Well, wannabe social scientist Ed claims it can be done, and Greg walks through the data from the report to discuss.  The boys go through factors such as GDP per capita, social support, and life expectancy, among others, that th

Mar 29, 2022 • 35:27

Photographer Dax Ward on Capturing Bangkok's Abandoned Beauty [S5.E53]

Greg interviews Dax Ward, an adventurous photographer best known for his beautiful photos of dilapidated buildings and abandoned places. Dax begins by explaining that he was a very late starter to photography, getting a DSLR for the first time in 2015. After a random trip to the airplane graveyard down Ramkhamhaeng Road, he developed an affinity for shooting forgotten and abandoned places.  As it turns out, Thailand (and Bangkok in particular) are perfect places for this style of photography due

Mar 22, 2022 • 49:54

Saying Too Much: Dealing With Self-Censorship in Thailand [S5.E52]

Greg and Ed tackle the uncomfortable topic of self-censorship in Thailand, especially as it pertains to the podcast itself, and the churning, roiling issue of what you can say, when, and how, which seem to be in the news every day.  Although it is unfortunate, the reality of working and living in Thailand is that the laws and culture are not the same as back home in the U.S. and Canada. Obviously, this means no discussion of the monarchy, and Ed explains how he always advises visiting friends to

Mar 15, 2022 • 36:45

The Middle Path: Is Thailand an In-Between Country? [S5.E51]

Greg and Ed consider the tricky question of Thailand’s role in the global order. Sparked by a question from one of his students about what Thailand’s response to the war in Ukraine should be, Ed realized that he’s never really thought about the world from the perspective of the Thai government or even a Thai person. The guys do their best as non-Thais but long term expats to imagine what the world looks like to most Thais. Ed discusses King Rama V’s clever diplomatic maneuverings between the Fre

Mar 8, 2022 • 35:29

History on Video: Bangkok Pat Talks Exploring & Storytelling [S5.E50]

Greg interviews ‘Bangkok Pat,’ whose videos on Bangkok’s historical secrets uncover the hidden layers of this fascinating city. Pat begins with a bit of personal background, growing up in the UK with a Thai mother, and eventually losing touch with that part of his history. Undeterred,in his early twenties, he made the move to Thailand to re-discover his lost roots.  The guys discuss Pat’s early days as a DJ in Bangkok’s club scene, before getting into the issue of how to survive in Bangkok as a

Mar 1, 2022 • 40:23

Would a Bangkok by Any Other Name Smell as Sweet? [S5.E49]

Greg and Ed discuss the significance of the recent decision by the Thai parliament to accept a change to the official English name of Bangkok that was proposed by the Royal Society of Thailand. Initially, it was announced as a major change from ‘Bangkok’ to ‘Krung Thep Maha Nakhon,’ (that’s กรุงเทพมหานคร for you Thai readers), but Greg clarifies that the change really was just a matter of punctuation. Nevertheless, the announcement kicked off a huge debate on social media over what Thailand’s ca

Feb 22, 2022 • 34:35

History and Insight: Exploring Thailand’s Indian Community [S5.E48]

One of the great things about Thai culture is the many facets that make up the whole. One of them is the Indian community, and Greg is happy to welcome Ram Sachdev, a first generation Thai-Indian and founder of Masala Magazine, a leading voice of the Thai-Indian community, to talk about it.  We begin by going over the many historical cultural connections between India and Thailand, from Sanskrit’s influence on Thai language to Buddhism’s origin in India, in addition to the myriad Thai holidays w

Feb 15, 2022 • 48:33

Great Thailand Advice We Ignored…But Shouldn’t Have [S5.E47]

As Thailand starts to get back to bid-ness, there will likely be a whole lot of n00bs coming in to tour, work and live. Most who have been here for a while already remember what an overwhelming experience Bangkok was in the early days, and how helpful it was to make a network of friends that you could turn to for advice. Of course, not all advice is great, especially when you’re talking with random people about how your new foreign home works. We think it’s fair to say that most advice you get i

Feb 8, 2022 • 33:26

George Dupont: The Only Thai to Fight in the US Civil War [S5.E46]

We recount the fascinating story of George DuPont, the only Thai person who fought in the American Civil War. The first record of George in the U.S. is in 1859, but almost nothing is known of how or why he ended up in the United States. We know that in 1862 he volunteered for a New Jersey regiment to fight for the North in the American Civil War. Shockingly, he fought in and survived the battles of Antietam, Chancellorville, and Gettysburg, three of the bloodiest battles of the war. He was event

Feb 1, 2022 • 26:44

Is Thailand Really LGBTQ Friendly? It’s Complicated [S5.E45]

Greg interviews Benjamin Lord, an American who moved to Asia straight out of college at NYU. He is on the show to discuss life as a gay man in Thailand. After spending several years in Vietnam, where the pressure to hide his status was suffocating, he eventually relocated to Bangkok. At first, the prevalence of gay bars, trans people, and apparent acceptance of a gay lifestyle led Benjamin to believe that Thailand was a kind of gay paradise, a moniker often placed on the Land of Smiles. However,

Jan 25, 2022 • 40:27

Ed's Big List: 10 Differences Between the US and Thailand [S5.E44]

With Ed being stuck in the US, he relates ten experiences he has had during his stay in Ohio that he doesn’t think he would ever have in Thailand, introducing them with his characteristic wit and charm. (Ed wrote this). From overly aggressive nazi guards at the airport to overly aggressive kindness from fellow shoppers, and all the way down to Covid carelessness, vaxxers of all types, and the sweet, sweet siren call to consume, consume, consume at all costs.  While some of them may be trivial or

Jan 18, 2022 • 39:39

Anger, Anxiety & Death: How Buddhism Deals with the Big Issues [S5.E43]

Greg interviews Phra Pandit, the resident Bangkok Podcast expert on all things Buddhism, about negative emotions such as anxiety and anger and how Buddhism deals with them. Displaying his deep knowledge of Western psychology, Phra Pandit begins first by discussing the Freudian approach to anxiety, which separates out reasonable negative emotions from neuroticism, which is defined as anxiety that is irrational or inappropriate given the context.  Greg brings up the sometimes casual attitude that

Jan 11, 2022 • 50:31

The Bangkok Podcast Covid Christmas Clusterf#@k Extravaganza [S5.E42]

It’s a COVID Christmas Craptacular! The guys discuss all the ways that COVID has made the holiday season difficult for expats and travelers to Thailand. To start things off, Greg plays a quick conversation with podcast supporter Ash, who is now more or less locked out of Thailand due to the recent tightening of restrictions. So much for planning ahead! Next, Ed details his absolutely epic adventure to Ohio. Despite a successful last-minute scramble to get the right health insurance and beat the

Jan 4, 2022 • 50:24

Riding the Rails: Catching up with Bangkok’s New Train Lines [S5.E41]

When Greg and guest-host Scott moved here at the turn of the century, Bangkok had about 22km of train lines (not counting the SRT diesel trains). Now there are 210km in operation with a further 250km under construction. That’s huge! But it presents a problem - Bangkok is evolving very quickly, and unless you ride the trains A LOT, you are probably, like us, becoming more and more unfamiliar with how to get around the city you live in. Greg and Scott set out to change this, and spent a day riding

Dec 21, 2021 • 43:08

The Times They Are a-Changing: Thailand’s Demographic Shift [S5.E40]

The show welcomes back Dr. Jessica Vechbanyongratana, an economist at Chulalongkorn University, to discuss the cold, hard data on Thailand’s demographics.  It sounds vague and geeky at first, but the more you look into it, the more you realize just how much you can tell about Thailand by observing things like the age that people are getting married and retiring at, how many kids they’re having, the rate of household debt, and how all of these things will affect the next generation. Jessica discu

Dec 14, 2021 • 51:09

Bangkok's Seven Deadly Sins: Gluttony [S5.E39]

Greg and Ed finish up the Seven Deadly Sins series with a discussion of ‘gluttony’ in the context of Bangkok - in this case, wanting to eat the largest quantity of food for the least amount of money. While we all know that Bangkok is one of the best places to eat in the world, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best city to eat A LOT for CHEAP.  Ed begins by showing off his farang nature: pizza in general in Bangkok is good but not cheap. However, several delivery companies (shout out to The P

Dec 7, 2021 • 34:01

Tech, Trade & Bridges with Belgian Ambassador Sibille de Cartier [S5.E38]

Greg interviews Belgian Ambassador to Thailand, Madam Sybille de Cartier, formerly Ambassador to Egypt and Sudan, with plenty of diplomatic experience in other posts around the world.  She discusses the long history that Belgium and Thailand share, going back all the way to 1839, which is pretty amazing since Belgium itself was founded in 1830. Belgium also played a key role in the modernization of Thailand under King Chulalongkorn, providing advisors that aided in maintaining the Kingdom’s inde

Nov 30, 2021 • 38:58

Alcohol: Thailand’s Favorite Boogeyman [S5.E37]

In a very topical show Greg and Ed discuss the role that alcohol plays in Thai culture. For a country that seems to love restricting alcohol consumption, be it for religious holidays or even election days, Thails love to drink (the most in SEA, actually). But there’s a rather huge gulf between the way Thai people actually behave and the image that the Thai government would like to project to the world, which is of a ‘conservative Buddhist country.’ This leads to a discussion of the partial re-op

Nov 23, 2021 • 28:42

The Changing Role of the Foreign Teacher in Thailand [S5.E36]

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Nov 16, 2021 • 47:39

Hassles and Hope: Thailand’s Big Reopening [S5.E35]

The boys address the big story of the day: Thailand’s long-delayed reopening to tourists, at least from certain low-risk countries. Ed begins by recounting the current (at the time of the show) rules for tourists: COVID medical insurance, a negative test within 72 hours of departure, and a negative test after touching down which MAY require a night in a government-approved hotel. Note that the info in this show was accurate at the time of recording, but things change fast - check here for more

Nov 9, 2021 • 36:01

What’s the Deal with Solar Power in Thailand? [S5.E34]

Greg interviews Tristan Knowles, an Australian expat in Thailand working for the Asian Development Bank, specializing in infrastructure finance in the Mekong region, including alternative energy such as solar power.  Greg begins by asking the obvious question: Thailand is practically constantly sunny, so why aren’t there solar panels on every rooftop? Tristan gives a detailed answer focusing on incentives. Obviously there’s an upfront cost to investing in solar power, whether you are a residence

Nov 2, 2021 • 53:39

Thailand in Movies & TV vs. Thailand in Real Life [S5.E33]

On today’s show Greg and Ed address a pretty simple question: When you see Bangkok in movies and in series, are you actually seeing an accurate portrayal of the way Bangkok REALLY is? The guys decide that the short answer is probably not (certainly not in Thai lakorn), but there are some interesting exceptions. For example, even big-budget movies such as “Hangover 2” and “Raya and the Last Dragon” get many details right, such as Fanta served in a plastic bag or ‘toilet paper’ (to Westerners) use

Oct 26, 2021 • 42:45

From Coffee to Conflict: Kenyan Ambassador Lindsay Kiptiness [S5.E32]

Greg interviews Lindsay Kiptiness, the Kenyan Ambassador to Thailand. Ambassador Kiptiness begins by introducing himself and explains his responsibilities as ambassador to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Burma. He explains his unfortunate arrival during COVID times, and his desire to really explore Thailand when it fully re-opens. The Kenyan healthcare system is behind Thailand’s, but he notes that Nairobi did serve as the center of COVID treatment for UN officials.  Greg asks the Ambassad

Oct 19, 2021 • 44:27

Dungeons & Dragons & Bangkok: An Alignment Chart for the City [S5.E31]

Greg and Ed confess to their past as Dungeons and Dragons-loving young geeks. Who would have thought? The boys take inspiration from an old blog post of Greg’s where he applied D&D’s famous moral alignment chart to Bangkok. Moving through the list, Ed provides his feedback as each example is presented.  Greg begins by explaining the system (for those of you who were less geeky or simply missed D&D generationally). Then Greg gets into his examples. Who best represents ‘Lawful Good’ in Thai societ

Oct 12, 2021 • 35:39

Building a Thai YouTube Channel for Kids Into a Family Business [S5.E30]

On this episode Greg chats with his buddy Jesse Davis. You might not know Jesse’s name, but if you have kids, chances are they know his daughter.  About four years ago Jesse and his daughter started Brianna’s Secret Club, a YouTube channel aimed at kids where Brianna and her pals do things like unwrap gifts, play with toys, build stuff, and do other kid-related things. The channel took off, and soon became a full-fledged family business, with budgets, schedules, assistants, and studio time. As

Oct 5, 2021 • 52:46

Expat Merit Badges: How Many Do You Have? [S5.E29]

Greg and Ed discuss the concept of expat ‘merit badges’: those experiences that all long-time expats in Thailand tend to have that really remind you that you are in a unique place, distinct from where you grew up. These ‘badges,’ for lack of a better term, function as a loose type of seniority system. They are generally earned after some amount of time in the Kingdom, when you become comfortable with something that was once alien.  In the first few months you might get caught in a flood, but it

Sep 28, 2021 • 44:37

Accents, Dialects and Stereotypes with Stu Jay Raj [S5.E28]

Greg interviews returning guest Stu Jay Raj - polyglot, expert language teacher and man about town. Greg begins by asking Stu about his recent series of videos analyzing the second language capabilities of various celebrities, including Jon Cena and Robert DeNiro. Stu responds by explaining his MindKraft program, which is kind of a general learning system that can be applied to languages of all types, from linguistics to music to computer coding. Stu expounds his belief that the human brain is n

Sep 21, 2021 • 54:22

This is Thailand With Scott & Trevor from Talk Travel Asia [S5.E27]

Greg and Ed sit down with old friends and travel experts Trevor Ranges and Scott Coates of the Talk Travel Asia podcast. The guys run through a whole range of questions:  How do you first come to Thailand?  How did you meet each other?  How do you adapt to Thai food? How did you learn (or not learn) Thai language? What Thai cultural rules have you learned?  How long did it take to feel as if Thailand was really your home? And perhaps most significantly, how has Thailand changed you for the bette

Sep 14, 2021 • 58:06

Bangkok's Seven Deadly Sins: Envy [S5.E26]

Continuing the series on the 7 Deadly Sins, Greg and Ed address the envious Envy. Of course, we love Bangkok, but no place is perfect - so, what are some things in other countries that we are envious of from our perch here? Greg begins by looking over the fence at coffee culture in Vietnam. Presumably due to French influence, Vietnam has an insane number of local cafes that take coffee (and ice cream, as Ed points out) deadly seriously. The strict government helps to keep Western chains to a min

Sep 7, 2021 • 34:01

Golfasian’s Mark Siegel Talks Fees, Tees & Thai Golf Holidays [S5.E25]

Greg interviews Mark Siegel, the director of Golfasian, one of Asia’s largest golf tour operators. Greg opens with the caveat that neither he nor Ed are golfers and leaves it up to Mark to do his best to sell us on a golf holiday in the Land of Smiles.  Greg begins by noting that his first thought of a relaxing holiday would not be to spend 4 hours walking around in the scorching sun, but Mark (in the first of his many insights) responds that if you’re back in the freezing winter of Canada you m

Aug 31, 2021 • 38:55

A Few Surprising Details About Raising a Kid in Bangkok [S5.E24]

In this episode, Greg fills us in on all the special concerns of being a parent in Bangkok. As if being a parent on its own didn’t have enough surprises, it turns out there are several things to keep in mind if you are expecting or even just bringing a child to the Big Mango. Pre-eminent is of course the issue of proper schooling, be it Thai or international or some combination of both. Greg explains the 3 C’s - cost, commute, and curriculum - that all new parents must build their life around. A

Aug 24, 2021 • 36:36

From Dreams to Comedy: Teaching Thai With a Twist [S5.E23]

Greg interviews Kru Nan from the “You Too Can Learn Thai” podcast. Greg begins with the theory of the ‘critical period,’ that the human brain is primed to learn languages early in life but not later. Kru Nan notes that the research is not final and that adults might actually have some advantages over children. For example, adults may be able to absorb more information more quickly and also to contextualize it because of their pre-existing knowledge about the way the world works.  Next, Greg and

Aug 17, 2021 • 51:16

Don’t be That Guy: Expat Stereotypes to Avoid [S5.E22]

Greg and Ed discuss some negative expat stereotypes - roughly the person you (probably) don’t want to become while living in Thailand...at least forever. We all fall prey to stereotypes sometimes - they have to come from somewhere - but if you’re not careful, you can become comfortable with some of these lifestyles and before you know it, they come to define your new identity in your new home, and suddenly you’re known as The Whiner, or The Apologist. And that’s just the beginning! Heaven forbid

Aug 10, 2021 • 33:09

The Bombing of Bangkok During World War 2 [S5.E21]

Greg interviews Khun Panarat Anamwathana about the bombing of Bangkok during World War II. Beginning with a discussion about how Thai people today perceive Thailand’s involvement in the Second World War, K. Panarat notes that many Thais’ attitudes are actually shaped by popular culture and specific romantic stories about that time period in Thai history. Most Thais today don’t realize the tragic nature of the conflict and the truly precarious nature of Thailand’s relationship with both Japan and

Aug 3, 2021 • 49:40

Cultural Refresher: Books & Movies to Rouse Your Thailand Mojo [S5.E20]

On a suggestion from listener Emily, Greg and Ed go back to basics with book and movie recommendations for people new to Thailand and Southeast Asia, or old-timers looking to refresh their knowledge after being disconnected during all this covid hullabaloo. Ed begins with three foundational books: the all-time classic ‘Lonely Planet Thailand,’ written by friend of the podcast Joe Cummings, the insightful (if a bit outdated) ‘Culture Shock: Thailand,’ and the super creative ‘Very Thai,’ by Philli

Jul 27, 2021 • 41:42

Fostering Hope in Khlong Toey with Bangkok Community Help [S5.E19]

Things are not so great right now, and they’re even more desperate for people who live on the edge, which is why we’re pleased to chat with Friso Poldervaart, Greg Lange, and Kerv Chittaropas about their organization Bangkok Community Help.  The three are instrumental in providing the community of over 100,000 with food, medical supplies, living essentials and care packages in Khlong Toey, Bangkok’s biggest slum community. The discussion gets into the history of Khlong Toey, how the English word

Jul 20, 2021 • 47:42

Ed Reports Back: Visiting the Phuket Sandbox [S5.E18]

Ed relates his 4-day adventure in the much-reported-on Phuket Sandbox. But spoiler alert: It wasn’t a great trip, mostly due to bad luck: it was gray and rainy almost the entire time, thus denying him quality beach time. Oh well.  But what was not bad luck was the way that the Thai government has marketed the Sandbox. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has repeatedly stated that Phuket is ‘open’ to tourism as of July 1st, and Ed took that to mean that the most popular area on the island, Patong,

Jul 13, 2021 • 42:37

Some Good (and Bad) Ways That Being an Expat Has Changed Us [S5.E17]

Greg and Ed bare their souls and discuss how living in Thailand has changed them for the better - and for the worse. Greg begins by noting that since being in Thailand he has a much greater appreciation for the life struggles of the average person, in Thailand as well as the rest of the world.  Raised middle class in the West, it is easy to see yourself as ‘normal,’ when in reality you are quite lucky compared to many people around the world.  Ed then observes that living overseas has helped him

Jul 6, 2021 • 40:27

Entrepreneur Derek van Pelt on Business and Success in Thailand [S5.E16]

It’s a dream of many to move to Thailand and start their own business - be it a spiffy e-commerce site, a beer bar on a beach, or some type of consultancy. But navigating the tricky cultural and bureaucratic hurdles isn’t something to be taken lightly. We’re joined by Derek van Pelt, a Thailand resident for 24 years and someone who has had a number of successes in a variety of different arenas. Currently a partner at Stonelotus Ventures and a long-time friend of Greg and Ed’s, Derek talks about

Jun 29, 2021 • 1:00:04

Between Two Worlds: Raising a Western Kid in an Eastern Culture [S5.E15]

Diving into one of their more complex topics, Greg and Ed explore some of the questions that arise when raising a child with an appreciation for skepticism and science in the middle of a culture known for its superstitious beliefs. With Ed teaching a critical thinking class to Thai college students and Greg’s son asking questions about ghosts and praying, the boys have some interesting insights. Greg stresses the delicacy of parents in his situation: were he to directly state his opinion that gh

Jun 22, 2021 • 35:53

Tourism, Covid & Secret Recipes with Chin From Chili Paste Food Tours [S5.E14]

Greg interviews Chin Chongtong, the founder of Chili Paste Food Tours, a food-based tourism company in Bangkok. Khun Chin first relates her difficult early days as an untrained tour guide, giving informal tours around Bangkok, having to negotiate both massive floods and military coups that shut down half the city. After getting a formal tour guide certificate from the Thai government, she and a friend developed the concept of food-based tours around Bangkok and occasionally other parts of Thaila

Jun 15, 2021 • 42:05

Dealing With Annoying Expat Requests [S5.E13]

On this show the guys keep it real by discussing things they do not like about being an expat. Plus, patrons and listeners write in with their own pet peeves about being a stranger in the strange land of Thailand.  Ed begins with his number one complaint: being mistaken for a tourist. Even after 20 years in Thailand, he is still clearly not Thai, and Thais (especially those looking to make a buck) assume that ‘not-Thai’ equals tourist. This annoyance manifests itself in many ways, from constant

Jun 8, 2021 • 35:09

History & Diplomacy with Canadian Ambassador Sarah Taylor [S5.E12]

Greg and Ed interview Dr. Sarah Taylor, the Canadian Ambassador to Thailand to discuss her role in Thailand, Thailand’s role in Asia, and what Canada and Thailand have in common...and don’t have in common.  Ambassador Taylor comes from a long line of diplomats, with parents who met while on mission overseas. Once bitten by the travel bug, she ended up majoring in archaeology but later began a career in the Canadian foreign service. She has had stints in several countries around the world, includ

Jun 1, 2021 • 1:01:56

Bangkok's Seven Deadly Sins: Sloth [S5.E11]

The guys return to their ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ series to discuss the sin of ‘Sloth.’ Greg notes in an introduction that sloth can be a little hard to define in that all the other sins involve actively doing something, whereas sloth of course can refer to simply being really lazy. The guys agree that for the purposes of the show they will rule out simply staying home and being a slug on the couch to answer the question - what are some of the best ways to spend a day in Bangkok being as slothful as

May 25, 2021 • 35:22

Co-Producer Oliver Ackermann on Making The Serpent in Bangkok [S5.E10]

Greg and Ed interview Oliver Ackermann, one of the co-producers of the Thailand-based Netflix series “The Serpent,” about 1970s era serial killer Charles Sobhraj. Oliver is a partner in Living Films, a prominent production company based in Thailand famous for shepherding large foreign productions (such as Hangover 2, which our buddy Chris Lowenstein talked about on season 1) through the maze of Thai government regulations as well as Thai culture in general. Oliver walks through his process of fi

May 18, 2021 • 45:20

Joe Cummings Talks Thai Ganja, Protests and CIA Recruitment [S5.E9]

This is the second episode of Greg and Ed’s interview with Joe Cummings, expat extraordinaire. This episode begins with a bang as the guys discuss the future of cannabis in Thailand and then goes right into the kind of story that has to be heard to be believed, but basically it involves an attempted recruitment of Joe into the CIA while he was a graduate student at the University of California at Berkeley. Enough said. The guys follow with a discussion of Joe’s take on the current round of prote

May 11, 2021 • 39:21

Joe Cummings Talks Movies, Writing and Tourism Recovery [S5.E8]

Greg and Ed do a tag team interview of legendary Thailand expat Joe Cummings, a renaissance man and expert on Thai culture if there ever was one. Joining us during a break on his latest film role, Joe and Greg discuss how they met in the jungles of Mae Hong Son 18 years ago, and discuss how Joe went from being known primarily as a writer (most famously founding Lonely Planet Thailand) to being an actor, musician and consultant on Southeast Asian mythology and culture, most recently for the Disne

May 4, 2021 • 45:14

Bonus Episode: Vaccine Travel and Quarantine!

Hey there! This type of content usually goes out to our patrons only, but we figured it was important and relevant to everyone, so we're putting it out to y'all! Our buddy Kevin and his wife Tip have just landed in Bangkok from the US after getting vaccinated and doing a whackload of paperwork. We check in with him to see what the process was like and get an idea of what people may have to deal with as they start to return to Thailand. Enjoy!

May 4, 2021 • 22:22

A Few Unwritten Thai Cultural Rules You Gotta Learn [S5.E7]

Utilizing a topic suggested by listener Wes, Greg and Ed discuss the unwritten ‘rules’ of Thai culture - the ones that everyone knows but aren’t written down anywhere, despite Ed wishing they were because he really has no idea what he’s doing right and wrong! As Greg notes, we all have to fake it until we make it. Greg then begins a series of specific puzzles that farangs have to navigate, including the proper use of the expletive ‘arai wa,’ knowing when or how much to lower your head when passi

Apr 27, 2021 • 38:53

Being Funny in Bangkok: Three Local Comedians Weigh In [S5.E6]

Greg interviews three local comedians, Justin St-Denis, Chris Raufheisen, and Tana Sukke, about life as a stand-up in Bangkok. After a few quick bios Greg dives right in with his brief experience as a standup in Canada and then later in Bangkok, which kicks off a discussion about the recent history of western-style stand-up comedy in Bangkok.  Tana discusses the difficulty of doing comedy in a foreign language, as well as the difference between English comedy and Thai comedy. Greg and the gang t

Apr 20, 2021 • 56:16

Is There an Expat Hierarchy - and Does it Even Matter? [S5.E5]

We think almost every long-term expat has been asked how long they’ve been here before, only to see the challenge, throw down their card, and ask the inevitable: “How about you?” It’s an unspoken contest. But does it even matter? Greg and Ed tackle this issue of status, noting that although they’ve been in Thailand TWENTY YEARS, that number is dwarfed by such legendary expats as Joe Cummings (soon to be a guest on the podcast), who arrived in Thailand in 1977. Ed jokes that part of the appeal of

Apr 13, 2021 • 33:31

The Ups and Downs of Retiring in Thailand [S5.E4]

Greg interviews Colonel Johnny Thoyts, an old friend who has been retired in Thailand for over 20 years. Johnny has had an interesting time in Thailand - as the former British military attaché, he summarizes his career and his various experiences living in Thailand and dealing with some of the country’s top military and diplomatic brass.  Next, Johnny recounts his life in Bangkok, Hua Hin, and more recently Khorat. Greg and Johnny discuss the cultural quirks of Thailand, from the Thais reaction

Apr 6, 2021 • 47:42

Oh Crap, What Now? Losing Your Job in Thailand [S5.E3]

The guys discuss the sticky situation of what it means to lose your job in Thailand as an expat, and the relative insecurity that all of us have, no matter how long we’ve lived here.  Ed gives a quick overview of the law: if you have a non-immigrant ‘B’ visa connected to a work permit and a Thai company, and your work permit is canceled, then your visa is also automatically canceled and you have exactly 7 days to leave the country. Now it may be possible to re-enter as a tourist, of course, but

Mar 30, 2021 • 29:22

Fighting the HIV Stigma in Thailand [S5.E2]

Greg interviews Midnight Poonkasetwattana and Inad Rendon, the Executive Director and Program Director at APCOM, a nonprofit organization that advocates on behalf of gay men who are facing discrimination. We begin by raising the issue of the image of Thailand as a very gay-friendly place. Does the reality match the reputation? According to Midnight, in some ways, because Thai culture is less confrontational and LGBTQI people in Thailand are unlikely to face violence. However, Midnight notes that

Mar 23, 2021 • 51:50

Looking Back, Looking Forward: Welcome to Season 5! [S5.E1]

Welcome to season 5! Greg and Ed discuss the new season, which admittedly is mostly a continuation of the last season - if it ain’t broke, etc. But some nostalgia is warranted, and the guys reminisce about the last two seasons since Evo’s departure. Ed can’t believe he’s done 150 shows plus, and both guys make some modest suggestions for changing things up. Maybe some shows should include video, at least for the patrons? Ed suggests revisiting earlier topics and updating them with new info. Greg

Mar 16, 2021 • 1:06:16

Short Break!

Hey guys, Greg and Ed are taking this week off for a short break, but we'll be back with the first episode of SEASON FIVE (OMG) of the show on March 17. See you then!

Mar 9, 2021 • 0:44

Becoming Thai: Talking With Chris Larkin from ThaiCitizenship.com [S4.E72]

Greg interviews Chris Larkin, creator of ThaiCitizenship.com, a website that answers all the confusing, conflicting, confounding questions about getting citizenship in Thailand. Half Thai-Half Australian, Chris grew up mainly in Australia and got his Thai passport in his early twenties. Now married to a woman from New Zealand, it was their yearly slog up to Chaeng Wattana to deal with visas and work permits that led them down the path of getting Thai citizenship for her, and setting up a site to

Mar 2, 2021 • 53:32

Wonderful Weirdos: Tales of Bangkok Characters Good, Bad & Strange [S4.E71]

If Thailand is good for one thing, it’s ‘interesting’ expats, and Greg and Ed keep it light with a humorous discussion of some of the crazy characters they’ve met over the years in Bangkok. All names have been changed of course, but Greg recounts a few stories of ‘Chandler’, an out-of-control, heavy drinking, motorcycle riding, jacket busting, wrecking ball of an expat, as well an African refugee who recounted stories of civil war that sobered Greg up real quick. Ed counters with a few stories o

Feb 23, 2021 • 35:14

Ganjapreneur Kitty Chopaka Discusses the Marijuana Landscape in Thailand [S4.E70]

Ed interviews Chokwan ‘Kitty’ Chopaka, an expert on the cannabis industry in Thailand. The interview begins with a discussion of how Kitty ended up in this field - strangely, it was her mother that suggested she’d make a great ‘ganjapreneur.’ After trying a cannabis venture in the U.S., Kitty founded the Thai company Elevated Estate, which serves as both an educator to the entire industry and a consultant to cannabis startups in Thailand.  Ed and Kitty work through the roughly four categories of

Feb 16, 2021 • 52:02

Neighborhood Focus: Soi Suan Phlu [S4.E69]

In a return to our Neighborhood Focus series, Greg and Ed check out Soi Suan Phlu and some of the surrounding area, broadly known as either Sathorn or Yen Akat. We start with a discussion about Suan Phlu of yesteryear, when almost all foreigners had to go there for a miserable immigration ritual. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Suan Phlu seemed dreary and certainly not a place you would hang out once you were done wrestling with the Thai bureaucracy. However, over the years, Soi Suan Phlu has slowly cha

Feb 9, 2021 • 28:04

Mark Wiens on the Joy of Eating Thai Food [S4.E68]

Greg interviews Mark Wiens, an old friend known far and wide for his awesome YouTube videos about eating food. Good food. Weird food. Scary food. Any type of food. Mark tells us how he started as a regular food blogger, slowly morphing into video as the technology improved, and his efforts to keep up with Google’s demands while still putting out quality content. The effort seems to have paid off - 7 million subscribers can’t be wrong! Greg and Mark also discuss the nuts and bolts of running a Yo

Feb 2, 2021 • 50:06

Bangkok’s Seven Deadly Sins: Greed [S4.E67]

This week Greg and Ed return to the Seven Deadly Sins series with a discussion of GREED in Thai culture. As an opening caveat, Greg makes clear that greed exists in all cultures, and the guys aren’t saying it’s worse in Thailand than anywhere else, but every country and culture deals with it in different ways, and the guys want to talk their way through its different facets to try and understand it better. Ed begins with the claim that there is something in Thai-Chinese culture about the pursuit

Jan 26, 2021 • 30:31

Sawatdee Cough: Bangkok’s Air Pollution Crisis [S4.E66]

Greg interviews Khun Weena, founder of the Thailand Clean Air Network and an expert on air pollution in Thailand to discuss the who, the what, the why and the WTF behind Thailand’s annual season of poisonous, toxic air.  She begins by outlining the fundamental problem: more or less unchecked economic growth, not only in Thailand but around Asia as well, especially in gigantic countries such as India and China. Although the problem has been around for a while, public interest has peaked due to t

Jan 19, 2021 • 53:56

The Eclipse That Changed the Course of Thai History [S4.E65]

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Jan 12, 2021 • 47:42

Kicking 2020 to the Curb: New Year’s Eve Stories from Better Times [S4.E64]

In order to wash the bad taste of New Year’s Eve 2021 out of our mouths, Greg and Ed discuss what New Year’s Eve means in Bangkok. Normally it’s one of the biggest nights of the year, but due the resurgence of COVID, this year was fairly tame. So the guys decided to discuss the holiday during better times.  Ed begins by noting that the two biggest places to witness the countdown and fireworks in Bangkok are at Central World in the shopping district, and near Saphan Taksin bridge on the river. Bo

Jan 5, 2021 • 32:36

Confronting Thailand's Problem With Violence Against Women Part 2 [S4.E63]

The issue of violence against women in Thai culture is not often discussed. Awareness is low and even when the topic is brought up, the default reaction is to shussssshhhhh, forget about it, don’t make waves. Obviously this is not a tenable solution. Emma Thomas (Under the Ropes) and Nana Wipaphan Wongsawan (Thai Consent) are two women who are fighting to change this. In part 2 of a 2-part interview Greg sits down with both of them to discuss why Thai culture is like this and the issues and frus

Dec 29, 2020 • 46:54

Confronting Thailand’s Problem With Violence Against Women Part 1 [S4.E62]

The issue of violence against women in Thai culture is not often discussed. Awareness is low and even when the topic is brought up, the default reaction is to shussssshhhhh, forget about it, don’t make waves. Obviously this is not a tenable solution. Emma Thomas (Under the Ropes) and Nana Wipaphan Wongsawan (Thai Consent) are two women who are fighting to change this. In part 1 of a 2-part interview Greg sits down with both of them to discuss why Thai culture is like this and the issues and frus

Dec 22, 2020 • 40:31

The Annual Bangkok Podcast Listener Q&A Spectacular [S4.E61]

It’s been a while, but the guys jump into a Q&A show, where they answer questions from listeners. The topics are incredibly wide-ranging - everything from our first Thailand memory to the equipment we use to record to our rules for ‘wai-ing’ service staff! We also touch on questions about whiskey, COVID, Thailand’s tourism outlook, whether or not the infamous commuter vans are safe, and of course, things that Thailand does better than they do back home.  Lots more where those came from, so liste

Dec 15, 2020 • 41:07

Artist Alex Face on his Iconic Work, Inspiration, and Space Art [S4.E60]

Greg interviews celebrated Thai artist Alex Face (https://www.facebook.com/Alexfacebkk), known mostly for his large building-sized murals, which appear not only in Bangkok but also in other cities around the world. Alex begins by recounting his interest in art as a child, which slowly developed into a passion and later a career. He explains his love of graffiti (both legal and illegal) and then discusses his education and attempts to live in other countries, including Korea and later England.  I

Dec 8, 2020 • 51:24

How Would You Rate Your Thai Cultural Assimilation? [S4, E59]

Greg and Ed dive into a great question for expats in Thailand: to what extent are you actually integrated into mainstream Thai culture? Greg posted a quick survey on our Facebook page and uses some responses as a jumping-off point for discussion.  Ed begins by guessing he’s probably a 5 on a scale of 1-10. He never socializes with only Thai people, but has good enough Thai language that he can handle himself on his own in the city. He does note though that Thailand may be different than some Wes

Dec 1, 2020 • 29:01

Bangkok’s Craft Brew Godfather: A Chat With Khun Chit [S4.E58]

Greg interviews the fascinating Wichit Saiklao, godfather of craft beer in Thailand and founder of Chit Beer, with podcast friend Scott Coates sitting in for fun. Khun Chit relates how he first learned about homebrewing while living in the States, and after returning to Thailand and buying a small house on the river island of Ko Kret, he decided to give it a try with a kit he bought on Amazon. Just seven years later, he is a legend of Thai brewing, not just because of his own popular craft beers

Nov 24, 2020 • 40:14

Thailand’s Freedom-of-Expression Minefield [S4.E57]

Greg and Ed consider the issue of freedom of expression in Thailand and the extent to which it is or is not compatible with Thai culture. The topic is sparked by THAT case...the one about a TripAdvisor reviewer who harshly criticized a Thai resort, only to have the Thai resort file a criminal defamation action against him.  After two days in jail and a negotiated settlement, all was well until TripAdvisor put a warning on their website indicating what the resort had done. Ed gives a basic rundow

Nov 17, 2020 • 28:27

Linguist Rikker Dockum on Raising Multilingual Kids (S4.E56)

Greg interviews repeat guest Rikker Dockum about the ups and downs of raising bilingual children, beginning with an update on (now Dr) Rikker’s life back in the US - including his own two kids, both products of two cultures.  Next, Rikker segways into some common myths and truths about language acquisition. First, he dispels the idea that a parent needs to have a high level of fluency in a language to avoid hurting a child’s ability to learn it. In fact, kids are so adapted to learning languages

Nov 10, 2020 • 55:29

Bangkok's Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath [S4, E55]

The boys reenter the world of the Seven Deadly Sins with a discussion of ‘Wrath’ in Thai culture. What’s the angle? Well, here is Ed’s theory: every society has roughly the same amount of total anger, but in the West negative feelings are expressed in small amounts over time. However, in Thai culture, where there is pressure to always say ‘mai pen rai,’ negative emotions build up over time and come out in an explosion. In an entirely unscientific discussion, the guys give examples that might sup

Nov 3, 2020 • 25:32

Phra Pandit on the Buddhist Concepts of Birth, Death & Rebirth [Season 4, Episode 54]

In this episode of Bangkok Podcast Metaphysics, Greg interviews our favorite guest, Phra Pandit, about notions of heaven and hell in Thai Buddhism. Phra Pandit begins by explaining the difference between reincarnation and rebirth. In Theravada Buddhism, there is not a belief in a constant, steady soul. Instead, life force, for lack of a better term, passes from one lifetime to another, like a flame from one candle to the next. In general, a person cannot remember his or her past lives, but a few

Oct 27, 2020 • 39:58

Greg (Con) and Ed (Pro) Debate the Merits of Thai Massage [Season 4, Episode 53]

In this episode, the guys debate the pros and cons of one of Thailand’s most famous cultural pastimes. Despite being friends for going on 20 years now and agreeing on a lot of things, Greg and Ed do NOT agree on Thai Traditional Massage (TTM). Ed loves it, Greg...does not.  Ed argues that while TTM may not be for everyone, its unique mix of pain and pleasure are deeply relaxing and well worth it in the long run. Greg contends the pain ain’t worth it, and there are countless better ways to spend

Oct 20, 2020 • 37:14

Bangkok’s Evolving Health & Fitness Mindset [Season 4, Episode 52]

If you’ve been in Bangkok for any length of time you’ve seen the ‘healthy lifestyle’...uh...lifestyle...change a great deal. But why, how, and to what end? Greg interviews Jack Thomas, founder and CEO of BASE Fitness to chat about the evolution.  After several years of high-pressure sales and overly-packed gyms, the scene kind of imploded in the mid-2000s, led by one famous name that rose higher and fell harder than any. But the industry is back and healthier than ever, driven in part by the cha

Oct 13, 2020 • 44:19

David Robinson Talks Heritage and Creativity on the Chao Phraya River [Season 4, Episode 50]

Greg interviews David Robinson, co-founder of the Creative District Foundation, which promotes the mighty Chao Phraya River community for tourism and cultural purposes through the excellent website Bangkok River, which provides resources, history, and insight into the communities that line it. But before all this happened, David - a former resident of Sydney and London - felt the neighborhoods around the river in Bangkok were under-utilized and under-developed. (Greg and Ed wholeheartedly agree.

Oct 8, 2020 • 40:43

Neighborhood Focus: Chinatown & Talad Noi [Season 4, Episode 51]

Greg and Ed return to their ‘Neighborhood Focus’ series with a review of the Chinatown-Talad Noi area of Bangkok, a neighborhood is near and dear to the boys’ hearts, as Greg used to live there, and back in the day he introduced Ed to the area’s many charms.  Greg begins with a mini-history of Chinatown and its many historic streets, most of which you can still walk on today. Ed summarizes Chinatown as ‘chaos with street food.’ Its popularity is extremely high with both Thais and foreigners but

Oct 6, 2020 • 34:02

The Unique Role That Teachers Play in Thai Culture [Season 4, Episode 49]

Ooooh, topical! This week, Greg and Ed discuss the unique role of teachers in Thai society, where educators occupy a uniquely reverential role, often in stark contrast to western countries, where it is ‘just another job.’ Ed notes that the issue of how teachers are treated is near and dear to his heart, given that he has spent the last twenty years teaching Thai students. But Ed makes clear that (in his opinion) there’s a contradiction between the type of independent-minded graduates that Thaila

Sep 22, 2020 • 35:52

An Economist Speaks: The Numbers on Thailand's COVID Economy [Season 4, Episode 48]

First, we want voicemails from our listeners! Become a friend on LINE (scan the QR Code below) and send us your thoughts, greetings, or an awesome joke.  In a great show for economics nerds and anyone just interested in how the Thai economy is faring, Dr. Jessica Vechbanyongratana returns to discuss the Thai economy during the pandemic and what - if anything - we can do to help the recovery. Spoiler: not much  Beginning with anecdotes of how economists were already predicting a bad 2020 at the e

Sep 15, 2020 • 54:43

Ten Laws Expats Should Understand in Thailand [Season 4, Episode 47]

After a brief intro explaining the podcast’s decision to accept advertising (within strict guidelines), Greg and Ed jump into a topic important to anyone travelling to Thailand: What are the most important Thai laws to know? Ed gives a quick lawyerly disclaimer: don’t rely on this podcast to make important decisions, but instead just use it as a guideline to do your own research and talk to a real lawyer. :) Next, Greg and Ed bring up ‘the enforcement problem’: as regular podcast listeners well

Sep 8, 2020 • 36:06

Jarrett Wrisley & Chalee Kader Discuss Bangkok's Restaurant Biz in the Time of Covid [Season 4, Episode 46]

Greg interviews Jarrett Wrisley and Chalee Kader, well-known and successful restaurateurs in Bangkok. After quick bios, they begin by dispelling some myths about the restaurant business and explaining some of the harsh realities of competing in a big city such as Bangkok. Even during good times, it’s a tough business, but during the COVID era it is nearly impossible. Greg and the guys discuss strategies for surviving and how to bring customers back when things improve. There are also some great

Sep 1, 2020 • 53:04

Bangkok’s Seven Deadly Sins: Lust [Season 4, Episode 45]

Greg and Ed continue their ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ series with LUST - yep, we go there. Well, figuratively, anyway. On the record, the guys don’t actually recommend that you visit any of the red light districts in Bangkok - there are so many more interesting things to do in the city that aren’t as...potentially icky. But let’s be honest - they remain a huge draw, and if you live here long enough, you’ll eventually end up at one of them.  Topics include where to go, how to behave, what to do, what no

Aug 25, 2020 • 29:09

Crossing Cultures: From Small-Town Thailand to the USA & Back Again [Season 4, Episode 44]

Ed interviews Putsawan ‘Poy’ Tipsakorn, a friend and former student of his who did an exchange year in the U.S. while in high school. Ed and Poy begin with her background in a small town in Nakhorn Ratchasima province and her conservative all-girls school and how she got the idea to go to the States in the first place.  From there the story moves to upstate New York, where she met her host family and dove right in, making friends in marching band and choir. The academic transition was more diffi

Aug 18, 2020 • 54:55

Holding a Mirror Up to Thailand: Thisrupt's Voranai Vanijaka [Season 4, Episode 43]

This week Greg interviews Khun Voranai Vanijaka, a well-known Thai journalist, social commentator, and founder and editor-in-chief of Thisrupt.co, an English language website and social media enterprise that focuses on social and political issues in Thailand. Khun Voranai explains his unique background as a Thai man who grew up in Austin, TX, and also that Thisrupt is currently self-funded by him, but that he is negotiating with investors. He and Greg next elucidate Thisrupt’s vision: politics,

Aug 11, 2020 • 55:34

A Quarantine Interview & Media Recommendations [Season 4, Episode 42]

After a very strange intro in which Greg extols the virtues of a mind-numbingly happy Finnish folk tune, we get into the main episode, which comes in two parts. First, Greg interviews his friend Yining, who is just finishing a two week quarantine after returning to Thailand from Singapore. She explains the quarantine process in Bangkok, her COVID test (which came back negative, as expected), her hotel accommodations arranged by the Thai government (but that she had to pay for), and how she’s amu

Aug 4, 2020 • 43:09

Building a House in Thailand [Season 4, Episode 41]

Greg and Ed interview Florian, an old friend of Greg’s and coincidentally the occupant of Greg’s old apartment in Chinatown with a beautiful view of the Chao Phraya River.   Florian is a man of many talents, but this interview focuses on his multi-year project to build a modern house in the jungles of Mae Hong Son province, in northwestern Thailand.    Many expats dream of building a house in Thailand, but Florian has actually done it, and not just any old house either. His house is essentially

Jul 28, 2020 • 54:55

Bangkok's Seven Deadly Sins: Pride [Season 4, Episode 40]

In a new series cooked up by Greg’s evil brain, the guys explore Bangkok through the prism of the Seven Deadly Sins. Each of the seven shows (not in a row, thankfully) will see the guys pick one of the sins and discuss how it relates to their own experience in Bangkok.  Starting with the Sin of Pride, Greg and Ed each come up with a few things that make them proud to call Bangkok home. From history and architecture to musical talent and one very specific bit of food, Greg and Ed discuss the litt

Jul 21, 2020 • 34:38

Entrepreneur and TV Host Dan Fraser on Filming, Language, and Absorbing Thai Culture [Season 4, Episode 39]

This is Part 2 of Greg’s interview with Dan Fraser, an old friend, Thai TV star, and owner of adventure travel company Smiling Albino. Continuing their conversation, Dan talks about the challenges of transitioning from a business manager ‘control freak’ (his words) to a TV entertainer whose role is mostly to be the goofy foreigner having crazy experiences in Thailand. The key is finding his inner child and having faith in his producer to watch his back and make the kind of show that the producer

Jul 14, 2020 • 42:27

Entrepreneur and TV Host Dan Fraser on Filming, Language, and Absorbing Thai Culture [Season 4, Episode 38]

Greg interviews Renaissance-Expat Extraordinaire Dan Fraser, an old friend of both Greg and Ed and a former guest of the podcast in season 1. As both the star of a Thai TV show called ‘Long Ruk Yim’ and the owner of Smiling Albino, a high-end adventure travel company, Dan is afforded some really unique opportunities for understanding Thai culture, and seeing things from the inside. Among the topics discussed in this episode - part 1 of a two-part show - Dan discusses the difficulties involved in

Jul 7, 2020 • 41:17

The Gun Show: How a Few Thai Cannons Helped Shape History [Season 4, Episode 37]

We return to our Thai history series with a fascinating look at the role that several Thai cannons played in some important historical events.  First, with the help of a cool blog on Thai history from our friend Ken Lohatepanont, Greg tells the story of some silver cannons gifted by King Narai of Siam to Louis XIV of France. It turns out that during the world-changing storming of the Bastille in 1789, those very same cannons were used by the revolutionaries to bring down the notorious prison. Wh

Jun 30, 2020 • 26:08

Jobs, Wages and Napoleon Dynamite: The Hard Data on Thailand’s Economy [Season 4, Episode 36]

It’s an extra-long show this week as Greg interviews Jessica Vechbanyongratana, a professor at the faculty of Economics at Chulalongkorn University, about the numbers that make up Thailand’s economy.  Beginning with Thailand’s notable jump up the list of countries with the biggest inequality gap, Jessica explains the methodologies and data that led to the change - although as she mentions, depending on what data you look at during what year, Thailand may not necessarily be any more unequal than

Jun 23, 2020 • 1:03:26

How Thailand Changed Our Views on Fake Stuff [Season 4, Episode 35]

Inspired by a great post on a Thisrupt, the topic is counterfeit goods. Most people are aware that all types of counterfeit goods are available for sale in Thailand, whether it is watches, handbags, DVDs, or software.  Greg and Ed trade stories about how Thailand allowed them to embrace counterfeit culture in their early days of living in Thailand, simply because it was so cheap, so readily available, and ‘everybody was doing it.’ The boys talk over some reasons why pirated goods are more common

Jun 16, 2020 • 32:26

The Thai Foreign Ministry & Public Communication During COVID-19 [Season 4, Episode 34]

Greg interviews Khun Natapanu Nopakun, the Deputy Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. You’ve probably seen him on TV - he’s the guy who gives English language updates of what’s going on with the Thai government, and especially the coronavirus situation.  Khun Natapanu begins by explaining exactly what his job is - giving info on foreign affairs to both foreigners and Thais in English. Interestingly, his job is not just to interpret or translate the normal Thai public affairs inform

Jun 9, 2020 • 35:23

Lockdown: A Few Small Upsides to a BIG Downside [Season 4, Episode 33]

When you are a kid, you are taught to look on the bright side of everything. In that spirit, Greg and Ed search for any possible positives in their lives as a result of the lockdown (which, generally speaking, SUCKS). Ed begins by noting that his relative lack of social life has given him more freedom to experiment with his diet, which consequently resulted in him losing 5 kilos. Greg notes that the increased time home has meant more bonding with his son and many priceless moments that otherwise

Jun 2, 2020 • 37:05

Up Close & Personal With Thai Culture: The National Museum Volunteers [Season 4, Episode 32]

You know how foreigners aren’t allowed to be tour guides in Thailand? Well guess what - there’s an interesting little loophole to that, and it’s a great opportunity to get to know Thai culture in a very real way. Greg interviews Dr. Peter Hufschmid-Hirschbuehl (hereinafter referred to as ‘Dr. Peter’ for obvious reasons), the President of the National Museum Volunteers, the only museum that allows foreigners to train and work as tour guides. The training program provides a quite extensive backgro

May 26, 2020 • 31:54

Big Brother Says Hi: Do You Have More or Less Privacy in Thailand Than at Home? [Season 4, Episode 31]

Greg and Ed tackle the complex question of privacy in Thailand, especially as it compares to privacy back home. But there are lots of types of privacy, so what do we mean? Firstly, as an expat, you live in a kind of bubble of privacy anyway - often left alone and largely cut off from the Thai-language media, which only increases the sense of privacy. Second, Thai culture is famously indirect, with Thais tending to be less confrontational about a person’s private life, so from a social and cultur

May 19, 2020 • 30:50

Pain, Disease & Illness: The (Thai) Language of Medicine with Stu Jay Raj [Season 4, Episode 30]

The topic is a bit morbid but these are strange times - Greg interviews polyglot and podcast favorite Stu Jay Raj on the roots of the Thai language as they pertain to pain and medicine. They begin trading stories over the fiendishly tricky (for Westerners anyway) pronunciation of the Thai language, and the often hilarious (and obscene) mistakes that can happen, with Stu explaining that (roughly) Sanskrit and Pali are to Thai what Latin and Greek are to English. Stu explains most formal Thai word

May 12, 2020 • 47:04

Thailand’s Booze Ban: Good Strategy or Pointless Folly? [Season 4, Episode 29]

Greg and Ed recorded a show that goes in-depth on Thailand’s alcohol ban and whether or not it makes sense as a way to combat the coronavirus. What they did NOT count on was the ban being lifted 3 days AFTER they recorded the show! No worry - it’s still a very relevant discussion.  First up, the boys try to give the ban the best spin possible - does it really help reduce irresponsible partying - social gatherings in large groups where people are not wearing masks or social distancing? Next they

May 5, 2020 • 42:09

Author Phil Jablon on the Disappearing Legacy of Thai Cinemas [Season 4, Episode 28]

Greg interviews Phil Jablon, a true connoisseur of Southeast Asia’s old movie theaters and author of the fantastic book Thailand’s Movie Theaters: Relics, Ruins, and the Romance of Escape. As noted on the show, you can order from the Amazon link above, but if you would like a free vintage movie theater ticket as well, reach out to Phil on his Facebook page and order his book there. Phil grew up a movie lover but developed an interest in older, stand-alone movie theaters as they began to fade aw

Apr 28, 2020 • 34:27

We Discuss: Myths and Misconceptions About Bangkok [Season 4, Episode 27]

This week is a dose of keeping it real: What are some common beliefs about Thailand that Greg and Ed just don’t buy? Ed starts off with a fairly nuanced point: many people think of Thailand as a very religious country because of so many outward signs of Buddhist culture, whether it’s temples, monks, or statues that Thais are very respectful of. However, Ed argues that in general Thais are not very pious: alcohol consumption, gambling, and infidelity are quite common throughout Thailand. Greg wal

Apr 21, 2020 • 34:59

Pious Isolation? The Day-to-Day Life of a Thai Monk [Season 4, Episode 26]

First of all, a public service announcement: Our friend Adam is coordinating a project to get soap, disinfectant, and food to some of Bangkok’s poorest communities. Just 300 THB provides supplies for a family of 4. We donated 2,000THB - can you match or or beat us? Head here for more info. As everyone is now dealing with isolation and minimalist living in a way they never had to before, Greg interviews our returning-est guest Phra Pandit on the day to day life of a monk. From Phra Pandit’s auste

Apr 14, 2020 • 55:39

Lockdown! How Does This One Compare to Others? [Season 4, Episode 25]

In their continuing effort to find something to talk about besides coronavirus, Greg and Ed decide to compare the current crisis to the past crises that they have lived through in their combined 38 years in Thailand. This is their first pandemic but they have survived coups, floods, assassinations, curfews, and violent protests that have shut down huge parts of the city. So how does today compare? Well, first Ed notes that the oddest thing about the 2006 coup - the first for both Greg and Ed - w

Apr 8, 2020 • 33:02

WHO’s Dr. Daniel Kertesz Talks COVID-19, Pandemics & Silver Linings [Season 4, Episode 24]

Greg interviews Dr. Daniel Kertesz of the World Health Organization, to confirm, deny, or simply explain in better detail some of the information that’s going around about the COVID-19 pandemic. It certainly is a strange time we’re living in. Beginning with questions about herd immunity and information gathering, Daniel explains that above all, we must be humble given the lack of information we have about this particular virus. This is not surprising, considering that the world barely knew anyth

Mar 31, 2020 • 54:41

Mixed-Culture Relationship Advice from Dr. Greg [Season 4, Episode 23]

Taking a personal turn thanks to an idea from Wes, one of our patrons, Greg discusses his dating experiences in Thailand and what it’s like to be married to a Thai woman. From early dating stories as a clueless n00b to strange stories of getting used to Thai culture Greg (and Ed!) both start off with a few funny stories Next, Greg tells the story of meeting and eventually marrying his wife. Their story was a traditional one of a dinner with several groups of friends, a flirty Greg...and the rest

Mar 24, 2020 • 36:34

How Tim Hortons Came to Thailand [Season 4, Episode 22]

Thailand’s food tastes have changed a lot since Greg and Ed first got here two decades ago, and in that time, things have gone international, yo! With this in mind, Greg interviews Nick Wattanavekin, who opened the first Tim Hortons, the iconic Canadian donut shop, in Thailand just a few short months ago. The journey from investment banker to restauranteur is a long one, but Nick explains how he transitioned from his early career to franchising restaurants in Thailand, discusses how much Bangkok

Mar 17, 2020 • 33:59

Mixed Messages: Thailand's Confusing PR Machine [Season 4, Episode 21]

The big news of the day is of course the coronavirus, something Greg and Ed have talked about frequently on the bonus show, which goes to our patrons. But on this show, though, the guys dive right in and address the Thai government’s bizarre and inconsistent public declarations about the virus and the government’s policy towards it.  Ed does his best to recount the government’s statements of the last few days: first, an apparent mandatory quarantine of all travelers from nine countries, followed

Mar 10, 2020 • 37:34

Media, Politics, Tech & Censorship with Cod Satrusayang [Season 4, Episode 20]

Greg interviews Cod Satrusayang, editor-in-chief of ThaiEnquirer.com, one of Thailand’s newest news sites. Cod explains that after a decade of experience in the foreign press in Thailand and abroad, he felt that Thailand’s English-language press had been somewhat diluted by corporate meddling and special interests. What the country needed was true independent media from a Thai perspective.  Greg and Cod discuss ‘woke’ culture and the similar role that comedians and journalists play when pushing

Mar 3, 2020 • 42:26

We Ask An Economist: Is Thailand a Poor Country? [Season 4, Episode 19]

People are often quick to call Thailand ‘developing’ or even ‘third world’ - but what do those terms even mean? We decided to find out.  Ed interviews Dan Honig, a professor of international development at Johns Hopkins University. After explaining Dan’s unique educational background and world travels, the guys dig into some basic questions about the Thai economy. Right off the bat, Dan notes that when compared to the entire world, it is not accurate to consider Thailand poor. Instead, it would

Feb 25, 2020 • 45:55

The Big Bangkok Statistics Episode [Season 4, Episode 18]

You might be surprised to learn that two fellows as cool as Greg and Ed can be a bit nerdy, but it’s true! So, in keeping with that theme, this week your hosts jump into a potpourri of Bangkok statistics. Do you know how many sqkm Bangkok is? Or how big Thailand’s GDP is? Or how many airports or kilometers of rail track the kingdom has? In a wide-ranging discussion about the numbers that make up Bangkok (and Thailand), the boys cover geography, population density, population demographics, religi

Feb 18, 2020 • 29:20

Bangkok History Highlight: The Surprising History of Patpong [Season 4, Episode 17]

Greg and Ed interview Michael Messner, long time expat, Patpong bar entrepreneur, and the founder and curator of the Patpong Museum. Opened this year, the Patpong Museum is meant to educate the public on the entire history of the Patpong area, stretching from its earliest development more than 100 years ago until today - and there’s way more to it than just go-go bars! Michael exemplifies the ‘interesting expat,’ having first come to Thailand to expand his art business only to meet a Thai woman

Feb 11, 2020 • 38:32

Neighborhood (Re)Focus: Thonburi, Bangkok’s Brooklyn [Season 4, Episode 16]

In another Neighborhood Focus, the guys revisit an area discussed in Season 2: Thonburi, roughly defined as the ‘other side’ of the river from downtown Bangkok. ‘Revisit’ on the show that is, cause both Greg and Ed have lived in Thonburi for a while - we never left. :)  So why talk about it again? Well, a lot has changed on our side of Bangkok in the two years since we first covered it. The mega chic complex at Icon Siam has sparked a lot of development in the area properly known as Khlong San.

Feb 4, 2020 • 37:39

Discussing Thai-Farang Relationships - With an Uncommon Twist [Season 4, Episode 15]

Everybody knows that intercultural relationships in Thailand are most likely a Thai woman with a foreign man, but things are changing! It’s not as common, but there are plenty of farang women in relationships with Thai men - partnerships that carry their own unique set of challenges! Greg interviews Sam Ormond, an Australian and long-term Bangkokian who has been married to a Thai man for many years. Greg and Sam discuss stereotypes of Thai men that may tend to scare away western women, although

Jan 28, 2020 • 37:08

Who Are You? Remaking Yourself as an Expat [Season 4, Episode 14]

Your hosts get a little deep with the topic this time by kicking off a discussion on expat identity. Can expats reinvent themselves and become someone new in their new country? Should they? Ed chimes in with some immediate support for people doing what they can to get out of a rut or ‘stretch their personalities,’ but also offers concerns about people acting superficial or fake. Greg clarifies that he’s not talking about lying or just making stuff up, but rather breaking free of old, bad habits

Jan 21, 2020 • 32:03

Expat Insights: Tony Joh Talks Travel, Fitting In…and Moving Back to Asia? [Season 4, Episode 13]

Greg interviews Tony Joh, an old friend and co-host of Season 1 of the Bangkok Podcast to reminisce about their true noob status as pioneer podcasters and re-living their early successes (and screw-ups).  Tony then explains his move to Japan and how he liked his job (at first) due to his ability to work from home (and avoid Japanese corporate culture). Lo and behold his small company was bought by a big corporation, and Tony was required to work in the office, significantly decreasing his job sa

Jan 14, 2020 • 1:03:12

Five Observations on What Makes Thai Culture Thai [Season 4, Episode 12]

In a first for the podcast, the boys decide to review a part of the Bangkok Podcast website - the relatively new for Season 4 ‘Resources’ section. A few weeks back we posted a page called ‘Some Thoughts on Thai Culture,’ and it elicited some responses from friends of the podcast, so we decided to dig into it. We don’t want to rehash what’s already there, so if you haven’t read it yet, mosey on over and check it out. In brief, the page lists 5 key characteristics of Thai culture: 1) Respect for a

Jan 7, 2020 • 41:03

The Rules & History of Giving (and Receiving) Alms [Season 4, Episode 11]

It’s been a long time since we sat down with our most returningest guest ever, so we’re psyched to chat with Phra Pandit for our first show of 2020.  We’ve all seen monks going on their daily alms rounds, walking slowly and stoically as laypeople put food and other items in their บาตร, or alms bowl. But how many of you know the history of giving alms? Phra Pandit gets into the details of the practice and answers a few questions - why only go in the morning? Why do monks look so sombre when they

Dec 31, 2019 • 36:27

The Cost of Living in Bangkok 2020 [Season 4, Episode 10]

A new annual tradition begins with a discussion of the cost of living in Bangkok. Greg cites a recent study that puts Bangkok as the 47th most expensive city in the world for expats to live, which might not seem so bad except Bangkok has moved up 43 places (!) from last year.  Ed notes that while things do seem to be getting more expensive, the cost of living is notoriously difficult to measure because it really depends on the specific good or services that you measure. Greg concurs, noting for

Dec 25, 2019 • 28:48

Sai & Luther: What’s it Like Being Blind in Bangkok? [Season 4, Episode 9]

In our ongoing series about living in Bangkok with a disability, Greg interviews Sai Techawongtham, a Thai citizen who is blind, and who has something very rare in Thailand - a guide dog (his name is Luther and he’s a very good boy). Sai has recently received a lot of social media attention due to the fact that many Thai people are unaware of the purpose of guide dogs and often fail to accommodate their use. Sai discusses the difficulty of being blind in Thailand, and compares Bangkok to the U.S

Dec 17, 2019 • 37:55

Bangkok History Highlight: The Samut Prakan Radiation Incident [Season 4, Episode 8]

Greg tells the true story of the ‘Samut Prakan Radiation Incident,’ which happened in Thailand in 2000. A piece of medical equipment that contained the highly radioactive isotope Cobalt 60 was improperly disposed of, and after a series of transactions ended up in the hands of everyday trash collectors. Unaware of its true nature, the men cut open the container with an acetylene torch, unwittingly releasing deadly radiation into the atmosphere.  Those involved soon started showing up at local cli

Dec 10, 2019 • 31:16

Agoda CEO John Brown on Corporate Culture in Bangkok [Season 4, Episode 7]

We’re happy to welcome to the show John Brown, the CEO of Agoda, one of the world’s largest online accommodation platforms. Headquartered in Singapore but with a large support office in Thailand, John explains how the company began and how it’s grown.  Greg and John also discuss what difficulties arise when trying to hire top-tier talent from around the world to come and work in Bangkok, a city not known as a hub of high-tech companies. How do they prove that the move is worth it, and what type

Dec 3, 2019 • 36:48

Did That Just Happen? A Few Stories from Bangkok [Season 4, Episode 6]

In a lighter episode after a few weeks of serious guests and topics, Greg and Ed trade ‘hard to believe that happened’ stories about living in Thailand. Ed begins with a call of nature nightmare that required an impromptu stop at Lumpini Police Station that ended with a terrified woman and a very relieved Ed in the female toilet. Greg follows with a cultural ‘no-no’ in one of the least expected places - a go-go bar - where he innocently used his foot to get the attention of one of the girls. Aft

Nov 26, 2019 • 34:53

Director Tom Waller on The Cave, Thai Film & Telling Stories [Season 4, Episode 5]

Director/producer Tom Waller has made a lot of films, but his latest movie might be his most important yet. The Cave tells the story of the rescue of the Wild Boars football team from a flooded cave in northern Thailand.  On a special extended show, Greg and Ed are happy to have Tom on the show, as well as two special guests, diver/actor Jim Warny, who helped rescue the boys and starred as himself in the film, and composer Olivier Lliboutry! Tom tells us how he walked the line when writing the s

Nov 19, 2019 • 55:08

Are Expats Ambassadors for All Expats? [Season 4, Episode 4]

A bit of news first - the Bangkok Podcast has LINE stickers! Go here to check them out and increase your expressiveness. Sadly, Thai-based users only. On this show, Greg introduces a fascinating question for expats: to what extent should they see themselves as ‘ambassadors’ who represent the country they come from - or indeed, expats in general? Ed opens a bit contrarian, arguing that expats only have a duty to obey the law and not act like jerks, the same as if they were at home. Greg counters

Nov 12, 2019 • 31:30

Future Forward MP Taopiphop Limjittrakorn: Beer, Business and Politics in Thailand [Season 4, Episode 3]

This episode is the second half of our interview with Taopiphop Limjittrakorn, beer advocate and member of Thai Parliament from the Future Forward Party. Ed asks Tao about his decision to run for parliament and how his life has changed since taking his seat. Turns out that once Tao decided to run, he chose Bangkok Yai, a district in Bangkok that is traditionally a stronghold for the Democratic Party. With no experience and a low budget, Tao had to develop his own grassroots campaign strategy, Hi

Nov 5, 2019 • 38:24

Future Forward MP Taopiphop Limjittrakorn: Beer, Business and Politics in Thailand [Season 4, Episode 2]

Greg and Ed are very happy to welcome to the podcast Taopiphop Limjitrikorn, a beer entrepreneur and current member of Thai parliament from the Future Forward Party.  In this first of a two-part interview, Greg and Tao discuss Tao’s background as a lawyer and how he transitioned from that into brewing his own beer, which - believe it or not, he got arrested for! Greg explains, with Tao’s help, that Thai law is shockingly unfair to small brewers, essentially making it impossible for anyone but la

Oct 29, 2019 • 45:38

Same Cool Hosts, Cool New Season [Season 4, Episode 1]

Greg and Ed discuss the absolutely EPIC beginning of season 4 of the Bangkok Podcast. Why start a new season? Well, it turns out that seasons 1 and 2 were in the 70ish episode range and 80 seemed a good round number. Plus, the guys were just ready for some changes! But first - a book giveaway! Listen in to learn how you can win a copy of Working in Thailand by our buddy Karsten, who co-authored. So, what are all these changes about, you ask? First, more content for our Patrons, especially photo

Oct 22, 2019 • 34:12

Neighborhood Focus: Sukhumvit Soi 71 (Phra Kanong) [Season 3, Episode 80]

Big News: This show will be the final episode of Season 3! We figure 80 episodes is the right number given the length of previous seasons, so the Bangkok Podcast will be taking a week off next week before commencing Season 4, which will include a few interesting changes to the show. (Spoiler Alert: Ed is coming back, woo hoo!)  And a quick note - if you want to read the esoteric-yet-fascinating Harvard study on Bangkok’s khlongs that we talk about in the show, you can get it here. So in the last

Oct 8, 2019 • 40:46

Thailand's Evolving Attitude Toward Mental Health [Season 3, Episode 79]

Greg interviews Rex de Koening and Johanna de Koening Schaaij from New Counseling Service, who have been working as therapists in Thailand since 2001. Rex and Johanna begin by explaining that traditionally in Thailand there was no concept of mental health other than the idea that a person is either fine or crazy - nothing in between. Slowly this idea has been changing, however, sparked significantly by the tsunami crisis of 2004, which caused large scale trauma. Johanna notes that traditional so

Oct 1, 2019 • 36:14

Are Bangkok's Floods Getting Worse? [Season 3, Episode 78]

Greg and Ed dive into the flooding crisis in Thailand. (Get it?) Ed begins with some sobering statistics on the recent spate of floods that have affected 34 provinces, including Bangkok, which kicks off some not-so-nostalgic discussions about previous Bangkok flood stories, from wading down the soi in flip flops or simply being trapped at home on an ‘island’ until the water subsides. Granted, considering the flooding issues that some people have dealt with, this is small potatoes.    But have th

Sep 24, 2019 • 32:21

Making Thai Subtitles: Culture, Slang, and Curse Words [Season 3, Episode 77]

Greg interviews Palm, a professional translator of English to Thai, but in a very specific context: subtitles for film and television. Palm begins by explaining that she literally learned English by being a couch potato and watching a lot of Western TV shows and movies, surviving by figuring out the subtitles word by word. This led naturally to an interest in doing it for a living, and lo and behold, her dream came to when she got a job translating for MTV Thailand. Eventually, this led to trans

Sep 17, 2019 • 36:22

Neighborhood Focus: Sukhumvit Soi 11 [Season 3, Episode 76]

Greg and Ed discuss one of their old stomping grounds - Sukhumvit Soi 11, perhaps the most famous destination on Sukhumvit that doesn’t involve a red light district! Beginning with stories of their early days on the soi, when it was primarily known as home to swanky Q Bar and Bed Supperclub, it’s gone through several iterations since then. Indeed, Greg notes that it always seems to be going through a transition, and not just construction-wise. The identity of the soi also seems to change over ti

Sep 10, 2019 • 30:43

Roger Crutchley: Writing About 50 Years in Bangkok [Season 3, Episode 75]

Readers of the Bangkok Post will need no introduction to this week’s guest. Roger Crutchley - or Old Crutch, as he’s known - arrived in Bangkok in 1969 by accident, never intending to stay. Yet here we are, 50 years later, and after a multi-decade career at the Bangkok Post and adventures too numerous to count, he sits down to riff on the past 5 decades in Thailand. From bullet-riddled visa runs to Cambodia, to Vietnam-era beer bars on Phetchburi Road, to Thai protests and coups, Roger has seen

Sep 3, 2019 • 57:48

Second Opinions & Jedi Lies: Stories from Bangkok's Hospitals [Season 3, Episode 74]

Sooner or later, we all spend some time in the hospital, so Greg and Ed riff on their myriad experiences in Bangkok hospitals over the years. But before we get into that, we should note - due to Thailand’s strict defamation laws, some of the places we talk about will remain nameless.  But with that out of the way, we can say that Thailand in general has pretty good medical care, and it is standard advice for travelers in neighboring countries to get over the border into Thailand if they have any

Aug 27, 2019 • 45:00

Bangkok Social: Conversations That Matter at Aristotle’s Cafe

Greg talks to Hassan Ghiassi, the creator and organizer of Aristotle’s Cafe, a Bangkok group that focuses on meetups that involve discussions and debates on questions voted on by the participants themselves.  Firstly, Aristotle’s Cafe is a format, and the location is not fixed. At the beginning of each meetup, the attendees submit questions and then vote on what to discuss. But does the same format work equally well in different cities and cultures? Greg raises issues from his own experience abo

Aug 20, 2019 • 33:55

Expat Destinations: Bangkok vs. Phnom Penh [Season 3, Episode 72]

First up - apologies for Greg’s bad audio on this episode! Small technical problem, and it sounds like he’s talking on a phone from Peru. Luckily, Ed does most of the talking! Speaking of Ed, he recently returned from 4 days in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, his first-ever visit. The city’s going through somewhat of a renaissance of late, with plenty of discussion online about PP vs BKK. So what’s Ed’s verdict? As a matter of course, Greg introduces the subject by urging listeners to learn about Cambodia

Aug 13, 2019 • 40:47

Transport Engineer Don Siridhara Digs Deep into Bangkok’s Rail Network [Season 3, Episode 71]

With the iminent opening of the MRT Blue Line extension, we sit down with Don Siridhara, a lecturer and transportation planning engineer, to geek out over Bangkok’s expanding rail network. But first - you might want to consult this handy Google Map that Greg made as you listen that shows all future rail lines. It’s our first interactive show! Don discusses why Bangkok’s first train line only opened in 1999, why it’s taken so long to get up to speed, the challenges of grafting a modern rail syst

Aug 6, 2019 • 44:43

Why Do Expats Leave Thailand? [Season 3, Episode 70]

Greg and Ed address an important but tricky question: Why do expats leave Thailand? How do you know when the right time to leave is? The boys ponder the various reasons why to find out what’s more common - work or family issues, personal problems with fitting in, or more Thai-centric problems such as just plain growing tired of Bangkok, Thai culture, or the confusing politics. Greg recounts several expat families who have left due to the expense of international schools for their kids, while Ed

Jul 30, 2019 • 35:09

Making Bangkok Accessible for All: Khun Saba Keeps Fighting [Season 3, Episode 69]

First - don’t forget our meetup on 27 July at Smalls. Get more info here. And also don’t forget that both Greg AND Ed will be speaking at Bombyx on 26 July. Get more info here. Okay, on this episode Greg interviews Khun Saba, a disabled rights activist in Bangkok. It’s a topic near and dear to the Bangkok Podcast, because we want everyone to enjoy Bangkok, which is very hard to do if you don’t have full mobility. Khun Saba explains that he became aware of the difficulty of moving around Thai cit

Jul 23, 2019 • 42:19

Dr. Vorapot Discusses Bangkok’s Dengue Dangers [Season 3, Episode 68]

Dengue infections are off the chart this year, and it pays to know the dangers. Do you? ARE YOU SURE? Greg interviews Dr. Vorapot, an expert in travel medicine and in particular tropical diseases such as dengue fever. Greg and Dr. V review the scary data on the increases in dengue cases in Thailand, noting that different types of mosquitoes breed in different environments. Luckily, the type that carries malaria tends to breed in clean water in the jungle, but other types can breed in cities such

Jul 16, 2019 • 36:05

Director Pailin Wedel Talks About Her Film ‘Hope Frozen’ [Season 3, Episode 67]

A bit of self-promotion first - we’re happy to see that the Bangkok Podcast was chosen as one of 2019’s top 25 expat podcasts over at Feedspot. A great honor! Now to the show... Greg and Ed are psyched to sit down with Pailin Wedel, a Thai-American journalist and filmmaker based in Bangkok, about her new film “Hope Frozen.” Pailin talks a bit about her background as a journalist making short documentary pieces for Al Jazeera and other news outlets. Her new film, however, sprang from a chance mee

Jul 9, 2019 • 42:19

Bangkok History Highlight: The Cambodian Thai Soap Opera Riots of 2003 [Season 3, Episode 66]

Continuing our series on interesting events in Thai history, Greg introduces the Thai-Cambodian ‘crisis’ of 2003. It started when rumors began spreading that a Thai soap opera actress, Suvanant Kongying, had said Cambodia had ‘stolen’ Angkor Wat from Thailand. After the Cambodian Prime Minister repeated the allegations and banned Thai radio programs and TV shows, anti-Thai mobs began to form in Phnom Penh and soon became violent, leading to looting, evacuations, threats of military action, and e

Jul 2, 2019 • 32:44

Dating in Bangkok: Expat Women Share Stories & Advice - Part 2 [Season 3, Episode 65]

Part 2 of a panel discussion with four guests! Why four? Well, everyone knows that cliche about Bangkok being a heaven for expat men, but we didn’t know much about what it’s like for expat women. It stands to reason that one woman can’t speak for all women, so we upped the game a bit. We discuss a myriad of stories that show how complex, nuanced, and (depending on the person) important the issue is to a life well lived in the capital. Among many other things, the ladies discuss dating horror sto

Jun 25, 2019 • 50:11

Dating in Bangkok: Expat Women Share Their Stories - Part 1 [Season 3, Episode 64]

It’s a very unique episode of the Bangkok Podcast! Greg and Ed do a first for the the show, with a panel discussion with four guests! Why four? Well, everyone knows that cliche about Bangkok being a heaven for expat men, but we didn’t know much about expat women. It stands to reason that one woman can’t speak for all women, so we upped the game a bit. After some introductions, we get into the meat of the show, with a myriad of stories that show how complex, nuanced, and (depending on the person)

Jun 18, 2019 • 45:20

Ed vs. Reverse Culture Shock [Season 3, Episode 63]

When you’ve been an expat for a long time and don’t visit home regularly, what’s it like going back?  Is reverse culture shock even real? Greg and Ed discuss Ed’s first trip back to the States in 4 years to see how ed digested it all. Usually one to enjoy his trips back, Ed notes two major things that struck him: first, without the language and cultural barriers, things unexpectedly just work, and the feeling of standing there not knowing what to do when things go well is a little weird. Second,

Jun 11, 2019 • 37:31

Driving in Bangkok: Cars vs. Motorbikes [Season 3, Episode 62]

With Ed still on vacation, Greg is joined by special co-host Scott Coates to discuss a question of the ages - when driving in Bangkok, what’s the best way to do it - car, or motorbike? Despite neither of the guys having their own transportation for their first 15 or so years in town, both now drive regularly - Greg in a car, and Scott on a motorbike. So which one is best? They discuss the ups and downs of each type of ride, special gear bike riders need, the limitations that car drivers face, an

Jun 4, 2019 • 29:29

Talking with Phra Pandit: Amulets, Talismans, Relics & Faith [Season 3, Episode 61]

It’s been a while, but one of our favorite semi-regular guests is back! Bangkok Podcast’s official Buddhist correspondent, Phra Pandit, welcomed Greg at his temple to talk about amulets, talismans, and Buddhist relics - and what ties them all together. The burning question Greg had was - if seemingly every third temple claims to have a piece of Buddha’s body - what exactly happened to the poor guy when he died? Phra Pandit explains the history behind the idea of Buddhist relics and what Buddha s

May 28, 2019 • 35:48

Up Close and Personal: Live Storytelling at Bombyx [Season 3, Episode 60]

Bangkok’s live performance scene is evolving in some interesting ways, and nowhere is that more clear than at Bombyx, the city’s most popular live storytelling event. We chat with organizer John Englander about the history of the event and what makes it special, including how speakers are chosen (and rejected), and what ingredients it takes from Bangkok’s eclecting local and expat communities. John also tells us about his own first experience as a Bombyx speaker, and how terror quickly turned in

May 21, 2019 • 36:12

Gadget Geeks in Bangkok [Season 3, Episode 59]

Are you a gadget geek? Greg and Ed sure are, and they discuss some of the key places in Bangkok for people to get their gadget geek jollies. But it ain’t all e-wine and circuit board roses in Bangkok; Ed notes that the best places in the world to buy technology are still in the United States, Singapore and Hong Kong. That being said, Thai prices might be better than certain places such as Australia and Europe. The boys next discuss the main places to go if you’re on the hunt for gear - Pantip Pl

May 14, 2019 • 35:09

Bangkok Informed: What It’s Like Moderating an Expat Facebook Group [Season 3, Episode 58]

Most of us have used one type of expat group or another, so you know that they’re often a chaotic mix of helpful advice, strange questions, and angry debates. Helpful? Sometimes. Boring? Never. On this episode, Greg interviews Blake Sibbitt, the creator of a relatively new Facebook group called Bangkok Informed, who talks about what goes on behind the scenes. Blake explains the basic goal behind his forum: to split the difference between highly curated forums where participants must follow a str

May 7, 2019 • 38:34

Dealing With Common Expat Problems in Bangkok [Season 3, Episode 57]

Bangkok is a great city to be an expat in, but it’s not without its challenges. On this show, Greg and Ed compare Bangkok to other expat destinations around the world based on a number of issues from an article Greg read about expat life. From missing your support network, to worry about finances, to worries over romance and dating, the issues are very real, but also very different, depending on which city you’re in. For instance, both feel that Bangkok is a very easy city to find a new support

Apr 30, 2019 • 40:18

Charity, Kindness & Food: Talking With Courageous Kitchen's Dwight Turner [Season 3, Episode 56]

Greg interviews Dwight Turner, the founder of Courageous Kitchen, a nonprofit organization that centers on food and nutrition education for at-risk youth and families in Bangkok. Dwight recounts the start of the organization and how it sprang from a simple desire to find something more meaningful in his life after the traveling and partying were done. Over time, the organization evolved into a program that teaches young people how and what to cook. Seems easy, but for those at risk - such as Ban

Apr 23, 2019 • 29:52

How Quickly Are You Prepared to Leave Bangkok? [Season 3, Episode 55]

On this episode, Greg and Ed discuss the concept of a “Go Bag” - that is, a bag that always stays packed in case you need to get outta Dodge. Both hosts know people who have them, but it’s a concept that’s different for everyone. It might seem alarmist, but here in Bangkok, things can sometimes go bad in a hurry. But how do you define a Go Bag? As Greg explains, it could be something as simple as making sure you have the supplies to work from home for a few days in case of something bad happenin

Apr 16, 2019 • 27:34

HUBBA Thailand CEO Talks Real Estate, Coworking & Entrepreneurism [Season 3, Episode 54]

Greg interviews Aim Chareonphan, the CEO of Hubba Thailand, a coworking pioneer in Thailand. From humble beginnings borne out of a frustration with coworking spaces that weren’t...quite...there yet, Aim and his partner conceived of a place that was more than just a workspace; somewhere that provided a community that supports entrepreneurs and startups, a resource itself rather than just a place to get work done. Aim details the many obstacles his company has faced, not the least of which was edu

Apr 9, 2019 • 43:14

Bangkok History Highlight: The Amazing Career and Tragic Death of Mitr Chaibancha [Season 3, Episode 53]

First of all - we’re on YouTube! Well, just the audio of each show, but still...makes it easier to listen. Head on over to our channel and subscribe! On to the show… In a continuation of the series on Thai history, Greg and Ed discuss the fascinating career and tragic death of Mitr Chaibancha, perhaps Thailand’s greatest movie star. From his early days growing poverty to a promising career as a lightweight Muay Thai fighter, to an Air Force flight at Don Meuang Royal Thai Air Force base, Khun M

Apr 2, 2019 • 29:16

Season 3 Retrospective: Looking Back on 1 Year [Season 3, Episode 52]

Greg and Ed reminisce about Ed’s first year as co-host of the Bangkok Podcast. Ed begins with a big ‘thank you’ to Greg for giving him the opportunity, and Greg gives a brief history of the BP over the years, from Season 1 with Tony Joh, which lasted for about a year and a half, to Season 2 with Evo Terra, which lasted about the same amount of time, and then to the last year with Ed. Ed talks about what he has liked and disliked about being the co-host, such as the weekly deadlines that are a bi

Mar 26, 2019 • 41:43

Bored Expats: Getting Your Groove Back in Bangkok [Season 3, Episode 51]

Bangkok is a giant, chaotic, constantly evolving megalopolis. But guess what? If you live here long enough, you’ll get bored. Happens to everybody. You’ll lose your groove and get stuck in a rut. So what to do? Greg and Ed give their best advice as long term expats, focusing mainly on relocating to a lesser known, more Thai parts of the city. With a quick introduction interview by Greg’s buddy Dom, who recently had his attitude changed by moving across town, the boys recount moving to new neighb

Mar 19, 2019 • 41:20

Talking Muay Thai With Fighter Matt Lucas [Season 3, Episode 50]

Greg interviews writer, commentator, and Muay Thai fighter Matt Lucas about the life of a foreigner in Bangkok practicing the Thai national sport. Matt begins with his background story - living in San Francisco and choosing between working in a bar and being becoming a drunk or practicing Muay Thai and only drinking on weekends. :) Muay Thai won out, and he Matt became serious about the sport, travelled to Thailand, and eventually relocated here. Matt is not only a fighter, he’s also a chronicle

Mar 12, 2019 • 42:00

Bangkok's Best Photography Spots [Season 3, Episode 49]

The guys discuss something of great interest to many of our listeners - where to take the best photos in Bangkok. Ed begins by discussing main tourist attractions such as temples; they have been photographed millions of times, but if you aren’t looking for something unique, Bangkok’s disparate temples are a great place to practice. For something a little out of the way, Ed also recommends a trip to Ayutthaya for a ‘mini-Angkor’ experience, which, while also over-photographed, is something specia

Mar 5, 2019 • 32:20

Thailand in the Rearview: Catching Up With Evo Terra [Season 3, Episode 48]

Has it already been a whole year? Greg interviews former co-host Evo Terra, who has been back in the United States for one year since leaving Thailand. What does he miss? What doesn’t he miss? And more importantly - can Evo get his precious fish sauce in Phoenix? But before that, we gotta mention our giveaway of sweet, sweet jerky by Siam BBQ Company - listen to learn how you can win a box of free meat! (That sounds dodgy, but trust us, it’s delicious). Evo begins - naturally - with Thai food, s

Feb 26, 2019 • 39:02

Do Thais Really Smile More Than Anyone? [Season 3, Episode 47]

“The Land of Smiles” has been one of the most successful marketing campaigns in history. So much so, that many people come to Thailand thinking that every single person in the country is a smiling angel, and are shocked when someone is mean or tries to scam them. This is Greg’s theory anyway, and it’s one of many that he and Ed discuss as they ponder if Thailand really is deserving of its title as one of the friendliest countries in the world. Spoiler - both Greg and Ed think it probably is, but

Feb 19, 2019 • 33:16

Sueching Chin Talks Tech & Thai Culture [Season 3, Episode 46]

Searching for some insight into how technology is shaping the next generation of Thais, Greg interviews Sueching Chin, a TV host, writer, editor, emcee, and media personality who focuses on technology in Thailand. Greg and Sueching begin with the unique way that Thais use social media such as LINE or Instagram to set up, manage, and advertise a small business, which is something not often seen outside of Thailand. This leads into a discussion about the limitations on social media in a country ru

Feb 12, 2019 • 38:29

Neighborhood Focus: Thong Lor [Season 3, Episode 45]

In a return to ‘Neighborhood Focus,’ Greg and Ed dive into the jam-packed area surrounding Sukhumvit Soi 55, aka Thong Lor, describing a recent night out they planned in order to give them a refresher on the quickly-evolving area. At the beginning of the soi near Thonglor BTS, Ed sings the praises of Hummus Boutique while Greg emphasizes the excellent street food and, on the other end of the cost spectrum, the rooftop bar Octave at the Marriott on Soi 57. Wotta view! Before entering the soi prop

Feb 5, 2019 • 42:38

What's it Like Teaching Political Science in a Thai University? [Season 3, Episode 44]

In this episode, a curious Greg queries Ed about what it’s like to teach political science in Thailand, a country that has suffered two coups since the boys arrived and which has been under military rule for the last four years. Ed talks about his early days in the Kingdom, and his naive belief that Thailand had broken out of the ‘vicious cycle’ of semi-democracy and military intervention. Haha, silly Ed, because his happytime thoughts were followed, to his shock, by the 2006 coup and its follow

Jan 29, 2019 • 40:57

Christopher G. Moore on Bangkok, Creativity & Storytelling [Season 3, Episode 43]

Greg interviews author and noted man-about-town Christopher G. Moore, who returns to the show after appearing in Episode 44 of Season 1. In a wide ranging and philosophical discussion, Greg and Christopher dive into all the bells, whistles, and otherwise that come up in the complicated, messy, and very rewarding journey to putting down a story on paper and making it relatable, exciting, and new. They discuss the creative process, the need for writers to create empathy in their characters, the ef

Jan 22, 2019 • 36:29

The Good, the Bad & the Embarrassing: Thai Maid Stories [Season 3, Episode 42]

In this episode, Greg and Ed discuss a very common issue among expats: how to find a good maid. While very common here, finding a maid is one of the most talked-about tasks when it comes to domestic logistics. The boys first frame the issue by pointing out that maids are much more common in Thailand than in the West and that many middle class people in Bangkok employ domestic help. Greg relates the awkwardness he felt while sitting around in his apartment while his maid cleaned because as a kid

Jan 15, 2019 • 35:52

Yoga, Spirituality, and Meditation in Thailand with Marisa Cranfill [Season 3, Episode 41]

Ed welcomes back Marisa Cranfill, who was a guest on episode 61 of season 1, where she educated Greg and Tony with her deep knowledge on Thai spirit houses. This time Marisa - a long-time Bangkok resident and noted expert in various styles of yoga and meditation - tells her story of studying abroad in China for university and finding the traditional Chinese practice of ‘qigong’ or life energy mastery, which gave her a whole new perspective on life. Since then, she has spent her time between Bang

Jan 8, 2019 • 51:27

MAQE COO Drew Kamthong Talks Tech, Design & Management in Bangkok [Season 3, Episode 40]

This week Greg interviews Drew Kamthong of MAQE, a digital consultancy that started as a web design firm that has transformed into a full blown consulting agency for a myriad of digital solutions. Drew talks about some of the challenges companies face in Thailand, particularly when they implement modern management techniques such as Scrum and a workplace culture that rewards full transparency and merit-based promotions. Drew explains MAQE’s unique system of ‘guilds and crews’ to train and reward

Dec 25, 2018 • 43:30

Merry Christmas from the 'Kok! [Season 3, Episode 39]

It’s the annual Bangkok Podcast Christmas Blowout, with free gifts to all of our listeners! Well, that’s a complete lie, actually. But it IS Christmas, which means the boys feel compelled to discuss what it’s like to spend Christmas in Bangkok. From newbies experiencing their first working yuletide, to the sticky weather when it should be a winter wonderland, to most Thais shrugging their shoulders at the whole thing, Greg and Ed discuss how their own Christmas habits have evolved over the years

Dec 18, 2018 • 29:59

The Expat Hassle of Keeping Old Friendships Alive [Season 3, Episode 38]

This week the guys address a common concern of long term expats: how best to keep in touch with family and friends back home. That is...if you want to. We’re lucky that modern technology such as Facebook and Skype make it technologically easy to keep in touch, but the simple fact of being 5,000 miles away makes it impossible to keep track of the minutiae (and sometimes even the broad strokes) of people’s lives. Both Greg and Ed admit that some triage is required; difficult choices must be made a

Dec 11, 2018 • 37:24

Community, Philanthropy, and Condoms with Mechai Varivaidya - Part Two [Season 3, Episode 37]

In Thailand, there are plenty of household names, but not many of them bring a smile and a twinkle to the eye the way that “Mechai” does. If you’re unfamiliar with Mechai Varivaidya, you’re missing out. Known as Mr. Condom, Mechai’s career began in the 1970s when he became famous for traveling around the country giving out condoms - a truly unconventional (even controversial) thing to do at the time. His tireless promotion of condoms, family planning, and community health have made him a househo

Dec 4, 2018 • 36:40

Community, Philanthropy, and Condoms with Mechai Varivaidya - Part One [Season 3, Episode 36]

In Thailand, there are plenty of household names, but not many of them bring a smile and a twinkle to the eye the way that “Mechai” does. If you’re unfamiliar with Mechai Varivaidya, you’re missing out. Known as Mr. Condom, Mechai’s career began in the 1970s when he became famous for traveling around the country giving out condoms - a truly unconventional (even controversial) thing to do at the time. His tireless promotion of condoms, family planning, and community health have made him a househo

Nov 27, 2018 • 38:22

Bangkok History Highlight: The Blue Diamond Affair [Season 3, Episode 35]

Continuing our series on interesting episodes in Thai history, this episode focuses on the infamous Blue Diamond Affair, It all started when a Thai gardener named Kriangkrai Techamon, who was working in Saudi Arabia, decided to make off with $20 million worth of gems and jewelry belonging to a Saudi royal. Although the thief was caught shortly after his return to Thailand, he had already sold much of the loot, including the famed 50 karat ‘Blue Diamond.’ No problem - the gems were returned to Sa

Nov 20, 2018 • 28:29

Insight Into Thailand's Burmese Refugees [Season 3, Episode 34]

Anyone familiar with Southeast Asia knows how complicated the issue of refugees is. Thailand, as the wealthiest country in the region, plays an important role in this. To gain some insight into things, Ed interviews Ploy Singthainiyom, an expert on refugees in Thailand. Ploy explains that she has worked in Bangkok, northern Thailand, and the United States on various refugee issues, focusing on Burmese refugees from the Karen minority who have fled into Thailand and live in camps near the border.

Nov 14, 2018 • 45:28

Nov 16 Meetup

Hey guys, Greg here. I know this will only be of interest to some of you, but a few listeners pointed out that on the most recent show about our favorite farang food joints in Bangok, we said the upcoming meetup was on the 10th of November. Well, yes we did say that, but were VERY WRONG! The meetup is actually on Friday, 16th November at Smalls. You can find all the details on our Facebook page. Sorry about this short little podcastlet, but the next regular episode won't drop until after the 10t

Nov 7, 2018 • 0:38

Our Favorite Farang Food Joints in Bangkok [Season 3, Episode 33]

This week is a special on-location show at a Pizza Company restaurant in a highly secret, undisclosed location (to ensure the BP hosts are not mobbed by adoring fans), where Greg and Ed kick things off by daring to try the new ‘durian pizza.’ Alas, as anyone who listened to last week’s bonus show might know, neither Ed nor Greg are huge durian fans, so - what’s the verdict? You’ll have to listen to find out. The hosts then discuss the best places (in their not-so-humble opinions) to eat farang f

Nov 6, 2018 • 27:33

A Look at Bangkok's Contemporary Art Scene [Season 3, Episode 32]

To get some insight into Bangkok’s art scene, Greg interviews Nim Niyomsin, an independent art curator. She gives her views on the ups and downs of being an artist in a culture that is widely known as extremely creative, but which lacks the support and infrastructure other countries take for granted. For those not in the know, getting insight into the creative culture of Bangkok might seem difficult, but Nim says it’s really just a matter of putting a bit of research into it, and hitting the pav

Oct 30, 2018 • 30:18

Neighborhood Focus: Victory Monument [Season 3, Episode 31]

The Victory Monument area of Bangkok is unique in that it combines the old - the monument itself is of a Thai victory against the French in WWII - and the new - the skytrain and multiple modern condo developments. Click here to see a great blog by Greg where you can compare old and new photos of the same area - including the Victory Monument, taken in 1946. Greg uses the compass to circle around Victory Monument, describing the various areas that surround the chaotic transport hub. One nearly u

Oct 23, 2018 • 32:40

Expat Insights: Owning a Restaurant in Bangkok [Season 3, Episode 30]

A common dream for many expats in Thailand is to open their own bar or restaurant. Ed interviews Matthew Fischer, a local restaurateur and bar owner, who has successfully started two bars in Bangkok - Fatty’s on Rama IX, and the Fat Tap off of Ekkamai. Matthew recounts the trials and tribulations that took Fatty’s from a mere whisper of an idea to a six-year Bangkok institution. But it certainly ain’t for everyone - Matthew’s tale is a cautionary one. Long hours in the kitchen, the stress of fin

Oct 16, 2018 • 41:24

Thai Ghost Stories: Myth and Terror [Season 3, Episode 29]

This week’s subject is the fascinating mythology of Thai ghosts, which, as anyone who has spent any time here knows, are a pretty big deal in Thai culture. In the west, ghosts and the supernatural are met with skepticism by most, so it’s easy to be dismissive. But Ed puts things in perspective by saying that Thailand’s ghost stories work better if you think of them like the mythology of Greek gods - huge, varied, and very creative. As someone who teaches a critical thinking class, Ed opines abou

Oct 9, 2018 • 38:55

Gay Rights in Thailand [Season 3, Episode 28]

Ed interviews Thanita ‘Ninar’ Wongprasert, a former UN employee and long time activist in the LGBTQI community in Thailand. Ninar talks about what it’s like to be gay in Thailand in general and points out that every individual’s experience is different. Ed and Ninar then discuss whether Thailand is liberal or conservative - and why such black & white classifications might be doing the pontificator and country a disservice. And speaking of disservice - given Thailand’s non-confrontational culture

Oct 2, 2018 • 42:38

Bangkok History Highlight: Phlaek Phibunsongkram [Season 3, Episode 27]

Greg and Ed try something new with the first in a series of episodes that look at interesting events in Bangkok’s history. For this one, they delve into one of Thailand’s most interesting personalities - Phlaek Phibunsongkram. Phlaek, or simply Phibun, was a military man who gained prominence as a member of the group that organized the 1932 coup that ended absolute monarchy in Thailand. Phibun was enamored with the fascist leaders of Europe and crafted a cult of personality around himself in Tha

Sep 25, 2018 • 45:38

Insight into Bangkok’s Mobile Street Vendors [Season 3, Episode 26]

Greg interviews Kisnaphol “Keng” Wattanawanyoo, an expert in the informal aspects of urban life, and in the case of Bangkok, the plethora of mobile street vendors. While Bangkok is in a rush to modernize and clean up its streets, the mobile vendor subculture is alive and well - but for how long? Greg and Keng discuss where these folks come from, where they buy their merch, and explains the informal network they use to keep each other up to date, train new recruits, and mark their territory. Abov

Sep 18, 2018 • 32:06

Permanent Residency in Thailand: Worth It? [Season 3, Episode 25]

Greg and Ed jump into the tricky issue of whether it is worth it for expats to gain permanent residency status in Thailand, also known as PR. It’s a good topic, because while Greg is still a stateless savage, Ed actually does have PR. So what is PR? Essentially, it’s a permanent visa that obviates the need to do border runs or 90 day reporting. But significantly, Thai PR does not include the right to work or the right to own property; plus, it can be expensive, at 195,000 baht for the those not

Sep 11, 2018 • 39:05

Author Patrick Winn on Organized Crime in Southeast Asia [Season 3, Episode 24]

The podcast is very pleased to welcome back journalist Patrick Winn, who previously appeared on the show in its very early days - episode 11 of season 1, to be precise. Patrick recently authored a book called “Hello Shadowlands: Inside the Meth Fiefdoms, Rebel Hideouts, and Bomb-Scarred Party Towns of Southeast Asia” and the subject matter is as exciting as the title would suggest. Patrick discusses his time in Myanmar with gangs of militant Christians who kidnap drug addicts in an attempt to fo

Sep 4, 2018 • 43:47

What Are People Asking Google About Thailand? [Season 3, Episode 23]

Google searches have become a treasure trove of information on modern cultures, and something that everyone from students to seniors use to find information. One interesting feature is Google’s autocomplete, which makes guesses on what you’re looking for based on what others are searching for. So what does Google’s autocomplete say about Thailand? Greg tries various combinations of Thailand-related questions, such as ‘Is Thailand...’ or ‘Will Bangkok . . .’ with results ranging from the mundane

Aug 28, 2018 • 35:27

Endangered Languages & Evolving Thai with Linguist Rikker Dockum [Season 3, Episode 22]

What if you got into a time machine and jumped forward a few hundred years, only to discover when you arrived that no one spoke your language anymore? It’s happened plenty of times (not the time machine thing, but languages dying out), so we wondered...could it happen to Thai? Greg interviews friend of the show Rikker Dockum, a linguist finishing his PhD at Yale, who has been doing research in northwest Burma on a local dialect that is part of the same family of languages as Thai. After discussi

Aug 21, 2018 • 37:51

Jobs You Can’t Do, and Drugs You Can (Maybe) [Bonus 21]

Just for a bit of fun, we're releasing this week's bonus episode for all our listeners! Patrons of the Bangkok Podcast get the regular show + a bonus show every week. To learn more, go to https://www.patreon.com/bangkokpodcast Greg and Ed - still trying to digest the news from last week’s show with attorney Jerrold Kippen - discuss the significance of the (hopeful) changes to Thailand’s work permit laws. Just for a bit of fun, Greg also goes through the professions prohibited to foreigners, real

Aug 17, 2018 • 23:44

Neighborhood Focus - Ari [Season 3, Episode 21]

Another in our continuing series on Bangkok’s coolest and most notable places to live or visit! This week we focus on the Ari neighborhood, which roughly surrounds the Ari BTS station. Greg recounts the four years he lived in the neighborhood and shares a few insights into what makes it unique. Ed also ponders is demographic makeup - a lot of educated expats living and hanging out right next to working class Thais, patrons of upscale eateries, craft beer bars, and hole-in-the-wall joints that ca

Aug 14, 2018 • 29:19

Thai Work Permits: What Just Changed? [Season 3, Episode 20]

If you’ve even a passing interest in living in Thailand, you’ve likely heard of the recent changes to the Kingdom’s work permit laws - the legal requirements of being employed here there are written in stone which, it turns out, are not written in stone. Greg interviews Jerrold Kippen of the law firm of Duensing Kippen about these changes, which were highlighted in a recent article his firm wrote. It’s big news! Traditionally, Thai work permits for foreigners were interpreted very narrowly, mea

Aug 7, 2018 • 24:33

Trainspotting: The Past, Present & Future of Rail Travel in Thailand [Season 3, Episode 19]

This week your intrepid hosts discuss all manner of rail travel in Bangkok and beyond, and the role that the train system plays in Thai society. For most foreigners rail is a convenient alternative, but for many Thais (and others throughout the world), it’s the only option, leading to some interesting financial, logistical, and economic repercussions. Greg and Ed also trade stories of riding the overnight train to Chiang Mai and other rail adventures they’ve had over the years, and then discuss

Jul 31, 2018 • 31:55

Unique Perspectives: Thailand's Third Culture Kids [Season 3, Episode 18]

What do you do if the culture you grew up in isn’t your own - or even your parents’? You adapt, dammit, and become what’s known as a Third Culture Kid, or TCK, if you’re cool. Ed interviews his recently graduated student Mook Ishimura, a half-Thai, half-Japanese ‘third culture kid,’ who is a Thai citizen but who grew up mostly in the United States and Indonesia before moving to Thailand for university. They discuss the rather unusual situation of feeling LESS comfortable in your ‘passport countr

Jul 24, 2018 • 39:12

The Risks and Rewards of Biking in Bangkok [Season 3, Episode 17]

On this episode, Master Yoda Biker Greg counsels young padawan Ed in the ways of biking in Bangkok, focusing either on the casual rider looking for some exercise or adventure, the commuter looking for a way through Bangkok’s notoriously bad traffic (and unreliable BTS!), or the adventurer looking to blaze new trails (for an example of this, see this week’s episode artwork of Greg’s good friend Paul exploring a new trail). Greg and Ed discuss all the important points of biking in Bangkok - safety

Jul 17, 2018 • 30:52

Talking With Phra Pandit: What's Up With Buddhist Novices? [Season 3, Episode 16]

Have you ever seen those little kids walking around a temple dressed as monks? Well guess what - they ARE monks! Sort of. Mostly. Well, probably more than you are, anyway. Definitely more than we are. On this episode, Greg talks to perennial BP favorite Phra Pandit - a real, actual monk - about Thai novices, which is what not-yet-monks are called in Thailand. Pandit explains the origin of the 'novice’ concept and how children in Thailand are often placed in temples due to family or behavioral is

Jul 10, 2018 • 33:46

Neighborhood Focus: Ekkamai [Season 3, Episode 15]

As all expats know, Bangkok is a gigantic, sprawling metropolis, but it does contain dozens of identifiable neighborhoods, each with its own personality, vibe, and reasons to go (or not to go) for a visit. On this show, the guys dive into the Ekkamai area, the long, skinny section that stretches from Sukhumvit to Petchaburi along Sukhumivit Soi 63. Not only does this include Soi Ekkamai proper, but also the many side sois that snake and wind and tumble west, toward Thong Lor, and east, toward Su

Jul 3, 2018 • 27:25

Teaching Critical Thinking in Thailand [Season 3, Episode 14]

In a culture where most people have seen ghosts, visit fortune tellers, and where questioning authority is kind of, sort of, not really cool, critical thinking may seem like a foreign concept. However, we happen to have an expert on hand - our own Ed “The Truth” Knuth, who teaches a critical thinking class as part of his university course. On the surface, it may seem that Thais are worse at thinking critically than westerners, but Ed explains that (at least in his opinion), it really depends on

Jun 26, 2018 • 33:30

How Has Bangkok Changed Us? [Season 3, Episode 13]

Something a little different this week - a host swap! Greg is joined by co-host Scott Coates, one of his oldest friends in Thailand. Scott co-hosts the Talk Travel Asia podcast with Trevor Ranges, and, if you head over there, you will be able to hear The Bangkok Podcast’s other host, Ed “The Truth” Knuth, co-hosting a show with Trevor. Everything will be back to normal next week, but we thought a bit of crossover action would be fun. (And in case you’re wondering, the artwork for this week’s epi

Jun 19, 2018 • 31:57

Talking Overtourism With Stuart McDonald from Travelfish.org [Season 3, Episode 12]

From a cute lil’ gazebo on the rooftop of a newly-renovated hotel in Chinatown, Greg, Ed, and Stuart from Travelfish.org jump into the complex issue of “overtourism” in Thailand. Beginning with a definition of the term (roughly when the number of tourists exceeds the capacity of the existing infrastructure to properly service them), Stuart describes the situation in a number of popular tourist destinations in Thailand. It’s a tricky subject - if one destination starts to get a bit too touristy,

Jun 12, 2018 • 28:27

Finding the Groove: Live Music in Bangkok [Season 3, Episode 11]

We start off with some good news! Throwing back to episode 2.18 and guest Sawang Srisom, a disabled rights activist, Greg is happy to report that the city just gave a huge chunk of change to to the BTS so that they can finally add elevators to all stations! Really, it’s about time - Bangkok’s disabled facilities are embarrassingly unsuitable. Greg and Ed then get into the meat of the show - live music in Bangkok. After lamenting the scene compared to the U.S. and Canada, they chat about some of

Jun 5, 2018 • 29:45

Reverse Culture Shock with Evo Terra [Season 3, Episode 10]

Greg welcomes former co-host Evo Terra back to the podcast after his repatriation to the good old U.S.A. Evo describes his new life in Phoenix and his many adjustments, including trying to drive on the right (that is, not left) side of the road. He also recounts the difficulty of finding a furnished apartment at a reasonable price and laments the relatively decent cost of living in the City of Angels (Thai version). Shopping for food has also been a challenge, due to the fact that Evo actually k

May 29, 2018 • 39:12

The Good, the Bad, the Cuddly: Raising a Kid in Bangkok [Season 3, Episode 9]

Episode links: My interview with the guys at This Strange Life podcast https://soundcloud.com/this_strange_life/tsl04-tsl04-from-surviving-to-thriving-in-bangkok-with-greg-from-the-bangkok-podcast Bangkok may be great for the childless among us, but what about those expats who want to raise a family here? As a married guy without kids, Ed questions Greg about the pros and cons of being a parent in Bangkok. The conversation starts with a peek into the insane cost and stress of deciding which sch

May 22, 2018 • 33:31

Stu Jay Raj: The Inside Story of Thai Vowels [Season 3, Episode 8]

Key links for this show: StuJay.com Hey, do you know the difference between ใ and ไ? What about เ and แ? Well, we sort of do, but you know who really does? This week’s guest, Stu Jay Raj. What started as a simple question from Greg to Stu about Thai vowels gets turned around as Stu - noted linguist, polyglot, and all around swell dude - starts asking questions of Greg, slowly revealing a method of thinking about Thai vowels that isn’t so obvious. Thai language learners will be mouthing along wit

May 15, 2018 • 36:03

Bangkok Life Advice We’d Give our Younger Selves [Season 3, Episode 7]

Greg and Ed have each been in Thailand for more than 15 years, and along the way have done a lot of things right - but also a lot of things wrong. So in the spirit of the almighty do-over, they each thought of three pieces of advice they would give to their early Thailand selves. First of all, the boys skip the obvious piece of advice - learn Thai - which should be #1 on the list of everyone planning to spend more than 6 month here. From there they get into the nitty-gritty - from dating advice

May 8, 2018 • 29:10

Phra Pandit: Symbolism & Ceremony at Thai Funerals [Season 3, Episode 6]

You may remember a month ago Greg and Ed invited our wonderful listeners to write in with details on how long they have been living in Thailand. Listen in to hear the boys discuss the results - or if you’re more disposed to pretty colors, check out the neat-o pie chart on the website.   Greg then begins a conversation about Thai funerals with frequent podcast guest Phra Pandit, a British-born Buddhist monk here in Thailand. Greg notes that Thai funerals seem to be less serious and emotional tha

May 1, 2018 • 34:22

Neighborhood Focus: Banglamphu

Continuing with a series started in season 2 on some of Bangkok’s more interesting neighborhoods, the boys discuss one of their favorites: Banglamphu. But before they can chat about that, exactly what is Banglamphu? It’s not an official district, but it’s probably best known for Khao San Road, with its borders hitting Ratchadamnoen in the south, the river to the west, north to Krung Kasem Canal, and east to Ratchadamnoen Nok. Not a huge chunk of land. Is Banglamphu a good place to live, or just

Apr 24, 2018 • 25:32

Hot Thai Kitchen: Bringing Home-Cooked Thai Food to the World

Useful links: The Surprising Reason There Are So Many Thai Restaurants in America Hot Thai Kitchen We’re happy to have Pailin Chongchitnant as our guest this week, creator and host of Hot Thai Kitchen, a popular YouTube channel based in Vancouver, Canada that shows people how to cook delicious Thai food recipes in their kitchens. A handful of places - Italy, Japan, Vietnam, India - have food that’s so tied to their culture that the food itself is somewhat of an ambassador, and Thailand is no exc

Apr 17, 2018 • 43:55

Wet & Mild: Songkran New Year Spectacular [Season 3, Episode 3]

Ahhh, Songkran, a waterfight so insane that people in other countries know all about it. Love it or hate it, it’s THE holiday on the Thai calendar, and unless you’ve got a (probably damp) ticket in your (probably damp) little hands, it’s hard to avoid. Greg starts off showing how poorly he can recollect the origins of Songkran off the top of his head, before he and Ed discuss the infamous “Ministry of Culture Gets Pissed at Topless Dancing Girls” episode of Songkran 2011, which left people alter

Apr 7, 2018 • 34:35

Going Vegetarian in Bangkok: Hopeless or Delicious? [Season 3, Episode 2]

Going vegetarian in Bangkok has always struck Greg as somewhat of an inconvenience - I mean, how many vegetarian street food stalls do you know? But guess who’s been on a full-on vegan diet for the past year? That’s right, Ed. And guess who is going to give Greg some insight on actually how easy it is to be a vegetarian in Bangkok? Well...yes, of course, also Ed. You’ve been here before, I see. Ed - a noted vegan - dishes a bit on what he thinks of the politics and clique-iness of strict diets,

Apr 3, 2018 • 25:49

Bangkok Then & Now...and in the Future [Season 3, Episode 1]

Welcome back! For the first show of season 3, Greg introduces you to the new co-host of the Bangkok Podcast, Ed “The Truth” Knuth. Together they have a combined 35 years in the Big Mango, so they reminisce a bit about what the city was like when they first got here, how it compares to now, and what they think the city will look like in 10 or 20 years. Purely based on conjecture, of course, they have no real experience with this, but since when has making uneducated predictions been a bad idea? O

Mar 25, 2018 • 31:06

Bye Bye Bangkok- Season Two Finale [Season 2, Episode 72]

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Feb 27, 2018 • 38:30

Investing in Thailand: Risk & Reward with Andrew Stotz [Season 2, Episode 71]

Though various types of pestilence plagued all of your hosts, two of of us managed to muster the necessary strength to record the episode this week. You’re welcome. (Hi again, Ed!) We’ve a special guest on this week that anyone into in finance in Bangkok probably knows, Mr. Andrew Stotz, Ph.D. He’s an award-winning equity analyst, the current President of the CFA Society Thailand, and the founder and CEO of A. Stotz Investment Research. Prior to that he spent 20 years working global investment b

Feb 20, 2018 • 27:07

Neighborhood Focus: Thonburi, the Original Bangkok [Season 2, Episode 70]

Key links for this episode: Map of Thonburi On the first show in our new series that digs into some of Bangkok’s better-known ‘hoods, we ask: did you know that Bangkok (that is, Thailand’s modern capital) is not the original Bangkok? Nope! The first Bangkok (that is, the new capital after Ayutthaya was thrashed by the Burmese) was a little town called Thonburi. But, that didn’t last long. Another little village called Bangkok became the new, new capital and Thonburi became a sleepy suburb. But

Feb 13, 2018 • 40:56

What's Next for Season 3 of the Bangkok Podcast? [Season 2, Episode 69]

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Feb 6, 2018 • 27:59

Why Do People Keep Coming Back to Bangkok? [Season 2, Episode 68]

Key links for this episode: Nomadic Matt Plume App Our patrons know a secret. You can know it, too. One of the OG travel bloggers, Matt Kepnes, AKA Nomadic Matt, joins the program with all kinds of stories, tips, and reflections on travel on his site NomadicMatt.com. He even has a NYTimes best-selling book on how to travel the world on a budget! He's a hard guy to pin down, but he recently came through town on his way to New Zealand, and he very kindly let Greg to discuss an important question

Jan 30, 2018 • 38:06

Thailand Island Vacation Realities Exposed [Season 2, Episode 67]

Support us and get cool stuff! The thought of spending a few days on an island in Thailand sounds about as close to paradise as a westerner can get: blue water, white sand, the works! But the reality of it is a little different than the picture in your mind, and you might want to adjust your expectations a bit when visiting an island in Thailand. And speaking of Thailand as a great vacation destination, we really do want to meet you when you come through Bangkok. Please reach out and we’ll see i

Jan 23, 2018 • 29:07

Bangkok vs. Plastic Bags [Season 2, Episode 66]

Key links for this episode: Sign the Change.org petition to put the pressure on 7-11 Donate to support the fight against plastic waste in Thailand Greenpeace’s position on Thailand’s plastic problem Support the Bangkok Podcast on Patreon Yes, there are too many plastic bags floating -- literally -- around Bangkok. But rather than you listen to just more expat bitching, we brought on a local Thai person who’s doing more than just bitching about the problem. Joey Liptapanlop is roping in his

Jan 16, 2018 • 32:29

Breaking Down The Thai Smile [Season 2, Episode 65]

Key links for this episode: Support us on Patreon to get the show early You’ve probably heard of “the Thai smile”, or know that Thailand is referred to as “the Land of Smiles”. Both of those phrases are well-earned, but that whole smiling thing is more than something done just in the hospitality space. For many Thais, smiling in a situation is a default reaction, even when the experience they are smiling at is a negative one. Like when a dog almost eats a small child and the owner’s reaction i

Jan 9, 2018 • 26:06

Cultural Takeaways With Educator Frank Smith [Season 2, Episode 64]

To help us ring in 2018, we’re bringing back a prior guest on his annual pilgrimage to Bangkok. Frank Smith from UC Berkeley teaches Khmer to children of Cambodian refugees. We caught up with him in person at Bangkok’s Central World mall… before we got kicked out by security. Yes, again. Not just because one of us made a foot faux pas. What’s it like for a Thai speaker who doesn’t live in Thailand to plop back into Bangkok, suddenly surrounded by other Thai speakers? There are actually lot of wa

Jan 4, 2018 • 35:06

A Motorcycle Meets A Car Door In Bangkok [Season 2, Episode 63]

Before we start, we have to mention a recent news story from Bangkok, which is rather appropriate considering the topic of tonight's show. You may recall we discussed traffic on episode 2.27 -- Blood on the Highway: Thailand’s Seven Deadly Days of Songkran. On that episode we mentioned that Thailand was the second-most deadly country in the world for road fatalities. Well, not anymore. We’re number one! And that’s a good way to set up the rest of the program, as it’s all about an accident we (

Dec 19, 2017 • 32:21

Do They Celebrate Christmas in Bangkok? [Season 2, Episode 62]

You can now follow to the Bangkok Podcast on Spotify! It's nearly Xmas, so we figured we'd might as well start getting into the spirit of things with a Xmas-themed show. Now those of you who are westerners understand just how important Xmas is in your home countries. In most places it's the BIG DADDY of holidays, the one that the entire year has been building up to. In fact it's so big that they even celebrate it in countries where, to be honest, it has no real business being celebrated. Like t

Dec 12, 2017 • 30:55

A Few Strange (and Possibly False) Laws You Might Experience in Thailand [Season 2, Episode 61]

On this episode we get into a few vague, strange - and possibly even non-existent - rules that you may or may not bump up against in Thailand. From buying chainsaws to changing your name to flying helicopters to losing your &$%@#! "book bank" (known throughout the rest of the world as bank books), these are things that govern the nuances of every day life. Greg reads 'em off, Evo plays Devil's Advocate to try and discount them, and we land somewhere around the middle. Love, Loathe, or Leave Have

Dec 5, 2017 • 37:43

Thai Craft Beer's Secret Weapon Is... A Korean Expat? [Season 2, Episode 60]

RSVP to the I Love Podcasting In Bangkok meetup on Nov 29, 2017! Patrons get early access and exclusive bonus content. Today’s focus is on Korea's influence on Bangkok. Ted Ahn, an expat and ex-power plant manager from Korea, is actively working to bring about change in Bangkok’s local Thai craft beer industry. Ted is the owner of Changwon Express, and Evo sat down with him at his newest location on the top floor of Flow House. A few key bits from the episode: Ted estimates that around 90% of h

Nov 28, 2017 • 34:34

Does Living In Bangkok Change Who You Are? [Season 2, Episode 59]

RSVP to the big I Love Podcasting In Bangkok meetup #2 on Nov 29th!   We’re working hard on the special gifts that supporters at the Gift Box level are going to receive… and they are hand-made pieces of awesome. Yeah, we’re teasing a bit, but these are going to be quite cool mementos and tokens of our appreciation. (If you want one, get signed up!)   This topic stems from a discussion the two of us were having while we were stuck in the back of an Uber on the way to find our Patreon gifts, and t

Nov 21, 2017 • 39:57

How to Shop (and Not Shop) Like a Thai in Bangkok

RSVP to the big I Love Podcasting In Bangkok meetup #2 on Nov 29th! How will you celebrate the season this year? No, we’re not talking about Christmas. We’re talking about the Thai government’s annual shopping stimulus program, this time called "Shop For The Nation" for 2017. It started on Saturday, November the 11th, and it runs through December the 3rd. We’ll cover this program in detail (and maybe poke just a wee bit of fun at it) as we give you all the details so you can get up to ฿15,000 o

Nov 14, 2017 • 31:26

Ten Expats Share Where They Go To Get A Taste Of Home In Bangkok

We know that Bangkok’s expat community is much more diverse than a Canadian and an American can hope to represent. So this week, we reached out to the wider community and asked a simple question: Where do you go in Bangkok when you want a taste of your own country? Before we get into that, though, Greg regales us with his story about being summoned by Frank Lam, the founder of Foodland grocery stores (and the excellent Took Lae Dee food counters inside), who wanted to say thanks to Greg for incl

Nov 7, 2017 • 33:39

Talking Travel Insurance With Stuart McDonald from Travelfish.org [Season 2 Episode 56]

Before we get into the ins and outs of travel insurance with one of the most well-traveled people out there, we dive right back into the shallow end of debating whether or not Bangkok's traffic has improved. Why would it improve? Well, last month the police commissioner said that traffic police will no longer be setting up checkpoints...so, did it work? Evo weighs in (because Greg drives a car, and they get pulled over way less that motorbikes, which he's really happy about). But the real reason

Oct 31, 2017 • 37:13

Contemporary Art Tour In Audio: Exploring Bangkok’s MOCA [Season 2 Episode 55]

We’re not whispering to make it hard for you to hear. We’re doing it to be respectful, because we recorded this episode inside the Museum of Contemporary Art in northern Bangkok. Now, bear in mind that neither of us are huge art people. But museums such as Bangkok MOCA are designed to be accessible by anyone, not just art aficionados. Today, we put that to the test. Spoiler: We loved it! The middle part of this episode features our honest reaction to some of the art as we encounter it. Now, keep

Oct 24, 2017 • 31:38

Acting Like an Actor in Thailand [Season 2 Episode 54]

So Evo was recently the star of a Pakistani commercial shot in Thailand, and by “star” we mean he was on-screen for about four seconds. That got Greg thinking wistfully of his own time as a thespian here in the Land of Smiles, so we thought we'd talk a bit about what it's like being an actor in Thailand. While Evo is the most recent “actor” in this two-way conversation, Greg has by far the longer filmography. And he went to film school! Here are some choice bits from the episode, including some

Oct 17, 2017 • 35:42

Thailand Taboos: How To Avoid Getting Kicked Out Of The Kingdom [Season 2 Episode 53]

It’s generally considered bad form to use curse words in the land of peace, order, and smiles that is Thailand. And when a farang uses native Thai bad language, it’s a bit more culturally insensitive. Just like Greg learned this week. But that’s not what we’re talking about today. Thai taboos are the topic of today’s show, a topic we’re all too familiar with. Hey, it happens, and we’re not doing it on purpose. In this episode, we’ll share our personal experiences of things NOT to do during your

Oct 10, 2017 • 41:17

Bangkok's Hidden Gems: Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park

Before we get started, we’ve a quick warning for visitors headed to Bangkok in October 2017. We don’t normally recommend listening to the tuk tuk drivers hanging out around the Grand Palace when they tell you that the attraction you want to visit is closed. But this month, they are correct. It’s the culmination of the year of mourning for Thailand, and lots of things are closed. But don’t turn to us for the latest info. You want Richard Barrow for that, as he has all the details of what’s close

Oct 3, 2017 • 27:29

Tuk Tuk Tours in Bangkok Are Not Just For Tourists [Season 2 Episode 51]

On-location from the back of a tuk tuk in Bangkok, we’re pretending to be tourists for the day and, surprisingly enough, discovering some new things about our adopted home. Ride along with us! (Direct download .mp3) Episode Details Astute listeners will notice the marked increase in Bangkok traffic noise in this episode. That’s for a very good reason, as we recorded it from the back of a tuk tuk, driving through the streets of Bangkok. Why are we in a tuk tuk? We’re glad you asked. For as mu

Sep 26, 2017 • 25:54

The Q&A Episode: Happy Anniversary to Us! (2.50)

After a brief moment of vindication on the news that 10% of Bangkok traffic police failed a test about traffic laws, we dive right into the questions from the audience. This is our one year anniversary show since the re-launch, and it’s all about you talking to us! Shaun wants to know our opinion on outdoor activities such as “wild swimming” in the seas and rivers and hiking in the forests and parks all around Thailand. Vincent is looking for some recommendation on movies from Thailand, plus has

Sep 19, 2017 • 45:23

Getting Married In Thailand: A Western Perspective (2.49)

Today Greg looks back to his Thai wedding to help us discuss just how much you can expect to spend on your own happy day in Thailand. That’s after a brief talk about avoiding floods and transit-hacking in Bangkok, obviously. Good news: we’re not flooded out, though plenty of the world is right now. Perhaps influenced by the terrible news from Bangladesh, Houston, and much of the Caribbean, the government issued warnings about flooding on the Chao Phraya River, which both of us see every day. But

Sep 12, 2017 • 37:39

Do Only Weirdos Live In Bangkok? (2.48)

On this episode we ask the immortal question: do you have to be a little bit strange to live in Bangkok? We don’t mean that (necessarily) in a bad way, you understand. But it sure seems that, on some level, people who tend to thrive on chaos deal really well with the uncertainty, noise, culture shock, and political instability that are endemic to Thailand. If nothing else, you sure need to have an 'elastic outlook' on life. All of that is the exact opposite of life in most western countries, so

Sep 5, 2017 • 32:41

Paradise Lost? Island Living in Thailand (2.47)

Today we compare living in Bangkok vs a tropical island paradise in Thailand. Also, we share how you can participate in our upcoming one year anniversary show, and give yet another reminder about the big Bangkok-wide I Love Podcasting In Bangkok event coming up August 30th, 2017. Please forgive the sound of the rolling surf in the background during the interview with this week's guest. That’s just one bonus of living on an island in Thailand vs the big city of Bangkok: giving up the sounds of tr

Aug 29, 2017 • 32:49

Bangkok Needs A Facelift (2.46)

This week we take a break from talking about how much we love Bangkok to discuss the city's ugly, dusty, dirty side. Prior to that we'll tell you about our bike-tastic weekend. Because sometimes you just gotta get out of the city and enjoy the rest of Thailand, right? Evo gets burned on the beach in Hua Hin, and Greg MacGyver’s his way through a bike ride in remote Bangkok. Clearly we love living in the Kingdom, but as with most relationships, there are things that drive you a bit crazy. One of

Aug 22, 2017 • 35:49

Holy Cow! The Role of Hindu Priests in Buddhist Thailand’s Royal Court (2.45)

Today we’re talking with an expert on the Brahmin, a Hindu caste that plays a very important role in the highest levels of Thai society. And we have something special planned for our one year episode. Oh, and there's a Bangkok-wide podcast meetup coming up. We’ll cover that and more on episode 2.45 of the Bangkok Podcast. Have you RSVP’d to the big, huge, love-fest that will be the I Love Podcasting In Bangkok meetup on August 30th? It’s free, low-key, and something we’d like to repeat on a re

Aug 15, 2017 • 36:59

Bangkok's Hidden Gems: The Scala Theater (2.44)

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again - Bangkok is an interesting city; but it ain’t a pretty city. But that’s not to say that there aren’t places of architectural significance or historical importance, because there are. One of those is the magnificent Scala theater - at least until it gets knocked down for another mall. Oh, and while recording this episode on location at the Scala, we were kicked out because we didn’t have permission (you can hear this conversation with the theater’s maj

Aug 8, 2017 • 29:40

News Flash: English News on Thailand from Thailand is Hard to Find (2.43)

A discussion about the challenges and barriers to getting quality English-language news on Thailand from Thailand. And Evo’s learning to write like a 3-year-old. After that, the magic of pork floss. Because Bangkok Podcast. Evo’s decided that maybe he does need to learn Thai. So he picked up a new book, Fun Training From Chicken to Owl. Well, that’s the English translation. Why has he flip-flopped on his opinion on learning Thai? Because Stu Jay Raj said so. Fine. But that’s not what we’re talki

Aug 1, 2017 • 33:52

The Science Behind Tasty Thai Food (2.42)

This week we’re talking with an honest to goodness food scientist who gives us the lowdown on the health benefits - or lack thereof - of Thai food and its sundry ingredients. But first, Evo plays Robin Hood as he recounts a pleasant encounter with a wandering sheriff. What are the odds a visitor to Bangkok would not only run into one of the hosts of his favorite podcast, but run into said favorite podcast co-host just minutes after listening? Pretty high if you happen to visit Jack’s Bar. But as

Jul 25, 2017 • 45:49

Unlearning Thai: Talking with Stu Jay Raj about cracking Thai fundamentals (2.41)

We’re talking with Stu Jay Raj, who uses his fluency in 12 languages to help "fluent" Thai second-language speakers connect on a more personal level than they ever thought they could. But first, the most Thai way to listen to the show and communicate directly with Evo. (Don't tell Greg!) Before we get started, we need to talk about our Patreon page, the only way we raise funds to support the show, and how many people have already signed up to get bonus content and extra content from us for a few

Jul 18, 2017 • 40:56

Talking with Ron Morris, author of The Thai Book: A Field Guide to Thai Political Motivations (2.40)

On this episode of the Bangkok Podcast, we interview Ron Morris, the author of The Thai Book: A Field Guide to Thai Political Motivations. But before we get into that discussion, Greg goes into (thankfully minor) detail about his second experience with food poisoning after 16 years of eating street food. Given the size of Greg, it's safe to say he's an expert on street food. But despite eating his way through, under, around, and on top of Bangkok for his entire time here, he has only been sick f

Jul 11, 2017 • 52:16

The Best Pad Thai Is Average By Design (2.39)

This week we take a closer look at why Thailand's national dish -- pad thai -- isn't actually very representative of Thai food. But first, an innovative way to get out of a traffic ticket in Thailand when it happens to you. Evo tested. Evo approved. Before we get started with the meat of the show, we have to tell you the story of Evo getting ticketed for a traffic offense he really didn’t commit. Which meant he lost his license and had to then go argue his case in person at some some tiny cop-sh

Jul 4, 2017 • 29:33

Best Mobile Apps For Bangkok in 2017 (2.38)

A listener suggestion drives this show as we talk about which smartphone apps we use to make living in Bangkok that much easier, on this extra-long episode of the Bangkok Podcast. Oh, and Evo is terrible at his job. But he’s getting better, and it makes for a funny story. We launched our Patreon page last week, and it’s working! People are supporting us! Not a huge number, but some. Which means you love it. Wanna help? We’d love it. We even recorded cool video for you. Actually, we had to re-rec

Jun 27, 2017 • 40:18

The Funniest Way To Get A Thai Drivers License In Bangkok (2.37)

Now that we’re both legally licensed drivers in Thailand, we take a little extra time to tell you about the process we went through… and why not one bit of it actually prepared us for driving in Bangkok. Plus we'll share a new way you can show your support for our show. Because you love us! Before we get to driving in Thailand -- legally or otherwise -- we should talk about Patreon, a new way to let you, dear listener, help fund our efforts. If you're a fan of the show and want to show your appr

Jun 20, 2017 • 39:07

The Challenges Of Urban Planning In Bangkok (2.36)

A Bangkok city planner helps bring some clarity to the ongoing (and confusing) development of Bangkok. But first, a very magical (and very Thai) cure for terrorism. All of that and more on this episode of the Bangkok Podcast. Remember the news from a few weeks ago when two journalists were arrested in Bangkok’s airport because they were carrying body armor? While the the arrest captured everyone’s attention, it’s not the funniest part of the story. Greg happens to be friends with one of the jou

Jun 13, 2017 • 32:59

Bangkok’s War On Street Food: A Live Report (2.35)

Live from Bangkok’s Chinatown, it's Sunday night! Well, at least it was when we grabbed our mics, left the cozy comforts of our condos and recorded a live episode of the show from the streets of Chinatown to get to the bottom of this reported "War" on Bangkok's street food. We'll tell you what we discovered on episode 2.35 of the Bangkok Podcast. For the better part of the year, news reports, blogs, and pundits the world over have been raising the warning flags of an active war on Bangkok’s stre

Jun 6, 2017 • 18:41

Invading Green Monster Chokes Out Bangkok (2.34)

One of Thailand's most persistent pests - the beautiful but invasive water hyacinth - is once again clogging Bangkok’s waterways. And while Evo didn't die on a motorbike just yet, a friend of his is in the hospital after his scooter accident. Maybe he’s rethinking his chosen mode of transport? Motorbike accidents happen. Though this is Thailand, and Thailand holds the ignominious title of deadliest place to ride a motorbike. Last week the inevitable happened to a fellow expat here in Bangkok, th

May 30, 2017 • 26:58

The Bangkok Double Pricing Debate (2.33)

On this episode we get into one of Thailand's most contentious topics - double pricing. But first we talk about selfies in a ball pit and a hidden hipster hangout. Just down the road for us on our side of the river is a hidden hipster hideout in Bangkok called called The Jam Factory. And by “hidden”, we mean new to Evo. Because it’s pretty well known by everyone other than him. Also Greg visits Central Embassy and attempts to lose his child in a giant plastic bubble bath filled with selfie taker

May 23, 2017 • 28:57

Why Bangkok Is A Medical Tourism Hotspot (2.32)

This week we talk to an expert on medical tourism to get the inside scoop on what makes Bangkok a key medical tourism destination. And we share an anecdote that proves even the 2nd largest city in SE Asia is really just a small town on the crossroads of life. What’s it like to return to Bangkok 30 years later after growing up here as an expat kid? And what are the odds that one obscure blog post on how to get a Chinese visa in Bangkok would lead to rekindling a friendship while overlooking the

May 16, 2017 • 28:43

Is Birth Control Evil In Buddhist Bangkok? (2.31)

This week we talk with Bangkok-based Buddhist monk Phra Pandit about abortions, birth control, and how Buddhism defines evil. And you'll likely think Evo an idiot for his dangerous flirtation with Thailand's terrible traffic fatalities statistics, but what's a farang to do? All of that and more on this episode of the Bangkok Podcast. Evo’s decided to rent a motorbike for the next month. Let’s hope he doesn’t get killed as he foregoes safety for convenience. Favorite quote: It’s like having a che

May 11, 2017 • 30:02

Bangkok Tourist Scams Are Still Alive In 2017 (2.30)

On this episode of the Bangkok Podcast we talk about one of the negative aspects of Bangkok, the immortal, ever-present tourist scam. But before we get there, we'll have a brief discussion of feet. Yeah... feet. Pick up any piece of tourist literature and you’ll note warnings of “tourist scams” running rampant in Bangkok. But are they as bad or prevalent as they’re made out to be? Back when Greg was a new expat in Thailand, he played the part of an investigative journalist, purposely attracting

May 3, 2017 • 28:17

Exploring Thailand’s Crazy Gun Culture (2.29)

From hitmen to red tape and homemade guns to the black market, we bring in a local expert to help us navigate the murky waters of the past and present realities of gun ownership in Thailand. We know you want us to weigh in on the issue of Bangkok’s impending street food ban, but not today. We need to let things settle down before we offer up our opinion on the matter. Instead, we’re going with the safe topic of the right to keep and bear arms -- guns in Thailand. Though the two of us -- Canadian

Apr 25, 2017 • 29:39

Time for Change: Should Begging Foreign Backpackers Take a Hike? (2.28)

You may have seen them on the streets of Bangkok, Singapore, or Hanoi. Many play instruments, juggle, or sell postcards. Some simply stand there with a hat and a sign asking for pity. We're talking, of course, about the round-the-world adventurer looking for a handout. Should these begging vagabonds take a hike, or do they deserve some leeway to, er, find their way? We also talk about staying dry (or attempting to) during Songkran, and Greg's foot fetish (in that he'd really like to be able to f

Apr 18, 2017 • 27:38

Blood on the Highway: Thailand's Seven Deadly Days of Songkran (2.27)

On this episode of the Bangkok Podcast we talk about traffic in Bangkok - specifically the “Seven Deadly Days” of Songkran - and Thailand's awful road safety statistics. We also talk about what men do when their wives are away... or won't go away. Don't worry... it's not as bad as it sounds. Songkran is upon us, a week-long celebration of Thailand’s new year. What will we be doing during Songkran? Staying off the roads, because it’s also known as the Seven Deadly Days, when road traffic shoots u

Apr 11, 2017 • 24:28

Talking Languages With Educator Frank Smith: Thai, Lao & Khmer (2.26)

On this episode of the Bangkok Podcast we talk languages with Frank Smith. He speaks Thai, Khmer, and Lao, and teaches Khmer at UC Berkeley in California. Add to that a quick conversation on the pros and cons of raising a kid in Thailand, and we’ve got the makings of another great episode of the Bangkok Podcast. We start the show with an easy question: Is Bangkok the kind of place you want to raise a kid? Greg is facing the reality of doing so right now, and Evo has sage advice from someone who

Apr 3, 2017 • 28:44

The Little Things We Miss About Home...And Will Miss About Thailand (2.25)

On this episode, we discuss the little things we love about Bangkok, as well as the little things we miss about where we're from. Plus Evo’s recent trip to Siem Reap and the concept of farang “embarassadors”. Evo spent a week in Siem Reap and completely loved it. Greg agrees that it’s likely the most amazing destination in SE Asia -- possibly the world -- for those interested in archaeology. Color us impressed, ancient Khmer people! The main topic of the show: It’s the little things. No, not a R

Mar 27, 2017 • 29:28

Teaching In Thailand: A Professional Western Teacher’s Perspective (2.24)

What do pro Western teachers think about teaching in Thailand? And are we seeing the end of Uber in Bangkok? And if so, will canal taxis pick up the slack? All that and more on this episode of The Bangkok Podcast Taxis in Bangkok would probably make for a good Love, Loathe, or Leave segment, but recent moves by Thailand to restrict popular “ridesharing” services make it worthy of our opening banter. After that, Greg has a chat with Sheila Dee a Western-trained, professional educator working in T

Mar 20, 2017 • 29:08

Magic Ink: Evo Visits the Mystical Sak Yant Tattoo Festival (2.23)

You may or may not have heard about the Sak Yant tattoo festival before, but after hearing this episode of the Bangkok Podcast, you sure as darn heck won't be able to forget about it. For years travelers have been entertained by tales of screaming men rushing the stage, possessed by the spirits of the tattoos that cover their bodies in sheets of intricate sub-dermal ink. But it's not merely an odd tourist attraction - the men who have them, the monks who give them, and the shamans who 'recharge'

Mar 15, 2017 • 30:55

Talking with Paul Mueller: How Much Time Does Bangkok's Green Lung Have Left? (2.22)

When you look at Bangkok on a map, you see this enigmatic little patch of green just off center. It’s not a trick. It really exists. Historically, few people fought the traffic to get here. But that’s changing, and modern encroachment on the green lungs of Bangkok is threatening this not-quite-hidden gem of Bangkok. Life in Thailand is hot. Welcome to the tropics! But this year seems to have gotten hotter earlier. Or maybe we’re just getting old and are fixating on the weather. Of more importanc

Mar 8, 2017 • 28:07

"I Want to Get Back to Nature in Bangkok." Is That Even Possible? (2.21)

While Thailand is a great place to experience the natural beauty of the tropics, Bangkok is a giant metro area and not all that appealing to nature lovers with a short time to visit. Or is it? That’s the topic of this episode of The Bangkok Podcast. Evo’s still sick, but he’s on the mend thanks to a doctor. Because as you’ll recall from an episode just a few weeks ago, antibiotics are available over the counter here. But you know what isn’t? A diagnoses of illness from a qualified physician. Luc

Feb 27, 2017 • 25:27

Crafty Bangkok Beer: Talking with Brian Bartusch from Beervana (2.20)

Like everywhere, craft beer is exploding in Bangkok. But there are some subtle nuances that cause beer lovers to scratch their heads. Why is it so expensive? What’s up with “illegal” beer? And where can I get more? We’ll answer that and more on this episode of The Bangkok Podcast. After a brief and elusive discussion of the infamous Thailand beach town Pattaya, we jump into the heart of the conversation: Beer in Thailand. Specifically, craft beer in Thailand. To make sure we cover things in an a

Feb 21, 2017 • 32:06

Is Learning Thai Really Necessary? (2.19)

To learn to speak Thai or not learn to speak Thai. That is the question. No, literally. It’s the question we’re asking each other on behalf of all people who come to live in Thailand. As you'll hear, we have a difference of opinion. So yeah, we’re the #1 travel podcast in Thailand. That’s kinda cool. But it’s not what we’re talking about today… (but thanks for subscribing!) We ask ourselves a simple question on this week’s show: If you’re going to “live” in Thailand, do you need to learn Thai? N

Feb 13, 2017 • 25:27

Being Disabled in Bangkok: A Conversation with Sawang Srisom (2.18)

No one is going to say that Bangkok is an easy city to navigate. Near-constant congestion, poorly paved sidewalks, non-existent pedestrian crossing areas… that’s just a start. Now imagine that from the point of view of someone who uses a wheelchair. Suddenly these difficulties seem like insurmountable obstacles. The show starts with a recap of the new “blowing up on social media” scandal: It seems some mototaxi drivers are placing a surcharge on passengers with additional mass. But that’s not th

Feb 6, 2017 • 21:10

Red Cliff Coffee: Talking With Derek Kirk About Chiang Rai's Most Delicious Export (2.17)

So a guy from Alaska who owns a coffee plantation in Hawaii hires a guy from Indiana who’s living in Thailand to help him grow coffee. There’s no punchline. Just a great episode of the Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3) (Direct download .mp3) After Evo explains why he was in Finland and gives us a crash course on world travel expos (like Matka 2017) and blogger conferences (like NBE Finland), and Greg runs down his recent motorbiking misadventures in Chiang Rai, we get down to business. W

Jan 30, 2017 • 25:43

Talking with Phra Pandit: Is Having Everything the Same as Desiring Nothing? (2.16)

Continuing with our Buddhism series, we welcome Phra Pandit, a Brit who has been a monk in Thailand for the past 20 years and is a noted lecturer on Buddhism, dhamma, and psychology. Desire - or the lack of it - is one of the key themes that the Buddha taught his followers. But as we find out in this very interesting discussion with Phra Pandit, it's not as easy as saying "I can do without those cool new pair of shoes." (Direct download .mp3) (Direct download .mp3) Since Evo is off galavanting

Jan 23, 2017 • 32:55

Expat Realities: Reverse Culture Shock (2.15)

If you've lived any amount of time overseas and returned to your home country, you're likely familiar with reverse culture shock, the feeling that you just...somehow...don't quite fit in to your old life anymore. It's a disorienting feeling, and it affects everyone differently. Seeing as how Greg was back in Canada three months ago and Evo just returned from a trip to the USA, we thought'd we discuss this uniquely strange phenomenon, how it affected us, and how we deal with it. (Direct download

Jan 16, 2017 • 28:01

Four Things We Tell Everyone to Avoid in Bangkok (2.14)

Everyone loves Bangkok and it is indeed a great city. However, that's not to say everything is worth seeing or doing. For this show we each come up with two items, places, or pastimes that we tell visiting friends and family or even expats new to the city of Angels that they can go ahead and avoid without losing out on everything that Bangkok has to offer. (Direct download .mp3) (Direct download .mp3) Evo’s finally back from his three week trip to America and mostly over his jet lag. At least

Jan 10, 2017 • 28:58

Thailand Memories: Living Through a Coup (2.13)

Happy New Year everyone! The turning over of the calendar is traditionally a time to look forward and hope that the next year will be better than the last one. 2017 will be a big year in Thailand - HM King Rama X will steer the country forward, the push to change elements of Thailand's important Buddhist sangha is gathering steam, and an election might happen. (Direct download .mp3) Why is that such a big deal? Well, because despite outward appearances and contrary to what a lot of people prob

Jan 2, 2017 • 27:08

Is Dhammakaya a Cult, a Sect, or Just Another Temple? (2.12)

We're super happy to welcome back a popular guest from season 1 of the Bangkok Podcast - our veritable friend Phra Pandit. As a long-time monk in Thailand and noted lecturer on dhamma, Buddhism, meditation, and deep thought, Pandit is a great source if insight and information. (Direct download .mp3) On this show we (well, Greg, as Evo is traveling) will talk with Pandit about what happens when a particular Buddhist temple becomes really big. So big, in fact, that the government wants to shut i

Dec 26, 2016 • 31:29

Merry Christmas From Bangkok! (2.11)

It's that time of year again in Thailand - the holidays season! Did you notice the extra 's' there? It was intentional, because December is one of the most holiday-heavy months in the whole year. Not only do you have Father's Day and Constitution Day, but you also have Christmas - or at least the most intense commercial aspects of it. That rolls right into the (western) New Year, which rolls into the (Chinese) New Year, and a few weeks after that we roll right into (Thai) New Year. (Direct down

Dec 18, 2016 • 25:38

Magic, Mysticism & Mana: Superstition in Thailand (2.10)

At the risk of offending some 70 million Thais, we’re looking at the religious, spiritual, and magical thinking endemic to Thailand. At least from the point of view of a couple of skeptical, non-religious Westerners. Buddhism isn’t the official religion of Thailand. But the overwhelming majority of people are Buddhist. Still, what you think of as Buddhism may not match up to the reality of the world. This is Theravada Buddhism that draws heavily on Hinduism and has more than a dash of animism mi

Dec 12, 2016 • 34:46

Foreign Fool: A Conversation with Author Alan Platt

When it comes to characters, Bangkok has them in droves - people who have been places, eaten things, talked to people, and lived adventures that would make your mother put her hand to her mouth and proclaim, "Oh my" with a frightened little squeak. On this episode of the Bangkok Podcast we're happy to have one of these epic characters on the show with us - Mr Alan Platt, who, as it happens, has just released a book about his adventures entitled Foreign Fool. (Direct download .mp3) Now I know w

Dec 4, 2016 • 31:16

Drugs in Thailand: Too Much, Too Little, or Not Enough? (2.8)

Sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll. Two of those are legal in Bangkok. Sort of. Legal drugs have a dark side, like people dying from overuse. But illegal drugs -- some pretty serious ones -- might soon be legal in Thailand. What's the deal with all this back and forth? (Direct download .mp3) (Direct download .mp3) Here’s the reality of living in Thailand: Whenever we -- Westerners or Thais  -- get sick, our first stop is the hospital or the pharmacy. Chances are, either the doctor or the pharmacist

Nov 27, 2016 • 29:59

Bangkok's Disappearing Street Food (2.7)

(Direct download .mp3) If you’re visiting Bangkok for the ubiquitous street food culture, you might want to get here quickly. There’s seemingly a war on street food vendors in the city. And that’s no jok. Bear with us this week. Evo’s dealing with a great loss in his family and a broken microphone, and Greg’s a little sleepy from being the dad of a childhood actor. But that’s not what we want to talk about today... This episode is all about Bangkok’s disappearing street food stalls, one of the

Nov 20, 2016 • 26:27

Are You Sure You Wanna Say That? Self-Censorship in Thailand (2.6)

The shockwaves of the President-Elect of America have shockwaved all the way over here to Bangkok, Thailand. However, that’s not what we’re talking about today, though we could talk about if we want to. And that’s what we want to talk about. Confused? Yeah…   (Direct download .mp3) On October 13, the Kingdom of Thailand suffered a great loss with the death of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Because we’re a show ostensibly about Bangkok and the country of Thailand overall, we recorded an

Nov 14, 2016 • 23:26

Travel Blogging: A Realistic Job or a Bunch of Hot Air? (2.5)

Ask enough people in Bangkok what they do for a living, and one will eventually say “travel blogging”. On this episode of the podcast, we break down some of the myths and mystique surrounding that title. (Direct download .mp3) Evo recently traveled to Manila in the Philippines to deliver the opening keynote at TBEX Asia Pacific 2016. It’s a travel blogging conference, catering to, well… travel bloggers. Which are legion. Coupled with the service providers, tourism councils, and hospitality com

Nov 6, 2016 • 29:16

Bangkok's Shaky Infrastructure That Won't Quit (2.2)

Hey, you’re still here! How awesome is that? Welcome to the 2nd episode. Today, we’re talking infrastructure. No, wait! Before you decide to skip the episode, this isn’t an episode filled with mechanical engineering terms. Have you met us? (Direct download .mp3)   The Big Mango is… big. Big city with huge skyscrapers and sprawling concrete to help accommodate the millions of people that live in and visit Bangkok. This is the City of Angels, the second largest city in SE Asia. We’re sorry if th

Nov 6, 2016 • 33:31

Bangkok - Digital Nomad Heaven Or Hell? (2.3)

Bangkok has become a hub for digital nomads, bringing in a wave of talent and fresh ideas into the city. Those nomads in turn attract other nomads. But is that a good thing? Or even a real thing? Let’s find out. (Direct download .mp3) Thailand -- Bangkok & Chiang Mai specifically -- is a hotbed of digital nomadship. But before we get to that, we should probably define the term:   Defining - people who can work anywhere thanks to the internet. They take many format but they share two things in

Nov 6, 2016 • 32:10

Bangkok Podcast Has Us Now (2.1)

Three years ago, life changes forced the original hosts of the Bangkok Podcast to focus on other things, and it was ultimately decided to end the show. But we’re back, baby - and with an all new co-host that random chance brought to the show - Evo Terra! (Direct download .mp3) So, who’s this Evo guy? Here’s the short story: During a year-long sabbatical he and his wife took in 2015, they wound up in a little Thailand town called Ranong, house-sitting for the owners of The Smiling Seahorse, a l

Nov 6, 2016 • 31:21

Bangkok 2.0 Meets 1.0 - Anthony Joh Gives Us An Update (2.4)

Bangkok tried to kill Evo this week, so Greg sat down for a conversation with Anthony Joh, the original co-host of the Bangkok Podcast. (Direct download .mp3) Anthony Joh was one half of the original lineup on the Bangkok Podcast. He’s spent the last five years in Japan and caught up with Greg when he was back in the Big Mango. As you might imagine, Tony has noticed a lot of changes to his once home in those years. The burning question? Which country is better? We don’t want to give it away, b

Oct 31, 2016 • 32:54

Bangkok Podcast 77: The End

Well folks, after much discussion and late night Skype dates, Greg and Tony have unfortunately decided that Bangkok Podcast has reached the end. As you've no doubt heard us talk about before, putting a podcast together takes a lot of time and effort, and time is something that both Greg and Tony have very little of these days. So, it's time to hang up the ol' mics. But with one last show left, we talk a bit about Greg's recent trip to Macau, Tony's upcoming trip to Bangkok, and a great new e-boo

Jan 5, 2013 • 20:37

Bangkok Podcast 76: Freedom to Walk

This episode of Bangkok Podcast comes a bit late due mostly to the fact that both Tony and Greg have new jobs and are working like crazy men. Crazy men! But thankfully this nutty city still gives us enough to talk about. On this episode we're joined by Ali Weiner, who is organizing an amazing event for a very good cause. In an effort to raise awareness of the dangers and realities of human trafficking and to meet their goal of raising $100,000 dollars for various charities, her, her friend, and

Oct 3, 2012 • 34:37

Bangkok Podcast 75: Muay Thai Fighter

On this show Greg and Tony welcome back past guest Paul Garrigan who joins us to talk about his new adventure as a muay thai fighter. While always harbouring the dream of stepping into the ring Paul was reluctant to start training as a fighter believing he was too old. However he learned that once he got into the ring and overcame a series of injuries, boxing became a form of meditation for him.

Sep 2, 2012 • 48:51

Bangkok Podcast 74: Cost of Living in Bangkok

If you’ve been following the Thai news over the past few months, you might have heard about the big constitutional court crises a few weeks ago. As with many things in Thailand lately, it was a very he said/she said kind of debate with very high stakes. People were predicting doom! Riots! Chaos! Cats and dogs living together! Thankfully, in a very Thai outcome, the court came down squarely in the middle so that neither side won and neither side lost. It might come as a shock, but neither Tony no

Aug 1, 2012 • 1:05:57

Bangkok Podcast 73: The Return

Welcome back! Ten months after our last regular show, Tony and Greg are back with a new format but the same focus - Bangkok in all its wonderful, weird, awesome, odd glory. With Tony in Japan (but still heavily involved in Thailand) and Greg now married and busy with a variety of projects, a weekly hour-long show just isn't possible anymore. However, with the magic of Skype and a few new high-quality microphones, we decided that a monthly show focussing on the Big Mango's top stories would be a

Jul 1, 2012 • 34:11

Bangkok Podcast 72: Greg & Aom's Wedding

On this special INTER-CONTINENTAL episode of Bangkok Podcast, Greg and Tony connect via Skype to talk about Greg's recent wedding.  Getting married in Thailand is a very ceremonial process that involves two ceremonies, 9 monks, and hundreds/thousands/millions of baht in dowry (prices vary greatly). Greg talks about what he went through with his wedding, from his first day of planning as an ultra-naive n00b to a happily married man. There's lots to consider - should you get a wedding planner or n

Mar 16, 2012 • 52:04

Bangkok Podcast 71: Encore

Welcome back to Bangkok Podcast! Since Tony had to come through the 'Kok again, we thought we'd dust off the old equipment and record a quick reunion show! On this episode, we're joined by past guest Hamish Chalmers, who tells us his amazing story about escaping the recent floods that devastated central Thailand. Hamish went to bed one night, and woke up the next morning in the middle of a lake. He tells us about his flight to dry land, and how not fun it was wading through waist-high pitch-blac

Dec 27, 2011 • 1:21:10

Bangkok Podcast 70: The Finale

Well, the time has come. With Tony moving to Japan and Greg's wedding quickly approaching, geography and limitations on free time have conspired to take Bangkok Podcast off the air - for now. On this episode, Tony and Greg discuss the Bangkok Podcast Farewell Dinner, go over some of their favorite shows from the past, get into a few details on what it took to put a show together, and thank a few very important people who worked with us behind the scenes to make sure the podcast grew.  We also wa

Sep 11, 2011 • 37:55

Bangkok Podcast 69: Do You Believe What You Believe?

On our last episode our Buddhism series with Venerable Pandit Bhikku, we switch things up a bit and let Pandit interview us for a change. As someone who has always been curious about what regular layfolk like ourselves think about eastern religion, he quizzes us on our thoughts on monastic life and the orange-robed monks that we see everyday but often don't take much time to understand. Phra Pandit asks us if we believe in God and if we, in fact, believe what we believe, which is one of the key

Sep 4, 2011 • 45:22

Bangkok Podcast 68: Korn Chatikavanij

On this episode of Bangkok Podcast, we are very happy to be joined by Mr. Korn Chaitikavanij, Thailand's ex-finance minister. Although his Democrat party lost Thailand's most recent election, he is still an MP and is a high profile member of the Thai political landscape. Khun Korn talks to us about what it was like running in the election, which was one of the most fiercely contested in Thai history, and what his thoughts are now that his party is the opposition. Tony and Greg also ask his opini

Aug 28, 2011 • 46:31

Bangkok Podcast 67: Peter Tuinstra

In our continuing Thai language series, we are pleased to welcome film and television actor, translator, and all-around nice guy Peter Tuinstra. Peter's path to learning Thai was a bit different than most students as he studied under the watchful eye of the U.S. Air Force at the elite Defense Language Institute; 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for 1 year.  Peter tells us what methods were used by a US government program with 60 years of proven success teaching languages. He goes into detail about h

Aug 21, 2011 • 1:08:25

Bangkok Podcast 66: Bhikkuni Suvijjana

In our continuing Buddhism series, we are joined by a special guest, Bhikkuni Suvijjana, a female monk who is visiting Thailand from the US. Female monks are rare, but the tide is slowly turning, and Bhikkuni Suvijjana gives us an interesting look into how she sees Buddhism on a daily basis. From differences in how female monks must act in public, to the efforts to promote all-female monasteries to eschewing virtual communities like Facebook and Twitter to focus on building real communities, she

Aug 14, 2011 • 52:32

Bangkok Podcast 65: Raising Kids in Bangkok

We get a lot of questions from expat parents and parents-to-be about what it's like raising a family in Bangkok. Since Tony and Greg are little more than man-children themselves, we brought Jack Prinya on the show to talk about just this thing. Radio host, MC, actor, and father to three little boys (triplets at that!), Jack has an intimate knowledge of the challenges that raising a family here brings.Many of us were raised in towns or cities where we'd leave in the morning on our bikes and come

Aug 7, 2011 • 48:38

Bangkok Podcast 64: Travelfish

Today we're joined by Stuart McDonald, President, Founder, CEO and all around big boss at Travelfish.org, one of the most respected independent travel websites. Stu gives us a fascinating look into building of a travel site from nothing, and shares with us a few inside tips on the travel industry, like how to remain anonymous when reviewing hotels, how the guidebook industry is evolving, and what 'travel' means for different people. He also talks with us about what he does when he realizes anoth

Aug 1, 2011 • 1:00:54

Bangkok Podcast 63: Bangkok Free Ambulance

Every Westerner knows that when you're hurt back home, you call the emergency number and get taken to the hospital, but things in Bangkok work a little differently. Today we talk with Marko Cunningham from Bangkok Free Ambulance, a service that he has run for many years - at his own expense, no less - that provides free ambulance services for those who need it, Thais, tourists and expats alike. In between his regular day job and finding time to enjoy Bangkok, Marko and his team respond to emerge

Jul 24, 2011 • 49:20

Bangkok Podcast 62: Learn Thai With Mod

On today's show, we're happy to be joined by Mod, who is a Thai language instructor. We wanted to see what it's like for a Thai person to teach Thai to foreigners, and she gives us some interesting insights into what problems we all have, how we sound to Thai ears, and how our native accents affect our speaking ability. We also talk about how what you *expect* to hear can sometimes have a bit of influence on what you *do* hear, why it's okay to shun Greg for his use of old-fashioned Thai that in

Jul 17, 2011 • 51:04

Bangkok Podcast 61: Thai Spirit Houses

Have you ever walked down the street and wondered what's up with those dollhouses on pillars that seem to be outside every building? Many have, and this is why we're happy to have Marisa Cranfill on this episode, who is one of Thailand's foremost (non-Thai) experts on Thai spirit houses. Despite Tony's mysterious mic problems, we talk to Marisa about what exactly these houses mean and where they come from. She also gives us the lowdown on exactly what's inside the little structures, why you'll m

Jul 10, 2011 • 47:53

Bangkok Podcast 60: Religion & Science

We're very happy to welcome back Phra Pandit, the British-born monk who joins us to talk about everything from Buddhist canon to nuclear power. Today, Phra Pandit talks with us about how Buddhism views science. Is it as hostile as some other religions often see it, or is it more of a peaceful co-existence? Are there areas which conflict with The Buddha's teachings, or does Buddhism take every new discovery in stride? Phra Pandit also educates us on why writing might not be the most reliable meth

Jul 3, 2011 • 59:47

Bangkok Podcast 59: Transgender Lifestyles

The image of a beautiful Thai women is one that is known throughout the world; however, only slightly less well known is the image of a beautiful Thai women who was born a man. Call them what you willl - transexual, transgender, ladyboy, katoey - their place in Thai culture goes back thousands of years, but despite the history, and despite Thailand being very accepting of them, it's not always an easy life. On this episode we're joined by Ms. Prem, a transgender lady who was born a man but now l

Jun 26, 2011 • 50:34

Bangkok Podcast 58: Learn Thai From A White Guy

On today's episode we're joined by Brett Whiteside, one of the few foreigners in Thailand who teach Thai. Brett's road from wide-eyed tourist to competent speaker, translator, consultant and tutor is unique in that the only person he had help him was himself. Brett tells us the methods he learned to drill the new language into his head, from returning to the same restaurant over and over again, to refusing to learn transliteration, to watching Thai soap operas. Brett also explains why he doesn't

Jun 19, 2011 • 49:47

Bangkok Podcast 57: Voranai Vanijaka II

On this episode of Bangkok Podcast, we are very happy to welcome back Voranai Vanijaka, a columnist for the Bangkok Post whose articles focus on many of the most important issues facing Thai society today - politics, class struggle, stereotypes, corruption, and more. His writing is read by many who appreciate his no-nonsense style of facing problems head on and exploring some ugly truths; coincidentally, the same reason some are not fans of his articles. With the Thai election just around the co

Jun 12, 2011 • 1:04:07

Bangkok Podcast 56: American Ambassador Kristie Kenney

On this week's episode of Bangkok Podcast, we are very happy to be joined by Ms. Kristie Kenney, the American Ambassador to Thailand. Formerly Ambassador to both Ecuadaor and the Philippines, she is a career diplomat with a deep understanding of geopolitics, history, and diplomacy, and is also the first female ambassador to the Land of Smiles. Kristie talks to Tony and Greg about a variety of topics: her very active Twitter account, American foreign policy, how outsourcing is affecting American

Jun 5, 2011 • 46:08

Bangkok Podcast 55: Chris Lowenstein

Thailand is a country that offers foreign film productions everything they need - amazing locations, skillful crew, talented actors and more. With foreign film productions come big money and jobs, so it's no wonder that the Thai government is pushing the country as a movie industry hub, but if you want to film here - who do you call? You call Chris Lowenstein, this week's guest. As one of the owners of Living Films, Chris is the main man when it comes to bringing in film productions - anything f

May 29, 2011 • 59:15

Bangkok Podcast 54: Daniel Fraser

In our continuing series on learning Thai, we're joined by Dan Fraser - co-founder of Smiling Albino adventure travel company, film actor, television host, and of course, speaker of Thai. Dan gives us a very funny and insightful overview of the Thai language - how he learned it, how it's helped him, and the nuances and cultural queues that it takes its structure from. Dan tells us a few of his interesting stories about how Thai has both confounded and blessed him - from talking about unique arch

May 22, 2011 • 57:03

Bangkok Podcast 53: Robin Moore

In our continuing Buddhist series, we sit down with Robin Moore, who spent over a decade as a monk in both the UK and Thailand, but eventually left the monkhood and rejoined lay-life. He tells us about his interesting journey, from being drawn to Buddhism as a teenager, to going on alms rounds in the UK (and trying to make it not look like begging), to why his mother cried when he joined the monkhood - and cried again when he left. We also cover the difficulties in fitting back in to a life that

May 13, 2011 • 49:50

Bangkok Podcast 52: DJ Octo

If you've found yourself out at a club at any time during the last 5 or 6 years in Bangkok, chances are you're familiar with DJ Octo. As one of the best known and most popular DJ's in town, he spins at hot venues like Q Bar and Bed Supperclub, and collaborates with a wide network of musicians, videographers, performers and artists to keep Bangkok's party crowds going late into the night. But just like many others who move to Bangkok, Octo came to Bangkok with a much different plan ten years ago.

May 8, 2011 • 52:20

Bangkok Podcast 51: Joe Cummings

In today's digital world, the requirements for being a travel writer are pretty minimal: do you have a computer? Have you travelled? Bam! Travel writer. But a few decades ago, being a travel writer was something rare; an exotic, sometimes dangerous job that took you into the dark, unexplored corners of the world on adventures of all kinds. On this episode of Bangkok Podcast, we welcome Joe Cummings, legendary travel writer, best-selling author, badass musician, and all-around cool dude. Back whe

May 1, 2011 • 54:48

Bangkok Podcast 50: Our 50th show!

ZOOM! That was the sound of a whole year going by!  It was in May 2010 that Tony and Greg put up the first episode of the Bangkok Podcast, and it's been a fun, interesting (and sometimes frustrating) year. This episode marks the 50th weekly show for the Bangkok Podcast, and to celebrate we thought'd we take a look back at the topics we've covered in the past 50 weeks by updating you on what our past interview guests have been up to; where the important issues we discuss have ended up; and how so

Apr 24, 2011 • 1:00:44

Bangkok Podcast 49: Is Learning Thai Hard?

We've done a fair number of shows so far about learning Thai, but one of the most fundamental questions has yet to be discussed - is learning Thai actually hard, or do we foreigners just make it seem that way?  We're joined once again by our Thai language Jedi Rikker Dockum as he talks about the particulars of the Thai language, how the human brain processes it, and some of the roadblocks that we encounter (or make) as we attempt to learn it. He also tells us how he keeps his Thai skills sharp,

Apr 15, 2011 • 41:45

Bangkok Podcast 48: Moving Away From Thailand

In most western cultures, moving out of your parent's place and into your own life is considered a rite of adulthood and one which many are eager to do as soon as possible, but in Thailand things work differently. It's very common for people to live at home until they are married - often into their 30's - live with their spouse, and then have their parents move in with them when they reach retirement. Family plays a very big role in Thai society. So what's it like for a Thai to move to a strange

Apr 10, 2011 • 49:46

Bangkok Podcast 47: Q-Bar Andrew

On this episode of Bangkok Podcast, we sit down with Andrew Clark, co-owner and co-founder of QBar, Bangkok's hippest, coolest night club. Besides being a superb and friendly chap, Andrew talks to us about the humble beginnings of QBar, and what it takes to stay at the front of the line in an indusrty that's notorious for big openings and quick closures. He also gives us the lowdown on playing by the rules when the rules are constantly changing, the difficulties in keeping working girls (and guy

Apr 3, 2011 • 44:24

Bangkok Podcast 46: Untranslatables

Joined once again by the Thai language Jedi Rikker, he schools Greg and Tony on a few Thai phrases that have no direct translation into English. What exactly does 'Mai Pen Rai' mean, and why is more than just a phrase? How do you tell someone 'Greng Jai' without leading to a Marx Brothers-style contest on who wants to disturb the other person the least? We also go off on a few tangents that include where 'Krap' and 'Ka' come from, and how Chaucer's original English has mutated into the 's we use

Mar 27, 2011 • 41:10

Bangkok Podcast 45: Phra Pandit II

In the wake of the terrible tragedy in Japan, we are extremely pleased to have with us on this show Phra Pandit, the British-born monk who first came on our show in episode 30. On this show, Greg and Tony ask Phra Pandit to give his views on how such a tragedy can affect people, and how religion - and Buddhism in particular - can either become the one things that helps people get through such a hard time, or ceases to mean anything to them at all. What did the Buddha say about grief? How does ps

Mar 20, 2011 • 53:06

Bangkok Podcast 44: Christopher G. Moore

The amount of foreigners who try to write a book about their craaaazy adventures in Thailand is only slightly larger than the amount who try to write hard-boiled fiction based in Bangkok, but among this group Christopher G. Moore stands out. Not only has his career as a writer thrived, but his 12-title Vincent Calvino series will soon be getting the big-time Hollywood treatment. Greg and Tony talk to Christopher about how Bangkok has changed in the 20-plus years that he's lived here, how the cit

Mar 13, 2011 • 0:00

Bangkok Podcast 43: Bangkok Reality Smackdown

When you first come to Bangkok, everything is new and strange. Nothing makes sense, and even a trip to the corner store can be an adventure. But after a while, these things fade, and pretty soon, the things that made your eyes bug out when you first arrived become old hat and - dare I say - boring. That's why we wanted to talk to Megan Kobzej, a new transplant to Bangkok with a very entertaining blog that makes us think back to the halcyon days of our first arrival; when Bangkok was stil an unex

Mar 6, 2011 • 44:12

Bangkok Podcast 42: Matchmaking

On this episode, we talk with Khun Bee, owner of Bangkok Matching, Bangkok's #1 premium marriage matchmaking service. It's a very different ball of wax from a simple dating site, and in a very interesting conversation, Khun Bee tells us how she got the idea for her business, some of the (often unrealistic) expectations her clients have, and a few of the surprising problems she encounters on a day-to-day basis. We also get an inside track into the sometimes brutal task of finding love - what happ

Feb 28, 2011 • 53:23

Bangkok Podcast 41: Online Dating

Continuing with our month of loooooove, this episode of Bangkok Podcast deals with the risks and rewards of online dating. Only ten years ago, meeting someone online was considered a bit of a nerdy way to find a mate, but today, it's almost considered strange to meet people in real life. Add to that the stereotypes and gossip of finding love in Thailand, and it can quickly become a bit complicated. To see what all the fuss about, Tony went and signed up for a few dating services to find out what

Feb 20, 2011 • 51:53

Bangkok Podcast 40: Kaewmala

Argh! Yet another wacky cable problem has made Greg and Tony's voices sound weird and echoey, but never fear! Our esteemed guest's voice came through loud and clear. On this episode - the second of four in our Valentine's-themed month of February - we are joied by Kaewmala, author of the fun, sexy, and educational book 'Thai Sex Talk'. She is also a noted commentator on social issues, prolific blogger, talented translator and all-around cool woman. She educates Greg and Tony on all the nuances o

Feb 13, 2011 • 52:42

Bangkok Podcast 39: Thai Wedding Ceremony

To start off our month of luuuve, Bangkok Podcast will be talking about the who, why, how and how much of Thai weddings. Despite some strange microphone issues in this episode, we are joined by Jason and Nim, two friends of Greg's who got married last year. They join us to discuss what their wedding was like, which ceremonial and traditional aspects it included, how it differes from western weddings, and how Jason dealt with the well known phrase 'When you marry a Thai woman, you also marry her

Feb 7, 2011 • 55:04

Bangkok Podcast 38: Canadian Ambassador Ron Hoffmann

It's a strata of expat life that few of us have to deal with on anything more than an administrative level, but the particulars of how two countries interract and overlap is a complicated Venn diagram that needs to be carefully controlled. On this episode, Tony and Greg are honoured to be joined by Ron Hoffmann, Canadian Ambassador to Thailand. We talk about a whole range of subjects - what his day-to-day roles are, how Thailand compares to his previous posting in Afghanistan, what he thinks of

Jan 29, 2011 • 1:02:23

Adam Bradshaw: Thai Language Series 9 on the Bangkok Podcast (1.37)

(Direct download .mp3) We are lucky to be joined by another farang Thai speaker for our Thai language series, Adam Bradshaw. Adam has a large online following who enjoy watching his energetic and easy to understand YouTube videos where he explains the more commonly heard English phrases to his Thai audience. Things like "What's up?" and the difference between "Up the street" and "Down the street" can be very confusing for non-native speakers, but Adam makes it easy. He talks about how Thai stude

Jan 23, 2011 • 48:30

Bangkok Podcast 36: Finding a job in Bangkok

On this episode, Tony and Greg discuss the ins and outs of finding a job in Thailand. A lot of people - after a vacation full of fun and frivolity - think that moving to Thailand will be a sure way to leave the rat race and live a life of blissful utopia. However, while working in Thailand is still (in our opinion) an infinitely better and more interesting experience than working at home, the truth of the matter that working here is not the endless party many want it to be.  Office politics, rus

Jan 16, 2011 • 40:32

Bangkok Podcast 35: Woody Milintachinda Pt 2

On the second part of our interview with talk show host and all around cool dude Woody Malintachinda, we learn a bit more about Woody's job and some of the crazy stories that come from being on TV. From being told he's "nobody" by American celebrity handlers to dealing with self-censorship to what he thinks of Twitter and his fans (even when they criticize him), it's a fascinting peek into one of the most well-known (and certainly most energetic) Thai TV personalities around. Greg also talks abo

Jan 9, 2011 • 45:14

Bangkok Podcast 34: Woody Milintachinda Pt 1

On the first part of a special two-part episode, we are very pleased to welcome one of Thailand's top talk show personalities, Woody Milintachinda. As host and producer of 'Woody Kerd Ma Kui' (Born to Talk), Woody is well known to Thais all over the country for his unique style of interviewing everyone from supermodels to fortune tellers to politicians. Sometimes controversial but always interesting, Woody joins Bangkok Podcast to talk about his childhood in the US and Switzerland, the positive

Jan 2, 2011 • 55:50

Bangkok Podcast 33: Five Questions

For the last show of 2010, Tony and Greg decided to learn a little about more about how each of them views their adopted city. To that end, each of them came up with five questions about life in Bangkok without telling the other what they were; improvisational podcasting at its finest! What did Greg ask Tony? What did Tony ask Greg? The answers are all in episode #33 of Bangkok Podcast. They also talk about Tony's upcoming trip to Japan, and how Christmas is celebrated in Bangkok... or rather, h

Dec 23, 2010 • 43:40

Bangkok Podcast 32: Hamish Chalmers

While our regular Thai language Jedi Rikker takes a well-deserved break, we're joined today by Hamish Chalmers, another noted Thai speaker, blogger, Tweeter and all-around nice guy. As a teacher at a well-regarded international school, Hamish has some unique insights into how students of languages (Thai or otherwise) learn, what methodologies work best, and how teachers can shape their lessons to suit each students' particular needs. Hamish also tells us how he learned Thai through pure stubborn

Dec 19, 2010 • 43:33

Bangkok Podcast 31: Visa Runs

On this episode we disucss the much-hated, much-maligned visa run, the process of renewing your visa by traveling outside of the country that you live in. Most anyone who lives in Thailand has experienced this process, and Tony and Greg go over the who, what, why, and how of the whole process, drawing on personal experience to try and answer a few questions: is it better to do on your own or use a service? Can you send your passport with an agency and stay at home? How do you deal with border br

Dec 12, 2010 • 43:08

Bangkok Podcast 30: Phra Pandit

Ask anyone in the world what they see when they think of Thailand, and chances are that one of those things will be monks. They are a part of life here - wandering the streets early in the morning, shopping at markets, riding the skytrain - but for most foreigners, they remain somewhat mysterious and at a distance. To change those perceptions, Bangkok Podcast is very happy to welcome Phra Pandit, a Brit who was ordained as a monk in 1996 and is now a very visible part of Bangkok's Buddhist commu

Nov 29, 2010 • 43:23

Bangkok Podcast 29: Thai Language Series 7

On this show we're again joined by Thai language Jedi Rikker Dockum who goes through the calendar with us looking at the Thai holidays. It can be confusing sometimes keeping them all straight, because while many western holidays have made it to Bangkok - Christmas, Halloween, Valentine's Day, etc - there are also the Thai holidays to keep track of - Songkran, Macha Bucha, and Father's, Mother's and Children's day, among others. So how are the western ones celebrated, what is a Macha Bucha, and w

Nov 28, 2010 • 43:48

Bangkok Podcast 28: Expats and Technology

Living overseas can often caust a bit of separation anxiety. You miss your family, you miss your friends, and pretty soon work, social life and time zones get in your way. As little as 5 or 6 years ago you were pretty limited to email, but over the past half-decade, the tools and technology available to expats for staying in touch with your peeps back home has exploded. In this episode, Tony and Greg chew the fat on which methods they use to stay in touch with their families around the world, an

Nov 21, 2010 • 32:14

Bangkok Podcast 27: Jerry Hopkins Pt 2

On this week's show, continue our interview with Mr. Jerry Hopkins. You may not know his name right away but Jerry is a legend in the music and publishing industries. Before he retired to Thailand, Jerry was a journalist - and not just any journalist - a Rock n' Roll Journalist! As a former editor of Rolling Stone Magazine (when it was just a wee start-up trying to sell ads), Jerry got to know some of the biggest up-and-coming names in rock n' roll, from Jimi Hendrix to The Doors to Elvis Presle

Nov 13, 2010 • 47:22

Bangkok Podcast 26: Jerry Hopkins Pt1

If you like real music then you are in for a treat with this weeks guest as we're very lucky to interview Mr. Jerry Hopkins. You may not know his name right away but Jerry is a legend in the music and publishing industries. Before he retired to Thailand, Jerry was a journalist - and not just any journalist - a Rock n' Roll Journalist! As a former editor of Rolling Stone Magazine (when it was just a wee start-up trying to sell ads), Jerry got to know some of the biggest names in rock n' roll, f

Nov 7, 2010 • 40:58

Bangkok Podcast 25: Halloween Special!

For the final show of October, we invited some friends of Bangkok Podcast down to the Bangkok Podcast Intergallactic HQ to join us in a creepy crawly Halloween-themed episode - eating bugs! Insects have long been a part of the Thai diet, especially in the northern Isaan region, and while a good number of Thais in Bangkok don't indulge, many still do and you can often see bug vendors plying their wares in various locations around the city. We assembled 9 big bags full of creepy-crawlies: red ants

Oct 31, 2010 • 32:52

Bangkok Podcast 24: Thai Language Series 6

In our continuing series on the mysteries of the Thai language, linguistic lion tamer Rikker Dockum talks about the complexities of the vowels. With around 33 (depending on who you ask) vowel sounds, which can come before, after, above, below, or around the consonant that they modify, it's no wonder that Tony and Greg (and many others) are left scratching their heads. We also announce a special episode of Bangkok Podcast on October 30 - the last one for our Halloween month - where you - yes, you

Oct 24, 2010 • 29:35

Bangkok Podcast 23: Tourist Scams

Bangkok is a big and fast-paced city, and you need a significant amount of street smarts to avoid the many pitfalls that are present. One thing that many people find - despite the well-publicized 'Land of Smiles' image - is that Thailand has jerks and scam artists just like any other city around the world. Often these hosers weave incredibly intricate and cunning schemes to get some money out of unwitting tourists; the variety is incredible and people often lose anywhere from hundreds of baht to

Oct 17, 2010 • 37:53

Bangkok Podcast 22: Paul Garrigan

Bangkok is a city of many vices and more than a few temptations. If you're not careful, it can be frighteningly easy to let these things go from a sometime-hobby to a full-blown addiction, and the end result is usually not pretty. But every once in a while you hear a story about someone who sank to the bottom and then, against all odds, pulled themsevles back up. Continuing our Halloween theme in the guise of discussing inner demons, our guest today is author Paul Garrigan. His book 'Dead Drunk'

Oct 10, 2010 • 42:42

Bangkok Podcast 21: Fortune Tellers

For many westerners, fortune tellers - more often referred to as psychics - are generally seen as dwelling in the fringes of legitimacy. However, 'mor doo' ('seeing doctors') in Thailand play a much larger role. From Prime Ministers to street sweepers, seeing a fortune teller is something that many Thais do regularly and with quite a bit of conviction, and as any long-term expat can tell you, making fun of their craft or trying to disprove a session with a cold dose of reality will only earn you

Oct 3, 2010 • 37:51

Bangkok Podcast 20: Thai Language Series 5

Joined once again by Bangkok Podcasts's Thai language guru Rikker, we get into the very unique way that Thais tell time. For instance, in Thai the day is divided into four sections: morning, afternoon, evening, and then after midnight. At the change to each section, the time is 'reset', so for instance, 8pm wouldn't be 8pm, but rather 2 o'clock, or 2 hours after 6pm. It's a system that has confused many a foreigner who is told to meet someone at a time that makes no sense - "Meet me for dinner a

Sep 26, 2010 • 38:47

Bangkok Podcast 19: Thai Education System

It's no secret that the Thai education system is in need of an overhaul. Everyone from government ministers to concerned parents regularly voice their opinions in the press, and there is a real concern that the Thailand's education system is being passed by its regional neighbours. One way a concerned parent can ensure your child has an international-level education in Thailand is to enroll them in an international school. However, many parents find that the cost of tuition is often outrageously

Sep 20, 2010 • 39:25

Bangkok Podcast 18: Kaila Krayewski

With the legendary beauty of Thai women and Bangkok’s shadowy red light districts, Thailand is a well-known destination for men who like to act like they wished they could when they were teenagers, but what about the foreign women that live in the Land of Smiles? The reality is that there are many farang ladies in Thailand who are smart, successful, and beautiful, but who are totally ignored by the male population. It may sounds like a silly little problem but not having access to a successful r

Sep 12, 2010 • 39:35

Bangkok Podcast 17: Finding an apartment in Bangkok

Landing in Bangkok,  finding a job and fitting into a new life isn't easy, but finding the right apartment is often the most challenging thing to do. With a city as big as Bangkok, it can be a confusing, frustrating and tiring experience. On this episode, Tony and Greg talk about the nuances of finding the right apartment and the shortcuts they've taken in the past to explore the housing market and what it offers. They also give a few tips on what to look for on your search, as many of the 'litt

Sep 5, 2010 • 36:57

Bangkok Podcast 16: Thai Language Series 4

In this episode Rikker elightens us on what it's like to raise a child in a bilingual country and household. Seeing that Tony and Greg have exactly 0 children each, Rikker - as a father of two - is much more qualified to tell us about what teaching methods work best, how a child percieves language, and the fears that any parent has when trying to teach their child the skills that will help them in life. Greg also vents about an injustice toward a Thai garbage collector, and Tony talks about his

Aug 27, 2010 • 38:49

Bangkok Podcast 15: Is Bangkok Safe?

Bangkok is a sprawling, steamy city of roughly 8 million that can give any other metropolis a run for its money. Naturally, crime and violence are a reality of everyday life, although not on the same scale as other notorious places like Rio de Janeiro, New York or Johannesburg. Despite this, one of the most common questions we get is: is Bangkok safe?  The short answer to this question is: yes, Bangkok overall is a very safe city. However, living here does require a certain amount of street smar

Aug 22, 2010 • 36:25

Bangkok Podcast 14: Voranai Vanijaka

As an editor at the Bangkok Post, one of the Kingdom's English-language daily newspapers, Voranai Vanijaka is afforded an opportunity to have his voice heard, discussed and argued about that few of use ever have. As a journalist, his job is to look at the world through a long lens and comment on what he sees. However, in a country like Thailand - where long-held perceptions are hard to change and powerful personalities enjoy the stability of the status quo, turning that lens inward can often cau

Aug 15, 2010 • 33:27

Bangkok Podcast 13: Thais Love Whitey

Ahh, summer time. When everyone heads down to the beach to get that wonderful golden tan that makes you look like a Hollywood star. Except in Asia, where perceptions of skin tone often run counter to what they do in the west. Over here, pasty, white skin is much more desirable and has come to denote affluence, wealth and success.  In This episode of Bangkok Podcast, Anthony and Greg discuss how Thais shun dark skin and yearn for white skin, how beauty products and advertising try to promote the

Aug 8, 2010 • 31:43

Bangkok Podcast 12: Thai Language Series 3

In this episode we ask Rikker to walk us through the different ways to address people in Thai, from the polite, to the familiar, to the not recommended. Not all of the terms are direct nouns, and many can be quite creative – for instance, the word to refer to yourself in front of a judge is to essentially insult yourself, thereby elevating the judge to a higher position! Greg also recounts the time he referred to an older person by the right word but with the wrong tone, with unhappy results.

Aug 2, 2010 • 31:33

Bangkok Podcast 11: Patrick Winn

Being a journalist in the 21st century isn't easy. The industry that has essentially functioned the same since it started centuries ago is undergoing massive changes. In fact, in another ten years, journalists and the journalism industry as we know it might not even exist. But thankfully there are still plenty of good journo's out there, and one of them is the Global Post's Patrick Winn, who has written about everything from ghost festivals to redshirt riots to eating dog. On this podcast, we ch

Jul 25, 2010 • 36:44

Bangkok Podcast 10: Launch Party!

Thanks to all who came to the Bangkok Podcast launch party at Bistro 33! It was a great success and we truly enjoyed seeing old and new faces and making new friends. On this episode of the podcast, Tony and Greg talk about the party and how it's the first step into building a community based on none of the boring ol' cliches that Bangkok is known for - girls, bars, and booze. We also talk about how important it is to have these little outlets - parties, networking events, meetings, and such - be

Jul 18, 2010 • 21:01

Bangkok Podcast 9: Smiling Albino

Traveling is never as easy as they make it look on television travel shows. What many people forget is that an entire production team has been hard at work for weeks before the host ever shows up. As they say, the devil's in the details, and no one knows more about the details of travel than Smiling Albino. For the past ten years, Smiling Albino, founded by Canadians Scott Coates and Daniel Fraser, has been offering unique, custom-built adventures throughout Thailand for anyone who likes to avoi

Jul 11, 2010 • 35:08

Bangkok Podcast 8: Thai Language Series 2

In the second of our ongoing Thai language series, we continue talking to 'Thai Language Jedi' Rikker Dockum about the complexities of the Thai language. In this episode, we jump onto the much-discussed tone system of Thai, and why foreigners have such a hard time wrapping their head around it while our Thai friends are wondering what the big deal is. Greg and Tony also each share a story or two about how the tones and Romanization aspect of Thai have gotten them into hot water a few times.

Jul 4, 2010 • 38:37

Bangkok Podcast 7: Transportation

When people hear 'Bangkok' they usually think of either red light districts or traffic jams. Well, because they are such good boys, Tony and Greg don't have much experience with the former, but plenty of experience with the latter, and that's what they'll be talking about today. From haggling with tuk-tuk drivers, paying traffic fines for motorcycle taxis or trying to avoid eye infections on the Klong Saen Saeb canal boat, we'll discuss all the modes of transport in this sprawling city, how they

Jun 27, 2010 • 34:49

Bangkok Podcast 6: Jodi Ettenberg

For our second interview, we are very happy to be joined by Jodi Ettenberg - lawyer, world traveler, riot survivor, political commentator, and fan of all things related to chowing down. Those of you in Bangkok have probably met Jodi, and if not you've likely read her tweets on Twitter, viewed her pictures on travel blogs and news sites, seen her speak about Bangkok's recent political troubles on various television stations, or read her Legal Nomads blog, where she chronicles her adventures over

Jun 20, 2010 • 30:09

Bangkok Podcast 5: Thai Television

In this episode of the Bangkok Podcast, we discuss something that many foreigners living here have a hard time wrapping their heads around - Thai television shows. From dramatically-enhanced soap operas to variety shows with singing, dancing Nazis, to the brilliance of funny television commercials, the range of options for the average viewer are pretty broad. But what can we learn about Thai society from watching these little diversions? Will sitting through a cat-fight between a rich bitch soci

Jun 13, 2010 • 32:54

Bangkok Podcast 4: Thai Language Series 1

One of the problems with living in Thailand is that it’s so easy to get by without being very skilled in the Thai language, a mistake that many expats make. To provide some inspiration, we are very happy to be talking to Rikker Dockum, a researcher and Thai language scholar, who will be joining us every month on the Bangkok Podcast. Rather than standard ‘word of the day’ type lessons, Rikker will be chatting with us about the mysteries of the Thai language, tips for learning it, secrets to using

Jun 8, 2010 • 35:04

Bangkok Podcast 3: Your First Time In Bangkok

Rarely does someone move to Bangkok with a full support network of friends ready to help them out; more often than not, the first few weeks or months are a bit of a struggle as you figure out how the city works. For this episode of Bangkok Podcast, Anthony and Greg dish out some advice for anyone thinking of moving here, or even for people that have lived here for a while but haven't yet settled fully into their groove. From joining the right networking events to knowing where in the city to liv

May 31, 2010 • 32:48

Bangkok Podcast 2: Prae Sunantaraks

After a tumultuous week that saw many deaths and widespread arson and rioting in Bangkok, we discuss the fallout from the army’s breakup of the redshirt protest site and what it means to Bangkok and the rest of Thailand. We also talk about how most of Bangkok continues as normal, even as a temporary curfew puts a major dent in Bangkok’s nightlife. In addition, we are very happy to be joined by Prae Sunantaraks – nicknamed Fluke – who was born with retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative retinal dis

May 23, 2010 • 32:08

Bangkok Podcast 1: Best Source of Thai News

In the first edition of our weekly podcast, we discuss the major issue at the moment – the ongoing redshirt protests and the continuing efforts by the military to end them. We also touch on the causes of the conflict, and then discuss what we think are some great resources for keeping on top of new developments in one of the biggest crises to hit Thailand in a very long time.

May 16, 2010 • 32:01