Greg and Ed discuss an article on Ajarn.com by Dr. Jesse Sessions called "What Does the Future Hold" which discusses some of the bigger problems currently facing Thailand and how they might impact the country's prosperity, competitiveness and social longevity. The guys walk through the issues one by one and give their take on its significance,

The first issue is border security. Ed points out that Thailand actually has major security issues on the Burmese, Malaysian, and Cambodian borders, something that is easy to forget from the security of Bangkok. In fact several of the later issues tie in to this problem, including the major problems of government corruption and of scam centers in Cambodia and Burma, that implicate Thailand in international crime networks. Greg points out that these 'scam cities' are sometimes connected to the Thai power grid or Internet service and may also be trafficking victims through Bangkok. As a 'rule of law' guy, Ed emphasizes the importance of cleaning up these issues and ridding Southeast Asia of its Wild West image. 

Another cluster of issues centers around the economy, such as the slower the expected recovery of the tourism sector after COVID and Thailand's perennial fixture in the 'middle income trap,' clearly surpassing Cambodia but somehow also managing to be miles away from South Korea and Japan.

Check in for discussion of a bunch of other topics, including demographics, AI adoption, and environmental problems, and make sure to read the full article for a more thorough breakdown of each issue.

There's a lot of great buildings and great history that has been bulldozed over in Bangkok, so it's nice when we see someone going the extra mile to actually preserve both an historic physical space as well as the stories and history behind it.

On this show Greg interviews Art and Irma, owners of Siri Sala Private Thai Villa, located off of Charan Sanitwong Road, not far from where Ed lives. The couple begins with the story of how they discovered the property - at the time, an old family home that had fallen into disrepair - while on a boat ride down the Bangkok Noi Canal, and the various serendipitous events that were necessary for them to become the new owners. 

Greg then discusses with them the extensive rebuilding and renovations that needed to be done to complete the space. The entrepreneurial couple explains the lengthy design process, one driven by a desire to maintain the authenticity of a traditional Thai house, but with the lived-in practicality of a genuine home, as opposed to a museum piece. Next, the conversation moves to the various uses of the unique location. Irma explains that events were the primary intended purpose, but that very quickly video productions were knocking on their door. After several smaller shoots, they were chosen to play a major part in White Lotus, Season 3, and Greg talks with Art and Irma about that amazing experience. 

Last, the couple announces the impending opening of Siri Sila as a boutique hotel, that allows rental of individual rooms or the whole property, as well as entire buyouts for those who want a memorable stay they will never forget.

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Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. We also sometimes post on Facebook, you can contact us on LINE and of course, head to our website (www.bangkokpodcast.com) to find out probably more info than you need to know.

Greg and Ed discuss a much neglected topic in Bangkok expat life: how to survive as someone who doesn't drink alcohol. Everyone knows that Bangkok has an epic nightlife, but much of that experience revolves around alcohol consumption. The guys discuss the option of going to the usual places and merely opting out of drink, but they also admit that for some people that is socially awkward and can put a damper on the evening. So what about events that themselves are not based around alcohol?

Well, both guys offer multiple suggestions. First, sports activities that are social by nature but NOT directly tied to booze. Popular options today are padel and pickle ball. Second, the broader wellness community that includes yoga, meditation, and cold plunges offer great opportunities to meet people and not drink. Third, the guys recommend other hobbies that while they may not ban alcohol, they are not centered around it. Chess, board games, and martial arts all come to mind. 

Another option is to focus on the community of expats that are into Thai history and culture, such as those involved in the Siam Society and the National Museum. While social gatherings may include cocktail options, opting out is much easier among that crew.

Greg and Ed fully support the avoidance of alcohol - it's obviously not healthy and peer pressure itself is toxic. The good news is that Bangkok is big and diverse enough that there are plenty of options out there for those willing to check out new things. 

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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 this life. Phra Pandit argues that there are certainly a number of people today who practice mindfulness meditation and call it Buddhism, but that there really isn't a serious movement of people staking a claim to modern Buddhism. 

What's really happening, according to Phra Pandit, is that many people are choosing the parts of Buddhism they like (namely meditation) and combining it with other aspects of psychology, yoga, or environmentalism. Greg asks when these changes render Buddhism not even a religion at all, and Phra Pandit has a very direct answer. True religions attempt to provide ultimate answers to the meaning and purpose of life. Once you strip away this priority of dealing with the 'ultimate,' you are left with something that can only be called a 'lifestyle,' not a true religion.

Greg and Phra Pandit continue their discussion of other modern variants of Buddhism and the extent to which they capture the true nature of the religion. Phra Pandit, of course, is old school. :)

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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 good at. 

The guys then talk about the dangerous trap of merely LOWERING your expectations and just assuming everything is worse in Thailand. They then run through numerous examples of things better here than where they are from back home: food in general, public transportation, electronic banking, etc. 'Managing your expectations' undoubtedly works in both directions. 

Ed then brings up the realization that sometimes Thais simply have a different interpretation of something we all value, such as 'customer service.' Back home, it implies competence and efficiency, but to Thais it means attention and a sincere desire to help. Sure you may prefer the back home version, but the smart thing is to appreciate what the Thai concept brings to the table. 

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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 up shoo-ing the ghost away, an outcome completely unexpected in a western framework. He insists that the Thai word for ghost ('phee'), encompasses a much broader range of unexplained phenomena than just the western idea of a disembodied 'spirit.'

Next, the guys discuss Andrew's book, "Ghosts of the New City," a study of the interaction between urbanization, progress, and supernatural beliefs in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Andrew notes that Thais do not only believe older buildings contain spirits, but also that new constructions can as well. Hence, urban planning decisions can be particularly complex, because they cannot be reduced to simply trying to 'preserve old stuff.' 

Lastly, Greg and Andrew get into the psychological imprints that different locations leave in our minds, but also how the locations themselves carry imprints of past lives and previous 'orders' that have now fallen by the wayside. These emotional experiences, which are processed as non-magical in the west, are really not substantially different from what's going in the minds of supernatural believers who are going through the same thing but using different words to describe it.

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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 Thailand's case. But the nature of Buddhism is such that it is more tolerant of 'syncretism,' or the mixing of beliefs, so Thai culture is really steeped in three traditions: formal Theravada Buddhism, Brahmanism (an earlier form of Hinduism), and 'animism,' or the folk beliefs of early Thais. 

Next, Andrew emphasizes that both the newer systems of belief and the older folk beliefs are actually in a constant state of evolution. Thais from the countryside steeped in animist ideas must adapt to living in a city of high rises and skytrains and taxis, just as Thais from the city may prefer modern variations of Buddhism (such as Dhammakaya or Santi Asoke) to traditional Theravada Buddhism. 

The men continue with a fascinating exploration of the status of Bangkok in Thai society, how Thais address the issue of skepticism and belief, and how foreigners can best open their minds to Thai beliefs while keeping their feet on the ground. 

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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.

The boys head out into Talad Noi, perhaps their favorite neighborhood in all of Bangkok, and begin sampling some of the various vegetarian delicacies along the back sois. First up is an oatmeal bun, which is fairly yummy if not exactly delicious. Not a bad start. Next up is some deep fried taro, which both guys find crunchy and satisfying. Healthy? Maybe not, but tasty nonetheless. Then the guys stumble upon Greg's favorite, 'khanom toob-tub,' a tasty candy-like snack made of a huge glob of caramel and peanuts that's hammered into oblivion by two guys with giant mallets and folded into a bar of goodness. No complaints here. :) Last, Greg and Ed try a kind of pancake sandwich with soy paste in between, and while a bit dry, it also went down easy.

Unfortunately, further gastronomic experimentation was cut short by a rainstorm, but both guys conclude that their memories were a bit harsh and that it's actually pretty easy to find a variety of tasty food at the Jay Fest. However, it's the whole experience, along with parading Chinese dragons, temple offerings, and stage performances that make checking out the festival worthwhile. 

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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 recovery began slowly in 2022. So where are we now? Well, in short, the prediction is that 2023 will see about 25 million tourists, roughly 60% of pre-COVID numbers. 

The guys admit this is probably ahead of schedule, given previous expectations, and do their best to explain what's going on. Ed notes that there are thousands of Russians and Ukrainians fleeing the war, which has probably boosted numbers somewhat. He even reads an article about the exploding real estate prices in Phuket, due to the influx of Russians with money. Greg then reviews the up and down nature of Chinese tourism, which has recently jumped due to relaxed visa restrictions. Regardless of the reasons though, the current outlook for Thai tourism is a rosy one.

Greg then raises the important question of overall tourism numbers, and whether that really should be the goal anyway. "Overtourism" has been an issue raised on the show several times before, and unfortunately it seems as if the Tourism Authority of Thailand is still focused on total numbers, to the detriment of other issues such as the quality of the experience and potential harm to infrastructure and the Thai environment. The guys finish with a bat signal to Stuart of Travelfish to come back on the show and give us his take. Or should it be a fish signal? Either way, we need Stuart! 

*This is not even remotely true

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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 person never thinks about. He even contends most linguists could be on the autism spectrum!

As for specific advice, Stu begins a fascinating explanation that Thai doesn't really have a word that means 'yes' directly; the word 'chai' actually translates more closely to the English expression 'it is.' Hence, to indicate an affirmative response, Thais will simply repeat the verb used in a question. This fascinating difference with English is continued with a discussion of other ways to indicate agreement, with words that sound almost equivalent to a grunt in English. As always, the context and nuance dictate the appropriate meaning, and what us foreigners are taught in class is often an oversimplification of a complicated concept.

The lesson continues with more useful advice on improving your Thai. One thing for sure, there's a lot more going on in Thai conversations than is immediately apparent when you are just a basic speaker of Thai! 

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*This is not even remotely true.

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 of speaking, something that Greg himself had noticed when listening to himself. This creates a problem in Thai, where length of vowels is extremely important to clarity. Another thing Stu points out is Greg's use of the Thai 'meuan gan', when he really should just have used 'meuan' alone, which Stu explains with a lesson in colloquial semantics.

The feedback continues, with Stu sometimes emphasizing pronunciation, but also focusing on the nuances of word usage and colloquialisms. While most non-native speakers fret over tones, which Stu admits are important, he seems to focus more on choosing the correct word for a particular context. 

The targeted advice continues next week in Part 2 of this interview. 

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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 and convinced Boonsern and other witnesses to let him go into Central Chidlom to make a phone call. However, the driver never returned and effectively disappeared into the ether. However, when police opened up the now-abandoned truck, they found an insanely huge bomb that most likely would have decimated much of downtown Bangkok! 

Although the exact target of the truck bomb has never been proven definitively, Thai police eventually focused on two suspects, one of whom was captured and served 4 years in prison. It is surmised that most likely the terrorists were targeting the Israeli Embassy, which was not far away.

Although 'almost' stories usually aren't too exciting, in this case we are happy that the climax never actually happened and Bangkok dodged a massive tragedy. 

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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 or sentimental value. And then, although unpleasant to think about, comes questions about what type of funeral service you want. Are you a 'toss me to the wind over the ocean' kind of person or do you prefer to be deep underground? Grim, but these decisions need to be made. 

Dave makes clear something that may just be the most important decision - choosing a responsible executor, who is going to be the main person to interface with the probate court, a requirement in Thailand. Greg and Dave discuss the difficulties entailed in finding the right person and how it might be best to defer to a professional, such as a lawyer or other person with experience. 

The guys go on to examine other issues such as contesting wills and how family law (such as marriage, divorce, and children) intersects with the law of probate in Thailand. 

You might not want to do it, but now might be a good time to start thinking about the inevitable! :) 

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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-timers (and that's still true, notwithstanding their surge in popularity among hi-so Thais). Ed then brings up raising your voice or getting angry in public with a Thai person in their official capacity. Simply put, anger in public gets you nothing in Thai culture, except possibly some disrespect.

The guys continue running through several more no-no's for expats and repeat tourists, from forgetting your passport to bum gun blunders. If you don't want to embarrass yourself, listen in for advice on how to look like you belong in Thailand.

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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 stone upon which the script was found.

When it comes to history, Ed turns to the famous Victory Monument, and Greg nails that it commemorates Thailand's victory over the French in a brief war in Laos. Greg instead stumps Ed with a question he should have known about the history of Thonburi. In response, Ed asks Greg about the most important Buddhist holiday, Visakha Bucha Day, and Greg retaliates with a question about the temptations the Buddha faced under the Bodhi tree. Last but not least, Ed asks a pop culture question about the movie 'Suriyothai,' and Greg turns to the popular Miss Universe pageant to close out the show. 

If you thought being challenged on your knowledge of Thailand was fun, become a patron and check out our regular Trivial Thai segment. 

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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 inner peace. 

Next, Ed brings up the one ten-day meditation retreat he did a long while ago, and Phra Pandit stresses the importance of knowing all the rules you must follow while in attendance. The monk believes that in general stricter is better (go big or go home!), with silence being an absolute must. While some of the rules might seem a bit cultish, Phra Pandit notes that temporary restrictions for a few days does not a cult make! 

Ed then turns to the expert to explain some of the weird (and sometimes frightening) mental experiences he had on his long retreat. Phra Pandit uses Ed's experience as a way to illustrate a few important concepts relating to Buddhist philosophy and theory of meditation. 

A psychedelic of your choice may help the episode go down a bit better. Just sayin'. 

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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 that it depends where you go.

The comments from listeners certainly run the gamut, with most examples being things that are more expensive than expected. Examples include imported textbooks, gourmet food, public transportation, gym memberships, coffee, pizza, and the old classic, wine, due to insane import duties. 

While a lot of things are cheap in Thailand, a few things are even cheaper than one would expect. Examples from our listeners are public utilities such as water, gas and diesel fuel, boob jobs (!), laundromats, and domestic airline flights. 

The general consensus seems to be that the cost of living has risen, but Thailand still manages to shine as a total package compared to most other options for expats. Hence, we're staying. :) 

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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 equivalents. 

For instance, Greg brings up the issue of the word 'computer,' which is typically spoken in Thai as 'com-pu-TER,' even though the Society has specified a true Thai word for the computer. Rikker goes through the etymology of the word, but Greg asks whether the work of the Society is even necessary if people don't adopt the words they come up with. Rikker defends the use of public funds for work codifying 'official' Thai, noting that were it left to the private marketplace, the work would never get done. 

The old friends continue their conversation about the Society, emphasizing the need for such an organization for a language like Thai, which is vital to the history and culture of Thailand, but plays little role outside the country. Very few languages in the world are so popularly dominant that their continued preservation is assured, and unfortunately, Thai language is not one of them. 

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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 even the United States. Ed relates a story of a restaurant with no cashier at all, where all the transactions take place electronically, from ordering to payment. 

Third, Ed notes a surprise: Singapore was not as socially conservative as he expected. Sex shops were not uncommon, some women dressed surprisingly racily, and bars and booze seemed to be everywhere. All hope for Singapore is apparently not lost.

Greg then makes a few observations about Canada. Surprisingly, he also noted scantily clad women in public. While the bare midriff is not uncommon in Bangkok, compared to most westernized places, Thai women dress fairly modestly. The frequency of tattoos was also more common, and worse, many of them looked pretty ugly, much to Greg's chagrin, making him re-think his plan to get his own ink done. Greg also was reminded of a classic 'nice' Canadian practice: the friendly wave. While Thais are experts at smiling, the friendly wave is not really a Thai thing. If Greg has his way, though, he'll bring this Canadian gem to Thailand, just like maple syrup!

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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 everyone knows is really happening in the country. Ed furthers the point that almost all Thai elites will give the 'right answer': we want 'real' democracy in Thailand, but then the very same elites go on to enact anti-democratic Constitutions. 

A. Ploy concurs with these assessments and notes the difficulty as a Thai person in remaining optimistic given the apparently cyclical nature of Thai politics, where the government comes close to being truly democratic, only to fall back down into true authoritarianism due some 'crisis' or another. A. Ed asks whether there is anything in the current political crisis that gives hope, and A. Ploy makes several points. The victory of Move Forward in the north of Thailand, the Pheu Thai stronghold, was unprecedented in the last 25 years. Also, the fact that Move Forward's base is made up of the Bangkok middle class and above, yet is pushing for truly progressive reforms, is a first in Thai history.

However, reasons for pessimism exist as well. A. Ploy argues that no true change can happen until the current Constitution is seriously amended, which will be difficult to do given the current makeup of the Senate. She also notes that the next Prime Minister will likely be from the Pheu Thai Party, and there's no guarantee that Pheu Thai will really fight for the reformist agenda of the Move Forward Party now that K. Pita's bid is finished. 

All three participants agree there are many more issues to discuss, and undoubtedly more drama is to come on the Thai political scene. Hence, a return visit for A. Ploy to the podcast is likely!

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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 Korea, Taiwan and Japan. Ed wonders about Singapore, which seems stubbornly resistant to real democracy, but A. Ploy notes Singapore's unique history and essentially one-party system. 

Next, the conversation moves to possible pre-conditions for democracy: Can any country become a democracy at any time or does it have to reach a certain stage of development first? A. Ploy notes that there is no clear authority who should get to decide what those pre-conditions would be. Who has the right to decide that? Ed then points out that in 1776, less than ten percent of Americans could read and write, but somehow democracy managed to take hold.

Greg then wonders if there is anything specific to Thai culture and society that might make it inappropriate for a democratic government. This leads to a lengthy discussion of Thai history, but in short, A. Ploy argues that Thai identity and nationalism has never truly contained democracy as a core element, thus complicating matters for democratic reformers.

The three continue this in-depth discussion of democracy in Thailand on next week's show. If you want to learn more, check out the book that A. Ploy contributed to here.

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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 but despite his friendly disposition, Greg is not much of a partier and avoided a lot of the typical pitfalls. 

The guys then consider coming here to retire, an obviously popular idea in the public imagination. However, both Greg and Ed contend that although Thailand has some advantages - namely cheap living and quality healthcare - it also has many disadvantages, including laws and bureaucracy that are unfriendly to expats. OK but not great seems to be the Bangkok Podcast consensus on retiring in Thailand. 

Greg then asks Ed what expats are the happiest he has met over the years. Ed relates that middle-aged guys with money, who already have been married with grown kids, seem to be the perfect fit for Thailand. Shock! Being single, with money, but with no need to find a lifelong partner is the best way to experience the Land of Smiles. :)

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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 goal of 'union with God' or what Phra Pandit refers to as a 'super mundane' mental state. (And you thought the Bangkok Podcast was all about durian jokes.) Phra Pandit makes clear though that Buddhism as a religion is a very broad community and only a portion of Buddhist believers are seriously interested in meditation.

Ed queries Phra Pandit about such issues as the scientific studies of mediation, the popularity of 'mindfulness' in the corporate world and whether it is good or bad, and the best way to begin a meditation practice. Some issues, such as the pros and cons of meditation retreats have to be left for another day, but be sure to listen in for future episodes. 

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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. Greg and his wife got treatment for his son at Bumrungrad Hospital, which is known for its international standard of care, but also for its high cost, especially in Thailand. A split lip might seem fairly mundane and more appropriate for a government hospital, but there were other factors that necessitated special care. Luckily, the treatment went fine and all is well, but Greg's experience highlights the difficult choices that expats face when it comes to medical care.

Ed recounts a scary story of his wife getting into a motorbike accident and being taken to a nearby public hospital for emergency treatment. But due to the seriousness of her injury, his wife was going to need months of physical therapy with no guarantee of a full recovery. Ed decided to pull the ripcord and move to Bangkok Hospital, another facility renowned for quality care and high prices. At BH, Ed noted that the customer service was extremely high level with LOTS of handholding and explaining, which eased his anxiety considerably. But did his wife actually get better medical care? Ed is not really sure about that, but the care certainly FELT better. 

Last, Greg does a quick interview with friend of the podcast Bangkok Pat, who unfortunately was recently bitten by a dog and thus in need of a quick decision on medical care. In his case, the proximity and convenience of a private hospital (and its higher cost) won out over the uncertainty of a government one, but he's not sure he'd make the same call if it happened again.

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Greg and Ed discuss the pros and cons of Lumphini and Benjakitti parks in central Bangkok, and best of all - you get to vote for your favorite by clicking here!  The boys begin almost with a disclaimer:  both parks are genuinely awesome, and there's no way to definitely declare one park obviously superior to another.  Nevertheless, each has its strengths and weaknesses.

Lumphini is the classic 'Central Park' of Thailand and has had more than 100 years to mature and develop a large group of dedicated visitors.  It is landscaped and manicured in a more traditional way, and in some respects might mirror a kind of 'international standard' for parks.  It is excellent for walkers and joggers, but not so much for bikers who are limited by restrictive hours.  There are facilities for other types of exercise, but those facilities are probably insufficient for the massive number of the park's visitors.

Benjakitti on the other hand is newer and larger and has much better options for a variety of sports, including pickle ball, basketball, badminton and table tennis.  It's also much friendlier to cyclists, who have dedicated lanes through much of the park.  But Benjakitti is much less manicured throughout much of its spaces, representing the 'forest' (or sometimes 'jungle') in its name, as it's intended to represent a genuine biological ecosystem.  Essentially, it's less 'tamed.'  

Both parks provide excellent opportunities for general walking and jogging and of course photography.  Both parks MUST be on the list of repeat tourists and expats. 

Vote for YOUR favorite park here!

Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. We also sometimes post on Facebook, you can contact us on LINE and of course, head to our website (www.bangkokpodcast.com) to find out probably more info than you need to know.

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 rights in Thailand, and Dave goes through a helpful comparison and contrast with the United States, a good foil given the fact that most people understand how the U.S. works from movies and TV shows. Most relevantly, Dave notes that Thailand does not have an equivalent to America's 4th Amendment, which means that the Thai police can pat you down or search you when you are encountered on the street. The guys then discuss various informal strategies to maybe wriggle your way out of an encounter, such as speaking only English with a police officer who speaks only Thai, hoping that the cop gives up out of frustration. 

The guys then go into more specific questions, such as: Do Thai police have the right to stop you on the street and insist upon your tourist? Dave explains that the problem in Thailand is that these questions are not always answered explicitly in the law, unlike in the West. While urine tests seem to be within the power of the police during bar raids and at formal checkpoints, the authority for random tests is unclear. In this case, a person can always attempt to refuse, but how the police respond is anyone's guess.  

Welcome to a country where the rule of law is not as strong as back home, and not every question is answered in black and white - more like a shade of brown. :)

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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 subject to all the responsibilities of Thai people. More on that later.

Greg checks in with two of his friends from work, Aum and Nonglak (thanks ladies!). In a short audio clip, they admit rarely if ever bowing to foreigners, but contend this is not intended as disrespect, but rather that farang are simply 'outside' of the Thai system and therefore may not understand the significance of various aspects of Thai culture. Ed confirms that his Thai friend also makes a similar point: when Thais interact with foreigners in Thailand, they simply do not consider them subject to the same rules as Thai people. In short, Thai cultural norms don't apply to non-Thais, even inside of Thailand.

The boys in the end note that in all fairness, if they demanded to be treated exactly the same as Thais, they also would have to fulfill all the obligations that 'senior' Thai people have. Ed notes that at his university, the Thai Ajarns must attend various ceremonies throughout the year, that he (as a foreigner) is exempt from. And Greg paints the literally uncomfortable picture of kneeling for hours, hands clasped, sweat rolling down your face, at various Buddhist blessings and ceremonies. Both guys agree that living in the 'in-between' zone of being able to opt into but also out of Thai culture is actually a pretty advantageous place to be. 

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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 his high stress corporate lifestyle, and he more or less fell in love with the openness and relaxed nature of Thai society. It helped that Jim is a musician that he found the Bangkok music scene welcoming and savvy to western music such as jazz and blues. 

His return also turned him on to the digital nomads working in Chiang Mai, a discovery that would eventually lead Jim to starting his own podcast about reinventing yourself in the digital age. Check out Jim Jim's Reinvention Revolution here. 

Thailand thus became a place for Jim to connect with interesting people who were hip to how technology was changing careers and the economy. Further, Jim explains how Bangkok is a fantastic hub for travel to other destinations, from Cambodia to the Philippines to Bali. The long and short of it: a re-tourist to Thailand was born. :)

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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 air their questions. 

First, Greg mentions the news story about a missing link between two separate lines of the BTS that come oh so close but inexplicably lack a connection - not the first time this has happened. Ed laments that the different lines of both the BTS and MRT are really separate projects, with some but not really complete coordination, resulting in some perplexing gaps in the system. 

Second, Ed brings up the long talked about plan for high speed rail in Thailand, noting that although the rail system in the country is quite extensive and very popular, it's also very old and greatly in need of an upgrade. 

The guys continue, discussing such issues as the lack of boat connections across the Gulf, the inability to take khlong boats from the city out into the Chao Phraya, and the lack of taxi boats from Bangkok to Paknam and out into the ocean. Listen in for the details.

Last, Greg brings up a purely aesthetic point: why aren't the pillars and undersides of the BTS used for art and graffiti? No doubt thousands of square meters of blank concrete would make great canvases for colorful and creative public displays of Thai artistic talent. 

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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 doesn't get much love from restaurant guides about the city, citing this egregiously under-reported story. Gary notes the historical significance of Thonburi as the former capital of Thailand and (like Greg and Ed) defends the 'Brooklyn' of Bangkok as a great place to eat and live. Gary notes that while Sukhumvit has a lot of international options, it's a little difficult to find a variety of good Thai food, whereas Thonburi is bursting with old-school Thai options. 

Greg and Gary continue to extol the virtues of Thonburi. Although parts of it are modernizing, especially near the river, other parts have remained unchanged for decades, something that appeals to many Thai people and even some expats. Gary continues by going into the details of different sois and neighborhoods throughout Thonburi and their various culinary delights.

Definitely check out Gary's YouTube channel 'The Roaming Cook' but also take a day to wander the streets of Thonburi for a different Bangkok experience. 

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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 overall for total number of seats won. Ed notes that pre-election polls did show Move Forward gaining, but few people expected them to win outright. Why is this a big deal? Well, the Shinawatra spawned parties have won every election in Thailand since 2000, so these results do show a major shift in among the Thai electorate towards a Bangkok-based party. But significantly, Move Forward is a very progressive party, unlike the conservative Democrats who formerly dominated in Bangkok.

So what grade does Ed give himself on his pre-election prognostications? Well, he did correctly note that Move Forward was gaining and the Bhuamjaithai was in general conservative despite their 'progressive' stance on cannabis. However, Ed thought that a coalition between Move Forward and Pheu Thai would be difficult to achieve, but in fact Pheu Thai pledged to join Move Forward immediately. Grade: C+. Greg kindly chimes in with a slightly more generous assessment of B-. But either way, this is an issue that we should all be watching very closely for the next little while. 

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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 experience living in a house on Sukhumvit Soi 1, very close to Bumgungrad Hospital which was undergoing expansion and thus necessitating a camp of laborers nearby. Unsurprisingly perhaps, Ed's house was robbed three times, including once when his wife woke up and confronted a burglar. Other than that, Ed has managed to avoid any other encounters with crime in Bangkok, also not a bad record all things considered.

The guys then go over the most high risk behavior that foreigners in Thailand can engage in, including frequenting crowded areas where foreigners are known to go (such as Khao San Road or Chatuchak Market) and not securing your belongings. This makes you easy prey for pickpockets who target non-Thai looking people in such areas, as this poor sap found out the hard way. The second risky move is interacting extensively with street people at night, especially bargirls and ladyboys, who have a reputation for being light-fingered. And last is fairly obvious: being very drunk late at night and taking long cab rides or cavorting with bar girls. No one is 'blaming the victim,' but it is undoubtedly a fact that certain activities in Bangkok are riskier than others. You have been warned. 🙂

Luckily, as has been stated on the podcast many times, most crimes against foreigners in Thailand are non-violent, at least compared to most big cities back home. 

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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 Thailand was in a motorbike accident and was seriously in need of blood for his treatment. His friend had an RH- blood type, which as Ryan explains, is much more common among Europeans than it is among Asians, putting people of European ancestry (as well as RH- Thais) at great risk of not being able to get the blood they need when in a Thai hospital. As a result of seeing his friend's struggle - which, luckily, had a happy ending - Ryan set up his first FB group dedicated to convincing foreigners to donate blood in Thailand. 

The guys continue by getting into some of the interesting facts of blood donation, including the unfortunate exclusion in the past of many people from the EU due to fears over Mad Cow disease. Most importantly, Ryan (and Greg) encourage listeners to head down to the National Blood Center at the Thai Red Cross Society in Bangkok to make your first donation. It'll cost you nothing but some time, but you might literally save someone's life. :)

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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, the populist handouts made famous (some would say infamous) by the Thai Rak Thai party are now practiced essentially universally by all parties, although the nature and extent of the 'benefits' may differ. A winning electoral strategy (however 'infamous') IS in fact a winning strategy, and none of the major parties have been able to resist the allure of easy promises. 

Ed then does a quick run through of the six biggest parties in Thailand. Three parties can be said to represent the Thai establishment. The United Thai Nation party is a new party created to carry the banner of the current Prime Minister. It is thus conservative and nationalistic and represents a continuation of current policies. The Palang Pracharath stands for roughly the same things but offers a different former general as Prime Minister. The Democrat Party is the oldest political party in Thailand and represents the upper middle class elite of Bangkok, as well as a strong faction in the South. 

Another three parties are anti-establishment, each in their own way. The Bhuamjaithai party made its name promoting the legalization of cannabis, and although they don't technically support full recreational use, stand for a more liberal approach to the popular herb. The Move Forward party is a Bangkok-based progressive movement that makes the boldest claims for reforming the Thai military as well as the strict lese majeste laws. And finally, the aforementioned Pheu Thai largely represents the poor rural population, especially farmers, and uses a more socialist-style approach to managing the Thai economy.

While currently the anti-establishment parties are polling well, it's anybody's guess if the winning party will be able to form a coalition large enough to choose the Prime Minister. After nine years of more or less military rule, however, this election will for sure be consequential. 

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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 characteristic is having something for everyone, especially people of different economic classes. Here Ed gives Bangkok a very high score of 9, but Greg thinks it's not that good with a 6. The third quality of a liveable city is that it can attract people and maintain demand. Once again, both guys give Bangkok high scores. 

However, the fourth and fifth qualities cause some disagreement. Greg gives Bangkok a lower score for development than Ed does, and when it comes to providing a sustainable, livable environment, Ed's score is average, but Greg's is much lower. Last, the guys come back to a state of agreement on civil society in Bangkok, arguing it isn't great but could also be a lot worse. 

Who needs some science-y survey when you got two experts right here to tell you all how Bangkok ranks up?

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While Greg is travelling in Canada, Ed interviews old friend of the podcast Jonathan about his recent trip to Europe.  Jon and his Thai wife Poom spent a couple weeks on vacation, first in Paris and then in Poland.  Jon begins talking about the multicultural nature of Paris, something he's familiar with as a native New Yorker.  He and his wife revelled in Paris's famous street culture: streets are very walkable, cafes abound, and sights are aplenty.  In fact, Jon's only worry was being ID'd as an American, leading to a funny story about his and his wife attempting to look European.  Listen in for the details.  Ed asks about the safety of Paris, something it's not known for, and Jon admitted to being apprehensive but admits that at least on this trip, they never felt uncomfortable.

On to Poland!  Ed asks if there was an immediate difference between France and Poland, and Jon noted that both are very European and that he did not feel straight away as if he was in a different world.  However, one difference was that Poland appeared to be less multicultural, causing he and his wife to be a little more self-conscious.  But the Poles were friendly, and surprisingly, he and his wife found an excellent Thai restaurant in Krakow.  Who would have guessed?

Jon reveals his true colors as a Bangkoker when he admits that after two weeks of the Old World, he was more than ready to return to the Big Mango.

Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. We also sometimes post on Facebook, you can contact us on LINE and of course, head to our website (www.bangkokpodcast.com) to find out probably more info than you need to know.

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 firm has helped keep off the market. According to K. Pink, Tilleke's museum is the largest such museum in the world. She then explains the absurdly large market in counterfeits, which has been estimated at 2.5 percent of all global trade as early as 2019.

Greg raises the interesting question of whether counterfeit goods are always harmful. If the consumer knows their 'Gucci' watch is not real, then who is being harmed? K. Pink gives several responses. First, due to lower quality, fake goods can actually be harmful, as in the case of decreased durability and likelihood of failure. Second, a market filled with counterfeits can discourage creators from taking the risks necessary to make new products. Third, companies making fake goods typically don't pay taxes, thus depriving the government of revenue. And last, countries with a bad reputation for counterfeits can have trouble attracting foreign investment, thus hurting the economy as a whole. Then there is the question of - if you're okay with shoes and watches, what about medicine and car parts? Where does it end?

The two continue their discussion of this complex issue, covering questions of the role of the Thai government in enforcing (or not enforcing) current laws to how K. Pink gives advice to clients considering doing business in Thailand.

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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 of driving laws. So even if you are not on a motorbike, be very aware anytime you are near or crossing roads. Second, riding on the back of motorbikes is extremely common throughout the country, but especially in Bangkok and on tourist islands. But commonsense reveals that on a motorbike, you are considerably less protected than when in a proper automobile.

Next, many foreigners choose to rent motorbikes and drive them themselves. This creates additional risk, unless you are someone very familiar with operating motorbikes or motorcycles. To make matters even worse, for many different reasons, health insurance often does not cover injuries that are a result of motorbike accidents. Possible reasons include blanket exceptions, not wearing a helmet, or not being properly licensed. The result can turn a dream holiday into a literal health and financial nightmare for tourists and expats (as well as their families). Read this story that Greg's friend Karla wrote for CNN about her motorbike-from-hell story when she first visited Thailand.

The Bangkok Podcast implores listeners to tell all their friends visiting Thailand to either avoid motorbikes entirely or to guarantee they have proper health insurance coverage. 

Have fun this holiday but always be safe. :) 

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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 the average Western shopper.

Greg asks how her videos have changed over the years, and Pailin notes that she has expanded into 'topic' videos, given that she already has videos that cover most Thai dishes. She has recently made videos on how to choose the proper Thai curry, how to navigate an Asian grocery store, and even how to correctly eat Thai food with a spoon (rather than a fork). 

Following up on an issue from the last time she was on the podcast, Pailin contends that the situation for Thai food in North America has actually improved in the last few years, partly due to a welcome shift towards crediting people of color with their contributions to the restaurant industry. 

Greg wraps up the interview with a few questions from our patrons for the Thai food expert. 

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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 nouveau riche Thai billionaire, Thaksin Shinawatra, who confidently promised to repay the government's debts early (which he did, as a matter of fact). Thaksin formed a surprisingly broad coalition of Isaan farmers and a fairly sizable chunk of the Bangkok middle class. After an economically successful but otherwise controversial first term, he was re-elected in 2004 in more or less a landslide.

However, this apparent 'success' led to a backlash in the form of a coup d'etat from a conservative establishment in 2006, followed by years of political turmoil. After Thaksin's sister Yingluck won an election in 2012, another coup followed in 2014. Since then, the military has held a firm grasp on the government, but lo and behold, Thaksin's daughter Paetongtarn is the leading candidate in the upcoming election. The more things change, the more they stay the same in modern Thai politics.

Greg and Ed discuss whether or not any of this really matters to expats in Thailand. We can't vote, so why bother going deep? The guys offer differing perspectives on the issue, leaving it up to each expat to decide on their own. 

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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 bring Western liberal ideas to Siam. Pridi, the civilian, took a particularly leftist view of economics and tried to indoctrinate those views in the first Thai constitution. Subsequently, after the split between Pridi and Phibul, Pridi's more radical views were used against him and played a role in his eventual exile from Thailand. 

The conversation continues to cover the rise of the military in Thai politics, the role of satire in Thai society, the student uprisings of the 1970s, and eventually to the more recent protests against the current military-backed government. Has anything really changed? If not, is there reason for optimism? Listen in for the views of two true experts on Thailand with a genuinely long view of Thai history. 

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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, with Yuangrat working as a professor at Thammasat University and Paul doing NGO work, they decided to use Yuangrat's PhD dissertation as the basis for a book about radical politics in Thai history. Greg and Ed query Paul and Yuangrat about the fascinating story of Marxism and socialism in Thai history, something many Thais are entirely ignorant of. Yuangrat traces its origins back to the 'sakdina' system, a complex social hierarchy imported into Thai culture through the influence of Hinduism based on land owndership. This system created a clear separation between social classes, providing a fertile breeding ground for later far left politics that sought to free the lower working classes from the higher privileged classes.

This leads to an engrossing discussion of the rise of Chinese merchants in Thai society, the effect foreign radical thought had on a groundbreaking Thai journalist, and eventually to the movement for constitutional monarchy in Thailand. 

Listen in if you are curious to hear a discussion on an often forgotten but truly interesting part of Thai history, and check back for part 2 next week.

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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 on these criteria due to the bad traffic, air pollution, and relative lack of cultural resources. Greg reveals that in fact Bangkok ranks 40th out of 48.

The guys discuss the fairness of the rankings and compare Bangkok to closely ranked cities such as Tel Aviv and Kuala Lumpur. Greg and Ed consider the 'low' ranking fair with the caveat that the competition is stiff and certainly doesn't imply Bangkok is not worth a visit. 

Next, Greg brings up the Internations Expat City ranking which claims that 79% of expats in Bangkok are satisfied with living in the city. Both guys consider this an impressive showing. The Forbes 'Quit Your Job and Move Abroad' list is next, and Thailand ties with Italy as the ninth best country in the world to escape to. 

Last, Greg and Ed take issue with a survey that listed Thailand as the 4th cheapest country in the world to visit. Ed notes that this can only be true with multiple caveats, especially the fact that the actual poorest/cheapest countries in the world are places that no one would really want to visit anyway. And Greg notes that general ratings of Thailand can be misleading because the cost of visiting Bangkok or tourist venues throughout the country is significantly more expensive than the 'real' Thailand that most Thais live in. So for most visitors, they are unlikely to find the cheap prices mentioned in the article. 

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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 dedicated, competent, native English speaker with knowledge of both Thai language and Thai culture. And Richard fit the bill.

The guys also try to dissect Richard's motivations, given his very little effort to monetize all the work he does outside of his main job. Richard's explanation is simple: he likes reporting on stuff in Thailand and does it simply as a public service. Greg and Ed do their best to try to understand how and why this makes people's heads explode and can come up with only one explanation besides "people suck": the anonymous power the Internet gives you. 

Last, Richard explains his obsession with Thailand's rail lines, and the Thai government's subsequent interest in that obsession. Check out the resulting collaboration here. https://www.thaitrainguide.com/

Who knows, but now that Richard's notorious reluctance to give interviews has been broken, he MAY become an annual guest on the podcast. We can only hope.

Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

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 well, he's stayed there for over thirty years, never succumbing to the allure of Bangkok or the more typical paths of expats. 

After some prodding, Richard explains his background as an IT guy who got into building websites and blogging early, documenting his daily life in a provincial Thai town on the sea, as well as his numerous travels around Thailand. He was also an early adopter of Twitter and as his popularity grew, he began documenting current events throughout Thailand, but especially the political protests of the late naughts and early teens and the floods of 2011. It turns out that his style of straightforward stick-to-the-facts 'reporting' plus his knowledge of Thai language and culture was a winning formula to say the least. Richard became the 'go to' guy for thousands - and then tens, and then hundreds of thousands - of Thais, expats and tourists alike who wanted an on-the-ground voice to give them some insight into what was going on in Thailand.

Check out Part 2 of the interview next week when Richard gets into his stubborn refusal to monetize his success and why he is viewed as 'controversial' by some netizens. 

Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

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 much it really knows. The AI manages to write a couple different introductions to the podcast, one more positive and one more sarcastic. Both display excellent English and solid basic knowledge of Thailand.

When Greg pushes AI to write a poem about Bangkok, both guys are shocked at how 'not bad' the result is.. A+ honors high school English? Probably not. Passably average junior high level? For sure! The guys discuss the shocking rate at which the AI has improved over the last year and ponder what the future will bring. Greg also notes the limitations of the system: results tend to be factually accurate, but not always complete, and over time, somewhat repetitive. 

The boys also discover that the powers that be have given the AI 'guard rails,' for lack of a better term: the system won't discuss potentially controversial topics such as prostitution, ladyboys, or even Bangkok nightlife in general. All in all, ChatGPT is amazing at what it can do, but the output in the end is neither super interesting nor super fun, and certainly not 'dangerous' in any way. 

Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

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. Who would have thought that Thai military equipment would play such a key role in world history?

Next, Greg tells the story of two large cannons, known as Seri Negara and Seri Pattani, used by the southern Sultanate of Pattani. When Pattani eventually challenged Siam and lost, the Thai King seized the cannons as spoils of war. Alas, one ended up at the bottom of the sea, but the other is on display in front of the Thai Ministry of Defense to this day.

Last, Greg relates the use of cannons by the famous Thai developer Nai Lert to mark the boundaries of his property that borders Sukhumvit and Wireless Road. The concrete remains can still be seen today outside of Central Embassy shopping mall. 

As always, the podcast will continue to be 100% funded by listeners just like you who get some special swag from us. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

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 American but then later learned 'how to be Thai' from the tight knit community of Thai expats in the city.

Ed asks Poo about his history as an entertainer, and Poo explains that in Nairobi his brothers formed an acting troupe that performed on stage at school and in the city. In New York, Poo continued by becoming a singer and guitar player at local Thai restaurants. 

In the late 1990s, Poo returned to Thailand with his Filipino wife, and they started The Garage, one of the first American burger joints in Bangkok. Through a stroke of luck, their young son was cast in a commercial and Poo landed the role of the father (he was a natural at it). :) This led to a fascinating career acting in films, from "The Beach" with Leonardo DiCaprio to "Brokedown Palace" with Claire Danes, up until the very recent "Thirteen Lives" directed by Ron Howard. Poo tells the story of his amazing three month shoot in Australia with the famous director and luminaries such as Viggo Mortenson and Colin Farrell.

And The Garage is still going strong after twenty plus years! Poo invites all podcast listeners to join him for some American grub at the corner of Sukumvit 32 and Sukumvit Road. 

Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

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 down the streets of Bangkok, do Greg and Ed feel more free than they would if they were back in Canada or the U.S.? Greg notes that the word 'free' is difficult to define and means different things to different people. Ed argues that from a purely political standpoint, America is probably the most free country in the world, but here's the rub: not everyone really cares about the freedom to criticize your government without fear of punishment. 

The guys consider the possibility that on a practical level, due to Thailand's chill culture and 'hands-off' approach by the police, Thailand might be more free than Western countries in the ways that most people care about. The issue is a tricky one of course: the rule of law is a pain when you get stopped for a traffic offense, but a godsend when you are the victim of a crime. Greg and Ed do their best to examine the issue, but both admit then in at least some ways, Thailand does live up to its famous moniker. 

Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

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. Fans of the podcast will already know that ghost stories are a pillar of Thai culture and history, and all Thais are familiar with a pantheon of ghosts and their stories. 

This led Justin to develop a tour of Bangkok that focuses on these ghost stories. Greg is a bit shocked to learn that the tour is 9 hours long, but Justin notes that it's both physically and emotionally taxing, given the 'dark' nature of some of the stories. In other words, this is NOT a superficial exposure to Thai ghost culture; go big or go home appears to be the Bangkok Haunt motto. 

The guys go into details on the breadth of the tour, which includes ghosts, spirits, and 'dark history,' or locations in Bangkok where tragedies have occurred. Although not for the faint of heart, anyone interested in a REAL introduction to a key part of Thai history and culture should check out Bangkok Haunt. 

Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.