The Bangkok Podcast | Expat Life In Thailand Via Expats From Canada & America

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 the researchers used to figure out how happy people were in various countries. So what of Thailand? Well, its ranking was 61 out of 146 countries which could be worse, but it turns out Thailand has slid 28 spots in the last few years! Ouch. The guys then discuss various possible reasons for the drop, with of course the military government being a prime candidate, given that Thailand’s long slide started in around 2015. Could Thailand possibly no longer be the Land of Smiles? Well, at the very least, the hosts of the Bang

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 to the number of unfinished construction projects from the financial crisis of the late 1990s. Additionally, there seem to be a surprising number of new business ventures in the area that fail for whatever reason or another, so there seems to be an endless supply of possible sites for Dax’s style of photography.  The guys discuss how Dax discovers and gains access to his locations. It’s surprising what a couple hundred baht here and there will do to the attitude of many Thai security guards! Dax then details his resea

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 simply avoid discussion of the monarchy and royal family in pretty much any context. This is good advice for all foreigners in Thailand actually. Second, the boys concur that although they do criticize the government broadly, they make sure not to name specific politicians or policymakers. Although technically no law forbids it, strong and pointed criticism of the Thai government has a way of ending up poorly for the critic, from sudden problems with your visa to (in extreme cases) outright disappearance. On a podcast

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 French and the British in the 19th Century that kept Thailand from ever being colonized. Greg brings up the classic example of Prime Minister Phibul during WW2, who sided with Japan when it was winning the war, but also conducting negotiations with the West as the tide turned. As a developing country, it DOES seem that Thailand has spent a big part of its history stuck in between larger powers. The boys try to relate this to the current crisis in Ukraine, recognizing that as a country that depends on tourism, Thailand rig

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 new foreigner (especially when getting bad advice from other foreigners). Next, Greg inquires about Pat’s interest in history and how he got into making videos about Bangkok. A history lover since childhood, he developed a curiosity for different Bangkok neighborhoods, and due to Covid, felt an online approach would be most suitable. Due to a few lucky shares, even his earliest videos developed a following.  The boys continue with a deep dive into a few of Pat’s most successful videos, and they trade advice on the best

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 capital should really be called, as it’s an issue fraught with a surprising amount of subtext, as this great thread from Khun Phacha will show. Ed notes initially that the word ‘Bangkok’ is not a word made up by Westerners, but an old word for a district of the old capital of Thonburi. Greg points out that Bangkok has been used for centuries and is extremely well known around the world so it’s a bit strange for the change to be made now. The guys also discuss proper pronunciation of places, as most countries have the ‘i

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 which can be traced back to ancient Indian celebrations. No doubt the Indian influence on Thai culture is more than it might appear on the surface, and more than most Thais might admit.  Ram then expertly describes the Indian diaspora to Malaysia and later Thailand that resulted from the partition of India after World War II. This leads to a discussion of Thai-Indian identity in Thailand, which K. Ram contends is still misunderstood. This includes a discussion of the common word used by Thais for South Asians, “khaek”.

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 is subjective and can probably be taken with a grain of salt, but some advice…some advice is gold, and should be locked away for further investigation. Greg and Ed take a look back at their early days in the Kingdom and each come up with 2 bits of advice that they got that they did not lock away for further investigation, and now - in their wise old age - regret. From dating to geography, sometimes it pays to listen to old-timers to make the most of your new situation. Don’t forget that Patrons get the ad-free version o

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 eventually naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1869. He subsequently returned to Thailand, or Siam as it was known, and worked a variety of jobs, from writer for an English language newspaper to a drillmaster to a timber dealer. He died at age 56, and you can still see his grave in the Bangkok Protestant Cemetery on Charoen Krung 72/5.  George DuPont represents a fascinating glimpse into the lives of early Thai immigrants to America. Greg and Ed surmise that there must have been immigrants before him, equally or more interesti

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, over the years he has developed a much subtler view of the acceptance of homosexuality in Thai society. Although Benjamin doesn’t fear for his physical safety in the same way he did in his birthplace of Arkansas, he is now aware that many Thai families stick to ‘traditional values’ and reject and may even disown their own children who are gay or trans.  Further, the lack of true legal equality for LGBTQ people in Thailand has become more apparent in many ways, the most obvious of which was the recent Constitutional Co

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 only be special in Ed’s bizarre consciousness, the boys do their best to tease out truths about American and Thai culture and interesting insights into American society. At the very least, Ed’s been on an adventure that should be of interest to anyone who cares about the fascinating differences between the West and Thailand. 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

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 Thais seem to have towards death, and Phra Pandit explains that the Buddha taught his followers to contemplate death and even encouraged monks to meditate in cemeteries and in close proximity to corpses. By addressing the issue of our physical death so directly, Buddhism aims to give us perspective on day to day annoyances, such as getting coffee that’s lukewarm instead of hot. :) The old friends continue with a wide ranging discussion of the differences between how westerners and Thais deal with traumatic events and n

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 deadline for applying for a Thailand Pass, he managed to test positive for COVID on Christmas Eve! So much for spending Christmas with his family for the first time in 20 years. Despite no symptoms whatsoever, he tested positive a week later and is now unable to get back into Thailand under the new rules, so he is stuck in Ohio for the time being. Never fear: the Bangkok Podcast will go on as usual.  Last, Greg plays a short conversation with Scott, sometime podcast co-host. Unlike Ed, Scott does not have COVID, but wh

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 around on various lines, visiting a few stations, and seeing what they could see from above (and below) the city. To get a better idea of how things look, check out this Google Map that Greg made of all the existing and upcoming train lines in Bangkok.  From the confusing new Blue Line loop to the massive Bang Sue Grand Station to dusty end of the Purple Line, the boys give their impression on how things are progressing and why - if you live here - all of us should make an effort to get more acquainted with Bangkok’s

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 discusses the link between all of these, as well as the changing logistics of operating a university when there’s not enough students to go around and what she sees her students doing as they enter the “real world” and start to get jobs. She also talks about what to expect when you grow old in Thailand, especially if you’re going to rely on the social safety nets which, to be honest, look about as robust as the green fishing nets you see draped over piers in Ko Samui. Lots of other great insights into how Thailand is moving

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 Pizza Company) frequently run generous promotions, like an automatic upgrade of a small pizza to an 18 incher (!) or just a two-for-one. At that rate, pizza in Bangkok qualifies for pigout status. Greg goes more Thai by opening up a discussion of Thai street food. It’s delicious. It’s cheap. But Ed notes that the portions tend to be small, quite different from the heaping plates of Chinese food available in the States. But Greg counters that as long as you are willing to make the rounds and buy many dishes, for 3-400 ba

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 independence and building up its legal system.  Next, the Ambassador talks about her country’s current relationship with Thailand, especially economically, and the function of the embassy in Bangkok which actually also services Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos. The two continue and discuss a myriad of the details of the relationship, from mutually beneficial social security rules to the genesis story of the famous Thai-Belgian bridge of friendship, a story worth hearing in detail.  Special thanks to Ambassador de Cartier for ta

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-opening. Tourists are allowed in with some restrictions, alcohol can be sold in restaurants until 9 pm, but all purely entertainment venues are shuttered, supposedly until January 15th at least. Greg plays devil’s advocate (or in this case, angel’s advocate) and points out that in early stages of the pandemic, some major outbreaks occurred in nightclubs. It’s common sense that people are less careful when intoxicated, so what’s wrong with closing bars and entertainment venues?  Ed does his best to counter with bulletproo

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 details. The guys discuss the accuracy of the ‘no quarantine’ promotional material before getting into their predictions on the likely success or failure of the endeavor. Both guys agree that it was high time to start selling alcohol again. Ed laments that sales stop at 9 pm and nightlife is not completely open, but baby steps are better than no steps. Certainly, Thai tourism will recover, but will it take 6 months? 1 year? 2 years? Greg and Ed gaze into the Bangkok Podcast crystal ball and make their best estimates. E