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

You can now follow to the Bangkok Podcast on Spotify! It's nearly Xmas, so we figured we'd might as well start getting into the spirit of things with a Xmas-themed show. Now those of you who are westerners understand just how important Xmas is in your home countries. In most places it's the BIG DADDY of holidays, the one that the entire year has been building up to. In fact it's so big that they even celebrate it in countries where, to be honest, it has no real business being celebrated. Like this one! Trouble is… we’re not good experts on the topic. Evo’s never experienced the holiday in Thailand, and Greg usually spends Christmas at work. So rather than being all bah humbug, we reached out to some Thai nationals to find out what they do, other than spend a bunch of money at the malls. For Love, Loathe, or Leave this week we take on the great toilet paper debate. Where do you sit (heh) on issue? Are you a flusher, or are you a trash bin user? And what if there isn’t a bum gun in use? Our answers may surpris

On this episode we get into a few vague, strange - and possibly even non-existent - rules that you may or may not bump up against in Thailand. From buying chainsaws to changing your name to flying helicopters to losing your &$%@#! "book bank" (known throughout the rest of the world as bank books), these are things that govern the nuances of every day life. Greg reads 'em off, Evo plays Devil's Advocate to try and discount them, and we land somewhere around the middle. Love, Loathe, or Leave Have you ever seen someone - usually a taxi driver - standing right out in the open answering the call of nature without a care in the world as to who sees him (or it?) Yeah, so have we! We Love Our Supporters! Join dozens of fine people who help keep the show free of annoying ads by supporting us on Patreon. You'll get exclusive bonus episodes, cool swag, and access to every show that the regular people get - a whole day early! Who doesn't want that? Want More Bangkok Podcast In Your Life? If it’s your first time expe

RSVP to the I Love Podcasting In Bangkok meetup on Nov 29, 2017! Patrons get early access and exclusive bonus content. Today’s focus is on Korea's influence on Bangkok. Ted Ahn, an expat and ex-power plant manager from Korea, is actively working to bring about change in Bangkok’s local Thai craft beer industry. Ted is the owner of Changwon Express, and Evo sat down with him at his newest location on the top floor of Flow House. A few key bits from the episode: Ted estimates that around 90% of his customer base is all local Thai people. He reserves at least 20 taps for the exclusive support of Thai craft beer. His genius idea of catering to Thai girls with Korean food to in turn attract the Thai guys. What influence Brooklyn Brewery played into his efforts of making and supporting local brewers and local beer drinkers. His challenges and successes finding and training local staff to work behind the bar. He designed his own two-row tap system that separates the liquid from the head to create the best pour in B

RSVP to the big I Love Podcasting In Bangkok meetup #2 on Nov 29th!   We’re working hard on the special gifts that supporters at the Gift Box level are going to receive… and they are hand-made pieces of awesome. Yeah, we’re teasing a bit, but these are going to be quite cool mementos and tokens of our appreciation. (If you want one, get signed up!)   This topic stems from a discussion the two of us were having while we were stuck in the back of an Uber on the way to find our Patreon gifts, and that discussion was: How much does living overseas change you as a person? Evo’s lived deep in the "travel blogger" world where there the transformative power of travel is  common theme, and that if you take a 6-month sabbatical, gap year, or whatever... you'll come back a changed person. But from his perspective, it's all crap. Greg experience is quite difference, having personally been transformed by one fateful trip to Thailand (oddly enough.) And more recently, he’s noticing just how divergent his views are from t

RSVP to the big I Love Podcasting In Bangkok meetup #2 on Nov 29th! How will you celebrate the season this year? No, we’re not talking about Christmas. We’re talking about the Thai government’s annual shopping stimulus program, this time called "Shop For The Nation" for 2017. It started on Saturday, November the 11th, and it runs through December the 3rd. We’ll cover this program in detail (and maybe poke just a wee bit of fun at it) as we give you all the details so you can get up to ฿15,000 off your taxable income next year. Yes, Bangkok expats pay taxes. At least our two families pay taxes. We’re not talking to you freeloaders out there. Get a job.Sticking with the shopping theme, every expat eventually starts assimilating into the culture. You have to buy stuff in your new country, and your own personal history influences the things you buy. Some of your everyday purchases will seem odd to any of your friends and family back home. And some things you hunt down to buy locally would make some of your natur

We know that Bangkok’s expat community is much more diverse than a Canadian and an American can hope to represent. So this week, we reached out to the wider community and asked a simple question: Where do you go in Bangkok when you want a taste of your own country? Before we get into that, though, Greg regales us with his story about being summoned by Frank Lam, the founder of Foodland grocery stores (and the excellent Took Lae Dee food counters inside), who wanted to say thanks to Greg for including Took Lae Dee on his list of 50 Reasons Why Bangkok is the Best City in the World. Turns out Frank was the type of legendary character that you can only meet on a random Bangkok night, and Greg explains why. But back to the main topic of where to find a taste of home in Bangkok. Listen in to get these great insights from local expats: Hidden Hungarian hangouts Which restaurants Kuwaitis frequent for great middle eastern food Where a Spaniard suggests you go for amazing cheese, cold cuts, and olive oil Why Poles a

Before we get into the ins and outs of travel insurance with one of the most well-traveled people out there, we dive right back into the shallow end of debating whether or not Bangkok's traffic has improved. Why would it improve? Well, last month the police commissioner said that traffic police will no longer be setting up checkpoints...so, did it work? Evo weighs in (because Greg drives a car, and they get pulled over way less that motorbikes, which he's really happy about). But the real reason we're here is to talk insurance. Travel insurance, specifically, and why it's so important. Stuart McDonald, the founder of Southeast Asia's best site for independent travel - that's Travelfish.org in case you live in a cave - was kind enough to join us from his home in Bali about his experiences traveling, writing about traveling, and giving advice to people about traveling. For instance, did you know that if you ride a motorbike without a helmet and get in an accident, your insurance might be void? Why? Because you'

We’re not whispering to make it hard for you to hear. We’re doing it to be respectful, because we recorded this episode inside the Museum of Contemporary Art in northern Bangkok. Now, bear in mind that neither of us are huge art people. But museums such as Bangkok MOCA are designed to be accessible by anyone, not just art aficionados. Today, we put that to the test. Spoiler: We loved it! The middle part of this episode features our honest reaction to some of the art as we encounter it. Now, keep in mind that art appreciation isn’t the type of experience that lends itself to being expressed in audio. So you won’t be surprised as we try to interpret for you the… well, let’s say “more eclectic” pieces from Thailand’s contemporary artists. Hopefully it comes off as funny as we intended it, and not mean-spirited. Even though the choice bits below may appear the opposite, we really did enjoy our time at Bangkok’s MOCA and would highly recommend you visit, too. If you do listen to the full episode, you’ll have some

So Evo was recently the star of a Pakistani commercial shot in Thailand, and by “star” we mean he was on-screen for about four seconds. That got Greg thinking wistfully of his own time as a thespian here in the Land of Smiles, so we thought we'd talk a bit about what it's like being an actor in Thailand. While Evo is the most recent “actor” in this two-way conversation, Greg has by far the longer filmography. And he went to film school! Here are some choice bits from the episode, including some links if you want to watch: Watch Evo’s Sprite commercial. He’s the Pakistani chef, obviously. Watch a clip featuring Greg in the TV miniseries Blackbeard. He’s the panhandler, obviously. Where you can find acting/model/extra gigs in Thailand Working with agents/scouts What you can expect when you go on casting calls in Thailand What life on set is really like on set for every actor who isn’t the star How to hobnob with the actual stars (and make all the extras jealous!) How you too can make thousands of baht (not do

It’s generally considered bad form to use curse words in the land of peace, order, and smiles that is Thailand. And when a farang uses native Thai bad language, it’s a bit more culturally insensitive. Just like Greg learned this week. But that’s not what we’re talking about today. Thai taboos are the topic of today’s show, a topic we’re all too familiar with. Hey, it happens, and we’re not doing it on purpose. In this episode, we’ll share our personal experiences of things NOT to do during your time in the kingdom. And not just the easy stuff to avoid, like touching strangers on the head (seriously, who does this?), failing to stand quietly when the national anthem plays every day on public transport terminals, not taking off shoes when going inside someone’s house or condo, or committing lese majeste. Clearly you should not do those things. On the program today, we’ll cover some lesser known taboos, like: Being careless with your money (Not spending-wise, as visitors are encouraged to be non-thrifty, but ho

Before we get started, we’ve a quick warning for visitors headed to Bangkok in October 2017. We don’t normally recommend listening to the tuk tuk drivers hanging out around the Grand Palace when they tell you that the attraction you want to visit is closed. But this month, they are correct. It’s the culmination of the year of mourning for Thailand, and lots of things are closed. But don’t turn to us for the latest info. You want Richard Barrow for that, as he has all the details of what’s closed and what’s open for your Bangkok visit this month. Today we are on location in an area of Bangkok known as Samyan. This area was first settled by Thai-Chinese people, which isn't all that surprising, seeing that Bangkok's Chinatown is just a kilometer or two up the road. In more recent times, Samyan had become synonymous with street food, supplying locals and attracting visitors from all over Bangkok. Then - and  stop us if you've heard this one before - the vendors were all given notice to pack up and move, and the

On-location from the back of a tuk tuk in Bangkok, we’re pretending to be tourists for the day and, surprisingly enough, discovering some new things about our adopted home. Ride along with us! (Direct download .mp3) Episode Details Astute listeners will notice the marked increase in Bangkok traffic noise in this episode. That’s for a very good reason, as we recorded it from the back of a tuk tuk, driving through the streets of Bangkok. Why are we in a tuk tuk? We’re glad you asked. For as much disdain is thrown on the idea of “doing tourist-y things”, there’s actually merit in that concept. Bangkok is a rapidly changing city, and our friends at Expique are true masters at showcasing some of the greatest areas of Bangkok for their clients -- including a couple of long  term expats (that’s us)! So we hopped in one of their tuk tuks, broke out the microphones, and recorded the activities we experience on their evening food and tuk tuk adventure. Thanks for having us, Expique! Here’s what you’re in for in th

After a brief moment of vindication on the news that 10% of Bangkok traffic police failed a test about traffic laws, we dive right into the questions from the audience. This is our one year anniversary show since the re-launch, and it’s all about you talking to us! Shaun wants to know our opinion on outdoor activities such as “wild swimming” in the seas and rivers and hiking in the forests and parks all around Thailand. Vincent is looking for some recommendation on movies from Thailand, plus has some geeky questions about the process we use to record episodes of the podcast each week. Oh! And he scoops us on a new “jungle” being built on an old swamp that’s now an airport. Gotta check that out! Dan is curious about the dining/entertainment options just across the river from us in the Silom/Surasak area, and Dylan has a tricky immigration/citizenship question, which means we need to give a serious answer? Love, Loathe, or Leave Matthew makes the suggestion this week, asking how we feel about getting the atten

Today Greg looks back to his Thai wedding to help us discuss just how much you can expect to spend on your own happy day in Thailand. That’s after a brief talk about avoiding floods and transit-hacking in Bangkok, obviously. Good news: we’re not flooded out, though plenty of the world is right now. Perhaps influenced by the terrible news from Bangladesh, Houston, and much of the Caribbean, the government issued warnings about flooding on the Chao Phraya River, which both of us see every day. But what we didn’t see was any part of the river exceeding its boundaries here in Bangkok, so we’re calling ourselves safe. For now. But weren’t we here to talk about Thai weddings? A few years back, Greg wrote a blog post about how much his Thai wedding cost, a post that remains one of his most popular. That and the fact that Greg still gets questions about getting married in Thailand, we’re dedicating this episode to all the nitty gritty details, what went right, what went wrong, and what you can expect if you decide t

On this episode we ask the immortal question: do you have to be a little bit strange to live in Bangkok? We don’t mean that (necessarily) in a bad way, you understand. But it sure seems that, on some level, people who tend to thrive on chaos deal really well with the uncertainty, noise, culture shock, and political instability that are endemic to Thailand. If nothing else, you sure need to have an 'elastic outlook' on life. All of that is the exact opposite of life in most western countries, so by definition, you have to be okay with rejecting the "normal" parts of your native culture. And that’s something not everyone is comfortable with. Not surprisingly, your hosts of the Bangkok Podcast self-identify with the moniker “weirdo”, which probably explains why we’re doing alright here. In this episode we talk about why we fit, what other strange people we’ve met during our time in the kingdom, and then diss on some people who claim to be strange, yet just follow along with the crowd. Let your freak flag fly and

Today we compare living in Bangkok vs a tropical island paradise in Thailand. Also, we share how you can participate in our upcoming one year anniversary show, and give yet another reminder about the big Bangkok-wide I Love Podcasting In Bangkok event coming up August 30th, 2017. Please forgive the sound of the rolling surf in the background during the interview with this week's guest. That’s just one bonus of living on an island in Thailand vs the big city of Bangkok: giving up the sounds of traffic for the sounds of the sea. Like many people, our guest this week - an old friend of Greg's named Tad - first discovered Thailand on a famous full moon party island. After stretching his vacation to two months, he went back to his native home in Los Angeles and started making plans for full-time living in his newfound paradise. A year later, he was back at the same spot, ready to do it again and forever. Stop me if you heard this one, but it wasn’t quite the same the second time around. Paradise, as it seems, can

This week we take a break from talking about how much we love Bangkok to discuss the city's ugly, dusty, dirty side. Prior to that we'll tell you about our bike-tastic weekend. Because sometimes you just gotta get out of the city and enjoy the rest of Thailand, right? Evo gets burned on the beach in Hua Hin, and Greg MacGyver’s his way through a bike ride in remote Bangkok. Clearly we love living in the Kingdom, but as with most relationships, there are things that drive you a bit crazy. One of those things about Bangkok is that while it's certainly a fascinating city, it is not a very attractive city. At least not at first sight. What’s not to love? Well… abandoned buildings still dot the landscape, giving many aspects of Bangkok a bit of a post-apocalyptic feel. And even for occupied buildings, the elements aren’t nice to our hi-so condos, and many could use with a fresh (or perhaps first ever) coat of paint. When you do see color on buildings, it’s often from re-purposed polyvinyl signs used in some rather

Today we’re talking with an expert on the Brahmin, a Hindu caste that plays a very important role in the highest levels of Thai society. And we have something special planned for our one year episode. Oh, and there's a Bangkok-wide podcast meetup coming up. We’ll cover that and more on episode 2.45 of the Bangkok Podcast. Have you RSVP’d to the big, huge, love-fest that will be the I Love Podcasting In Bangkok meetup on August 30th? It’s free, low-key, and something we’d like to repeat on a regular basis. So if you’re in town and free that evening, come join us and lot of other podcasters, podcast listeners, and those just interested in learning more about podcasting for a few beers and conversation. It’ll be fun! And if that’s not interesting enough, we’re coming up on our one-year anniversary of the podcast relaunch! We’re collecting questions, comments, and other items that you, our loyal listeners and fans would like for us to talk about on this special show. There are plenty of links at the bottom of t

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again - Bangkok is an interesting city; but it ain’t a pretty city. But that’s not to say that there aren’t places of architectural significance or historical importance, because there are. One of those is the magnificent Scala theater - at least until it gets knocked down for another mall. Oh, and while recording this episode on location at the Scala, we were kicked out because we didn’t have permission (you can hear this conversation with the theater’s major domo in the Patreon bonus content). Also in this episode, Evo wonders why bowling in Thailand is more glam than redneck, and Greg muses about the dangers of driving huge trucks in Bangkok if you can’t see out of the goddamn windows. Where we come from - and perhaps where you, dear reader, also come from - bowling is something you do for a laugh. It’s a sport so ridiculous, so fringe, so cheesy, that it’s hard to take anyone seriously who takes it seriously. But not in Thailand - no, here people actually dress up to

A discussion about the challenges and barriers to getting quality English-language news on Thailand from Thailand. And Evo’s learning to write like a 3-year-old. After that, the magic of pork floss. Because Bangkok Podcast. Evo’s decided that maybe he does need to learn Thai. So he picked up a new book, Fun Training From Chicken to Owl. Well, that’s the English translation. Why has he flip-flopped on his opinion on learning Thai? Because Stu Jay Raj said so. Fine. But that’s not what we’re talking about today. Thailand isn't quite as dedicated to the concept of a "free press" as most Westerners are used to. While it's not quite state-controlled like North Korea, China, or Russia, there are limitations -- about 44 of them (wink) -- to how far the Thai press will go. But for expats, there's a more fundamental problem: Actually getting any news from Thailand about Thailand in a language other than Thai. More than one expat new to the area has bemoaned the lack of English-based content coming out of the Thai medi