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

This week is a dose of keeping it real: What are some common beliefs about Thailand that Greg and Ed just don’t buy? Ed starts off with a fairly nuanced point: many people think of Thailand as a very religious country because of so many outward signs of Buddhist culture, whether it’s temples, monks, or statues that Thais are very respectful of. However, Ed argues that in general Thais are not very pious: alcohol consumption, gambling, and infidelity are quite common throughout Thailand. Greg walks equally risky territory by claiming that although Thais definitely smile a lot, the moniker ‘Land of Smiles’ has succeeded too much in that it has convinced many foreigners that all Thai people have nothing but hearts of gold. Unfortunately, scammers, as well as straight-up thieves, regularly target foreigners, and it is best to be as wary in Thailand as you would be in any country around the world. Ed next contends that those who view Thailand (and more specifically the city of Pattaya) as sleazy places in general