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

Thailand is a country that offers foreign film productions everything they need - amazing locations, skillful crew, talented actors and more. With foreign film productions come big money and jobs, so it's no wonder that the Thai government is pushing the country as a movie industry hub, but if you want to film here - who do you call? You call Chris Lowenstein, this week's guest. As one of the owners of Living Films, Chris is the main man when it comes to bringing in film productions - anything from small commercials to long-running television series to full-scale Hollywood blockbusters. His latest project is the mega Hollywood blockbuster "The Hangover Part 2", and Chris's roles as the film's line producer means he's in charge of everything that happens here: catering, work visas, film permits, transportation, hiring local crew. working with the cast and director to make sure everything's going smoothly, and more. Chris talks to us about the film industry in Thailand - what they're doing right, what they coul

In our continuing series on learning Thai, we're joined by Dan Fraser - co-founder of Smiling Albino adventure travel company, film actor, television host, and of course, speaker of Thai. Dan gives us a very funny and insightful overview of the Thai language - how he learned it, how it's helped him, and the nuances and cultural queues that it takes its structure from. Dan tells us a few of his interesting stories about how Thai has both confounded and blessed him - from talking about unique architectural history, to muddling through 2 years of Thai with a fellow who (as it turns out) knew English, and talking about the monarchy on camera for his television show Long Krung using the nuanced and very sensitive dialect reserved for the royal family. Greg and Tony also go off on a tangent about good western movies, and recap the great time they had at their one-year anniversary party at Q Bar.

In our continuing Buddhist series, we sit down with Robin Moore, who spent over a decade as a monk in both the UK and Thailand, but eventually left the monkhood and rejoined lay-life. He tells us about his interesting journey, from being drawn to Buddhism as a teenager, to going on alms rounds in the UK (and trying to make it not look like begging), to why his mother cried when he joined the monkhood - and cried again when he left. We also cover the difficulties in fitting back in to a life that is generally at odds with a monastic one - everything from dating to driving a car to playing sports. Robin gives us a personal and fascinating look into his life pre-, during, and post-monkhood.

If you've found yourself out at a club at any time during the last 5 or 6 years in Bangkok, chances are you're familiar with DJ Octo. As one of the best known and most popular DJ's in town, he spins at hot venues like Q Bar and Bed Supperclub, and collaborates with a wide network of musicians, videographers, performers and artists to keep Bangkok's party crowds going late into the night. But just like many others who move to Bangkok, Octo came to Bangkok with a much different plan ten years ago. From retreating to forest monasteries, to scuba diving on Ko Tao, to sweating away in the 9-5 grind, he tells us what it's like entertaining crowds of thousands, how technology has completely revolutionized the industry, and what song you should ask him to play if you want to get punched in the face. Greg and Tony also talk about the many holidays in the month of May, and Greg ponders if he inadvertently contributed to the brutal death of a poor pigeon in Lumpini Park.

In today's digital world, the requirements for being a travel writer are pretty minimal: do you have a computer? Have you travelled? Bam! Travel writer. But a few decades ago, being a travel writer was something rare; an exotic, sometimes dangerous job that took you into the dark, unexplored corners of the world on adventures of all kinds. On this episode of Bangkok Podcast, we welcome Joe Cummings, legendary travel writer, best-selling author, badass musician, and all-around cool dude. Back when the tallest building in Thailand was the Dusit Thani Hotel, Joe pitched the idea of a guidebook to Thailand to a little company called Lonely Planet, and ended up being in charge of the company's best-selling guide for 25 years. He's also written guidebooks on Burma, Laos, and Mexico, as well as one-off volumes on various aspects of Asian art and architecture. His new book, Sacred Tattoos of Thailand, will be released in June. Joe also tells us how he ended up stranded on a boat for three days in the middle of the oc

ZOOM! That was the sound of a whole year going by!  It was in May 2010 that Tony and Greg put up the first episode of the Bangkok Podcast, and it's been a fun, interesting (and sometimes frustrating) year. This episode marks the 50th weekly show for the Bangkok Podcast, and to celebrate we thought'd we take a look back at the topics we've covered in the past 50 weeks by updating you on what our past interview guests have been up to; where the important issues we discuss have ended up; and how some of the interesting developments that have taken place in Thailand have affected Tony, Greg, and the people they know. From Scientology to bird crap, beaches to heart attacks, and boobies to weddings, we give you the lowdown on what the past year has shown us. Also don't forget to join us on MAY 15 to celebrate our birthday at Q BAR. Thanks to their generous support, a 500 baht cover gets you free flow drinks from 8-10pm. Spend the night at Bangkok's hippest night club (in the swanky, upstairs lounge, natch) with all

We've done a fair number of shows so far about learning Thai, but one of the most fundamental questions has yet to be discussed - is learning Thai actually hard, or do we foreigners just make it seem that way?  We're joined once again by our Thai language Jedi Rikker Dockum as he talks about the particulars of the Thai language, how the human brain processes it, and some of the roadblocks that we encounter (or make) as we attempt to learn it. He also tells us how he keeps his Thai skills sharp, how age plays a role in learning language, and the value of making mistakes. We are also joined by the crew from BangkokFoodTours.com, who will be leading our upcoming walking food tour. They tell us a bit about their company, how it began, and what we can expect on our outing.

In most western cultures, moving out of your parent's place and into your own life is considered a rite of adulthood and one which many are eager to do as soon as possible, but in Thailand things work differently. It's very common for people to live at home until they are married - often into their 30's - live with their spouse, and then have their parents move in with them when they reach retirement. Family plays a very big role in Thai society. So what's it like for a Thai to move to a strange country and be forced to live on their own without the emotional or financial support of their family? We are happy to be joined by Ms. Orapa, a young woman who recently returned from living in London for four years. It's a very interesting look at some of thing things that we, as expats in Thailand, must deal with but through the eyes of a Thai. What happens when the novelty of a new city wears off? How do you make friends when everyone is constantly moving away? What are your options if you miss Thai food? Orapa giv

On this episode of Bangkok Podcast, we sit down with Andrew Clark, co-owner and co-founder of QBar, Bangkok's hippest, coolest night club. Besides being a superb and friendly chap, Andrew talks to us about the humble beginnings of QBar, and what it takes to stay at the front of the line in an indusrty that's notorious for big openings and quick closures. He also gives us the lowdown on playing by the rules when the rules are constantly changing, the difficulties in keeping working girls (and guys!) out of the club, and the dirty tricks that other bars resort to when they're jealous of the industry leader. Greg and Tony also discuss Tony's upcoming trip to Ko Chang, the annoyance of sitting on a bus for more than a few hours, and the secret to how they both stay so pasty-white (hint: we never leave Bangkok). We also continue our partnerships with BK Magazine, Bangkok's best source for what's going on, and give a few quick details on a cheesy concert that the girls will love, a sobering photography exhibit, and

Joined once again by the Thai language Jedi Rikker, he schools Greg and Tony on a few Thai phrases that have no direct translation into English. What exactly does 'Mai Pen Rai' mean, and why is more than just a phrase? How do you tell someone 'Greng Jai' without leading to a Marx Brothers-style contest on who wants to disturb the other person the least? We also go off on a few tangents that include where 'Krap' and 'Ka' come from, and how Chaucer's original English has mutated into the 's we use today. This is also the first show where we talk about our partnership with BK Magazine. Starting today, at the beginning of each show we'll highlight a few random selections from Bangkok's best English weekly to give you a few ideas for what to do over the coming week. This week: beer, bodies, and a certain skinny fat boy.  Greg also gives us the lowdown on his first bicycle accident and how even the act of getting thrown over your handlebars in Thailand can turn into a unique example of Thai hospitality.

In the wake of the terrible tragedy in Japan, we are extremely pleased to have with us on this show Phra Pandit, the British-born monk who first came on our show in episode 30. On this show, Greg and Tony ask Phra Pandit to give his views on how such a tragedy can affect people, and how religion - and Buddhism in particular - can either become the one things that helps people get through such a hard time, or ceases to mean anything to them at all. What did the Buddha say about grief? How does psychology fit into religious counseling? And how can people use Buddhism to give them inner strength in dire situations? We also get off on a tangent, and Phra Pandit will blow your mind with his in-depth knowledge of nuclear and solar power, the latest developments in the technology driving them both, and how he sometimes eats an entire pizza, but doesn't sweat the small stuff. Greg and Tony also recap their awesome Phrapradaeng jungle ride last week with some friends of the show.

The amount of foreigners who try to write a book about their craaaazy adventures in Thailand is only slightly larger than the amount who try to write hard-boiled fiction based in Bangkok, but among this group Christopher G. Moore stands out. Not only has his career as a writer thrived, but his 12-title Vincent Calvino series will soon be getting the big-time Hollywood treatment. Greg and Tony talk to Christopher about how Bangkok has changed in the 20-plus years that he's lived here, how the city's rich tapestry inspires his story lines and the structure of his books, what he does to make his characters believable, and what it's like getting shot at while doing research on a police ride-along. He also tells us what effect rapidly evolving technology is having on the publishing industry, and if he thinks we'll still be reading books in 10 years. Tony and Greg also talk about the tragic earthquake in Japan, and discuss an interesting and emotional new film made in Thailand about HIV-positive children who are ma

When you first come to Bangkok, everything is new and strange. Nothing makes sense, and even a trip to the corner store can be an adventure. But after a while, these things fade, and pretty soon, the things that made your eyes bug out when you first arrived become old hat and - dare I say - boring. That's why we wanted to talk to Megan Kobzej, a new transplant to Bangkok with a very entertaining blog that makes us think back to the halcyon days of our first arrival; when Bangkok was stil an unexplored realm and the possibilities were endless. Or, to put it a more cynical way, before the city made us jaded, bitter, grumpy expats. Anyway, Megan tells us what impresses her, what scares her, and why she's obsessed with chips (or crisps, if you're a Brit). She also gives us her opinion on Bangkok's nightlife, what it's like to face a cockraoch in your shower, and what her friends and family back home think of her life in Asia. We are also joined briefly by Patricia Weismantel from Spice Roads, the company that wil

On this episode, we talk with Khun Bee, owner of Bangkok Matching, Bangkok's #1 premium marriage matchmaking service. It's a very different ball of wax from a simple dating site, and in a very interesting conversation, Khun Bee tells us how she got the idea for her business, some of the (often unrealistic) expectations her clients have, and a few of the surprising problems she encounters on a day-to-day basis. We also get an inside track into the sometimes brutal task of finding love - what happens when you want someone out of your league? How do you tell someone that no one's interested in them? And what happens if a date is a disaster? And to top it all of - Tony gives us his experiences as a client of Khun Bee's, and tells us what it was like going on 11 dates over a period of a few weeks, and why he now has the nickname "9-11". Greg also talks about his Restaurants of Bangkok Running Dinner experience, and we remind everyone about our upcoming Bangkok bicycle trip on March 13 - head to our Facebook page t

Continuing with our month of loooooove, this episode of Bangkok Podcast deals with the risks and rewards of online dating. Only ten years ago, meeting someone online was considered a bit of a nerdy way to find a mate, but today, it's almost considered strange to meet people in real life. Add to that the stereotypes and gossip of finding love in Thailand, and it can quickly become a bit complicated. To see what all the fuss about, Tony went and signed up for a few dating services to find out what kind of attention his profile would get. He talks about which sites he chose, how each one works, what types of response he got and, more importantly, from what types of women. Greg... well, if you listen to the show on a regular basis, you'll know that due to his upcoming nuptials, Greg had to sit this one out and live vicariously through Tony. Tony also tells us about his recent visa run to Vientiane, how he miscalcuated the expiry date of his visa, and had lunch with one of our listeners!

Argh! Yet another wacky cable problem has made Greg and Tony's voices sound weird and echoey, but never fear! Our esteemed guest's voice came through loud and clear. On this episode - the second of four in our Valentine's-themed month of February - we are joied by Kaewmala, author of the fun, sexy, and educational book 'Thai Sex Talk'. She is also a noted commentator on social issues, prolific blogger, talented translator and all-around cool woman. She educates Greg and Tony on all the nuances of sexuality, flirting, dating and love in Thai culture, and helps us understand some of the more complex facets of the area, such as why so many beautiful, smart, funny, middle-class women in Thailand remain single, and some of the hangups and problems that foreign men find when they approach them. Greg and Tony also announce the next Bangkok Podcast get-together - a guided bike ride to one of Bangkok's hidden gems, the lush and peaceful semi-island of Prapradaeng.

To start off our month of luuuve, Bangkok Podcast will be talking about the who, why, how and how much of Thai weddings. Despite some strange microphone issues in this episode, we are joined by Jason and Nim, two friends of Greg's who got married last year. They join us to discuss what their wedding was like, which ceremonial and traditional aspects it included, how it differes from western weddings, and how Jason dealt with the well known phrase 'When you marry a Thai woman, you also marry her family.' Greg and Tony also discuss the latest political developments in Egypt, what it means for the region, and how online tools and social media are once again showing the power they have in disrupting long-established ways of oppressing the masses, as well as rising up against that very same oppression.

It's a strata of expat life that few of us have to deal with on anything more than an administrative level, but the particulars of how two countries interract and overlap is a complicated Venn diagram that needs to be carefully controlled. On this episode, Tony and Greg are honoured to be joined by Ron Hoffmann, Canadian Ambassador to Thailand. We talk about a whole range of subjects - what his day-to-day roles are, how Thailand compares to his previous posting in Afghanistan, what he thinks of the whole Wikileaks debate, and how no one knows just how deep and complex the relationship between Thailand and Canada is. We are also joined by Willem Deenik, Managing Director of Restaurants of Bangkok, the best place to find online information, reviews and great deals at restaurants throughout the city. He lets us know how users can benefit from his website, as well as some of the interesting dining-centered events coming up.

(Direct download .mp3) We are lucky to be joined by another farang Thai speaker for our Thai language series, Adam Bradshaw. Adam has a large online following who enjoy watching his energetic and easy to understand YouTube videos where he explains the more commonly heard English phrases to his Thai audience. Things like "What's up?" and the difference between "Up the street" and "Down the street" can be very confusing for non-native speakers, but Adam makes it easy. He talks about how Thai students learn English, the methods he used for learning Thai, how his Thai YouTube audience thought his voice was dubbed by a Thai speaker, and tells us about how he interviewed the Prime Minister of Thailand in Thai. He also helps us translate a phrase that we all use on a daily basis: 2 Legit 2 Quit. Greg also tells us abou this swanky new glasses, and he and Tony talk about how Thailand is a great place to get some routine personal maintenance done if you have the chance - things like seeing the dentist, getting your ey

On this episode, Tony and Greg discuss the ins and outs of finding a job in Thailand. A lot of people - after a vacation full of fun and frivolity - think that moving to Thailand will be a sure way to leave the rat race and live a life of blissful utopia. However, while working in Thailand is still (in our opinion) an infinitely better and more interesting experience than working at home, the truth of the matter that working here is not the endless party many want it to be.  Office politics, rush hour, overdue bills and looming deadlines are inescapable truths to any job, and Thailand is no different. On top of that, there are things such as work permits and the lack of social safety nets to consider. Tony and Greg talk a bit about this, as well as the best places and methods to find jobs here, including a discussion on the most popular route into the Thai workforce - teaching English. Tony also tells us about his recent illness, and Greg recounts the horrifying day in High School he had to be sent home becau