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

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

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 s

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 enta

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 ques

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)

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,

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.  T

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

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

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

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

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 meditati

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 int

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 Engl

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 Thaila

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

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 t

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 Thonbu

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 o

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 frequenti