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

Greg and Ed discuss how to manage your expectations in Thailand as a strategy for surviving and thriving in the Land of Smiles, or indeed, as an expat anywhere outside of your comfort zone. Ed explains that in giving advice to a recent arrival, he emphasized being smart about what to expect. Instead of trying to change Thailand to something familiar or to get it to fit some previously determined standard, it’s better to simply appreciate what Thai people are good at and accept what they are not good at.  The guys then talk about the dangerous trap of merely LOWERING your expectations and just assuming everything is worse in Thailand. They then run through numerous examples of things better here than where they are from back home: food in general, public transportation, electronic banking, etc. ‘Managing your expectations’ undoubtedly works in both directions.  Ed then brings up the realization that sometimes Thais simply have a different interpretation of something we all value, such as ‘customer service.’ Ba