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

Greg and Ed discuss the recent BBC ‘documentary’ called ‘The Dark Side of Paradise’ and what it says about media representation of Thailand. Ed explains that the recently aired 3-episode series has been getting a LOT of blowback on expat social media. The series depicts Zara, a young British woman, on her first trip to Thailand, ostensibly to report on the popularity of the Land of Smiles with British influencers. However, the show quickly devolves into an exploration of all the negative stereotypes about Bangkok, from partying to drugs and prostitution.  Greg admits to finding the first episode so grossly underwhelming and riddled with cliches that he couldn’t even make it to the end. Ed notes that he got through the first episode, but was shocked by the number of basic factual errors in the show. For example, Zara stated that Khao San Road is open 24/7, and everyone knows that hasn’t been true for 25 years. Other very blatant errors, such as the claim that all go-go bars have covers when none in fact do, re