The Bangkok Podcast

A listener suggestion drives this show as we talk about which smartphone apps we use to make living in Bangkok that much easier, on this extra-long episode of the Bangkok Podcast. Oh, and Evo is terrible at his job. But he's getting better, and it makes for a funny story. We launched our Patreon page last week, and it's working! People are supporting us! Not a huge number, but some. Which means you love it. Wanna help? We'd love it. We even recorded cool video for you. Actually, we had to re-record that video, as you'll hear later. But enough about us begging for money (but seriously, a buck or two each month goes a long way) and let's get on with the show proper, shall we? The topic of this week's episode was sent to us by listener Amy. She asked: "What apps do you use that are especially useful as expats in BKK? I'm visiting for the first time in 9 years (!!) next month and I know the city is going to be VERY different than when I lived there. Anything I can use to make it easier?" We thought it best to break the conversation into various app categories. And even though we're spoiling it here in our show notes, be sure to listen to the episode to hear why we recommend them, as well as a few tips and cautionary tales. Oh, and where possible, we'll link to the developer website to make this as applicable to everyone as possible. Getting around Bangkok Google Maps Uber Grab DLT Check-In (which, as you'll hear, has apparently stopped working) Getting food in Bangkok foodpanda Uber Eats Eatigo TripAdvisor Getting News about Bangkok (and back home) Google News Reddit Twitter Flipboard Communicating with others in Bangkok LINE Facebook Messenger WhatsApp Finding entertainment in Bangkok Apple Music Spotify Netflix imgur Thai Language Thai-English ThaiDict (aka Talking Thai) Special Use Express VPN XE Currency Currency Voice Map Got A Favorite App We Missed? This is the type of topic where we know we can't be right all the time, so help us out by adding your favorite app in the comments or through one of the many social media outlets listed below. Love, Loathe, or Leave We know it's incumbent upon us to to learn Thai, not the other way around. But still, it's a little off putting and jarring when "YOU! YOU! YOU!" is how someone here wants to get our attention. But do we hate it enough to make us want to leave? Probably not, but you should listen and see if you agree. Want More Bangkok Podcast In Your Life? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via Apple Podcasts. Android users are be able get the show any number of ways. And for bonus points, leave us a review on those platforms or however you listen to the show. We'd love to hear from you, either on the contact form on our website or through a comment or message on our Facebook page. You can Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or follow Greg's tweets of snarky Bangkok goodness. Evo chronicles his Bangkok adventures on Instagram from time to time, if that's your thing. And as mentioned, we now have a LINE account! Yep. Just for the Bangkok Podcast. Join us over there, too! See you next time on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

Now that we're both legally licensed drivers in Thailand, we take a little extra time to tell you about the process we went through… and why not one bit of it actually prepared us for driving in Bangkok. Plus we'll share a new way you can show your support for our show. Because you love us! Before we get to driving in Thailand -- legally or otherwise -- we should talk about Patreon, a new way to let you, dear listener, help fund our efforts. If you're a fan of the show and want to show your appreciation, just go to Patreon.com/BangkokPodcast to make it happen. For just a buck a month (that's only ฿34), you help us out and get some cool stuff in return. Check it out. We'll love you forever! As a frequent listener of the Bangkok Podcast, you already know that Thailand is the second most dangerous country in the world to drive in - right behind Libya! - but despite that, both of us are licensed to drive. Evo just got his motorbike license last week, and Greg has had his automobile license for about a decade now. On this episode, we'll tell you in great comedic and exasperating detail the process that we went through to be legal drivers in Thailand. Spoiler alert: it's maddening. But funny! And a great example of "Thainess". Many (perhaps most) expats living in Bangkok don't even bother getting their licenses, opting instead to pass a few hundred baht to the cop when (not if) they are pulled over. But that seems to be changing, with a slew of new initiatives that are compelling cops all over Thailand to start cracking down on bad behavior, actually impounding bikes and issuing actual fines. If you think getting your license was a challenge in your own home country, you have to listen to this episode to see how it compares to Thailand. For fun, check out the test online and see how you fare. Keep your eyes out for tanks and race cars! And if you're also expat-ing in Bangkok and have gone through the pain, please share your experience with us in the comments, our social sites, or with your own network. (And use the #thaipod hashtag!) Did We Mention Patreon? If you love the show we produce every week, we'd love -- as in really, really appreciate -- your support. Patreon makes it very easy to support the creators you love (hey, that's us!) for just a buck or so a month. As an incentive, we've put in a few fun rewards in the mix, from bonus content to t-shirts to live events. Thanks in advance for your support. Just check out Patreon.com/bangkokpodcast to help us out. Love, Loathe, or Leave Are the girls on the BTS vampires or stoned? Probably neither, but the cheap colored contact lenses that are all the rage sure make them seem that way. Not that either of us have an issue with an effort to change your appearance or be unique (let your freak flag fly, people!), but this can't be healthy. And it can be a little terrifying. Surprise? We're not fans. How do you feel about it? Are you as creeped out as we are? Want More Bangkok Podcast In Your Life? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via Apple Podcasts. Android users are be able get the show any number of ways. And for bonus points, leave us a review on those platforms or however you listen to the show. We'd love to hear from you, either on the contact form on our website or through a comment or message on our Facebook page. You can Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or follow Greg's tweets of snarky Bangkok goodness. Evo chronicles his Bangkok adventures on Instagram from time to time, if that's your thing. And as mentioned, we now have a LINE account! Yep. Just for the Bangkok Podcast. Join us over there, too! See you next time on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

A Bangkok city planner helps bring some clarity to the ongoing (and confusing) development of Bangkok. But first, a very magical (and very Thai) cure for terrorism. All of that and more on this episode of the Bangkok Podcast. Remember the news from a few weeks ago when two journalists were arrested in Bangkok's airport because they were carrying body armor? While the the arrest captured everyone's attention, it's not the funniest part of the story. Greg happens to be friends with one of the journalists in question, and he related an unbelievable (unless you like in Thailand) alternate body armor solution offered by the Royal Thai Police. Ah, Thailand. But that's not what we're talking about today. Bangkok is a growing city. To the untrained eye (that's us) a lot of it looks like disorganized chaos, unrepentant disregard for historical properties, and unchecked sprawl -- vertically and horizontally. To get a better perspective, we invited Tao Rugkhapan to help us out. He's a lecturer at the School of Global Studies at Thammasat University and he used to work for the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration as an urban planner. He also did his PhD work on Bangkok's preservation of Chinatown, an area of Bangkok we both love. Kuhn Tao helps us understand some of the finer points of Bangkok's urban development. Some of them are: Why density is so high around current and planned transit stations What sort of planning cycle Bangkok uses The problems current zoning restrictions face The friction between private property owners and historic preservation efforts Why Sathorn is no longer the financial district of Bangkok A couple of major overhauls to Bangkok that will (again) change the landscape The unwavering impact of gentrification on Bangkok's oldest communities A look at what the future might hold for Krung Thep In reality, we have a wet, crowded, and likely less historic city ahead of us. But it's not all bad news on the Bangkok-living front. While we can't predict the future with any accuracy, we certainly do seem to be living in interesting times, for whatever that's worth. New Things To Do! If you want to do something helpful to expose the world to Thai podcasting, would you mind sharing your favorite show (hopefully this one) with your friends on Twitter, Facebook, LINE, Instagram, or whatever and use the hashtag #thaipod. Unsure how far it'll go, but why not? Share your favorite show based in Thailand with the world using #thaipod. And if you've been looking for a universal way to review and rate this podcast -- heck, this specific episode if you like -- check out Podchaser and use the key "Bangkok" to get early access. Rate us (say nice things!) and any other show you listen to -- no matter what platform you use to listen to your podcasts. It's new and we're helping them out by sending our listeners their way. Try it out! Love, Loathe, or Leave Since the dawn of time (or at least public toilets), man (the gender, not the species) has had but a single refuge: The Men's Room. But that sacred ground isn't all that sacred in Thailand, where the cleaning staff is ever present and invariably female. Listen in to find out how we feel about this invasion of our only private time. Want more? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via Apple Podcasts. Android users are be able get the show any number of ways. And for bonus points, leave us a review on those platforms or however you listen to the show. We'd love to hear from you, either on the contact form on our website or through a comment or message on our Facebook page. You can Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or follow Greg's tweets of snarky Bangkok goodness. Evo chronicles his Bangkok adventures on Instagram from time to time, if that's your thing. And as mentioned, we now have a LINE account! Yep. Just for the Bangkok Podcast. Join us over there, too! See you next time on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

Live from Bangkok's Chinatown, it's Sunday night! Well, at least it was when we grabbed our mics, left the cozy comforts of our condos and recorded a live episode of the show from the streets of Chinatown to get to the bottom of this reported "War" on Bangkok's street food. We'll tell you what we discovered on episode 2.35 of the Bangkok Podcast. For the better part of the year, news reports, blogs, and pundits the world over have been raising the warning flags of an active war on Bangkok's street food scene. Whether highlighting the plight of the vendors who rely on the revenue to survive, lamenting the loss of an inexpensive source of food for the working class, or pointing out the irony of Bangkok's reputation as a top street food destination; all of the reports have a common thread: Street food in Bangkok is doomed. But is it really? To find out, we visited Yaoworat Road in Chinatown, visiting one of Greg's favorite noodle shops (incongruously positioned inside an opera house/second-run cinema/gay pickup joint) to see just how far reaching these new government mandates really were. Listen to find out what changes we noticed, what actions we think are still likely to come, and what doom-and-gloom predictions likely won't come to bear. Without giving too much away, we'll just tell you that we're declaring the war on street food non-existent. But please bear in mind that we are not investigative journalists. Our observations are based on this single trip and casual visits to street vendors in this immediate area. It could be worse elsewhere, but it sure looks like street food in Bangkok isn't in immediate peril. Love, Loathe, or Leave As you've heard us talk about before, there are plenty of green spaces in the heart of the Bangkok metroplex, but occasionally, you can find a large stretch of beautiful, untouched, pristine lawn just begging for a blanket and a picnic. But invariably, those areas come with large KEEP OFF THE GRASS signs. Listen in to find out if we loathe it or if it's something we hate some much we're ready to leave the Kingdom over. Want more? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via Apple Podcasts. Android users are be able get the show any number of ways. And for bonus points, leave us a review on those platforms or however you listen to the show. We'd love to hear from you, either on the contact form on our website or through a comment or message on our Facebook page. You can Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or follow Greg's tweets of snarky Bangkok goodness. Evo chronicles his Bangkok adventures on Instagram from time to time, if that's your thing. And as mentioned, we now have a LINE account! Yep. Just for the Bangkok Podcast. Join us over there, too! See you next time on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

One of Thailand's most persistent pests - the beautiful but invasive water hyacinth - is once again clogging Bangkok's waterways. And while Evo didn't die on a motorbike just yet, a friend of his is in the hospital after his scooter accident. Maybe he's rethinking his chosen mode of transport? Motorbike accidents happen. Though this is Thailand, and Thailand holds the ignominious title of deadliest place to ride a motorbike. Last week the inevitable happened to a fellow expat here in Bangkok, though thankfully on a low-speed collision. Will it impact Evo's decision to ride? You'll have to listen to find out. But really, that's not what we're here to talk about. The Chao Phraya these days is a little more green than usual. Which sounds good, until you realize the green is from huge, floating islands of plant matter. It happens every year, and we've always wondered what it is. Evo took it upon himself to dig deep and has learned a few things about phak tob java, or water hyacinth as it's commonly known, or Eichhornia crassipes as it's known to botanists. Here are few of the things you'll learn when you listen to this week's episode The royal connection for how the invasive species from South America to Indonesia and finally Thailand The immediate nuisance the plant causes for those who make their living on the river How the plant contributes to Bangkok's flooding, which arrived a bit early this year A bunch of management techniques that don't work, and only one that does Some good news about how the plant can be used to clean the water, as a textile source, as biomass to generate fuel, and possibly a foodstuff But some bad news about the plant's propensity to kill fish and incubate mosquitos A comical tale of how three -- or possibly four -- different government agencies are passing the buck as they say "not my problem" Finally, when you fully understand the complexity of the problem, you'll see why water hyacinth is the perfect metaphor for Bangkok's bureaucracy. That was meant to be funny, but... Love, Loathe, or Leave If you've only uttered "Hey Dude, where's my car" when referencing a cult-classic from the turn of the century, you haven't left your car -- or your motorbike -- in a parking lot in Bangkok. It's a little maddening. The only good news is that your bike probably isn't stolen. Probably. Listen in to find out how we feel about this totally alien concept to us two expats who've been trained to set the parking brake and -- obviously -- take the keys. But it's not like that stops people from moving your ride. Want more? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via Apple Podcasts. Android users are be able get the show any number of ways. And for bonus points, leave us a review on those platforms or however you listen to the show. We'd love to hear from you, either on the contact form on our website or through a comment or message on our Facebook page. You can Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or follow Greg's tweets of snarky Bangkok goodness. Evo chronicles his Bangkok adventures on Instagram from time to time, if that's your thing. And as mentioned, we now have a LINE account! Yep. Just for the Bangkok Podcast. Join us over there, too! See you next time on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

On this episode we get into one of Thailand's most contentious topics - double pricing. But first we talk about selfies in a ball pit and a hidden hipster hangout. Just down the road for us on our side of the river is a hidden hipster hideout in Bangkok called called The Jam Factory. And by "hidden", we mean new to Evo. Because it's pretty well known by everyone other than him. Also Greg visits Central Embassy and attempts to lose his child in a giant plastic bubble bath filled with selfie takers. But as interesting as both of those topics sound, neither are what we're talking about today. Let's just get this out of the way: We think double pricing sucks. Thailand is notorious for pricing things like museums, national parks, landmarks, and other civic works differently depending on where a visitor was born. Foreigners -- we stand out a bit -- pay an inflated price, where Thai nationals pay much, much less. Sometimes Thai nationals pay nothing at all. As representatives of the foreigners overcharged, we don't like it. But we try to understand the rationale for it on this week's episode and present their side. We're not sure we did a good job. But here are the excuses main arguments most often offered to justify dual pricing in Thailand: Foreign workers make more money than Thais, so they can afford it. Tourists don't pay Thailand taxes to support those civic works. (Note: both of us pay taxes in Thailand) It's a nationalistic benefit reserved for Thai citizens. All of those are valid concerns. However, we're not buying it. Listen in to learn how we carefully (and hopefully respectfully) dismantle each of those excuses arguments. And though we try very hard not to push our own agenda on our adopted country, here's what we think could be the consequences if the dual pricing issue isn't addressed (which it hasn't been for decades, we get it.) It may be seen as racist to a world becoming more and more aware and intolerant of racism. It's a deterrent to tourism as it has been to other countries that have done stupid things in the name of squeezing out a few bucks from hapless tourists. It's a constant PR black eye that will cause (and perhaps is causing) people to seek out their SE Asian vacation/expat home in other neighboring countries. Now, hopefully we didn't go overboard on complaining. It's not what we set out to do. And if you have a different opinion, we invite you to leave a comment below or on our social channels. Let's keep the conversation going. One great way is our new LINE account, just for the Bangkok Podcast. Hey, we're in Thailand, and LINE is huge here. So of course we have a LINE account. Follow along and talk to us there, too! Love, Loathe, or Leave Almost half a year ago, we talked about Bangkok's "saluting security guards" in an early LLoL segment. But Greg forgot something key to the conversation that Gregory Hines would be proud of. Listen in to find out why we're being so mysterious, and whether or not this clicks for us. (Heh.) Want more? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via Apple Podcasts. Android users are be able get the show any number of ways. And for bonus points, leave us a review on those platforms or however you listen to the show. We'd love to hear from you, either on the contact form on our website or through a comment or message on our Facebook page. You can Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or follow Greg's tweets of snarky Bangkok goodness. Evo chronicles his Bangkok adventures on Instagram from time to time, if that's your thing. And as mentioned, we now have a LINE account! Yep. Just for the Bangkok Podcast. Join us over there, too! See you next time on The Bangkok Podcast!

This week we talk to an expert on medical tourism to get the inside scoop on what makes Bangkok a key medical tourism destination. And we share an anecdote that proves even the 2nd largest city in SE Asia is really just a small town on the crossroads of life. What's it like to return to Bangkok 30 years later after growing up here as an expat kid? And what are the odds that one obscure blog post on how to get a Chinese visa in Bangkok would lead to rekindling a friendship while overlooking the Chao Phraya river? Only in Bangkok. But that's not what we're talking about today. Instead, we're trying to answer this question: What, exactly, makes Bangkok such a hotbed for medical tourism? Neither Evo nor Greg are experts, so we pulled in Kevin McGaffey from renuval to get to the heart of the matter. Kevin's technology company helps people find the best medical services and best medical service providers here in Thailand. Here are a few of the questions he answers on this episode of our show: What's different about the Bangkok medical scene that makes our medical skills world class? It has to do with home-grown talent who not only got their training abroad, but come back and do their job so well they often become medical trainers themselves. Some end up here in Thailand and some abroad at the top Western medical schools and facilities. How smart marketing, an abundance of talent, and a commitment to world-class facilities combine with a desirable tourist destination to make the perfect storm for medical tourism What other SE Asian nations are looking to take their own piece of the medical tourism pie, and where Bangkok needs to keeps its edge The types of clientele that come to Bangkok for medical procedures and what their country of origin likely tells you about the medical services they are seeking from Thai providers The difference in the quality of medical care you might expect from government vs private hospitals in Bangkok; and both of those compared to the Western world How some aspects of "Thainess" make for a pleasantly surprising (and rather fantastic) experience for expats who seek out medical services in Bangkok … and two pieces of excellent advice for expats or long-term visitors of Bangkok when it comes to medical insurance and getting discounts on high-cost medical care Love, Loathe, or Leave This week one our Twitter followers (wrongly identified in the audio by Greg [sorry!] but corrected in the show notes, Mattiaz!) suggested we talk about the poor excuse for napkins found in most Bangkok restaurants. Oddly enough, we both completely flip-flopped on the issue after discussing it for a few minutes. We're not fickle. We're just open minded. Listen in to see if the same happens to you. Want more? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via Apple Podcasts. Android users are be able get the show any number of ways. And for bonus points, leave us a review on those platforms or however you listen to the show. We'd love to hear from you, either on the contact form on our website or through a comment or message on our Facebook page. You can Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or follow Greg's tweets of snarky Bangkok goodness. Evo chronicles his Bangkok adventures on Instagram from time to time, if that's your thing. See you next time on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

This week we talk with Bangkok-based Buddhist monk Phra Pandit about abortions, birth control, and how Buddhism defines evil. And you'll likely think Evo an idiot for his dangerous flirtation with Thailand's terrible traffic fatalities statistics, but what's a farang to do? All of that and more on this episode of the Bangkok Podcast. Evo's decided to rent a motorbike for the next month. Let's hope he doesn't get killed as he foregoes safety for convenience. Favorite quote: It's like having a cheat code to Bangkok's traffic. But that's not what we're talking about today. Instead, we're chatting with one of our favorite repeat guests, Phra Pandit. The topic? Abortions, birth control, and how Thai Buddhism defines evil. All of this started when we learned that Planned Parenthood has moved its Asia-Pacific headquarters to Bangkok. Which, given what we know about Buddhism and things like birth control or abortion, there's a conflict. Or maybe we don't really know what we think we know. To find out, we brought back one of our favorite guests, Phra Pandit, to give us the official Buddhist party line on the topic of abortion and birth control. What he has to say will likely surprise you, especially if you're not all that informed of the differences between Buddhism and other religions. Listen to this episode to become a little more enlightened on the concepts of evil, irredeemable sin, hell, and random soul-searing insults anti-abortion protesters like to shout about when they protest Planned Parenthood clinics in the West. Love Loathe or Leave Many of our fellow Bangkokians aren't big on queueing. Nor are a lot of other Asian tourists who show up in the City of Angels. Just how tolerant are the two of us Westerners who have a pretty healthy respect for the "social contract" of just waiting your turn in line? Not very, as you could probably guess. What you probably won't guess was Greg's reaction when it happened to him (again) the night we recorded this episode. Want more? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via Apple Podcasts. Android users are be able get the show any number of ways. And for bonus points, leave us a review on those platforms or however you listen to the show. We'd love to hear from you, either on the contact form on our website or through a comment or message on our Facebook page. You can Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or follow Greg's tweets for snarky Bangkok goodness. Evo chronicles his Bangkok adventures on Instagram from time to time, if that's your thing. See you next time on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

On this episode of the Bangkok Podcast we talk about one of the negative aspects of Bangkok, the immortal, ever-present tourist scam. But before we get there, we'll have a brief discussion of feet. Yeah... feet. Pick up any piece of tourist literature and you'll note warnings of "tourist scams" running rampant in Bangkok. But are they as bad or prevalent as they're made out to be? Back when Greg was a new expat in Thailand, he played the part of an investigative journalist, purposely attracting the attention o a "tuk tuk scammer" just to document the experience. In fact, here's the story. And he's still with us, so how bad can they be, right? Severity aside, these damned tourist scams just won't die. Hopefully you'll be better educated against them after listening to this episode. We go into detail on the tuk-tuk scam (no, the Palace isn't closed today), the ping pong scam (no, you don't want to see it), the official-who-isn't-really-an-official scam (no, not all badges are real), and the birdseed scam. Yes, the birdseed scam. Not kidding. Love Loathe or Leave Free your feet, free your mind. Open sandals are all the rage here in Thailand, but how do we Westerners feel about it? On this Love, Loathe, or Leave we'll dip our toes (ha!) into the conversation. Want more? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via Apple Podcasts. Android users are be able get the show any number of ways. And for bonus points, leave us a review on those platforms or however you listen to the show. We'd love to hear from you, either on the contact form on our website or through a comment or message on our Facebook page. You can Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or follow Greg's tweets for snarky Bangkok goodness. Evo chronicles his Bangkok adventures on Instagram from time to time, if that's your thing. See you next time on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

From hitmen to red tape and homemade guns to the black market, we bring in a local expert to help us navigate the murky waters of the past and present realities of gun ownership in Thailand. We know you want us to weigh in on the issue of Bangkok's impending street food ban, but not today. We need to let things settle down before we offer up our opinion on the matter. Instead, we're going with the safe topic of the right to keep and bear arms -- guns in Thailand. Though the two of us -- Canadian and American -- grew up with firearms, we aren't familiar at all with the reality of the gun culture of Thailand. Khun A, however, has a considered opinion and is is our guest today. He's a Thai national and avid gun aficionado, owning several weapons and is a member of the IDPA. We wanted to really understand Thai gun culture from a Thai point of view, and he's the expert we needed to chat with. Just how big is the Thai gun culture? Well, Thais may not be a gun crazy as 2nd amendment-loving Americans, but it certainly exists. There are shooting ranges, gun clubs, and firearm stores all over Bangkok and the rest of Thailand. But just like any imported good, gun owners pay a premium for the privilege of ownership, with prices several hundred percent higher than other countries, thanks to import duties and other taxes levied by Thailand's government. Anytime you have skyrocketing prices, you have a black market that seeks to get around them. So yes, you can buy guns illegally -- even illegal assault rifles -- in Thailand. Worse, you can buy "homemade" guns. But think less gunsmithing and more gee-I-hope-this-doesn't-blow-up-in-my-hand type construction. Of course, you can't have a conversation about guns without talking about gun violence. While getting accurate numbers specific to gun violence in Thailand are notoriously had to pin down, Khun A sheds some light on Thailand's hitman history from the '60s and '70s, which shockingly still exists today. Perhaps more surprising is the notated lack of a cohesive and vocal anti-gun community in Thailand. No, not everyone is pro-gun, but the voice of those who want them banned is rather quiet. Perhaps that's because Thailand's red tape processes to actually own a gun are seen as enough of a deterrent? If the four- to six-week waiting period isn't enough, perhaps asking your employer for permission to own a gun does the trick? We're not sure why the Ministry of Interior needs to see your bank records before issuing you a permit either. But such is life in Thailand. But here's the good news: Gun responsibility is preached at every step of the process. As much as headlines may make it seem like it's the wild, wild west over here; the laws definitely don't do much to protect you if you are forced to use one in self defense. Khun A's description of what happens after what seems like a justifiable use of deadly force should make anyone carefully consider their actions. (Spoiler: It's murder.) Love Loathe or Leave We covered the shadow recently, but let's get to the root of the problem: the 15 to 1 ratio between customer and retail employee. What's up with that? And how do we feel about the perceived overstaffing in just about any retail establishment in Bangkok? You'll have to listen to find out if it's something we love, loathe, or hate so much we're ready to leave Bangkok. Want more? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via Apple Podcasts. Android users are be able get the show any number of ways. And for bonus points, leave us a review on those platforms or however you listen to the show. We'd love to hear from you, either on the contact form on our website or through a comment or message on our Facebook page. You can Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or follow Greg's tweets for snarky Bangkok goodness. Evo chronicles his Bangkok adventures on Instagram from time to time, if that's your thing. See you next time on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

You may have seen them on the streets of Bangkok, Singapore, or Hanoi. Many play instruments, juggle, or sell postcards. Some simply stand there with a hat and a sign asking for pity. We're talking, of course, about the round-the-world adventurer looking for a handout. Should these begging vagabonds take a hike, or do they deserve some leeway to, er, find their way? We also talk about staying dry (or attempting to) during Songkran, and Greg's foot fetish (in that he'd really like to be able to find shoes to fit his giant feet). The story has been tearing up the newspapers and internets lately - the foreign backpacker. Usually white, European/North American, usually with scraggly bears, matted hair, and doing their best to trade a skill for a bit o' spare change, their presence inspires anger and pity in equal amounts. But they are nothing new. Indeed, as far back as 10 years ago, Greg remembers seeing the first 'famous' farang backpacker as he sat there with a sign begging for help to buy his plane ticket back home, as group after group of university students passed by and dropped some hard-earned cash in his hat. "That's nice," thought Greg. But then Greg saw the same guy in a different part of the city. Then another. Then another. Then it dawned on Greg - this guy was a scammer. But now farang beggars are much more common. Many offer legitimate - if not entertaining - services, such as selling handmade wares, playing an instrument, or doing some tricks. But should they even be doing it? In a region as poor as Southeast Asia - where real poverty is an every day issue for far too many - is it really proper for able-bodied, western-educated foreigners, likely with a healthy support network back home, to be begging for scraps to fund their adventures? Greg and Evo argue the pros and cons, and come up with more cons than pros. Love, Loathe or Leave We think it's safe to say that Bangkok's street food scene would not be as creative (and delicious) as it is without the, er, less-than-stringent food safety ecosystem that many of us westerns are used to. We posit that a food safety inspector from, say, Canada or the US, would have a stroke if he saw how food is prepared here, but should he maybe loosen up a bit? Greg and Evo discuss the safety (and sickness) of street food, and if the lack of regulation is something that helps or hinders eating out. Want More? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via iTunes. Android users are be able get the show any number of ways. And for bonus points, leave us a review on those platforms or however you listen to the show. We'd love to hear from you, either on the contact form on our website or through a comment or message on our Facebook page. You can Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or follow Greg's tweets for snarky Bangkok goodness. Evo chronicles his Bangkok adventures on Instagram from time to time, if that's your thing. See you next time on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

On this episode of the Bangkok Podcast we talk about traffic in Bangkok - specifically the "Seven Deadly Days" of Songkran - and Thailand's awful road safety statistics. We also talk about what men do when their wives are away... or won't go away. Don't worry... it's not as bad as it sounds. Songkran is upon us, a week-long celebration of Thailand's new year. What will we be doing during Songkran? Staying off the roads, because it's also known as the Seven Deadly Days, when road traffic shoots up to three times the normal rate. Yes, that's likely a contributing factor to Thailand's hold on the #2 spot in global traffic fatalities per 100,000 people. In an effort to get those crazy numbers under control, Thailand's military junta announced sweeping changes to vehicle motor code. Effective immediately, police would be issuing fines anyone in any vehicle not wearing a seatbelt, and anyone riding in the back of a pickup truck. And then the very next day -- not surprisingly -- they softened their enforcement language. Perhaps the fact that many taxies have removed seatbelts from the back seat. And a substantial chunk of the population ride in the back of pickups to get to work, into town, to the doctor… And in urban areas, some governmental-sanctioned transportation methods are nothing more than riding in the back of a modified pickup bed, none of which have seatbelts. As it turns out, mandating behavior changes for a country of 65 million people is… messy. Neither of us are so arrogant as to say we have the answers. But that didn't stop us from offering up some ideas. Got a few yourself? Take a listen to the show (on iTunes, Android, whatever) and tell us if you think our ideas would work or not. And speaking of stupid ideas... Love, Loathe, or Leave? Thailand really, really wants to make us whiter. Something neither of us need. Nor does anyone else, but such is life in Thailand, where it's hard to buy personal hygiene products that aren't loaded with whitening agents. And who are these people with super dark armpits? When did that become a problem? Want more? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via iTunes. Android users are be able get the show any number of ways. And for bonus points, leave us a review on those platforms or however you listen to the show. We'd love to hear from you, either on the contact form on our website or through a comment or message on our Facebook page. You can Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or follow Greg's tweets for snarky Bangkok goodness. Evo chronicles his Bangkok adventures on Instagram from time to time, if that's your thing. See you next time on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

On this episode of the Bangkok Podcast we talk languages with Frank Smith. He speaks Thai, Khmer, and Lao, and teaches Khmer at UC Berkeley in California. Add to that a quick conversation on the pros and cons of raising a kid in Thailand, and we've got the makings of another great episode of the Bangkok Podcast. We start the show with an easy question: Is Bangkok the kind of place you want to raise a kid? Greg is facing the reality of doing so right now, and Evo has sage advice from someone who decided not to raise a kid in different City of Angels some 20 years ago. Everyone loves a good mystery. And everyone loves a good origin story. But when it comes to the people who live in Cambodia, Thailand's neighbor to the east, the origin story of their language -- Khmer -- is a complete mystery. Oh, and it's even harder to learn than Thai. Go figure. Our guest this week is Frank Smith, a language professor at the University of California Berkeley. Frank's students are often of Cambodian descent, having been raised abroad by displaced parents. Their goal is to reconnect with their heritage, in some cases learning to speak, read, and write in their native language… from a white guy. A white guy who has been speaking, reading and writing Khmer for 30 years, though. With a bit of flair, we think you'll agree. And if you're ready to study Khmer, he can help! He passes along several interesting facts to Bangkokians like ourselves, like busting the myth that the languages native to this part of the world are based on Sanskrit (they aren't), and that the "Khmer" spoken in Thailand bears little resemblance to the actually Khmer spoken in Cambodia. What does Frank think of our opinions on whether or not foreign workers should bother to learn the local language in SE Asia? His answer just may surprise you. Love, Loathe, or Leave? It's a listener suggestion this week from our friend Tim, another Bangkok expat. The topic? April. Yes, the month. Is this nutty month marked by oppressive heat and a state-sanctioned water fight something we love, loathe, or are ready to leave over? Listen to find out. Spoiler: it's a split decision. Want more? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via iTunes. Android users should be able get the show automatically through Google Play. And for bonus points, leave us a review on those platforms or however you listen to the show. We'd love to hear from you, either on the contact form on our website or through a comment or message on our Facebook page. You can Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or follow Greg's tweets for snarky Bangkok goodness. Evo chronicles his Bangkok adventures on Instagram from time to time, if that's your thing. See you next time on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

On this episode, we discuss the little things we love about Bangkok, as well as the little things we miss about where we're from. Plus Evo's recent trip to Siem Reap and the concept of farang "embarassadors". Evo spent a week in Siem Reap and completely loved it. Greg agrees that it's likely the most amazing destination in SE Asia -- possibly the world -- for those interested in archaeology. Color us impressed, ancient Khmer people! The main topic of the show: It's the little things. No, not a Royale with Cheese, but the little things we miss about where we're from, now that we live in The Land Of Smiles that is Thailand. Not to spoil everything from the episode completely, but here's the list of things we miss: Clothes dryers Psychological weather cues Easy access to drugs Easy access to my money But the reverse is true, and there are little things about living in Bangkok that we're going to miss should we ever leave The Big Mango. Again, you'll have to listen for the full details why we're really liking: Pain-free condo moving Rules bent cheaply Instant, ubiquitous transport options Space not at a premium If that doesn't make perfect sense, just listen. You'll get it it. And then you'll know why we love this place. Speaking of that... Love, Loathe, or Leave? First, heck yes! Let's keep the #loveloatheorleave hashtag going! Drop one on any social media property. We'll probably see it. Kinda like the shirtless farang. The clueless, class-less, totally-missing-the-point of living in Bangkok idiot who isn't wearing a shirt. Guess where they fall on our #loveloatheorleave scale. Listen in to find out some surprising facts about how the law can get involved if you choose to go topless, fellas. Want more? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via iTunes. Android users should be able get the show automatically through Google Play. And for bonus points, leave us a review on those platforms or however you listen to the show. We'd love to hear from you, either on the contact form on our website or through a comment or message on our Facebook page. You can Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or follow Greg's tweets for snarky Bangkok goodness. Evo chronicles his Bangkok adventures on Instagram from time to time, if that's your thing. See you next time on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

What do pro Western teachers think about teaching in Thailand? And are we seeing the end of Uber in Bangkok? And if so, will canal taxis pick up the slack? All that and more on this episode of The Bangkok Podcast Taxis in Bangkok would probably make for a good Love, Loathe, or Leave segment, but recent moves by Thailand to restrict popular "ridesharing" services make it worthy of our opening banter. After that, Greg has a chat with Sheila Dee a Western-trained, professional educator working in Thailand. There are lots of Westerners acting as English teachers in Thailand. Greg used to be one of them. But Sheila's a bit different, holding a Bachelor's degree in elementary education and a Master's degree in curriculum and instruction. In the Thai private school where she teaches, five subjects -- English, Math, Science, Physical Education, and Computers -- are taught by native English teachers. Social studies and Thai (as in the language) are taught in Thai, and her students also study Chinese (actually in Chinese, if that's not obvious). For her school as well as the many international schools in Bangkok, that level of immersion and integration requires educators trained in their subject field, not just someone who happens to be a native English-speaker. As a Western trained teacher, Sheila's learning how to modify her style. As an American teacher, she knows how to deal with American students. But not all of that directly translates to teaching in Thailand, with different expectations from administration, parents, and students. Some of those are a net positive, like the premium administration places on Western teachers and the noticeable lack of discipline issues, for example. But some require her to change her expectations, like translating the concept of "saving face" into classroom management and not trying to "fix" everything. It's not easy being a teacher, which is why Thailand is starting to change how they look for teachers. Yes, there are still plenty of teachers with a degree in something (anything) and a TEFL certificate. However, Sheila's seeing an emphasis on seeking out real teachers (like her) with real experience of prior teaching in the Western world. Love, Loathe, or Leave? It's our first listener submission! ThailightZone wants us to talk about the khlong boats, specifically those that shuttle busy commuters along the saen saep canal. It's a uniquely local Thai experience, but you'll have to listen to see how we feel about this odd transportation style. Want more? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via iTunes. Android users should be able get the show automatically through Google Play. But if you run into a snag, get in touch. We'll help! Drop us a line using the contact form, or leave a review for us on iTunes or Google Play. Oh, and we have a Facebook page! You can even Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or us personally at @bkkgreg or @evoterra. We'll see you next week on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

You may or may not have heard about the Sak Yant tattoo festival before, but after hearing this episode of the Bangkok Podcast, you sure as darn heck won't be able to forget about it. For years travelers have been entertained by tales of screaming men rushing the stage, possessed by the spirits of the tattoos that cover their bodies in sheets of intricate sub-dermal ink. But it's not merely an odd tourist attraction - the men who have them, the monks who give them, and the shamans who 'recharge' them all hold the tattoos - and the power they say they represent - in the highest regard. With an origin story that involves a Burmese invasion, sinking boats, lost Buddha images, and man-eating tigers, it sounds like something from a novel by Graham Greene or Joseph Conrad, but it's all - very probably - true. Evo and his lovely wife Sheila headed up to Wat Bang Phra in Nakhon Pathom - about 50km west of Bangkok - to check out the festivities and boy did they get the goods. Hanging out with devotees on Friday evening and then recording their screams, gurgles, laughs, and chants on the Saturday, Evo gives a description of what it's like in the middle of the action. Those screams, gurgles, laughs and chants can be heard in the podcast, by the way. Here's a few pictures - but head over to Sheila's Flickr album to see more. Love, Loathe or Leave? Evo springs his LLoL on Greg - what does he think of the national anthem that plays every day at 8am and 6pm? Is it an annoying distraction, a treasured cultural identifier, or something in between? Have a listen to the song in the video below if you're not familiar, then follow along with their discussion at home! https://youtu.be/BrcGzLIEsAU?t=10 Want more? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via iTunes. Android users should be able get the show automatically through Google Play. But if you run into a snag, get in touch. We'll help! Drop us a line at the contact page up top, or leave a review for us on iTunes or Google Play. Oh, and we have a Facebook page! You can even Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or us personally at @bkkgreg or @evoterra. We'll see you next week on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

When you look at Bangkok on a map, you see this enigmatic little patch of green just off center. It's not a trick. It really exists. Historically, few people fought the traffic to get here. But that's changing, and modern encroachment on the green lungs of Bangkok is threatening this not-quite-hidden gem of Bangkok. Life in Thailand is hot. Welcome to the tropics! But this year seems to have gotten hotter earlier. Or maybe we're just getting old and are fixating on the weather. Of more importance to this issue is a lovely place in Bangkok to visit that allows some respite from the heat. That place is Prapadaeng -- also called Bang Krachao -- Bangkok's "green lung". We mentioned it briefly on a previous episode, promising to return to the topic with a much more in depth discussion. To give the topic the proper consideration, Greg invites his friend Paul to talk about this hidden-in-plain-sight key area of Bangkok that is, saddly, in danger of losing it's luster. Because development. Today on the show we speak with six-year resident Paul Mueller. This American expat made this amazing meander in the Chao Phraya river his home after a solo bike trip led him to a rickety looking dock with an even more rickety looking ferry attached, but with an enticing green area on the other side of the river. He was stunned by the peace, quiet and space -- things that are hard to find in urban Bangkok, where we literally live on top of one another. But not in Bang Krachao. Cars are rare in the interior, and even motorbikes aren't terribly common. Instead people walk or ride bikes to get from place to place, harkening to a simpler time. But those small bikeways are getting blocked, trees are being uprooted, and that abundance of space is threatened. Not by condos (yet), but by people who are choosing to make their home there, taking advantage of the tranquility of the area. As in the rest of Thailand, if someone is properly connected, they can probably side-step a few zoning restrictions. The floating market is growing in popularity -- and that's a good thing -- but that's bringing it's own challenges. More cars. More room for those cars to park. And of course more businesses to sell stuff to the people who drive those cars. You know… development. There's a lot of pressure on the area, and we can only hope that the commitment to keeping Bangkok's green lung, well… green, stays the course. In the meantime, you might want to plan your trip sooner rather than later. Just in case. Here's a short video you can watch that talks about the challenges the green lungs of Bangkok are facing. Or you can just listen to the show to learn more from Paul's perspective. That's a good idea! Love, Loathe, or Leave? Let's not beat around the bush. Sometimes, when you feel the call of nature in Thailand, sometimes the porcelain throne is actually a porcelain hole in the ground. That's called a squat toilet. And, well… you'll figure it out. Quirky? Sure. Pleasant? Less so. But it's something you'll likely encounter. And something that will make you appreciate your western toilet. Want more? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via iTunes. Android users should be able get the show automatically through Google Play. But if you run into a snag, get in touch. We'll help! Drop us a line over at bangkokpodcast.com, or leave a review for us on iTunes or Google Play. Oh, and we have a Facebook page! You can even Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or us personally at @bkkgreg or @evoterra. We'll see you next week on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

While Thailand is a great place to experience the natural beauty of the tropics, Bangkok is a giant metro area and not all that appealing to nature lovers with a short time to visit. Or is it? That's the topic of this episode of The Bangkok Podcast. Evo's still sick, but he's on the mend thanks to a doctor. Because as you'll recall from an episode just a few weeks ago, antibiotics are available over the counter here. But you know what isn't? A diagnoses of illness from a qualified physician. Luckily there is no shortage of great doctors in Bangkok. And they are quite cheap. Some people are just stubborn. Ahem. And did you see the article that claimed Thailand has the worst traffic in the world? We do a little debunking on that before we get to the heart of the matter. Finding nature in the confines of Bangkok's concrete jungle. What, exactly, should a nature lover visiting Bangkok do if they only have a few short days? That's the question Evo's friend and Finland-based travel blogger Lottie put to us. No, she doesn't really want to hit all the rooftop bars, shopping malls, countless temples, or the seedier side of tourism that form Bangkok's well-deserved reputation. We have a few ideas, including: Prapadaeng (also called Bang Krachao) - Bangkok's "green lung" Phutthamonthon - "Spiritual center of Thailand", says Greg Chao Phraya river - It's always breezy and cool on this big, navigable river that bisects Bangkok Ayutthaya - Archaeology and history only 3 hours away by train Lots of great parks we mention in the show, some rather hidden Lovely beaches not too far away, but you'll want to do an overnight, probably So… yeah. Bangkok offers more than just shopping, sex tourism, temples, and rooftop bars. Just keep the weather in mind when you visit. Because it's always summer here. Speaking of that... Love, Loathe, or Leave? Holy volcanos, it's hot here. We have no volcanos, but we do leave very close to the sun, apparently. There weren't any seasons to speak of this year in Bangkok, which has an impact. Listen in to find out how we feel about it. Want more? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via iTunes. Android users should be able get the show automatically through Google Play. But if you run into a snag, get in touch. We'll help! Drop us a line or leave a review for us on iTunes or Google Play. Oh, and we have a Facebook page! You can even Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or us personally at @bkkgreg or @evoterra. We'll see you next week on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

Like everywhere, craft beer is exploding in Bangkok. But there are some subtle nuances that cause beer lovers to scratch their heads. Why is it so expensive? What's up with "illegal" beer? And where can I get more? We'll answer that and more on this episode of The Bangkok Podcast. After a brief and elusive discussion of the infamous Thailand beach town Pattaya, we jump into the heart of the conversation: Beer in Thailand. Specifically, craft beer in Thailand. To make sure we cover things in an appropriate (read: true) way, we invited Brian Bartusch -- co-founder of Bangkok's largest craft beer importer, Beervana -- on to the show to answer some key questions Evo -- our resident beer nerd -- had about the state of craft beer in Thailand. Together with a few other entrepreneurial importers, Beervana makes it easy for the visiting craft beer fan to not be forced to drink the standard Thai beers. Not that we're dissing the local beers. But craft beer fans are going to find Chang, Leo, Singha, and locally-produced Heineken or Asahi rather lacking. Evo and Brian met up at Roadhouse BBQ. By way of example, they offer a half dozen quality craft beers on tap and a rather large selection of craft beer from all over the world. While you'll probably find a wider selection back in America simply due to proximity to some other local breweries, you won't be disappointed in the selection. But you probably will suffer a bit of a sticker shock. Imported craft beer in Thailand is more expensive than the same beer back home. Why? Well, two main reasons: The first is shipping. It's a long way from here to there, and it has to be kept cold the entire journey. Then you layer in the import taxes and compliance fees, which are not trivial. Brian digs into it a little deeper on the show if you want more information. Just keep it in mind the next time you plop down ฿350 for a bottle you'd expect to pay $6 for back in The States. Other topics relevant to craft beer in Bangkok and beyond: Craft beer consumption is only about .02% of overall beer consumption in Thailand. (Source: ChitBeer) Homebrewing is illegal in Thailand. People can be and are thrown in jail for brewing. Which means local Thai craft beer -- which is all home brewed -- is illegal… yet available everywhere. Honestly, we have mixed feelings about this. Some Thai brewers of quality craft beer are working with the system, doing contract brewing outside of the country and re-importing. It's crazy, but it's legal. And tasty! The big Thai brewers have taken notice of the craft beer movement and are taking a Blue Moon approach for now. Local Thais are keenly interested in the craft beer scene. Brian shares some notable places around Bangkok to find great craft beer. You'll be amazed at how quick it's growing! Some special call outs: Fatty's Craft Intersect Bricks and Barrels Find Brian at various craft beer events around Bangkok, or at Pijiu Bar, his newly opened craft beer bar in Bangkok's Chinatown. Love, Loathe, or Leave? Bangkok, like every city, has more than one rat hanging around. We don't want to alarm you, but the ones in Bangkok seem a little bolder than most. Can you guess where we put this little critter on the Love, Loathe, or Leave spectrum? Want more? If it's your first time experiencing The Bangkok Podcast, you really should get our show downloading to your phone automatically every week. If you use iOS, it's a breeze to listen via iTunes. Android users should be able get the show automatically through Google Play. But if you run into a snag, get in touch. We'll help! Drop us a line or leave a review for us on iTunes or Google Play. Oh, and we have a Facebook page! You can even Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or us personally at @bkkgreg or @evoterra. We'll see you next week on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

To learn to speak Thai or not learn to speak Thai. That is the question. No, literally. It's the question we're asking each other on behalf of all people who come to live in Thailand. As you'll hear, we have a difference of opinion. So yeah, we're the #1 travel podcast in Thailand. That's kinda cool. But it's not what we're talking about today… (but thanks for subscribing!) We ask ourselves a simple question on this week's show: If you're going to "live" in Thailand, do you need to learn Thai? Not surprisingly, we have differing opinions on the matter. Greg, the 16 year expat, staunchly feels anyone wishing to live in Thailand needs to learn the language. Evo, not surprisingly, takes the opposite view. Then again, he only has a year under his belt, so take his opinion with a shot of nam pla. Some arguments for include the ability to keep yourself out of trouble by knowing what warning signs say, having a deeper understanding of Thai culture, and generally paying homage to the fact that you're living in a country with something other than your native tongue as the official language. Arguments against include the fact that most (but not all) signs that you really need to see are also presented in English, Thai students have been forced to learn English (or at least enroll in English classes) for decades, and that technology makes for easy as-you-need it translation. Not surprisingly, there's more to it that that. Listen to the show to see which side of the argument you identify with. For bonus points, leave us a comment on the blog, or even a review on iTunes with your thoughts on who's right. Because we strive for your approval! Kidding. Oh, and that better translation app Evo mentioned? It comes from Thai-Language.com, a great web resource. They have an iOS app, but we're not sure about Android. Get it. Love, Loathe, or Leave? Thai pajamas. Or the "farang uniform". Lightweight, colorful and comfortable pants that gather around the waist that no self-respecting Thai person would be caught dead in. I think we're giving away our opinions on these horrid garments. Clean it up a bit, tourists. This is Bangkok. Put on the big person pants when you go out in public, OK? Want more? Leave a review here or send us a message on the contact tab at the top menu, or leave a review for us on iTunes or Google Play. Oh, and we have a Facebook page! You can even Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or us personally at @bkkgreg or @evoterra. We'll see you next week on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

No one is going to say that Bangkok is an easy city to navigate. Near-constant congestion, poorly paved sidewalks, non-existent pedestrian crossing areas… that's just a start. Now imagine that from the point of view of someone who uses a wheelchair. Suddenly these difficulties seem like insurmountable obstacles. The show starts with a recap of the new "blowing up on social media" scandal: It seems some mototaxi drivers are placing a surcharge on passengers with additional mass. But that's not the injustice we're talking about on this episode. On today's show we chat with Sawang Srisom, Secretary for Transportation for All (T4A), a grassroots organization that's forcing Thailand's bureaucracy to actually follow the law and make the city -- specifically the BTS skytrain system -- fully accessible to people with disabilities. Laws aimed at supporting the rights of the disabled have only been on the books in Bangkok since 1991, and that one didn't even address accessibility. That didn't happen until 2005. Yes, you read that right: There were no laws governing accessibility requirements just over a decade ago. And since the BTS system construction started 10 years before that, enabling officials a convenient excuse for not including things like elevators in all but five of the 29 stations. Amazing. To get action, T4A started filing lawsuits against the BMA (Bangkok Metropolitan Authority who oversee the BTS system) for failure to comply. The goal wasn't financial compensation, but to force change. It went all the way to the Supreme Court, and it's now been ruled that all stations must have lifts installed on both sides of the tracks. If you've used the BTS and thought "but I see lifts and other accessibility additions. What's the problem?" Listen to the show to find out how insane it is for wheelchair users like Sawang to try and use those accessibility additions you've seen. It often involves taking a taxi just to cross the street. Fair warning? It's maddening to listen to. The good news is that Thailand has the right policies on the books. The problem -- and stop us if you've heard this one before -- is getting bureaucrats to follow them. Good luck, Bangkok. You've got a lot of work ahead of you. But clearly it's the right thing to do. Because accessibility is for everyone. Love, Loathe, or Leave? Not this week. Evo's voice (as you noticed) is giving out. We'll try again next week. Want more? Drop us a line over at bangkokpodcast.com, or leave a review for us on iTunes or Google Play. Oh, and we have a Facebook page! You can even Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or us personally at @bkkgreg or @evoterra. We'll see you next week on The Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3)

So a guy from Alaska who owns a coffee plantation in Hawaii hires a guy from Indiana who's living in Thailand to help him grow coffee. There's no punchline. Just a great episode of the Bangkok Podcast! (Direct download .mp3) (Direct download .mp3) After Evo explains why he was in Finland and gives us a crash course on world travel expos (like Matka 2017) and blogger conferences (like NBE Finland), and Greg runs down his recent motorbiking misadventures in Chiang Rai, we get down to business. What business? Serious business. Coffee. Greg had a conversation with Derek Kirk, a fellow expat who manages a coffee plantation that puts out Red Cliff Coffee, a personal favorite of Greg's that Evo needs to try. Starting as an English teacher, Derek fell in love with Northern Thailand and wanted to find a way to stay. In his spare time, he started working with coffee farmers from the Akha Hill Tribe. Some of them had recently started planting coffee as a cash crop but didn't have much experience. Derek made the decision to learn as much as he could about coffee production, vowing to return to Northern Thailand and spread that knowledge. He moved to Kona, Hawaii, became a sponge for coffee knowledge, and brought 10,000 trees back to Thailand to start his enterprise. The beans that come from this experiment are, in his opinion (backed up by Greg's insatiable appetite), the best beans grown in Thailand, far outpacing the standard Thai coffee fare. More importantly, coffee -- quality coffee -- is giving a huge economic boost to the region. As evidence; other farmers in the village are seeing the success of their neighbors and getting in on the action, and small vendors on the side of the road in heavily Thai areas -- even outside of Bangkok -- are selling quality cappuccino for 55 baht. Not great news if you want cheap coffee. But outstanding news if you -- like us -- appreciate a quality cuppa and wish to see it spread.But don't think this is the story of one (more) farang coming in and taking over from the locals. Yes, Derek did inject some know-how into the system, but the farmers producing coffee are doing so on their own terms, on their own land, and producing their own product. Now that's social entrepreneurism at work! Love, Loathe, or Leave? For our North American friends, we give you the lowdown of 7-11, which is *much* more than just a convenience store in Bangkok: It's a way of life. Not surprisingly we love 7-11 if only because it's so ingrained into society here in the Big Mango. But there is one aspect we rather loathe. You'll have to listen to find out. Want more? Drop us a line over at bangkokpodcast.com, or leave a review for us on iTunes or Google Play. Oh, and we have a Facebook page! You can even Tweet to the show @bangkokpodcast or us personally at @bkkgreg or @evoterra. We'll see you next week on The Bangkok Podcast!

Continuing with our Buddhism series, we welcome Phra Pandit, a Brit who has been a monk in Thailand for the past 20 years and is a noted lecturer on Buddhism, dhamma, and psychology. Desire - or the lack of it - is one of the key themes that the Buddha taught his followers. But as we find out in this very interesting discussion with Phra Pandit, it's not as easy as saying "I can do without those cool new pair of shoes." (Direct download .mp3) (Direct download .mp3) Since Evo is off galavanting around Europe, Greg talks to Pandit about what it means to have nothing, how it feels to want nothing, and why having or wanting nothing doesn't necessarily make you a better Buddhist than someone who has everything. Indeed, Greg poses a question - when someone has more money than they will ever use, things that are valuable to the 'average' person - like an iPhone - become almost meaningless. Since this person places no great value in craving the iPhone, or grief when he loses it - is that a similar state of mind as not desiring an iPhone? It's a great conversation about exactly what desire is - and how wanting something isn't always a bad thing. Phra Pandit also gives a shoutout to his friend Marisa Cranfill (a previous guest on the Bangkok Podcast), one of the foremost (non-Thai) experts on Thai spirit houses. She will be giving a seminar later this month about this topic, where you can finally learn the answers to the big questions: why is red Fanta left out more than other drinks? Why do zebras get left so often? Why are some houses supported by one pillar, and others four? Head to www.littlebang.org to read more about Marisa's speech on Saturday January 28th at the Rojana Center. And since this episode airs a few days before Chinese New Year, Greg - who lived in Yaowarat, Bangkok's Chinatown, for 4 years - gives his advice for really getting the most out of a visit to one of Bangkok's most interesting neighborhoods, and the center of the city's Chinese New Year celebrations. And just for an extra visual, here are the incense sticks that Greg talks about. Note the dudes on the bottom left for scale. You can also follow the Bangkok Podcast on Facebook, or Evo and Greg on Twitter.

If you've lived any amount of time overseas and returned to your home country, you're likely familiar with reverse culture shock, the feeling that you just...somehow...don't quite fit in to your old life anymore. It's a disorienting feeling, and it affects everyone differently. Seeing as how Greg was back in Canada three months ago and Evo just returned from a trip to the USA, we thought'd we discuss this uniquely strange phenomenon, how it affected us, and how we deal with it. (Direct download .mp3) Greg recounts how the relationships with his friends have changed, details of "the most Canadian standoff ever", and how it's always the little things that trip you up - like the fact that people wear shoes inside the house, which really freaked him out. Evo mirrors this "little things" mantra, like the incredibly weird feeling of drinking water from a tap, and how much he forgot he loves listening to the radio...and how quickly he realized it actually sucks. We also do another round of Love, Loathe, Leave, and discuss - rather shamefully - how much joy Greg got from showing his visiting sister around Bangkok's shopping malls.

Everyone loves Bangkok and it is indeed a great city. However, that's not to say everything is worth seeing or doing. For this show we each come up with two items, places, or pastimes that we tell visiting friends and family or even expats new to the city of Angels that they can go ahead and avoid without losing out on everything that Bangkok has to offer. (Direct download .mp3) (Direct download .mp3) Evo's finally back from his three week trip to America and mostly over his jet lag. At least to record another episode. Today we're talking about some things we think it's OK for you to to skip when you visit The Big Mango. Because there's simply too many things in Bangkok to take in in a single trip, so you won't have a lack of things to do. First up, Evo smashes the myth about getting smashed on cheap Thai beer. Because, shockingly, beer isn't inexpensive here in Thailand. You'll spend at least a buck -- IN A GROCERY STORE OR 7-11 -- per beer. That's a little more than you'll spend to buy crappy beer back in most Western nations. Which isn't cheap! (Though it is cheap in quality.) Second, Greg commits near sacrilege by suggesting that there are other historic temples and places to visit that are not The Grand Palace. Yes, it's a lovely place. Yes, it's filled with history. Yes, it's akin to Mecca for many Thais. But it's the giant mob of people -- tourists and Thais -- that sully the experience. If you don't mind standing in the heat (without umbrellas) for a few hours with a few thousand of your closest friends, go on with your bad self. Third, Evo suggests skipping ping-pong shows. It's arguably the worst of the publically available sexploitation offerings endemic to Bangkok. They aren't sexy (like, at all). They aren't fun for more than a handful of seconds. And they are a huge and expensive scam. And you will be poorer -- in pocketbook and in humanity -- after the experience. [shudder] Fourth, Bangkok is a hot-spot for networking events, especially among the expat community. And Greg hates them. The experience is always the same, which is less about meeting cool people and more paying to have people shove business cards in your hand for services you don't want or need. Granted, some people excel at networking events. But Greg finds something extra distasteful about the ones he's attended in Bangkok. We do make special allowances for cool events, like the Bangkok International Travel Group, Random Thainess, and Pecha Kucha Bangkok. Hrm. Maybe we should get the people who run those events on a future episode. Love, Loathe, or Leave? Exiting Thailand is a chore. Especially at the BKK airport. Why, oh why, is it so hard to get out of this country? Listen to the show to find out how Greg and Evo feel about the process (if you haven't guessed it already.) Want more? Drop us a line over at bangkokpodcast.com, or leave a review for us on iTunes or Google Play. You can even Tweet to the show @bangkok podcast or us personally at @bkkgreg or @evoterra. We'll see you next week on The Bangkok Podcast!

Happy New Year everyone! The turning over of the calendar is traditionally a time to look forward and hope that the next year will be better than the last one. 2017 will be a big year in Thailand - HM King Rama X will steer the country forward, the push to change elements of Thailand's important Buddhist sangha is gathering steam, and an election might happen. (Direct download .mp3) Why is that such a big deal? Well, because despite outward appearances and contrary to what a lot of people probably think, Thailand is a military dictatorship. Okay, dictatorship might be a strong word, but the fact of the matter is that the Land of Smiles and one of the world's busiest tourist destinations has been under military control since the most recent coup of 2014. So if an election happens this year, it will be a big deal. So, seeing as Thailand has had 19 attempted and successful coups in the last century or so, we thought we'd look back and discuss what it's like to actually live through one in the hopes that we won't have to live another one. From the first message on his phone warning that a military takeover is underway to the time he made a panicked phone call to a friend to ask them what's going on, Greg has seen 2 coups in his time in-country. He and Evo discuss what it's actually like to know that a big change is happening while at the same time hoping that no one starts shooting, and how an actual coup - at least the past 2 in Thailand - are much different than what you learn about in high school.

We're super happy to welcome back a popular guest from season 1 of the Bangkok Podcast - our veritable friend Phra Pandit. As a long-time monk in Thailand and noted lecturer on dhamma, Buddhism, meditation, and deep thought, Pandit is a great source if insight and information. (Direct download .mp3) On this show we (well, Greg, as Evo is traveling) will talk with Pandit about what happens when a particular Buddhist temple becomes really big. So big, in fact, that the government wants to shut it down. In this case it's the Dhammakaya temple, which has millions of devotees all over Thailand and is led by a rather controversial monk. As of the date of this post, police have been camped outside the temple for several weeks as deadline after deadline for the surrender of the head monk have come and gone and nothing's happened. It's kind of like the world's most boring standoff...but something's got to give eventually. Pandit gets into some details on the political machinations behind the target on the temple's back, as well as why the stakes are so high for the temple's head abbot, the magic ingredient that lets a temple go from being popular to a nationwide social phenomenon - and just how many people does Dhammakaya's 'flying saucer' meditation area hold, anyway? (Hint: a lot. Check out the picture of the saucer area below). Don't forget to leave a comment or tweet to us – @BkkGreg or @EvoTerra!

It's that time of year again in Thailand - the holidays season! Did you notice the extra 's' there? It was intentional, because December is one of the most holiday-heavy months in the whole year. Not only do you have Father's Day and Constitution Day, but you also have Christmas - or at least the most intense commercial aspects of it. That rolls right into the (western) New Year, which rolls into the (Chinese) New Year, and a few weeks after that we roll right into (Thai) New Year. (Direct download .mp3) Evo and Greg discuss what it's like living in a Buddhist country that celebrates - with almost equal gusto - holidays imported from different countries, cultures, and religions, and what it's like spending time at the shopping malls, which heavily, heavily promote everyone's favorite part of Christmas - buying stuff. And that's all. Holidays on Christmas Day? You must be mad! It's a regular work day, son. And speaking of sons, Greg also ponders whether or not it's worth the trouble lying tointroducing his son to the concept of Santa, his magical reindeer, and his circumnavigation of the globe in a single night - especially since Santa, as far as most Thais are concerned, is nothing more than a cheesy Ronald McDonald-like cartoon designed to sell toys. Well actually...they're not far off. We also discuss Bangkok's air quality. A recent Al Jazeera story said it was better that many major European cities...but Evo looked around (including on the World Air Quality Index) and thinks there's something fishy about the claim. Don't forget to leave a comment or tweet to us - @BkkGreg or @EvoTerra!

At the risk of offending some 70 million Thais, we're looking at the religious, spiritual, and magical thinking endemic to Thailand. At least from the point of view of a couple of skeptical, non-religious Westerners. Buddhism isn't the official religion of Thailand. But the overwhelming majority of people are Buddhist. Still, what you think of as Buddhism may not match up to the reality of the world. This is Theravada Buddhism that draws heavily on Hinduism and has more than a dash of animism mixed in. That makes things rather interesting. (Direct download .mp3) One thing Westerners often comment on is all the shrine-like dollhouses at every condo, office building, and house around the city. Those are called "spirit houses" and they are meant to be a home for… well, spirits. If you want the full details, check out our interview with Marisa Cranfill, an expert on the topic of spirit houses in Thailand. Have you noticed the (mostly) guys all blinged out with heavy necklaces sporting a variety of "charms". Those are amulets, and they are believed to either attract good tidings (e.g. wealth) or offer protection from oddly specific maladies. It's like taking the lucky rabbit's foot and Ash Wednesday and cranking them up to eleven.And if not on their person, a lot of Thais let protections/powers like that get under their skin. Literally. Thailand is famous for the magical sak yant tattoo, and the annual highlight for sak yant aficionados is the Sak Yant Tattoo Festival in Wat Bang Phra, just north of Bangkok. No, it's not your typical tattoo festival. Picture thousands of Pentecostals in the throws of speaking in tongues, but ambulatory and hell-bent on rushing toward the stage, regardless if you're directly in their path or not. It's the most intense, odd thing Evo's experience during his time in Thailand. But we draw the line at the recent craze of Luuk Thep dolls. Clearly, these people haven't seen Child's Play. Chucky needs a date, I think. We wrap the show with another installation of Love, Loathe, or Leave. Today's topics: saluting security guards and sharing the sidewalk with motorcycles. If you're a fellow Bangkokian, you likely have intimate experience with these two items. Drop us a line and tell us what you think. Or if you've an opinion or observation on local superstitions, tell us about it. Go to bangkokpodcast.com and leave a comment. Or you can Tweet to us at @bkkgreg or @evoterra. See you next week on The Bangkok Podcast!

When it comes to characters, Bangkok has them in droves - people who have been places, eaten things, talked to people, and lived adventures that would make your mother put her hand to her mouth and proclaim, "Oh my" with a frightened little squeak. On this episode of the Bangkok Podcast we're happy to have one of these epic characters on the show with us - Mr Alan Platt, who, as it happens, has just released a book about his adventures entitled Foreign Fool. (Direct download .mp3) Now I know what you're thinking, and it's the same thing we think when we hear self-published book by a farang in Bangkok, and that is, "Oh, yes, another one for the dusty back section of Asia Books, along with all the stories about hard-boiled detectives, heart-of-gold prostitutes, and love gone bad." But no - that's not what this book is about at all. In fact, take it from me (Greg), who has read the book - this is one hell of a fun read, and is actually - get this - really well written. From Saigon to Bangkok to Panama to London to Honolulu, Foreign Fool tells of, as Alan puts it, the bumbling misadventures of a doofus. I'll just let the first two paragraphs of the first chapter say it themselves: In Saigon, many years after the war was over, long after the city was declared safe for tourists and when even the hookers were becoming almost discreet, I was kidnapped. That does sound a bit dramatic, I admit. Technically, it was more an abduction. But however one puts it, any mention of that sort of thing floods the mind with images of some poor guy being jumped by thugs, bundled into the trunk of a car and splattered across the tabloids with a screech of tires and the burning of rubber. None of that happened to me. I was kidnapped on a bicycle. Alan discusses how he went from sunning his broke ass on a Los Angeles beach to the top of the New York ad world, how the book took shape, and a few of the stories - both in the book and not - that keep him looking ahead to the next trip. Visit the book's website at ForeignFool.com Buy Foreign Fool on Amazon.

Sex, drugs, and rock n' roll. Two of those are legal in Bangkok. Sort of. Legal drugs have a dark side, like people dying from overuse. But illegal drugs -- some pretty serious ones -- might soon be legal in Thailand. What's the deal with all this back and forth? (Direct download .mp3) (Direct download .mp3) Here's the reality of living in Thailand: Whenever we -- Westerners or Thais -- get sick, our first stop is the hospital or the pharmacy. Chances are, either the doctor or the pharmacist will have a remedy in pill form ready for you. And quite often, they're unnecessary. Got a cough? Take these antibiotics. Can't sleep? Try this anti-anxiety medication. They're cheap, so why not? Because they are literally killing us, that's why. But on the flip side, it's great for asthmatics to pick up a rescue inhaler without a prescription. Just don't expect to pick up any Sudafed. Or as they call it in Thailand: the precursor to methamphetamines. Speaking of that… Thailand has a rich history of illicit drugs. But just because there's a strain of marijuana named for the country, the authorities aren't too keen on smokers of the herb. And this is Thailand, probably not the place you want to cool it in a cell for a while contemplating your poor choices in life. Yet there are discussions at the highest level of government to consider decriminalizing marijuana. And, as strange and unfathomable as it sounds, meth (yaba, as it's locally known) might also enjoy recreational status in the future. Go figure. We're keeping the Love, Loathe, or Leave segment rolling, this time with a discussion about climate change inside the skytrain, and the bane of all who walk on the sidewalk, being brick-flicked. If you're a fellow Bangkokian, you likely have intimate experience with these two items. Drop us a line and tell us what you think. Or if you've an opinion on the issues of drugs -- legal or other -- tell us about it in the comments below, or tweet to us at @bkkgreg or @evoterra. See you next week on The Bangkok Podcast!

(Direct download .mp3) If you're visiting Bangkok for the ubiquitous street food culture, you might want to get here quickly. There's seemingly a war on street food vendors in the city. And that's no jok. Bear with us this week. Evo's dealing with a great loss in his family and a broken microphone, and Greg's a little sleepy from being the dad of a childhood actor. But that's not what we want to talk about today... This episode is all about Bangkok's disappearing street food stalls, one of the city's most famous elements, the lifeblood of many, and part of the city's undefinable charm. It's also a perfect time to introduce a new segment on this episode, one we call Love, Loathe, or Leave. That is: how do we feel about sharing sidewalks with street food cards and other vendors cramping our walking style? Are they and the convenience and culinary variety they offer part of why we love living in Bangkok? Do we kind of loathe sharing our space but can tolerate the nuisance? Or do we see them as such a danger to life and limb that we're ready to leave the country over it? Best line of the show: "It's called a side-walk, not a side-wok, after all." But there's a human cost to consider: What happens to all the people -- tens of thousands -- who've made their living vending on the streets, fully sanctioned and licensed by the government? We're told the vendors will be provided a new place to ply their wares. But will they have the same level of business? And most importantly, what will Greg do for breakfast since he can't find his favorite jok dealer? To us, this sure seems an issue of ongoing gentrification. Suan Lum night market shut down years ago ostensibly to make way for a development project… that never happened. And then there's Asiatique, a bright, crowded, new-but-made-to-look-old destination on the banks of the Chao Phraya river. Giant eyesore? Fun destination? Or an example of what the city government wants most of our city to look like when they mark 250th anniversary of Bangkok in just a few years? While Greg's snarky love affair with Bangkok's shopping malls is on record, neither of us are street food experts. But Mark Weins from Migrationology and EatingThaiFood.com is an expert on Bangkok street food, so we called him up to get his take. If you're a fellow Bangkokian, tell us what you think about this War On Street Food. Or if you've experienced a similar change in your city, tell us about it. Go to bangkokpodcast.com and leave a comment. Or you can Tweet to us at @bkkgreg or @evoterra. See you next week on The Bangkok Podcast!

The shockwaves of the President-Elect of America have shockwaved all the way over here to Bangkok, Thailand. However, that's not what we're talking about today, though we could talk about if we want to. And that's what we want to talk about. Confused? Yeah… (Direct download .mp3) On October 13, the Kingdom of Thailand suffered a great loss with the death of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Because we're a show ostensibly about Bangkok and the country of Thailand overall, we recorded an episode of our podcast with that topic in mind. And then we thought better of it. Not because we were in any way critical, satirical, or otherwise potentially running up against Thailand's lese majeste laws. Indeed, the show was respectful to a fault, and talked about how much Rama IX meant to the Thai people. But we thought that maybe, in this particular situation, it's not all that important for us, two foreigners living in the Kingdom, to have an opinion. Those of you reading this from "the free world" (though we each feel relatively free over here) are probably looking at that last statement with disdain. But if you listen to this week's show -- the episode about the episode you'll never hear -- you'll find it's not all that uncommon to self-censor. In fact, we do it all the time. And maybe, in a world where the friction between thought and something for public consumption is all too easy, we should do it more often.

Ask enough people in Bangkok what they do for a living, and one will eventually say "travel blogging". On this episode of the podcast, we break down some of the myths and mystique surrounding that title. (Direct download .mp3) Evo recently traveled to Manila in the Philippines to deliver the opening keynote at TBEX Asia Pacific 2016. It's a travel blogging conference, catering to, well… travel bloggers. Which are legion. Coupled with the service providers, tourism councils, and hospitality companies; and there's sizeable market. Travel blogging means different things: Some make a full time living traveling from place to place writing content for their blogs. Some are local experts writing content on their blog for people traveling to their city. And some don't even have a blog at all, doing all of their posting on social media or publishing content on third-party sites. For all their diversity, travel bloggers aren't universally loved. Cynics say that DMOs (destination marketing organizations) shower these people with gifts, swag, free food, and more simply to gain overly-positive views that lack real substance. Is that a valid concern? Are the benefits provided by these so-called influencers just self promotional crap? Or are the two parties -- the blogger and the client -- reaping real benefits of the partnership? There's a third element: the audience. It's the smart travel blogger who provides his/her audience with the content their audience wants to read. They aren't, by and large, journalists, guides, or critics. Still, travel bloggers have the freedom to choose what to blog about, some of which can be a little harsh. Have you read the internet? So should you quit your job, start a travel blog, and start attending travel blogging conferences like TBEX? Well… you'll have to listen to find out our thoughts on that.

Hey, you're still here! How awesome is that? Welcome to the 2nd episode. Today, we're talking infrastructure. No, wait! Before you decide to skip the episode, this isn't an episode filled with mechanical engineering terms. Have you met us? (Direct download .mp3) The Big Mango is… big. Big city with huge skyscrapers and sprawling concrete to help accommodate the millions of people that live in and visit Bangkok. This is the City of Angels, the second largest city in SE Asia. We're sorry if that damaged your idyllic notion of rice paddies and floating markets. Thailand has them. Bangkok metro? Not so much. Here we have the Mahanakon Tower - some call it the Jenga or Tetris Building -- the fourth tallest building in SE Asia. We're looking forward to the grand opening, because that rooftop bar is going to rather swank. But Bangkok isn't stopping there. There are loads of new buildings, both giant and strange, that will continue to give Bangkok it's own special character. Just one more reason we both love living in this crazy town. We have world class shopping centers, with more on the way. Traffic sucks. Just plan on that when you visit. The good news is the BTS or MRT work pretty good. And if all else fails, jump on a mototaxi. They flow through bad traffic like water. But we're getting new lines. Greg made a nifty map to show where some of them will be. Will they all connect? If history is any judge, probably not. Ah, Bangkok. Of course, all that new development has to happen somewhere, and often that means old structures -- sometimes interesting and historic -- are knocked out of the way. Progress? Or a loss of culture? We'll offer our opinions on the topic of how the changing landscape impacts these two expats. And we'd love to hear what you think! Also, The Windup Girl is a good future-of-Thailand book. Will Bangkok look just like that in 200 years? Eh, probably not. But scifi really doesn't predict the future as much as it portrays the present. So if you want a fantastical look at what we're talking about, download the book.

Bangkok has become a hub for digital nomads, bringing in a wave of talent and fresh ideas into the city. Those nomads in turn attract other nomads. But is that a good thing? Or even a real thing? Let's find out. (Direct download .mp3) Thailand -- Bangkok & Chiang Mai specifically -- is a hotbed of digital nomadship. But before we get to that, we should probably define the term: Defining - people who can work anywhere thanks to the internet. They take many format but they share two things in common: They aren't doing the type of job that requires them to be at a specific location at specific time. And that freedom allows them to travel, either a little or a lot, without interrupting their income stream. Jodi Ettenberg of LegalNomads is a good example. And Evo tried his hand at it all of 2015. So what makes Bangkok so attractive to digital nomads? Some of is has to do with cost of living, though Bangkok isn't nearly as cheap as it used to be. Having many Western conveniences coupled with the "charm" of Asian living doesn't hurt. Reliable access to cheap mobile data (especially compared to the US, Canada, and Australia) is big pull. But watch out, would-be internet entrepreneurs. Just because Thailand makes it easy for you to visit -- no visa required for a lot of Western countries -- it doesn't mean you have the legal right to earn income while you are here. In fact, it's just the opposite of that. So before you decide to set up shop in a co-working space (that wave has hit The Big Mango as well), you'll want to have a solid understanding of the work permit as not to run up afoul of immigration rules. The work you want to do maybe reserved for Thai-nationals only. And those are just some of the legal, semi-legit, social, and economic considerations/temptations/realities foreigners face when doing business in Thailand. Should you move to Bangkok and become a digital nomad? Well… maybe. And if you listen to the episode, you'll find out what we think about it. After all, we want to be good role models.Tell us what you think in the comments!

Three years ago, life changes forced the original hosts of the Bangkok Podcast to focus on other things, and it was ultimately decided to end the show. But we're back, baby - and with an all new co-host that random chance brought to the show - Evo Terra! (Direct download .mp3) So, who's this Evo guy? Here's the short story: During a year-long sabbatical he and his wife took in 2015, they wound up in a little Thailand town called Ranong, house-sitting for the owners of The Smiling Seahorse, a live-aboard dive company. No, you've probably never heard of Ranong. But if diving the archipelago of Myanmar sounds fun, Ranong is your jumping off point. During those three rainy months, the Kingdom of Thailand sort of grew on them, so they decided to move to the city and make the Big Mango their new home base. His wife (Sheila) is a teacher and he's a stay at home husband. If you want to read more on him, check out his personal website or follow along on the infrequently published travel/comedy blog, The Opportunistic Travelers. And for those who missed the story when the show first started in 2010, you'll learn a little about how Greg came to Thailand some some 16 years ago. Like so many Western travelers, he wound up visiting Thailand… and never left. But unlike shiftless Evo, Greg is actually gainfully employed, has a Thai wife and a toddler at home, and yet still somehow finds time to produce episodes of our show each week. So here it is… home. In Bangkok. And that means friends of ours in the Western world have lots of questions. Those questions are what we aim to answer on the re-imagining of The Bangkok Podcast. We're not a news show. We're a lifestyle show. Expect conversations, special guests, observations, and pontifications on how two "farangs" -- one Canadian and one American -- find their way living in the capital of The Kingdom of Thailand. And because two podcasting nerds got together, we had to have the obligatory "so how do you listen to podcast?" conversation. Evo's suggestion: Otto Radio. Give it a shot if you want a new and improved way to listen to and discover podcasts. Greg is a hardcore user of Overcast, probably the most popular not-iTunes podcasting app.

Bangkok tried to kill Evo this week, so Greg sat down for a conversation with Anthony Joh, the original co-host of the Bangkok Podcast. (Direct download .mp3) Anthony Joh was one half of the original lineup on the Bangkok Podcast. He's spent the last five years in Japan and caught up with Greg when he was back in the Big Mango. As you might imagine, Tony has noticed a lot of changes to his once home in those years. The burning question? Which country is better? We don't want to give it away, but expect to hear commentary on: population growth vs contraction relative international-ness tourism focus controlled chaos vs ordered structure … and much more If you're craving sushi and wagyu beef after the episode, our apologies.

Well folks, after much discussion and late night Skype dates, Greg and Tony have unfortunately decided that Bangkok Podcast has reached the end. As you've no doubt heard us talk about before, putting a podcast together takes a lot of time and effort, and time is something that both Greg and Tony have very little of these days. So, it's time to hang up the ol' mics. But with one last show left, we talk a bit about Greg's recent trip to Macau, Tony's upcoming trip to Bangkok, and a great new e-book by a local blogger called 101 Things to Do In Thailand that can help fill the void left by the podcast closing up shop. But we'll both still be around on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and various other online haunts - just because the podcast is over doesn't mean the journey is done! (cue some righteous 80's hair metal ballad). A very sincere thanks to all of our past guests, listeners, supporters and fans who have helped make the show such an enjoyable thing to do since our very first show on May 3, 2010. We hope to see you all again - if not in real life, then definitely online.

This episode of Bangkok Podcast comes a bit late due mostly to the fact that both Tony and Greg have new jobs and are working like crazy men. Crazy men! But thankfully this nutty city still gives us enough to talk about. On this episode we're joined by Ali Weiner, who is organizing an amazing event for a very good cause. In an effort to raise awareness of the dangers and realities of human trafficking and to meet their goal of raising $100,000 dollars for various charities, her, her friend, and as many others as want to join, are going to walk from Bangkok to Three Pagoda's pass on the Thai Burmese border. That's right - walk the whole way. Ali tells us how the idea came about, describes the route she'll take, and lets us know how we can help. In fact - if you want to join her on her walk, feel free! Greg and Tony also talk about three news stories that have been burning up the news lately - the incredible amount of rain Bangkok is has been getting of late (which hopefully won't be enough to cause more floods this year); a reduction in the price of the poorly-conceived airport rail link to help boost ridership (the reduction is only good for a few hours during the middle of the day); and the newest beauty product to hit the market, vagina whitening cream (note to girls everywhere: No. No. No). And don't forget to check out our sponsor, the Bangkok Tree House, which goes above and beyond when it comes to serving amazing meals using locally-grown ingredients.

On this show Greg and Tony welcome back past guest Paul Garrigan who joins us to talk about his new adventure as a muay thai fighter. While always harbouring the dream of stepping into the ring Paul was reluctant to start training as a fighter believing he was too old. However he learned that once he got into the ring and overcame a series of injuries, boxing became a form of meditation for him.

If you’ve been following the Thai news over the past few months, you might have heard about the big constitutional court crises a few weeks ago. As with many things in Thailand lately, it was a very he said/she said kind of debate with very high stakes. People were predicting doom! Riots! Chaos! Cats and dogs living together! Thankfully, in a very Thai outcome, the court came down squarely in the middle so that neither side won and neither side lost. It might come as a shock, but neither Tony nor Greg are scholars of Thai politics or law, but they know someone who is! For the first part of the show we welcome our friend Saksith Saiyasombut, a blogger, journalist and all-around nice guy who has reported extensively on the uh, entertaining Thai political scene over the past few years. He joins us on Skype from Germany (excuse the fuzzy call quality) and fills us in on what exactly the hubbub was about, what the decision means, and what happens next. The other topic we wanted to get into for this show is something that we get asked a lot – just how expensive is it to live in Bangkok? Dreams of $5 hotels rooms and $1 feasts still somehow fill the brains of the never-ending stream of visitors, but unfortunately, price-wise, Bangkok ain’t what it was 20 years ago. Today, it’s a major Asian metropolis, a global transport hub, and home to big industry and big money. Tony and Greg go over what it takes to live in Bangkok from month-to-month with a comfortable western lifestyle. From groceries to entertainment to rent to maids, there’s a lot to take into account. www.bangkokpodcast.com

Welcome back! Ten months after our last regular show, Tony and Greg are back with a new format but the same focus - Bangkok in all its wonderful, weird, awesome, odd glory. With Tony in Japan (but still heavily involved in Thailand) and Greg now married and busy with a variety of projects, a weekly hour-long show just isn't possible anymore. However, with the magic of Skype and a few new high-quality microphones, we decided that a monthly show focussing on the Big Mango's top stories would be a nice way to ease back into the podcast bath (uhh...so to speak). On our first show back, we talk about two of the top stories that have been burning up social media and coffee houses this month. First is the Thailand's Got Talent show in which a nice young lady came on stage and proceeded to strip off her shirt and bra, dump paint all over her chest, and rub her boobies on a big canvas! Art or trash? Well, watch the clip on Youtube and decide for yourself. Whatever it was, the powers that be certainly weren't pleased - and it got even stranger when it came out that the TV show had paid the girl to do it! Next we talk about a CNNGo article titled How to be a Bangkok Local: Ten Tips on Faking It, a humorous, tongue-in-cheek jab at some of Bangkok's stereotypes and eccentricities. But apparently, subtle humour and sly satire don't translate too well into Thai and the story was soon the talk of the town, with people accusing the (Thai) author of being a traitor, of insulting the country, and being just a very rude person. Of course, there were those who 'got it' and thought the story was funny, but that didn't do anything to quell the back-and-forth on the comment section. We are also happy to mention our partnership with Coconuts Bangkok, the city's newest news and reviews website, which we browse to see what people are talking about. Head on over and see the most up to date information on everything Bangkok. We also wanted to send a big thanks to our sponsor, the Bangkok Treehouse, an environmentally friendly retreat in the heart of Phrapradaeng, a lush expanse of jungle just across the river from Bangkok. It's a beautiful and peaceful place to escape the city, with awesome food and some pretty badass surroundings. As they say on their website, it's a view with a room, a very apt description. And don't forget our random plug of the month - PechaKucha, a fun and cool presentation event taking place in Bangkok on July 9. Check it out online (https://www.facebook.com/PechaKuchaBangkok) and if you feel like seeing Greg make a fool of himself, come down to check it out - he'll be one of the presenters!

On this special INTER-CONTINENTAL episode of Bangkok Podcast, Greg and Tony connect via Skype to talk about Greg's recent wedding. Getting married in Thailand is a very ceremonial process that involves two ceremonies, 9 monks, and hundreds/thousands/millions of baht in dowry (prices vary greatly). Greg talks about what he went through with his wedding, from his first day of planning as an ultra-naive n00b to a happily married man. There's lots to consider - should you get a wedding planner or not? How many people will you invite? Will it be the oh-so-romantic beach wedding or a more traditional hotel ballroom event? What do you do about gifts? It all worked out wonderfully for Greg and Aom, but it was a lot of work and toil. Greg and Tony also discuss the latest topics in Thailand from what the Thai government is doing to assure Japanese investors that their factories won't be flooded out again, to how it's possible to lose and recover 13 million baht in gold in a taxi. Greg also gives us an update on his latest project - Bangkok Scientifique.

Welcome back to Bangkok Podcast! Since Tony had to come through the 'Kok again, we thought we'd dust off the old equipment and record a quick reunion show! On this episode, we're joined by past guest Hamish Chalmers, who tells us his amazing story about escaping the recent floods that devastated central Thailand. Hamish went to bed one night, and woke up the next morning in the middle of a lake. He tells us about his flight to dry land, and how not fun it was wading through waist-high pitch-black water in his pitch-black neighborhood with his wife, baby daughter, and dog in tow. It was anything but safe - and that's before you factor in the crocodiles and snakes that were floating around. We are also joined by Michael Biedassek from Bangkok Vanguards, a community of like-minded young guys who want to create a real community around Bangkok that involves charity, exploration, and making friends around the world. Michael tells of their recent program 'Wipe the Tide' which saw over 2 million baht raised for flood relief.

Well, the time has come. With Tony moving to Japan and Greg's wedding quickly approaching, geography and limitations on free time have conspired to take Bangkok Podcast off the air - for now. On this episode, Tony and Greg discuss the Bangkok Podcast Farewell Dinner, go over some of their favorite shows from the past, get into a few details on what it took to put a show together, and thank a few very important people who worked with us behind the scenes to make sure the podcast grew. We also want to say a special thanks to each of our guests, who came on the show in their free time and gave people a glimpse into the cool personalities that help make Bangkok such a great city. Thanks again everyone - keep your Bangkok Podcast iTunes, Facebook and Twitter links active - we might be back sooner than you think.

On our last episode our Buddhism series with Venerable Pandit Bhikku, we switch things up a bit and let Pandit interview us for a change. As someone who has always been curious about what regular layfolk like ourselves think about eastern religion, he quizzes us on our thoughts on monastic life and the orange-robed monks that we see everyday but often don't take much time to understand. Phra Pandit asks us if we believe in God and if we, in fact, believe what we believe, which is one of the key introspective aspects of Buddhism. Needless to say, it gets a bit deep as Tony, Greg and Pandit debate the meaning of belief and the freedom to choose if you even want to believe in anything. Phra Pandit also asks us some less esoteric questions such as - can monks wear jeans? How about ride a bicycle? Smoke? Go computer shopping? You might be surprised to find that even monks can't agree on the answers. And don't forget to join us at for the Bangkok Podcast Farewell Dinner on Saturday, September 10, at Basilico restaurant on Sukhumvit soi 33 to say goodbye to Greg and Tony and meet some of the guests of the show.

On this episode of Bangkok Podcast, we are very happy to be joined by Mr. Korn Chaitikavanij, Thailand's ex-finance minister. Although his Democrat party lost Thailand's most recent election, he is still an MP and is a high profile member of the Thai political landscape. Khun Korn talks to us about what it was like running in the election, which was one of the most fiercely contested in Thai history, and what his thoughts are now that his party is the opposition. Tony and Greg also ask his opinions of the current situation in the US financial markets, and get his views on what constitutes an acceptable protest. We also discuss how expats who are moving to Thailand can best protect their assets and maximize investments, and where he recommends people go to find Bangkok's best street food. Come join us on September 10, 2011 to say goodbye to Bangkok Podcast. We are going off the air and we’re inviting our audience to join us for dinner at Basilico Pizzeria on Sukhumvit Soi 33 at 7:00 pm. Please RSVP on our Facebook page.

In our continuing Thai language series, we are pleased to welcome film and television actor, translator, and all-around nice guy Peter Tuinstra. Peter's path to learning Thai was a bit different than most students as he studied under the watchful eye of the U.S. Air Force at the elite Defense Language Institute; 8 hours a day, 5 days a week for 1 year. Peter tells us what methods were used by a US government program with 60 years of proven success teaching languages. He goes into detail about how different styles of learning affected different people in his class, what worked and what didn't work for him, and how his brain handled the intense 40-hours per week. Peter also talks about what methods he would recommend a newbie try out, why he thinks it will be a verrrrrrrry long time until computers become as good at translating as humans are, and the difficulties of acting in Thai when you have to use the words that someone else wrote for you, without taking any of your own creative shortcuts. Also, don't forget to check out our sponsor, A Village In The City, and remember to come and down and say goodbye to the podcast on September 10th at Basilico on Sukhumvit 33.

In our continuing Buddhism series, we are joined by a special guest, Bhikkuni Suvijjana, a female monk who is visiting Thailand from the US. Female monks are rare, but the tide is slowly turning, and Bhikkuni Suvijjana gives us an interesting look into how she sees Buddhism on a daily basis. From differences in how female monks must act in public, to the efforts to promote all-female monasteries to eschewing virtual communities like Facebook and Twitter to focus on building real communities, she shares some of the challenges she faces. But it's not all hardship - she tells us of the great relationship she has with her son, now a grown musician, laughs at the time some Christian missionaries tried to convert her, and ponders the differences between how British and Thai immigration treat female monks. We're also joined by Kathleen Speake, Executive Director of ECPAT International, an organization dedicated to eliminating child prostitution and the underage sex trade. She tells us about the projects they have going right now, and how easy it is for you, me, and everyone, to visit a Body Shop store and help contribute to a very important initiative that will affect positive change in the lives of a great number of abused children. And don't forget to check out our sponsor Village in the City, a great new company that takes old, run-down Thai houses and fixes them up into trendy lofts and condos with style. If you're looking for a funky, well-built place to live close to downtown, check them out.