Episodes

Ed leads a discussion and semi-rant about a persistent myth regarding the history of prostitution in Thailand that was recently perpetuated by a . The myth goes like this: prostitution wasn’t much of a thing in Thailand until the Vietnam …

Because the first show was so fun to do - and full of great listener-generated ideas! - Greg and Ed revisit the idea of expat ‘merit badges,’ a recognition of classic experiences in Thailand that indicate you are more than …

Greg and Ed interview expat legend Chris Baker, co-author (along with his wife Pasuk Phongpaichit) of , in addition to several other well-known books on Thailand. Greg and Ed gush over the fact they have both read Chris’s most famous …

It’s Greg’s turn for some reverse culture shock as he relates his return to Thailand from the Great White North of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Ed first notes the differences between his situation and Greg’s: he still has family in Ohio, …

Anyone who has been to Thailand knows the old “Ohhh, the temple is closed today, why don’t you come with me to this gem store?” Despite warnings in literally every bit of content about traveling to Thailand, thousands still fall …

Thanks to a suggestion from a listener Greg and Ed discuss the fascinating topic of games that are common - if not unique - to Thailand. Both guys have some familiarity with some games played in public such as ‘takraw,’ …

Greg interviews our old friend and recurring guest Phra Pandit, about public speaking as a Buddhist monk. Beginning with some public speaking basics, such as the three things that really matter when you give a speech: what you have to …

In the wake of the - which saw Thailand drop by quite a few spots - Greg and Ed jump into the fascinating topic of the happiness of Thailand compared to other countries. How can you possibly measure something like …

Greg interviews , an adventurous photographer best known for his beautiful photos of dilapidated buildings and abandoned places. Dax begins by explaining that he was a very late starter to photography, getting a DSLR for the first time in 2015. …

Greg and Ed tackle the uncomfortable topic of self-censorship in Thailand, especially as it pertains to the podcast itself, and the churning, roiling issue of what you can say, when, and how, which seem to be in the news every …

Greg and Ed consider the tricky question of Thailand’s role in the global order. Sparked by a question from one of his students about what Thailand’s response to the war in Ukraine should be, Ed realized that he’s never really …

Greg interviews ‘Bangkok Pat,’ whose uncover the hidden layers of this fascinating city. Pat begins with a bit of personal background, growing up in the UK with a Thai mother, and eventually losing touch with that part of his history....

Greg and Ed discuss the significance of the recent decision by the Thai parliament to accept a change to the official English name of Bangkok that was proposed by the Royal Society of Thailand. Initially, it was announced as a …

One of the great things about Thai culture is the many facets that make up the whole. One of them is the Indian community, and Greg is happy to welcome Ram Sachdev, a first generation Thai-Indian and founder of , …

When you first get to Thailand you meet a lot of people who give you a lot of advice. Most of it is forgettable, some is great, and all of it easy to ignore. Greg and Ed look back on …

We recount the fascinating story of George DuPont, the only Thai person who fought in the American Civil War. The first record of George in the U.S. is in 1859, but almost nothing is known of how or why he …

Greg interviews Benjamin Lord, an American who moved to Asia straight out of college at NYU. He is on the show to discuss life as a gay man in Thailand. After spending several years in Vietnam, where the pressure to …

With Ed being stuck in the US, he relates ten experiences he has had during his stay in Ohio that he doesn’t think he would ever have in Thailand, introducing them with his characteristic wit and charm. (Ed wrote this). …

Greg interviews Phra Pandit, the resident Bangkok Podcast expert on all things Buddhism, about negative emotions such as anxiety and anger and how Buddhism deals with them. Displaying his deep knowledge of Western psychology, Phra Pandit begins first...

It’s a COVID Christmas Craptacular! The guys discuss all the ways that COVID has made the holiday season difficult for expats and travelers to Thailand. To start things off, Greg plays a quick conversation with podcast supporter Ash, who is …

When Greg and guest-host Scott moved here at the turn of the century, Bangkok had about 22km of train lines (not counting the SRT diesel trains). Now there are 210km in operation with a further 250km under construction. That’s huge! …

The show welcomes back Dr. Jessica Vechbanyongratana, an economist at Chulalongkorn University, to discuss the cold, hard data on Thailand’s demographics. It sounds vague and geeky at first, but the more you look into it, the more you realize...

Greg and Ed finish up the Seven Deadly Sins series with a discussion of ‘gluttony’ in the context of Bangkok - in this case, wanting to eat the largest quantity of food for the least amount of money. While we …

Greg interviews Belgian Ambassador to Thailand, Madam Sybille de Cartier, formerly Ambassador to Egypt and Sudan, with plenty of diplomatic experience in other posts around the world. She discusses the long history that Belgium and Thailand...