Season 6

Sparked by a , Greg and Ed consider the ways in which Thai public transportation misses the mark. Granted, both guys agree that overall, public transportation in Thailand is actually pretty good, and miles ahead of where it was when …

Greg interviews Gary Butler or ‘The Roaming Cook’ about his YouTube channel and the wonders of food in Thonburi, the cool side of the Chao Praya River. Gary begins with some background information: he’s a native Londoner who had a …

Greg and Ed go over the election results, with Ed leading the way and doing his best to evaluate his pre-election predictions. First, Ed discusses the obvious way the election was NOT a surprise: the conservative parties (UTN, Palang Pracharath, …

Greg and Ed discuss their personal experiences as victims of crime in Bangkok. Greg opens with a recap of his recent bike theft story which has been discussed in more detail on the bonus show. Although the bike has yet …

Greg interviews Ryan Cullinan of the . The guys open with a discussion of the nature of blood donation: everyone knows it exists, everyone knows they SHOULD do it, but due to lack of social pressure, many people never donate. …

In this show, Ed does his best to summarize the Thai political parties contesting the upcoming elections, as well as their various policy positions. As an overview, Ed notes a couple general themes. One is the possible return to power …

In a unique episode, the guys take six characteristics of a ‘livable city’ (established by renowned urban planner ) and give their own opinions on how Bangkok fares. Neither guy knows what the other is gonna say, so part of …

Greg interviews Wiramrudee ‘Pink’ Mokkhavesa, an attorney at the law firm of in Bangkok. Tilleke is one of the most well-known firms in the city, and it is probably most famous for its intellectual property group, which leads the fight …

Greg and Ed take up the somewhat grim topic of motorbike accidents in Thailand. As this episode is essentially the Songkran episode for this year, the timing could not be more appropriate because more people die in road accidents during …

Greg interviews Pailin Chongchitnant of , a returning guest from Season 3, Episode 4. Pailin begins with a basic introduction to her YouTube channel: she de-mystifies Thai cuisine (and how to cook it) to the English-speaking world. Each video...

Greg begins by explaining the momentous time we live in: soon there will be a general election in the Land of Smiles. He turns to Ed, allegedly a professor of political science, to give a primer (long ‘i’) on the …

This is the second part of a two part interview with Paul and Yuangrat Wedel, longtime scholars and writers on Thai history and society. The first part of the interview focused on the roots of radicalism in Thai politics, especially …

Greg and Ed interview a fascinating and very erudite couple, Paul and Yuangrat Wedel. Paul, a native of New Jersey, met Yuangrat, a native of Nakhon Si Thammarat, in Bangkok in the late 1970s and through various twists and turns …

Greg and Ed look at a few recent world rankings to see where Thailand fits into a world with nearly two hundred different countries. First, Greg brings up the ,’ a comprehensive ranking of 48 large cities around the world …

This is Part 2 of our epic interview with Richard Barrow, giant among expats in Thailand. In the second half of the discussion, Richard continues with explaining his slow rise as a ‘citizen journalist,’ first simply documenting his travels around...

Greg and Ed meet the icon Richard Barrow in Samut Prakan and interview him about his unusual life in Thailand. Richard begins by explaining his life roaming Asia as a young man on his way to Australia. By chance he …

Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, you’ve probably heard of ChatGPT, a brand new AI writing tool that produces some shockingly advanced stuff. It’s only a few months old but it’s already threatening to upend a number of …

Ed interviews Sahajak “Poo” Boonthakit, Thai actor and entertainer. K. Poo begins by explaining his unusual childhood: his father was a Thai diplomat and when Poo was a young boy his family moved to Nairobi, Kenya, where Poo would spend …

Greg and Ed get all deep by asking the question “Is Thailand really the Land of the Free?” And what does “freedom” even mean? Many people know that the word ‘Thailand’ is supposed to translate as the ‘Land of the …

Greg interviews Justin Dunne of ,’ a tour company in Bangkok that focuses on Thai ghost stories and their relevant locations. Justin is an old friend of Greg’s and after trading a few stories of the old days, the guys …

In a special listener voicemail show, Greg and Ed discuss what listeners miss most about Thailand. The guys go through a bunch of different messages, each expressing a unique characteristic of the Land of Smiles that keeps them pining for …

We dive back into history with the remarkable story of Chang and Eng Bunker, more famously known as the Siamese Twins. Born and raised in Samut Songkhram province just south of Bangkok, they had a fateful encounter with a Scottish …

In Part Two of Ed’s Thai lesson with guru Stu Jay Raj, the two push through Ed’s sample Thai conversation. Stu continues to emphasize the importance of proper pronunciation of vowels, even going so far as to say it is …

Ed goes back to school and gets a Thai lesson from the master himself, Stu Jay Raj. Ed recounts a common backstory, wherein he made serious effort to learn Thai during his first two years in Thailand - and even …

Greg interviews Bangkok-based lawyer Dave Lawrence about the ins and outs of foreigners owning land in Thailand. Dave begins with his backstory: he went to law school in Ohio where he met his future wife while she was getting a …

In a show fueled by a visit by Greg’s mother, the guys discuss first impressions of Bangkok, and whether or not they have become jaded as long term expats. Greg includes a short interview with his mom, but bases the …

Ed interviews Max and Jo Hellier of Root the Future, a small social enterprise based in Bangkok that promotes sustainable living and plant-based diets. Max and Jo begin with their origin story: Jo, a vegan and former model, and Max, …

Greg and Ed discuss a topic first brought up in a bonus show back in season 2: what to do about taxi drivers who won’t take you where you want to go? Although there are no doubt many larger problems …

Greg interviews Tim Koncewicz from electric tuk-tuk company to chat about their mission to provide a safe and environmentally clean alternative to gas-powered tuk-tuks. Unlike normal taxis and old-school automobiles (pfft), MuvMi focuses on...

Greg and Ed bare their souls with ‘expat confessions’: things in Thailand they are embarrassed to say they have never seen or done, but that they should have, given their years in the Kingdom. Ed begins by admitting he’s never …

Greg interviews Buddhist scholar Justin McDaniel on the topic of Buddhism amulets. Justin is a true scholar of religion, especially Asian religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism, but he developed a strong interest in Buddhist amulets after he visited...

Every Bangkok newbie has places that are near and dear to them, and which play a role in their early days of getting settled and finding your groove in Bangkok. Greg and Ed discuss some of these Bangkok institutions that …

Greg interviews Khun Weena from the Thailand Clean Air Network, a guest who previously appeared on Episode 66 of Season 4, when Thailand was in the middle of a crazy air pollution crisis. Since then K. Weena and her organization …

Greg and Ed open up a can of snakes (this is Thailand after all) and discuss whether Thailand is a ‘woke-free’ zone. The guys begin by realizing that the word ‘woke’ itself does not have a very clear meaning. Depending …

With interest in Thailand returning to pre-pandemic levels and the podcast getting an increasing number of emails asking for advice on living and working here, Greg interviews old acquaintance Amy Lefevre, a half-Thai British woman, on her unique...

Greg and Ed dive into the crowded App and Play stores to discuss the various phone apps that make living in Bangkok easier. Greg begins by giving props to our excellent listeners who submitted a whole bunch of recommendations - …

Greg interviews James Fahn, the Executive Director of Internews’ Earth Journalism Network. Greg begins by opening a discussion about James’ book “,” which was published in 2003, after James worked as the environmental editor at The Nation...

Ed reminisces on 22 years in Thailand and tries to summarize exactly why he has decided to stay for so long. It’s hard to sum up, of course, but Ed manages to come up with five positives and three negatives, …

Greg interviews Jyri Järviaho, Finland’s Ambassador to Thailand. Although Greg makes a valiant attempt at pronouncing the Ambassador’s name, the two begin by discussing the difficulty of Finnish, with the Ambassador explaining that it is a unique...

Greg and Ed discuss the fascinating topic of old Western pop songs that enjoy a shocking degree of popularity in Thailand. For those foreigners who have spent any amount of time in the Land of Smiles, there are just certain …

Greg finishes up his interview with linguist and raconteur . Stu begins with a classic: the super annoying fact that the Thai numbers 11 and 18 can be very difficult for foreigners to pronounce correctly. Stu explains in detail the …

Greg interviews our old pal Stu Jay Raj - linguist, polyglot, and true Renaissance man. As you would expect, the topic is the Thai language and foreigners’ struggle to learn it properly, but with a focus on the trouble you …

As is tradition, Greg and Ed spend the first episode of the brand new season 6 (!) looking back, looking forward, and discussing podcasting as a whole. When Greg and Tony first started speaking into their panty hose-covered mics (seriously) …