Bangkok Podcast

Many of you know a lot about meditation (like Ed) but others might find it a bit of a black hole (like Greg). Ed chats with our friend, monk Phra Pandit, to get some juicy knowledge on how it all works and what benefits it can bring. thaifaq.libsyn.com/an-intro-to-me…

Without good insurance, the question of private vs public hospital is one everyone needs to ponder in Thailand. But just because care + service at a private are usually better doesn’t always mean that’s the best choice. Greg and Ed discuss. thaifaq.libsyn.com/the-where-why-…

Spend enough time in Thailand and you - or someone you know - will have a story about being stopped by the police. It usually goes fine, but it’s good to know what you can and can’t do, and our lawyer friend Dave (@pegleg) sits down to school us. thaifaq.libsyn.com/legal-talk-wha…

After a while, most expats who make an effort to fit in figure they’ve earned the right to be treated as a local. But be careful - there’s a whole lot of cultural pressure that comes with that, which might be best left to ‘real’ Thais to handle. thaifaq.libsyn.com/expat-identity…

There are tons of folks around the world who keep coming back to Thailand, but never take the plunge and move here. Ed interviews his old friend Jim on his 7th trip to discuss the magnetic pull of Thailand and what it offers re-tourists like him. thaifaq.libsyn.com/retouristing-w…

Bangkok’s transportation infrastructure is WAY better than it used to be - but there are still some weird gaps and inconsistencies that don’t make much sense. We made a list of the ones that puzzle us the most. thaifaq.libsyn.com/questions-quer…

We read a story that listed Bangkok’s best street food but NONE of it was in Thonburi! Naturally, this alarmed us, so we called up Gary Butler, The Roaming Cook, to have a chat about all the good grub you can find there. thaifaq.libsyn.com/the-roaming-co…

In the closing episode of our informal series on the election, Ed goes into detail about what happened, what it means, and what might happen going forward. Elections are never boring in Thailand, but this is one for the books. thaifaq.libsyn.com/after-the-elec…

Bangkok is, generally speaking, a very safe city, but just like life, criminals will always find a way. Greg and Ed look back at 20+ years to discuss their brushes with crime and how to stay safe if you’re here. thaifaq.libsyn.com/when-youre-the…

You’ve seen the pleas on social media for blood donors, but did you ever think - doesn’t Thailand have enough blood? Turns out yes - unless you’re RH- and then you might be in trouble. We explore this interesting wrinkle in Thailand’s blood supply. thaifaq.libsyn.com/blood-donation…

There’s another election coming up, and despite not being able to vote, us foreigners should still know the basics. Ed runs through the major political parties and their platforms, and where they fit in the complicated jigsaw of Thai politics. thaifaq.libsyn.com/an-election-lo…

We all love Bangkok, but its foibles and rough spots sometimes make it hard to appreciate. Greg and Ed look at 6 common benchmarks that urban planners use to assess a city’s livable-ness and see if Bangkok holds up. thaifaq.libsyn.com/is-bangkok-a-l…

Greg talks to Khun Pink from the Tilleke & Gibbins law firm about Thailand’s counterfeit economy. Does buying a fake hat really hurt anyone? Maybe not, but it’s a different issue with fake medicine or car parts. Where do you draw the line? thaifaq.libsyn.com/fake-vs-real-t…

It’s tradition - come to Thailand, rent a motorbike, explore! It’s fun, but can be a nightmare if something goes wrong. With Songkran here, we thought it was grimly appropriate to do a PSA-style show on the risks of driving motorbikes in Thailand. thaifaq.libsyn.com/the-pitfalls-l…

We welcome back Pailin Chongchitnant (@HotThaiKitchen) to talk about her YouTube cooking channel, how Thai food in the West (and Thailand!) has changed, and to get the skinny on her new cookbook. thaifaq.libsyn.com/hot-thai-kitch…

The more things change, the more they stay the same, which is especially true in Thai politics. Greg and Ed go into explainer mode about the long road leading to the upcoming election and wonder how deeply us non-voting expats should dig in. thaifaq.libsyn.com/thai-politics-…

Part 2 of our very interesting interview with Paul & Yuangrat Wedel about their book Radical Thought, Thai Mind covers the ‘what-ifs’ of Thai history and discussions about constitutions, exiles, the military, and what’s next for Thailand. thaifaq.libsyn.com/authors-paul-y…

We sit down with authors Paul & Yuangrat Wedel to discuss their life in Thailand as well as their book “Radical Thought, Thai Mind” to learn about the complex history of standing up to The Man in Thailand. thaifaq.libsyn.com/authors-paul-y…

Bangkok always makes it onto different lists. “Best cities to blah” or “Worst places to get blah”. But how does it stack up to other world cities - and are these lists ever reliable? Greg and Ed discuss: Bangkok vs the World. thaifaq.libsyn.com/bangkok-vs-the…

In part 2 of our chat with @RichardBarrow we discuss the ups & downs of dealing with online trolls, what he says when the TAT calls him to complain about negative coverage, and his latest project making guides to Thailand’s expansive rail network. thaifaq.libsyn.com/richard-barrow…