Chatwan Mongkok Digs Into Bangkok with His 'Soiciety' Newsletter [S8.E12]

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 Thailand for the first time when he was a young man. Greg asks Justin what actually makes an amulet special, and Justin goes into a lengthy explanation of the 'recipes' and 'ingredients' that go into an amulet's construction, from very specific types of soil to various prayers and incantations that are made when it is created. Some amulets even contain flakes of gold from statues of famous monks or in some cases, even the blood of the monk himself. Greg and Justin continue and discuss such interesting topics as how the value of amulets is determined, the relationship between amulets and relics, the role that myth and mystery play in the popularity of amulets, and the sometimes crass commercialization in the amulet industry. Listen in for a fascinating discussion with a true expert in a rarely studied field. Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

1 Marras 202245min

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 meant a lot to them in their early days, but have since been torn down and paved over. Ed notes that Bangkok is famous for turnover in the restaurant and bar space, but certain places do stand the test of time: Saxophone Pub on Victory Monument for example. Unfortunately, a bunch of places Greg and Ed THOUGHT they would be enjoying forever subsequently closed. Ed begins by discussing the somewhat eccentric Check Inn 99, a 'cabaret'-style bar that used to be on Sukhumvit between Soi 3 and 5. An entire show would be needed to explain its unique place in Bangkok nightlife; suffice it to say both Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra once partied there. Greg then talks about the classic pub The Dubliner, that seemed to embody all the positive traits that Irish pubs are famous for. Listen in to this somewhat nostalgic look at Bangkok of old as the guys discuss such fabled establishments as Woodstock bar in Nana Plaza, Suan Lum Night Bazaar, Sukhumvit Soi Zero, and the grand Scala Theater. Can these places be replaced? Not exactly, but the guys discuss the available options. And for more nostalgic places from yesteryear, check out Justin Dunne's post on Twitter. Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

25 Loka 202238min

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 have been hard at work preparing reports for the government on the status of air quality in Thailand. In fact, her group has recently finished a 700 page green paper outline solutions for the Thai government to pursue. Weena outlines the extensive research she helped organize to prepare the report, which involved consulting with experts in multiple fields and trying to find realistic solutions that suit different entities. She explains that the report outlines steps for the government and private sector companies to take, but also responsibilities that best lie with the general public. Greg compliments K. Weena on the almost insane comprehensiveness of the report, but plays devil's advocate: How do we know that the government will take the advice in the report seriously and actually make changes? K. Weena notes that their research focused on very actionable items, not pie-in-the-sky proposals that are politically infeasible. Further, air pollution in Thailand exacts massive costs on the public in the form of increased health care costs, and smart politicians who want to win elections should realize that people don't want to get sick and go broke on their treatment. Listen in for further discussion of Thailand's air quality issues with a true professional. Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

18 Loka 202244min

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 on who you are, 'woke' could mean a woman being paid the same as a man, being cool with varied genders, races, and religions, or someone who has taken victimhood to an extreme and become worse than the problem it's trying to solve. That being said, the guys do have some takes. Ed thinks that in many ways Thailand will prove to be immune to the extreme forms of 'wokeness,' simply because Thais by their nature do not take offense very easily. As has been discussed many times on the podcast, Thais are very easy going by nature and tend to laugh off almost everything, outside of a few narrowly defined 'no go' zones. It's hard to play the victim card if you simply don't care much what people say or do and leave them to their devices. Greg largely concurs and notes that Thailand has been making progress in the reasonable areas of what some people consider 'woke,' such as women's, gay, and trans rights. Listen in for an interesting discussion of how a complex topic that has largely been restricted to western societies might be seen through a Thai lens. Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

11 Loka 202237min

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 career journey in Asia and what they've both learned about finding (and keeping!) a job in Bangkok. The two begin with the importance of language skills and the difficulty of competing with educated Thais who typically have decent English, and then segues into an interesting topic: Is it easy for foreigners to get jobs inside Thailand outside of the cliched fields of teacher, IT staff, NGO staff and digital nomad? Amy argues that in Bangkok, foreigners who work in these fields tend to socialize together, almost creating cliques that can be difficult to break into (or out of). Further, expats often hit a 'ceiling' in their late 20s or early 30s where they feel they cannot advance their careers without leaving Thailand. Greg notes that the Thai bureaucracy that governs expats in the end closes the off to the energy and creativity of thousands of foreigners who could be boosting the economy, employing locals, and injecting Thai society with new ideas that could really catapult the country into true first world status along with Singapore and Hong Kong. Listen in for an in depth discussion of the pros and cons of trying to make your career in the Land of Smiles. Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

4 Loka 202248min

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 - so much, in fact, that we simply weren't able to cover them all! Ed confesses that he relies primarily on Google Maps and Google Translate for countless day-to-day functions, but he mentions that he recently stumbled upon an app called BMA Traffic that has live feeds from traffic cameras around the city. Worth checking into as an addition to Google Maps traffic info. Greg then runs through a myriad of different applications from transportation apps such as Bolt, inDriver, and ViaBus to social apps such as Meetup and weather apps like Rainviewer and Ventusky, each of which make it easier to navigate the chaos of Bangkok and get to a worthy social event. Greg then notes numerous apps for ordering food, helping others find your exact location, and even identifying those cool-looking plants at Chatuchak Market that'll look great on your balcony. Although at least one listener longs for the old days pre-smartphone, when we had to figure everything out for ourselves, most of us would find that at least a few of these suggestions make life here just a little bit easier and more fun. Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

27 Syys 202235min

Greg interviews James Fahn, the Executive Director of Internews' Earth Journalism Network. Greg begins by opening a discussion about James' book "A Land On Fire," which was published in 2003, after James worked as the environmental editor at The Nation newspaper in Bangkok in the 1990s. James explains that at The Nation, he wrote extensively about environmental issues in Thailand and Southeast Asia, including doing investigative reporting on corruption and corporate malfeasance that damaged the environment. James even tells a story of how he narrowly avoided interviewing a Burmese strong man who likely would have put James on his hit list. Greg then asks James about how Thailand has changed over time, and whether there is any reason to be optimistic. James notes several things that have gotten better, from public transportation to air pollution to public parks, but then also raises several areas where Thailand still needs a lot of work, such as protection of coral reefs and in the excessive use of plastic. Overall, however, James remains an optimistic, which we are certainly glad to hear at the Bangkok Podcast. James concludes by making his case that we don't have to choose between a free market that is pro-business and economic growth and a heavily regulated market that protects the environment at the expense of the economy. Experience in the States shows that preserving the environment can actually boost the economy if done right. Is James eligible to run for Thai Prime Minister? The Bangkok Podcast wants to know! Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

20 Syys 202238min

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, and Greg helps to clarify things as he goes along. On the positive side, Ed mentions Thailand's depth and variety, with many niches and subcultures that it would take a lifetime to explore. As Greg notes, if you are bored in Bangkok, the problem is not Bangkok. Ed also talks about how some things DO change and get better in Bangkok, despite frequent grumblings from most who live here - new weed laws, expanded public transportation and more public parks to name a few. In addition to other points, the boys also agree that there is a very supportive community of expats to ease foreigners' transition to living long term in the land of smiles. As for negatives, Ed cannot resist bringing up classic persistent problems in Thailand that NEVER seems to get properly addressed no matter how predictable they are (see Bangkok's recent floods) as well as the sad state of Thailand's bureaucracy that is NOT very expat friendly compared to other countries. Of course Ed's decision is clear: the positives definitely outweigh the negatives. Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

13 Syys 202240min