Greg & Ed Opine on BBC's 'Documentary' and Media Misconceptions of Thailand [S8.E13)

Ed interviews David Cluck, a Bangkok-based filmmaker, friend of the podcast and bona-fide "interesting expat". The guys begin talking about their mutual love of Thailand, but then go back to the beginning to hear about David's early life as a musician in Southern California and how he transitioned into working at a local TV station. That led to some work on commercials and short films and then slowly and surely into work on bigger budget film projects. David regales Ed with stories of working with Rob Lowe in Ed's hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, and then to his break on a film with Jeff Bridges, the 'Big Lebowski' himself. Now in the big leagues, David took a flyer on a low budget film called 'Monster,' and lo and behold the main actress would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Actress. The guys then get into David's introduction to Thailand on a film project called 'Formosa Betrayed,' which will lead to David re-orienting his life towards the Land of Smiles. The rest is history as they say. Listen in next week for Part Two, when Ed and David focus on why major film productions often choose to shoot in Thailand. 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 Helmi 202456min

We're getting a bit personal on this episode as Ed talks about his marriage and eventual divorce in Thailand. Although it's a difficult topic, enough time has elapsed that Ed is ready to discuss whether or not his experience provides any lessons for expats in the Land of Smiles (and sometimes frowns). First, Greg asks Ed about the actual legal procedure of getting a divorce and whether it involved a lot of paperwork. In Ed's case, the process was easy because it was by agreement; the only hitch was the need for two witnesses, which was solved by paying a random motorbike guy 100 baht to be the second witness (seriously). For more complex legal angles that must be considred, the guys plan to have resident lawyer Dave back on a later show to explain all the details. Second, Ed does his best to try to figure out a possible lesson for other expats. On the one hand, every relationship is unique and can succeed or fail for a lot of reasons having nothing to do with cross-cultural issues. But Ed does come up with one insight: he feels that he had the habit of always taking his wife at her word in an almost legalistic way. Ed references previous shows where the 'high context' nature of Thai culture was discussed. Thais tend not to rely so much on what people say, but read a lot into what is unspoken. Ed wonders whether his failure to recognize this led to communication issues. Since his wife spoke English well, it certainly wasn't language. Greg chimes in with a few insights from his own marriage, and both guys try to fashion some advice for expats looking to tie the knot with a Thai partner. Chok dee from the Bangkok Podcast! 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.

6 Helmi 202441min

Ahh, Thailand. Beaches, sunsets, late-night parties, serene temples, and…space technology design and future satellite launch site? Greg interviews Dr. Natthawat Hongkarnjanakul of the Thai Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, essentially Thailand's version of NASA. Dr. Natthawat begins with his background studying aerospace engineering in Thailand and later in France on a scholarship. Next, he talks about GISTDA, and the Thai government's interest in space research. Greg notes that people do not normally think of Thailand when they think of space, but Dr. Natthawat states that Thailand uses satellites for data gathering for mapmaking, air quality monitoring, and for help during natural catastrophes such as floods or forest fires. The two continue by going into more detail on the work of the Thai space agency. Dr. Natthawat points out that a big part of their work is educating the private sector in Thailand on the value of satellite data. Greg remembers reading about McDonald's use of satellite images back in the day to plan its expansion, and Dr. Natthawat says that this is exactly right, that many big companies have realized the unique advantages of data from space. Listen in for further discussion of the 'space economy' and the unheralded work of Thailand's space agency. 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.

30 Tammi 202445min

Greg and Ed discuss situations - whether they come from luck or strategy - that can seriously improve your quality of life in Bangkok. The guys try to avoid the super obvious things - getting a better job, meeting the person of your dreams - to focus on factors that are more advantageous than one might expect in Thailand. Ed begins by emphasizing the importance of living close to where you work and having a short commute. While some might put this in the obvious category, the boys both agree that in Bangkok, this simple thing can make a real difference to your quality of life, as the daily stress of a long commute adds up quickly. Greg then brings up the unexpected benefits of having a Thai spouse that works at an international hospital or school, which typically provide significant price reductions to family members such as husbands and wives and children. The cost savings can be great. Ed then brings up the problem of flooding, which plagues certain neighborhoods around the city. Knowing this when you choose a new area to live in can totally change your experience during the rainy season. Greg then mentions the strange fact that having a friend who works at an Embassy, especially the American one, has numerous advantages. The guys continue by discussing how much a good maid can improve your life and the extreme usefulness of having an employer that provides a proper work permit from the get-go. Trust us - if you can make any or all of these things happen, your stay in Thailand will get better. :) 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.

23 Tammi 202431min

Greg interviews well known Bangkok-based photographer Tim Russell about his book 'Bangkok Station,' which focuses (literally) on the iconic and now mostly defunct Hualamphong Train Station. Tim begins by explaining his early days twenty years ago as a traveller in Vietnam and how he picked up photography as a way to document his travels. Eventually he made his way to Thailand and managed to pass through Hualamphong in its heyday. The guys discuss Huamlamphong's design by an Italian architect and its opening in 1916, making it a Bangkok institution for more than 100 years. Greg then brings up the possible future of the building, with many people concerned that it could be torn down and replaced with the typical condo or new mall. Tim believes that the current plan is to make the station into some type of rail museum, but still admits that in the long run, due to the value of the real estate, there's no guarantee it will be around in the long run. The guys continue by focusing on the eclectic neighborhood around the station, the incredible diversity of visitors who have made use of it over the years, and Tim's decision to focus on photos of people at the station rather than its architecture or the trains themselves. 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.

16 Tammi 202442min

In a spirit of optimism and renewal, Greg and Ed discuss their New Year's resolutions as expats. What are their goals for 2024 to grow as expats in Thailand? Greg begins by committing to read The Falcon of Siam, a famous novel set in 18th century Thailand, and to watch The Overture, a film about a famous classical musician in the Royal Palace. Ed wants to focus on improving his Thai, and he developed a plan to learn to read a collection of 9,000 Useful Thai Expressions, a popular PDF among serious Thai learners. Greg then mentions his desire to spend more time at the Siam Society, an organization dedicated to spreading knowledge of Thai history, culture, and society, famous for its lecture series. Being a movie guy, Ed has decided to pick ten of the best Thai movies of all time and get to the point where he can watch them with Thai subtitles. Last, Greg has a plan to join a local club of Thai people to help him make more connections with other Thais, with archery or possibly knife-making leading the list. Somewhat similarly, Ed would like to find a new 'third place' - somewhere to hang out besides his workplace or his home. Ambitious these goals are - there's no doubt about that! But that's how we roll at the Bangkok Podcast. :) 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.

9 Tammi 202432min

Hey guys, I know we said we were done for the year, but we have one last little surprise for you. We sat down with two of our very good friends John and Poom to record a special bonus show for our patrons. But since it's the season of giving and all that malarkey, we thought it might be fun to release the first 14 minutes of the show to our non-patron listeners too. Ain't that special? Keep in mind our bonus shows are a bit more freewheeling and improv-based, and often have some spicier language than normal, although there's nothing here that'll make your hair turn white. So enjoy this special preview and if you want a bit more Bangkok Podcast in your inbox, become a patron and get a bonus show like this every week. Happy holidays everyone and see you back here in the new year.

25 Joulu 202314min

Just before the boys take off for the holiday, and hordes of new visitors arrive, Greg and Ed give advice on how to survive a long day exploring Bangkok, be you a tourist or just an expat trying to check off some boxes. The guys run through numerous items, some of which might seem obvious but which still can be easy to forget. Others have only been realized from some hard-earned wisdom as long-time expats in the City of Angels. For example, Greg extolls the virtues of noise-cancelling headphones which can make even a stroll in some of Bangkok's noisiest areas almost pleasant. Ed reminds people to bring a phone charger or external battery, as Bangkok is not quite modern enough to make finding an outlet easy. Greg notes that if you don't want to twist an ankle, a pair of comfortable shoes is a necessity for any lengthy Bangkok jaunt - especially if you're over 40, as the guys have sadly found out. And Ed reminds people of the notoriously chilly aircon in Bangkok's movie theaters and coffee shops, which are much easier to survive with a jacket or scarf big enough to function as a make-do blanket (see the pic below). Listen in for a dozen more items that the guys recommend to make a day out in Bangkok significantly less stressful. Also a special thanks to Errol for gifting us some wine, which helped Greg power through the recording of this episode. Pic below. 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.

19 Joulu 202337min