Community, Philanthropy, and Condoms with Mechai Varivaidya - Part Two [Season 3, Episode 37]

Community, Philanthropy, and Condoms with Mechai Varivaidya - Part Two [Season 3, Episode 37]

In Thailand, there are plenty of household names, but not many of them bring a smile and a twinkle to the eye the way that "Mechai" does. If you're unfamiliar with Mechai Varivaidya, you're missing out. Known as Mr. Condom, Mechai's career began in the 1970s when he became famous for traveling around the country giving out condoms - a truly unconventional (even controversial) thing to do at the time. His tireless promotion of condoms, family planning, and community health have made him a household name in every corner of the Kingdom; indeed, if you ask for a "Mechai" in 7-11, you will be given a box of condoms - a distinction he's thoroughly proud of.

Khuh Mechai also founded the Population and Community Development Association (PDA), one of Thailand's largest NGOs, twice served as a senator, as Minister of Tourism, and a number of other high profile private and governmental roles too numerous to list here. In 2007 the PDA was given the Gates Award by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in recognition of its pioneering work in family planning and AIDS prevention.

In part two of our interview with Khun Mechai - delightfully feisty and sharp as a tack - he chats about the success of his family planning and AIDS prevention measures, his innovative education system known as the 'Bamboo School' initiative, and educates the guys over a handful of haggis potato chips.

As always, the podcast will continue to be 100% funded by listeners just like you who get some special swag from us. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

Jaksot(561)

What Comes Next: Greg & Ed Try to Predict Bangkok's Future [S7.E35]

What Comes Next: Greg & Ed Try to Predict Bangkok's Future [S7.E35]

Putting on their best tarot reading hat…or numerology hat…or tea leaf hat…whatever…Greg and Ed make their best prognostications about the future of Bangkok, relying only on their accumulated wisdom an...

3 Syys 202438min

Journalist Dominic Faulder on the Complex History Between Thailand & Myanmar [S7.E34]

Journalist Dominic Faulder on the Complex History Between Thailand & Myanmar [S7.E34]

Greg interviews Dominic Faulder, associate editor at Nikkei Asia, long-time journalist in Southeast Asia and observer of the political and diplomatic machinations of Myanmar, and Thailand and Vietnam ...

27 Elo 202454min

Don't be That Guy: Expat Stereotypes You Should Avoid [S7.E32]

Don't be That Guy: Expat Stereotypes You Should Avoid [S7.E32]

Greg and Ed discuss some negative expat stereotypes - roughly the person you (probably) don't want to become while living in Thailand...at least forever. We all fall prey to stereotypes sometimes - th...

13 Elo 202433min

Phra Pandit Lends His Insight: What Buddhism Says About the Seven Deadly Sins - Part 2 [S7.E31]

Phra Pandit Lends His Insight: What Buddhism Says About the Seven Deadly Sins - Part 2 [S7.E31]

On part 2 of 2 Greg continues his interview with returning show favorite, Phra Pandit on the Buddhist interpretation of the Seven Deadly Sins of western religion. Without wasting any time they pick up...

6 Elo 202430min

Phra Pandit Lends his Insight: What Buddhism Says About the Seven Deadly Sins - Part 1 [S7.E30]

Phra Pandit Lends his Insight: What Buddhism Says About the Seven Deadly Sins - Part 1 [S7.E30]

Greg interviews returning show favorite, Phra Pandit on the Buddhist interpretation of the Seven Deadly Sins of western religion. After a brief introduction explaining Phra Pandit's current (temporary...

30 Heinä 202433min

Bangkok in Your 20s vs Your 50s: We Discuss the Pros and Cons [S7.E29]

Bangkok in Your 20s vs Your 50s: We Discuss the Pros and Cons [S7.E29]

Having had the somewhat unenviable (?) POV of living in Bangkok both in their 20s AND in their late 40s (and more), Greg and Ed pro/con Bangkok for different age groups. Is Bangkok really a city for t...

23 Heinä 202431min

Lawyer Dave Lawrence Gives a Legal Perspective on Divorce in Thailand [S7.E28]

Lawyer Dave Lawrence Gives a Legal Perspective on Divorce in Thailand [S7.E28]

Greg and Ed interview Dave Lawrence of Pegleg Legal about the technicalities of divorce in Thailand. Although Ed previously discussed his big 'D' on an earlier show, his situation was so simple that i...

16 Heinä 202448min

AI vs The Big Mango: What ChatGPT 4o and Gemini Know (and don't know) about Bangkok [S7.E27]

AI vs The Big Mango: What ChatGPT 4o and Gemini Know (and don't know) about Bangkok [S7.E27]

Greg and Ed perform an interesting test of the current state of AI: can you actually trust what different AI's have to say about Bangkok and Thailand? Greg uses ChatGPT, while Ed is a Google guy throu...

9 Heinä 202432min

Suosittua kategoriassa Yhteiskunta

olipa-kerran-otsikko
sita
siita-on-vaikea-puhua
kaksi-aitia
i-dont-like-mondays
gogin-ja-janin-maailmanhistoria
uutiscast
poks
antin-palautepalvelu
rss-nikotellen
kolme-kaannekohtaa
mamma-mia
rss-murhan-anatomia
yopuolen-tarinoita-2
aikalisa
meidan-pitais-puhua
rss-haudattu
loukussa
rss-palmujen-varjoissa
mystista