The Bangkok Podcast6 Syys 2022

Finnish Ambassador Jyri Järviaho on Diplomatic History, Economic Trade & Vodka [S6.E5]

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 language that it is completely different from its neighbors, especially its western ones, such as Germany and Sweden. Next, the Ambassador recounts his diplomatic journey from a small village in Finland to university and later to a job with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and eventually various diplomatic postings around Europe and central Asia. Suffice it to say, he's happy to be in the warm weather of Thailand.

The Ambassador next tells the fascinating story of Thailand and Finland's first diplomatic contact. Finland's first ambassador to Asia was on a trip to establish relations with Japan when he received a telegram in Singapore indicating that the country of Siam had recognized Finland as it had recently declared independence from Russia. The intrepid ambassador then re-routed to Bangkok and managed to make the first diplomatic contact with a representative of the Thai government.

The two men continue by discussing the rest of the diplomatic relations between the two countries, the trade in both goods and services, and the struggle by the Finnish Embassy to establish a unique identity in the eyes of the Thai people.

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.

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(584)

Thai Wellness Holidays Are They Worth the Price? [S8.E62]

"Wellness" is a huge industry, and especially in Thailand, so the boys decide this week to discuss the options that are available. Ed begins the main segment by noting that while he expected it to be...

22 Syys 31min

AI Helps Us Find Hidden Meaning in the Art of the Late, Great Khun Pichai [S8.E61]

Greg begins by discussing the late Bangkok street artist Khun Pichai, whose intricate and cryptic sidewalk scribbles across the capital attained a devoted cult following over the years, with sightings...

15 Syys 39min

Vic Levitin Talks About Starting From Scratch in Thailand [S8.E60]

Moving to Thailand can be a disorienting, discombobulating experience, even if you're on your own. Now imagine doing it with 9 hours to prepare. That's what Vic Levitin and his family did, but the unk...

8 Syys 48min

Bangkok's Roads: The History Behind the Names (S8.E59)

Greg begins by discussing a suggestion from their friend Scott to explore the origins of well-known street names in Bangkok. After briefly touching on familiar spots like Khaosan Road and Lumpini Park...

1 Syys 39min

Photographer Dax Ward on Capturing Bangkok's Abandoned Beauty [S8.E58] (Classic ReCast)

Greg interviews Dax Ward, an adventurous photographer best known for his beautiful photos of dilapidated buildings and abandoned places. Dax begins by explaining that he was a very late starter to pho...

25 Elo 51min

A Peek Into Bangkok's Thriving Bluegrass Music Scene [S8.E57]

In another example of a thriving subculture in Bangkok you wouldn't expect to see, Greg and Ed interview Sunny Sachdev, a Thai Indian banjo player who is part of the informal network of musicians that...

18 Elo 46min

The Devil's in the Details: Playing the Expat Insurance Game [S8.E56]

Inspired by recent discussion among friends, and Greg's switch to a new provider, the boys tackle the enduring issue of health insurance as an expat. There are many companies, many plans, and many pit...

11 Elo 37min

Weird Explorer's Jared Rydelek on Asia's Strangest Fruits [S8.E55]

Greg interviews Jared Rydelek, the creator of the Weird Explorer YouTube channel. Jared explains that his day job is a contortionist, but his lifelong vegetarianism sparked a deep fascination with rar...

4 Elo 49min