CRINGE: Tales of Trying to Fit in to Thai Culture & Failing Badly [S8.E3]

CRINGE: Tales of Trying to Fit in to Thai Culture & Failing Badly [S8.E3]

Greg and Ed discuss a few of the many 'cringe' moments they have experienced over the years in failing to fit into Thai culture or 'do the right thing' according to Thai society. Ed begins with the 'classics,' mistakes that probably most expats make, such as wai-ing a person younger than you are, accidentally pointing the bottom of your feet towards a statue of the Buddha, and improperly touching a Thai person's head. Greg follows with a more specific (and hilarious) story of buying a large cereal bowl only to have his Thai girlfriend reveal it to be a bowl intended to hold toilet water. Yuk!

Ed then mentions a case of Thai language stubbornness where he insisted he like to eat 'fireflies' ('hing-hoy' in Thai) because of its similarity to the Thai word for clams ('hoy' but a different tone). Rule #1: Never argue with a Thai person about Thai language! Next, Greg recounts an embarrassing moment from a play he participated in during his brief career as a school teacher, where he kissed a fellow teacher (a Thai woman) on the cheek. Rule #2: Don't surprise a Thai woman who is not your wife or girlfriend with a kiss in public!

Ed's last story is more of a confession: for many years, he had a very difficult time telling his students apart and remembering their names, leading to some epic faux-pas. Greg concludes with a story about a confusing interaction with a homeless guy who Greg blew off even though he was trying to direct Greg to stand up because the Royal Motorcade was passing. Ouch!


Don't forget that Patrons get the ad-free version of the show as well as swag and other perks. We also sometimes post on Facebook, you can contact us on LINE and of course, head to our website (www.bangkokpodcast.com) to find out probably more info than you need to know.

Episoder(562)

Phil in Udon Thani Talks About Leaving Bangkok for Something New [S7.E44]

Phil in Udon Thani Talks About Leaving Bangkok for Something New [S7.E44]

Ed interviews our buddy Phil Allen about his adventures visiting, and eventually living in, the Isaan region of Thailand. Phil begins by explaining his arrival in Bangkok about five years ago as a rov...

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Do You Have to be a Weirdo to Thrive in Bangkok? [S7.E43]

Do You Have to be a Weirdo to Thrive in Bangkok? [S7.E43]

Greg and Ed revisit an old topic from Season 2, Episode 48: Do you have to be weird to live in Bangkok/Thaiand as a foreigner? Ed begins by noting that the question depends on exactly why an expat has...

29 Okt 202431min

Wats & Working Girls: How Thailand Balances Buddhism and Red Lights [S7.E42]

Wats & Working Girls: How Thailand Balances Buddhism and Red Lights [S7.E42]

Greg and Ed begin a new series called "Thailand: Land of Contradictions" with the first installment addressing a fascinating, apparent conflict in Thai culture: how can Thailand have so many temples o...

22 Okt 202430min

Future Southeast Asia's James Clark on Thailand's Transport Infrastructure [S7.E41]

Future Southeast Asia's James Clark on Thailand's Transport Infrastructure [S7.E41]

Greg interviews James Clark, the founder of Future Southeast Asia, a website and newsletter focused on transport and urban development in Southeast Asia. The guys begin with the most exciting developm...

15 Okt 202449min

What Are the Limits of "Mai Pen Rai"? [S7.E40]

What Are the Limits of "Mai Pen Rai"? [S7.E40]

Greg and Ed discuss one of the pillars of Thai culture, the general attitude of 'mai pen rai' or 'no problem.' As the guys have mentioned many times, this attitude is one of the main reasons that livi...

8 Okt 202431min

Counselor Amy Pothong Talks About Mental Health in Thailand [S7.E39]

Counselor Amy Pothong Talks About Mental Health in Thailand [S7.E39]

Mental health in Thailand has never really had its time in the spotlight, but things are slowly changing as more and more Thais realize that taking care of your mental health is just as important as t...

1 Okt 202446min

Political Cheat Sheet: Prof. Ed Sums Up Ten Years of Thai Politics [S7.E38]

Political Cheat Sheet: Prof. Ed Sums Up Ten Years of Thai Politics [S7.E38]

In our semi-annual update on Thai politics, Ed does his best to explain the current situation and how Thailand arrived here over the last ten years. He begins with the framework that defined Thai poli...

24 Sep 202442min

The Dangers of Letting Bangkok's Delivery Apps Take Over [S7.E37]

The Dangers of Letting Bangkok's Delivery Apps Take Over [S7.E37]

Greg and Ed discuss the 'delivery lifestyle,' the habit of staying at home and relying on delivery services to bring food and products straight to your doorstep. Both guys admit to slipping into this ...

17 Sep 202441min

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