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!


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Episoder(561)

Action Figure Overload: How Accurate Are the Thai Versions of the Viral AI Trend? [S7.E67]

Action Figure Overload: How Accurate Are the Thai Versions of the Viral AI Trend? [S7.E67]

Greg and Ed jump on the bandwagon and discuss the recent trend of images of 'action figures' generated by AI. ChatGPT especially seems quite good at creating semblances of plastic blister packs filled...

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Interesting Friends And Strange Characters: Expat Connections [S7.E66]

Interesting Friends And Strange Characters: Expat Connections [S7.E66]

Greg and Ed discuss some interesting expats they have met over the years - both good and bad - and what lessons they have managed to glean from them. Thailand is a bit of a strange stew of expats; wit...

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Myanmar Quakes & Bangkok Shakes: Thoughts on the March 28 Earthquake [S7.E65]

Myanmar Quakes & Bangkok Shakes: Thoughts on the March 28 Earthquake [S7.E65]

Greg and Ed address the unavoidable topic du jour: the earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28 that was felt all the way to Bangkok. Greg begins by pointing out that even though much ink and many w...

8 Apr 202535min

Sopping, Soggy, Sodden, Soaking Songkran: The Thai New Year is Here! [S7.E64]

Sopping, Soggy, Sodden, Soaking Songkran: The Thai New Year is Here! [S7.E64]

With the big holiday nearly here, Greg and Ed reminisce about their various Songkran experiences over the years. Ed notes that last year was a breakthrough year: he actually went out and 'threw water'...

1 Apr 202539min

Second Opinions & Jedi Lies: Stories From Bangkok's Hospitals [S7.E63] (Classic Recast)

Second Opinions & Jedi Lies: Stories From Bangkok's Hospitals [S7.E63] (Classic Recast)

A fabulous re-cast episode from season 3! Sooner or later, we all spend some time in the hospital, so Greg and Ed riff on their myriad experiences in Bangkok hospitals over the years. But before we ge...

25 Mar 202545min

The Russians are Coming! What the Influx Means for Phuket [S7.E62]

The Russians are Coming! What the Influx Means for Phuket [S7.E62]

Greg and Ed discuss the massive influx of Russians (and some Ukrainians) into Thailand, particularly the island of Phuket. Numerous stories have been written in the last year about the unusually high ...

18 Mar 202526min

Bangkok Pains: Distilling Bangkok Into a Board Game [S7.E61]

Bangkok Pains: Distilling Bangkok Into a Board Game [S7.E61]

Greg interviews Tim Swainson and his team at creative agency Invisible Ink about their Thai-centric board game, 'Bangkok Pains.' The show begins with introductions from the creative team at Invisible ...

11 Mar 202544min

How Thick is Your Bubble? Piercing the Thai/Expat Barrier [S7.E60]

How Thick is Your Bubble? Piercing the Thai/Expat Barrier [S7.E60]

Following a great suggestion from listener Kelly, Greg and Ed discuss the 'expat bubble,' the tendency for expats (and tourists) to primarily spend time with foreigners, rather than experience the sam...

4 Mar 202531min

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