Looking Back, Looking Forward: What's Next for S8 [S8.E1]

Have you ever walked down the street and wondered what's up with those dollhouses on pillars that seem to be outside every building? Many have, and this is why we're happy to have Marisa Cranfill on this episode, who is one of Thailand's foremost (non-Thai) experts on Thai spirit houses. Despite Tony's mysterious mic problems, we talk to Marisa about what exactly these houses mean and where they come from. She also gives us the lowdown on exactly what's inside the little structures, why you'll most commonly see red Fanta soda sitting on the mini 'porch', and what happens to all that food that people leave as offerings? It's a complicated part of Thai culture that has deep roots in Brahmin, Hindu and Buddhist religions, and plays an important part in how Thais see the luck and success - or lack thereof - of their households. We are also joined by J.J. Grill, one of two reviewers at a website called What We Went Through that aims to give an honest and impartial review of restaurants in Bangkok. No frills, no bias, just honest reporting about the level of service, food and value from a customer's point of view.

10 Juli 201147min

We're very happy to welcome back Phra Pandit, the British-born monk who joins us to talk about everything from Buddhist canon to nuclear power. Today, Phra Pandit talks with us about how Buddhism views science. Is it as hostile as some other religions often see it, or is it more of a peaceful co-existence? Are there areas which conflict with The Buddha's teachings, or does Buddhism take every new discovery in stride? Phra Pandit also educates us on why writing might not be the most reliable method to pass information down through generations, what Buddhism believes heaven and hell to be, whether or not we have a soul, and even a few theories on neuro-plasticity and something called the God Helmet.

3 Juli 201159min

The image of a beautiful Thai women is one that is known throughout the world; however, only slightly less well known is the image of a beautiful Thai women who was born a man. Call them what you willl - transexual, transgender, ladyboy, katoey - their place in Thai culture goes back thousands of years, but despite the history, and despite Thailand being very accepting of them, it's not always an easy life. On this episode we're joined by Ms. Prem, a transgender lady who was born a man but now lives as a woman. We have a fascinating chat with Prem about her life and the difficulties she faces everyday, not least of which is the perception that all transgenders are only capable of prostitution, beauty pagents, or hair salons. Prem - who has a very good job with a high-level international agency - has fought against this stereotype and has seen progress, although it's slow going. She also talks openly about how she grew up knowing she was different than other boys, how the media's perception of what is beautiful creates stereotypes, what it's like dating men who may or may not know her past, her experience fighting a military draft that labels all transgenders as mentally unstable, and what she thinks about *that scene* in the Hangover 2.

26 Juni 201150min

On today's episode we're joined by Brett Whiteside, one of the few foreigners in Thailand who teach Thai. Brett's road from wide-eyed tourist to competent speaker, translator, consultant and tutor is unique in that the only person he had help him was himself. Brett tells us the methods he learned to drill the new language into his head, from returning to the same restaurant over and over again, to refusing to learn transliteration, to watching Thai soap operas. Brett also explains why he doesn't think there's any such thing as 'bad Thai', and how a mnemonic story he created about a boy, a chicken, a turtle and a fish have helped all of his students become competent Thai speakers much faster than they expected. Tony and Greg also talk a bit about food delivery in Thailand, and why Pizza Company - despite protests from some - has the system nailed.

19 Juni 201149min

On this episode of Bangkok Podcast, we are very happy to welcome back Voranai Vanijaka, a columnist for the Bangkok Post whose articles focus on many of the most important issues facing Thai society today - politics, class struggle, stereotypes, corruption, and more. His writing is read by many who appreciate his no-nonsense style of facing problems head on and exploring some ugly truths; coincidentally, the same reason some are not fans of his articles. With the Thai election just around the corner, Voranai gives his view on the current landscape of Thai politics, what he thinks will happen after the election, why the election is about more than just one person, and how we all play a part in making sure Thailand moves forward instead of backward. We are also joined by Benjamin Lord, owner and head baker at Urban Pantry, Bangkok's best option for fans of bread - real bread. Ben started selling loaves to friends but word spread so quickly that he's now moving his kitchen-based business into its own shophouse. He brings some of his wares into the studio for Greg and Tony to try, who nearly forget about the podcast because they're so busy eating.

12 Juni 20111h 4min

On this week's episode of Bangkok Podcast, we are very happy to be joined by Ms. Kristie Kenney, the American Ambassador to Thailand. Formerly Ambassador to both Ecuadaor and the Philippines, she is a career diplomat with a deep understanding of geopolitics, history, and diplomacy, and is also the first female ambassador to the Land of Smiles. Kristie talks to Tony and Greg about a variety of topics: her very active Twitter account, American foreign policy, how outsourcing is affecting American competitiveness, and her advice to young Americans who might be a bit hesitant about leaving the comfort of home. We also touch on some more serious topics - America's voice in rights abuses in Thailand; the embarrasment of Wikileaks; and the rather broad methods that the US is using to deal with online piracy.  Also on the show is Berthe from ChickyNet, the first social network for women in Thailand, who tells us about how her frustration at the dearth of active women's networks in Thailand led her to create her own.

5 Juni 201146min

Thailand is a country that offers foreign film productions everything they need - amazing locations, skillful crew, talented actors and more. With foreign film productions come big money and jobs, so it's no wonder that the Thai government is pushing the country as a movie industry hub, but if you want to film here - who do you call? You call Chris Lowenstein, this week's guest. As one of the owners of Living Films, Chris is the main man when it comes to bringing in film productions - anything from small commercials to long-running television series to full-scale Hollywood blockbusters. His latest project is the mega Hollywood blockbuster "The Hangover Part 2", and Chris's roles as the film's line producer means he's in charge of everything that happens here: catering, work visas, film permits, transportation, hiring local crew. working with the cast and director to make sure everything's going smoothly, and more. Chris talks to us about the film industry in Thailand - what they're doing right, what they could improve, and what it's like working within a system that's notoriously fickle when it comes to censorship. He also tells us a few stories from The Hangover Part 2 such as how hard it was to shut down parts of Chinatown, and how a boat they hired in California ended up getting lost on a Chinese river. Greg also tells us about a baby shower that he attended where he was equal parts amused and horrified to find a piñata in the shape of a pregnant mermaid.

29 Maj 201159min

In our continuing series on learning Thai, we're joined by Dan Fraser - co-founder of Smiling Albino adventure travel company, film actor, television host, and of course, speaker of Thai. Dan gives us a very funny and insightful overview of the Thai language - how he learned it, how it's helped him, and the nuances and cultural queues that it takes its structure from. Dan tells us a few of his interesting stories about how Thai has both confounded and blessed him - from talking about unique architectural history, to muddling through 2 years of Thai with a fellow who (as it turns out) knew English, and talking about the monarchy on camera for his television show Long Krung using the nuanced and very sensitive dialect reserved for the royal family. Greg and Tony also go off on a tangent about good western movies, and recap the great time they had at their one-year anniversary party at Q Bar.

22 Maj 201157min