Bangkok Podcast 29: Thai Language Series 7

Please help us by taking our first Bangkok Podcast listener survey! Click here to get started, it only takes a few minutes. Everyone who fills it out will get 50,000 baht!* Greg and Ed discuss the current state of Thai tourism and whether the recovery is behind or ahead of predictions. Ed begins by citing a chart for the last full pre-COVID year of 2019, when Thailand came very close to having 40 million foreign tourists. Shockingly, that number went to nearly zero in 2020 and 2021, and the recovery began slowly in 2022. So where are we now? Well, in short, the prediction is that 2023 will see about 25 million tourists, roughly 60% of pre-COVID numbers. The guys admit this is probably ahead of schedule, given previous expectations, and do their best to explain what's going on. Ed notes that there are thousands of Russians and Ukrainians fleeing the war, which has probably boosted numbers somewhat. He even reads an article about the exploding real estate prices in Phuket, due to the influx of Russians with money. Greg then reviews the up and down nature of Chinese tourism, which has recently jumped due to relaxed visa restrictions. Regardless of the reasons though, the current outlook for Thai tourism is a rosy one. Greg then raises the important question of overall tourism numbers, and whether that really should be the goal anyway. "Overtourism" has been an issue raised on the show several times before, and unfortunately it seems as if the Tourism Authority of Thailand is still focused on total numbers, to the detriment of other issues such as the quality of the experience and potential harm to infrastructure and the Thai environment. The guys finish with a bat signal to Stuart of Travelfish to come back on the show and give us his take. Or should it be a fish signal? Either way, we need Stuart! *This is not even remotely true 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.

17 Okt 202337min

Please help us by taking our first Bangkok Podcast listener survey! Click here to get started, it only takes a few minutes. Everyone who fills it out will get 50,000 baht!* This is the second part of Greg's interview with resident Thai language expert Stu Jay Raj, in which Stu critiques a conversation that Greg had in Thai with a co-worker. The two begin by discussing the unusual role that linguists have in digging deep into exactly why language works the way it does, something the average person never thinks about. He even contends most linguists could be on the autism spectrum! As for specific advice, Stu begins a fascinating explanation that Thai doesn't really have a word that means 'yes' directly; the word 'chai' actually translates more closely to the English expression 'it is.' Hence, to indicate an affirmative response, Thais will simply repeat the verb used in a question. This fascinating difference with English is continued with a discussion of other ways to indicate agreement, with words that sound almost equivalent to a grunt in English. As always, the context and nuance dictate the appropriate meaning, and what us foreigners are taught in class is often an oversimplification of a complicated concept. The lesson continues with more useful advice on improving your Thai. One thing for sure, there's a lot more going on in Thai conversations than is immediately apparent when you are just a basic speaker of Thai! 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. *This is not even remotely true.

10 Okt 202336min

This week it's Greg's turn to feel the wrath/wisdom of our in-house Thai language guru, Stu Jay Raj. After Ed did it a few months ago, our listeners have been waiting for Greg to take the hot seat, so here it is. Greg recorded a short conversation with his friend Tong, and the show starts with a replay of that conversation. Greg begins by self-flagellating, but Stu tries to buck him up and reassure him that there's nothing to be embarrassed about. Stu begins by pointing out Greg's choppy way of speaking, something that Greg himself had noticed when listening to himself. This creates a problem in Thai, where length of vowels is extremely important to clarity. Another thing Stu points out is Greg's use of the Thai 'meuan gan', when he really should just have used 'meuan' alone, which Stu explains with a lesson in colloquial semantics. The feedback continues, with Stu sometimes emphasizing pronunciation, but also focusing on the nuances of word usage and colloquialisms. While most non-native speakers fret over tones, which Stu admits are important, he seems to focus more on choosing the correct word for a particular context. The targeted advice continues next week in Part 2 of this interview. 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.

3 Okt 202346min

In a return to our Thai history series, Greg tells the story of a massive truck bomb in Bangkok - that never exploded. In March of 1994, a U-Haul-style truck pulled out of the parking lot of Central Chidlom department store and accidentally struck a motorcycle driven by a 21-year old named Boonsern, who will become the unlikely hero of our story. The truck tried to flee, but a number of other motorbike guys forced the truck to stop. The driver of the truck was a foreigner and couldn't speak Thai and convinced Boonsern and other witnesses to let him go into Central Chidlom to make a phone call. However, the driver never returned and effectively disappeared into the ether. However, when police opened up the now-abandoned truck, they found an insanely huge bomb that most likely would have decimated much of downtown Bangkok! Although the exact target of the truck bomb has never been proven definitively, Thai police eventually focused on two suspects, one of whom was captured and served 4 years in prison. It is surmised that most likely the terrorists were targeting the Israeli Embassy, which was not far away. Although 'almost' stories usually aren't too exciting, in this case we are happy that the climax never actually happened and Bangkok dodged a massive tragedy. 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.

26 Sep 202329min

Greg interviews our senior legal correspondent Dave Lawrence from Pegleg Legal about a very important but often put off issue: getting a will in Thailand. Dave begins by discussing general concerns that might apply in any jurisdiction, not just Thailand. For example, anything of value that is 'titled' with the government, such as land or cars, and then also bank and investment accounts, should be dealt with first. Next, Dave suggests considering 'heirloom' gifts, objects that might have family or sentimental value. And then, although unpleasant to think about, comes questions about what type of funeral service you want. Are you a 'toss me to the wind over the ocean' kind of person or do you prefer to be deep underground? Grim, but these decisions need to be made. Dave makes clear something that may just be the most important decision - choosing a responsible executor, who is going to be the main person to interface with the probate court, a requirement in Thailand. Greg and Dave discuss the difficulties entailed in finding the right person and how it might be best to defer to a professional, such as a lawyer or other person with experience. The guys go on to examine other issues such as contesting wills and how family law (such as marriage, divorce, and children) intersects with the law of probate in Thailand. You might not want to do it, but now might be a good time to start thinking about the inevitable! :) 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.

19 Sep 202345min

This week Greg and Ed take a page from a regular segment on the bonus show and challenge each other with some trivia questions, spanning Thai history, geography, religion, pop culture, and language. The guys begin by trading questions about Thailand's provinces, Ed with a question about provinces bordering Cambodia, and Greg with a question about provinces bordering Bangkok. Next is language, with Ed bringing up the source of Thai script and Greg coincidentally asking about the discovery of the stone upon which the script was found. When it comes to history, Ed turns to the famous Victory Monument, and Greg nails that it commemorates Thailand's victory over the French in a brief war in Laos. Greg instead stumps Ed with a question he should have known about the history of Thonburi. In response, Ed asks Greg about the most important Buddhist holiday, Visakha Bucha Day, and Greg retaliates with a question about the temptations the Buddha faced under the Bodhi tree. Last but not least, Ed asks a pop culture question about the movie 'Suriyothai,' and Greg turns to the popular Miss Universe pageant to close out the show. If you thought being challenged on your knowledge of Thailand was fun, become a patron and check out our regular Trivial Thai segment. 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.

12 Sep 202341min

Ed interviews recurring guest of the show Phra Pandit on meditation retreats. This is Part Two of a two part series; Part One is a basic introduction to meditation. The discussion begins with Phra Pandit giving some very solid advice for choosing a retreat: make sure you know the accommodations, including food and lodging, are at least adequate. Later he makes clear that luxury isn't the way to go, but sharing a tent while covered in mosquitoes may not be the best way to begin your journey to inner peace. Next, Ed brings up the one ten-day meditation retreat he did a long while ago, and Phra Pandit stresses the importance of knowing all the rules you must follow while in attendance. The monk believes that in general stricter is better (go big or go home!), with silence being an absolute must. While some of the rules might seem a bit cultish, Phra Pandit notes that temporary restrictions for a few days does not a cult make! Ed then turns to the expert to explain some of the weird (and sometimes frightening) mental experiences he had on his long retreat. Phra Pandit uses Ed's experience as a way to illustrate a few important concepts relating to Buddhist philosophy and theory of meditation. A psychedelic of your choice may help the episode go down a bit better. Just sayin'. 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.

5 Sep 202349min

In this show Greg and Ed respond to the opinions of our, ahem, massive group of followers on LINE about prices in Thailand: specifically both what is cheaper than you would expect and what is more expensive than you would expect. Ed starts things off with a general mini-rant about fruit. In semi-tropical Thailand, wouldn't it make sense that fruit was both plentiful and cheap? Not so Ed claims, even for such famed Thai fruits as the mango, which can be quite expensive off season. Greg opines that it depends where you go. The comments from listeners certainly run the gamut, with most examples being things that are more expensive than expected. Examples include imported textbooks, gourmet food, public transportation, gym memberships, coffee, pizza, and the old classic, wine, due to insane import duties. While a lot of things are cheap in Thailand, a few things are even cheaper than one would expect. Examples from our listeners are public utilities such as water, gas and diesel fuel, boob jobs (!), laundromats, and domestic airline flights. The general consensus seems to be that the cost of living has risen, but Thailand still manages to shine as a total package compared to most other options for expats. Hence, we're staying. :) 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.

29 Aug 202338min