The Bangkok Double Pricing Debate (2.33)

In the wake of the terrible tragedy in Japan, we are extremely pleased to have with us on this show Phra Pandit, the British-born monk who first came on our show in episode 30. On this show, Greg and Tony ask Phra Pandit to give his views on how such a tragedy can affect people, and how religion - and Buddhism in particular - can either become the one things that helps people get through such a hard time, or ceases to mean anything to them at all. What did the Buddha say about grief? How does psychology fit into religious counseling? And how can people use Buddhism to give them inner strength in dire situations? We also get off on a tangent, and Phra Pandit will blow your mind with his in-depth knowledge of nuclear and solar power, the latest developments in the technology driving them both, and how he sometimes eats an entire pizza, but doesn't sweat the small stuff. Greg and Tony also recap their awesome Phrapradaeng jungle ride last week with some friends of the show.

20 Mars 201153min

The amount of foreigners who try to write a book about their craaaazy adventures in Thailand is only slightly larger than the amount who try to write hard-boiled fiction based in Bangkok, but among this group Christopher G. Moore stands out. Not only has his career as a writer thrived, but his 12-title Vincent Calvino series will soon be getting the big-time Hollywood treatment. Greg and Tony talk to Christopher about how Bangkok has changed in the 20-plus years that he's lived here, how the city's rich tapestry inspires his story lines and the structure of his books, what he does to make his characters believable, and what it's like getting shot at while doing research on a police ride-along. He also tells us what effect rapidly evolving technology is having on the publishing industry, and if he thinks we'll still be reading books in 10 years. Tony and Greg also talk about the tragic earthquake in Japan, and discuss an interesting and emotional new film made in Thailand about HIV-positive children who are making great strides despite their condition.

13 Mars 20110s

When you first come to Bangkok, everything is new and strange. Nothing makes sense, and even a trip to the corner store can be an adventure. But after a while, these things fade, and pretty soon, the things that made your eyes bug out when you first arrived become old hat and - dare I say - boring. That's why we wanted to talk to Megan Kobzej, a new transplant to Bangkok with a very entertaining blog that makes us think back to the halcyon days of our first arrival; when Bangkok was stil an unexplored realm and the possibilities were endless. Or, to put it a more cynical way, before the city made us jaded, bitter, grumpy expats. Anyway, Megan tells us what impresses her, what scares her, and why she's obsessed with chips (or crisps, if you're a Brit). She also gives us her opinion on Bangkok's nightlife, what it's like to face a cockraoch in your shower, and what her friends and family back home think of her life in Asia. We are also joined briefly by Patricia Weismantel from Spice Roads, the company that will be leading our bicycle tour of Prapadaeng on March 13, to explain the ride, and Tony gives Greg a special gift.

6 Mars 201144min

On this episode, we talk with Khun Bee, owner of Bangkok Matching, Bangkok's #1 premium marriage matchmaking service. It's a very different ball of wax from a simple dating site, and in a very interesting conversation, Khun Bee tells us how she got the idea for her business, some of the (often unrealistic) expectations her clients have, and a few of the surprising problems she encounters on a day-to-day basis. We also get an inside track into the sometimes brutal task of finding love - what happens when you want someone out of your league? How do you tell someone that no one's interested in them? And what happens if a date is a disaster? And to top it all of - Tony gives us his experiences as a client of Khun Bee's, and tells us what it was like going on 11 dates over a period of a few weeks, and why he now has the nickname "9-11". Greg also talks about his Restaurants of Bangkok Running Dinner experience, and we remind everyone about our upcoming Bangkok bicycle trip on March 13 - head to our Facebook page to sign up!

28 Feb 201153min

Continuing with our month of loooooove, this episode of Bangkok Podcast deals with the risks and rewards of online dating. Only ten years ago, meeting someone online was considered a bit of a nerdy way to find a mate, but today, it's almost considered strange to meet people in real life. Add to that the stereotypes and gossip of finding love in Thailand, and it can quickly become a bit complicated. To see what all the fuss about, Tony went and signed up for a few dating services to find out what kind of attention his profile would get. He talks about which sites he chose, how each one works, what types of response he got and, more importantly, from what types of women. Greg... well, if you listen to the show on a regular basis, you'll know that due to his upcoming nuptials, Greg had to sit this one out and live vicariously through Tony. Tony also tells us about his recent visa run to Vientiane, how he miscalcuated the expiry date of his visa, and had lunch with one of our listeners!

20 Feb 201151min

Argh! Yet another wacky cable problem has made Greg and Tony's voices sound weird and echoey, but never fear! Our esteemed guest's voice came through loud and clear. On this episode - the second of four in our Valentine's-themed month of February - we are joied by Kaewmala, author of the fun, sexy, and educational book 'Thai Sex Talk'. She is also a noted commentator on social issues, prolific blogger, talented translator and all-around cool woman. She educates Greg and Tony on all the nuances of sexuality, flirting, dating and love in Thai culture, and helps us understand some of the more complex facets of the area, such as why so many beautiful, smart, funny, middle-class women in Thailand remain single, and some of the hangups and problems that foreign men find when they approach them. Greg and Tony also announce the next Bangkok Podcast get-together - a guided bike ride to one of Bangkok's hidden gems, the lush and peaceful semi-island of Prapradaeng.

13 Feb 201152min

To start off our month of luuuve, Bangkok Podcast will be talking about the who, why, how and how much of Thai weddings. Despite some strange microphone issues in this episode, we are joined by Jason and Nim, two friends of Greg's who got married last year. They join us to discuss what their wedding was like, which ceremonial and traditional aspects it included, how it differes from western weddings, and how Jason dealt with the well known phrase 'When you marry a Thai woman, you also marry her family.' Greg and Tony also discuss the latest political developments in Egypt, what it means for the region, and how online tools and social media are once again showing the power they have in disrupting long-established ways of oppressing the masses, as well as rising up against that very same oppression.

7 Feb 201155min

It's a strata of expat life that few of us have to deal with on anything more than an administrative level, but the particulars of how two countries interract and overlap is a complicated Venn diagram that needs to be carefully controlled. On this episode, Tony and Greg are honoured to be joined by Ron Hoffmann, Canadian Ambassador to Thailand. We talk about a whole range of subjects - what his day-to-day roles are, how Thailand compares to his previous posting in Afghanistan, what he thinks of the whole Wikileaks debate, and how no one knows just how deep and complex the relationship between Thailand and Canada is. We are also joined by Willem Deenik, Managing Director of Restaurants of Bangkok, the best place to find online information, reviews and great deals at restaurants throughout the city. He lets us know how users can benefit from his website, as well as some of the interesting dining-centered events coming up.

29 Jan 20111h 2min