Murder in Thailand: Kevin Maes Talks About His Book "Kingdom of Trials" [S8.E15]

Well folks, after much discussion and late night Skype dates, Greg and Tony have unfortunately decided that Bangkok Podcast has reached the end. As you've no doubt heard us talk about before, putting a podcast together takes a lot of time and effort, and time is something that both Greg and Tony have very little of these days. So, it's time to hang up the ol' mics. But with one last show left, we talk a bit about Greg's recent trip to Macau, Tony's upcoming trip to Bangkok, and a great new e-book by a local blogger called 101 Things to Do In Thailand that can help fill the void left by the podcast closing up shop. But we'll both still be around on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and various other online haunts - just because the podcast is over doesn't mean the journey is done! (cue some righteous 80's hair metal ballad). A very sincere thanks to all of our past guests, listeners, supporters and fans who have helped make the show such an enjoyable thing to do since our very first show on May 3, 2010. We hope to see you all again - if not in real life, then definitely online.

5 Jan 201320min

This episode of Bangkok Podcast comes a bit late due mostly to the fact that both Tony and Greg have new jobs and are working like crazy men. Crazy men! But thankfully this nutty city still gives us enough to talk about. On this episode we're joined by Ali Weiner, who is organizing an amazing event for a very good cause. In an effort to raise awareness of the dangers and realities of human trafficking and to meet their goal of raising $100,000 dollars for various charities, her, her friend, and as many others as want to join, are going to walk from Bangkok to Three Pagoda's pass on the Thai Burmese border. That's right - walk the whole way. Ali tells us how the idea came about, describes the route she'll take, and lets us know how we can help. In fact - if you want to join her on her walk, feel free! Greg and Tony also talk about three news stories that have been burning up the news lately - the incredible amount of rain Bangkok is has been getting of late (which hopefully won't be enough to cause more floods this year); a reduction in the price of the poorly-conceived airport rail link to help boost ridership (the reduction is only good for a few hours during the middle of the day); and the newest beauty product to hit the market, vagina whitening cream (note to girls everywhere: No. No. No). And don't forget to check out our sponsor, the Bangkok Tree House, which goes above and beyond when it comes to serving amazing meals using locally-grown ingredients.

3 Okt 201234min

On this show Greg and Tony welcome back past guest Paul Garrigan who joins us to talk about his new adventure as a muay thai fighter. While always harbouring the dream of stepping into the ring Paul was reluctant to start training as a fighter believing he was too old. However he learned that once he got into the ring and overcame a series of injuries, boxing became a form of meditation for him.

2 Sep 201248min

If you’ve been following the Thai news over the past few months, you might have heard about the big constitutional court crises a few weeks ago. As with many things in Thailand lately, it was a very he said/she said kind of debate with very high stakes. People were predicting doom! Riots! Chaos! Cats and dogs living together! Thankfully, in a very Thai outcome, the court came down squarely in the middle so that neither side won and neither side lost. It might come as a shock, but neither Tony nor Greg are scholars of Thai politics or law, but they know someone who is! For the first part of the show we welcome our friend Saksith Saiyasombut, a blogger, journalist and all-around nice guy who has reported extensively on the uh, entertaining Thai political scene over the past few years. He joins us on Skype from Germany (excuse the fuzzy call quality) and fills us in on what exactly the hubbub was about, what the decision means, and what happens next. The other topic we wanted to get into for this show is something that we get asked a lot – just how expensive is it to live in Bangkok? Dreams of $5 hotels rooms and $1 feasts still somehow fill the brains of the never-ending stream of visitors, but unfortunately, price-wise, Bangkok ain’t what it was 20 years ago. Today, it’s a major Asian metropolis, a global transport hub, and home to big industry and big money. Tony and Greg go over what it takes to live in Bangkok from month-to-month with a comfortable western lifestyle. From groceries to entertainment to rent to maids, there’s a lot to take into account. www.bangkokpodcast.com

1 Aug 20121h 5min

Welcome back! Ten months after our last regular show, Tony and Greg are back with a new format but the same focus - Bangkok in all its wonderful, weird, awesome, odd glory. With Tony in Japan (but still heavily involved in Thailand) and Greg now married and busy with a variety of projects, a weekly hour-long show just isn't possible anymore. However, with the magic of Skype and a few new high-quality microphones, we decided that a monthly show focussing on the Big Mango's top stories would be a nice way to ease back into the podcast bath (uhh...so to speak). On our first show back, we talk about two of the top stories that have been burning up social media and coffee houses this month. First is the Thailand's Got Talent show in which a nice young lady came on stage and proceeded to strip off her shirt and bra, dump paint all over her chest, and rub her boobies on a big canvas! Art or trash? Well, watch the clip on Youtube and decide for yourself. Whatever it was, the powers that be certainly weren't pleased - and it got even stranger when it came out that the TV show had paid the girl to do it! Next we talk about a CNNGo article titled How to be a Bangkok Local: Ten Tips on Faking It, a humorous, tongue-in-cheek jab at some of Bangkok's stereotypes and eccentricities. But apparently, subtle humour and sly satire don't translate too well into Thai and the story was soon the talk of the town, with people accusing the (Thai) author of being a traitor, of insulting the country, and being just a very rude person. Of course, there were those who 'got it' and thought the story was funny, but that didn't do anything to quell the back-and-forth on the comment section. We are also happy to mention our partnership with Coconuts Bangkok, the city's newest news and reviews website, which we browse to see what people are talking about. Head on over and see the most up to date information on everything Bangkok. We also wanted to send a big thanks to our sponsor, the Bangkok Treehouse, an environmentally friendly retreat in the heart of Phrapradaeng, a lush expanse of jungle just across the river from Bangkok. It's a beautiful and peaceful place to escape the city, with awesome food and some pretty badass surroundings. As they say on their website, it's a view with a room, a very apt description. And don't forget our random plug of the month - PechaKucha, a fun and cool presentation event taking place in Bangkok on July 9. Check it out online (https://www.facebook.com/PechaKuchaBangkok) and if you feel like seeing Greg make a fool of himself, come down to check it out - he'll be one of the presenters!

1 Juli 201234min

On this special INTER-CONTINENTAL episode of Bangkok Podcast, Greg and Tony connect via Skype to talk about Greg's recent wedding.  Getting married in Thailand is a very ceremonial process that involves two ceremonies, 9 monks, and hundreds/thousands/millions of baht in dowry (prices vary greatly). Greg talks about what he went through with his wedding, from his first day of planning as an ultra-naive n00b to a happily married man. There's lots to consider - should you get a wedding planner or not? How many people will you invite? Will it be the oh-so-romantic beach wedding or a more traditional hotel ballroom event? What do you do about gifts? It all worked out wonderfully for Greg and Aom, but it was a lot of work and toil. Greg and Tony also discuss the latest topics in Thailand from what the Thai government is doing to assure Japanese investors that their factories won't be flooded out again, to how it's possible to lose and recover 13 million baht in gold in a taxi. Greg also gives us an update on his latest project - Bangkok Scientifique.

16 Mars 201252min

Welcome back to Bangkok Podcast! Since Tony had to come through the 'Kok again, we thought we'd dust off the old equipment and record a quick reunion show! On this episode, we're joined by past guest Hamish Chalmers, who tells us his amazing story about escaping the recent floods that devastated central Thailand. Hamish went to bed one night, and woke up the next morning in the middle of a lake. He tells us about his flight to dry land, and how not fun it was wading through waist-high pitch-black water in his pitch-black neighborhood with his wife, baby daughter, and dog in tow. It was anything but safe - and that's before you factor in the crocodiles and snakes that were floating around. We are also joined by Michael Biedassek from Bangkok Vanguards, a community of like-minded young guys who want to create a real community around Bangkok that involves charity, exploration, and making friends around the world. Michael tells of their recent program 'Wipe the Tide' which saw over 2 million baht raised for flood relief.

27 Dec 20111h 21min

Well, the time has come. With Tony moving to Japan and Greg's wedding quickly approaching, geography and limitations on free time have conspired to take Bangkok Podcast off the air - for now. On this episode, Tony and Greg discuss the Bangkok Podcast Farewell Dinner, go over some of their favorite shows from the past, get into a few details on what it took to put a show together, and thank a few very important people who worked with us behind the scenes to make sure the podcast grew.  We also want to say a special thanks to each of our guests, who came on the show in their free time and gave people a glimpse into the cool personalities that help make Bangkok such a great city. Thanks again everyone - keep your Bangkok Podcast iTunes, Facebook and Twitter links active - we might be back sooner than you think.

11 Sep 201137min