Greg & Ed Return to Thailand With a Few Thoughts on Travel [S6.E52]

The guys trade stories about their recent trips, Greg to Canada and Ed to Singapore. Ed begins with a few observations about the island nation. First, Singapore lived up to its reputation of being clean and orderly. Everything from the airport to the streets operated smoothly, and the population seemed to obey all the traffic laws all the time. This was a clear contrast with Bangkok, where traffic laws are contextual options.  Second, the technology was more advanced than Thailand and probably even the United States. Ed relates a story of a restaurant with no cashier at all, where all the transactions take place electronically, from ordering to payment.  Third, Ed notes a surprise: Singapore was not as socially conservative as he expected. Sex shops were not uncommon, some women dressed surprisingly racily, and bars and booze seemed to be everywhere. All hope for Singapore is apparently not lost. Greg then makes a few observations about Canada. Surprisingly, he also noted scantily clad women in public. While the bare midriff is not uncommon in Bangkok, compared to most westernized places, Thai women dress fairly modestly. The frequency of tattoos was also more common, and worse, many of them looked pretty ugly, much to Greg’s chagrin, making him re-think his plan to get his own ink done. Greg also was reminded of a classic ‘nice’ Canadian practice: the friendly wave. While Thais are experts at smiling, the friendly wave is not really a Thai thing. If Greg has his way, though, he’ll bring this Canadian gem to Thailand, just like maple syrup! 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.

Om Podcasten

Online since 2010! Greg Jorgensen and Ed Knuth have been knocking around Bangkok since the turn of the century. Exploring dark corners, eating amazing food, and interacting with fascinating people, the two have gotten to know and love Thailand's capital in all its confusing, mysterious glory. Every week they chat about topics near and dear to those living here, those visiting here, or those who are just curious about what it's like to live in Asia's craziest city. Want to explore Bangkok on your own? Check out Greg's self-guided audio tours on Voice Map! https://voicemap.me/publisher/greg-jorgensen