Best Greg Jorgensen Amp Ed Knuth Podcasts (2025)

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Road Blocks: The Big Issues That Thailand Needs to Solve [S8.E20] 36:15

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3h ago36:15

36:15

Greg and Ed discuss an article on Ajarn.com by Dr. Jesse Sessions called "What Does the Future Hold" which discusses some of the bigger problems currently facing Thailand and how they might impact the country's prosperity, competitiveness and social longevity. The guys walk through the issues one by one and give their take on its significance, The …

1
Heritage & Culture: How Siri Sala Private Thai Villa Preserves the Past for the Future [S8.E19] 47:32

7d ago47:32

47:32

There's a lot of great buildings and great history that has been bulldozed over in Bangkok, so it's nice when we see someone going the extra mile to actually preserve both an historic physical space as well as the stories and history behind it. On this show Greg interviews Art and Irma, owners of Siri Sala Private Thai Villa, located off of Charan …

1
Great Thailand Advice We Ignored…But Shouldn't Have [S8.E18] (ReCast) 34:04

9d ago34:04

34:04

As Thailand starts got back to bid-ness after COVID, there were a whole lot of n00bs coming in to tour, work and live. Most who have been here for a while already remember what an overwhelming experience Bangkok was in the early days, and how helpful it was to make a network of friends that you could turn to for advice. Of course, not all advice is…

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Summing Up: Giving Bangkok's Ubiquitous Malls Some Slogans [S8.E17] 42:10

16d ago42:10

42:10

This week Greg and Ed have a bit of fun revisiting an old blog post from Greg about what would be the best slogans for various malls around Bangkok. As most listeners know, Bangkok may very well be the capital city of malls and mall culture, and each mall seems to have its own identity. The guys walk through Greg's somewhat salty slogans from ten y…

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Avoiding the Newbie Drama: Are Long-Term Expats Just Lucky? [S8.E16] 30:42

24d ago30:42

30:42

We've all seen the incredible amount of drama that can go down if you don't run a tight ship in Thailand - everything from visa worries and bank problems to relationship blow-ups and trouble with the law. But it seems that a huge proportion of this drama is reserved for people relatively new to Thailand. Greg and Ed discuss why, as long-term expats…

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Murder in Thailand: Kevin Maes Talks About His Book "Kingdom of Trials" [S8.E15] 1:01:58

1M ago1:01:58

1:01:58

In a special episode, Greg and Ed interview Kevin Maes in Kevin's own podcast studio on Rama IV. Kevin is a long-time expat in Thailand hailing from Belgium who became entangled in a very unfortunate crime drama and subsequently wrote a book about it called 'Kingdom of Trials,' which is now available on Amazon. Kevin begins with his Thai 'origin st…

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Talking with Phra Pandit: Amulets, Talismans, Relics & Faith [S8.E14] (Classic ReCast) 36:38

1M ago36:38

36:38

It's been a while, but one of our favorite semi-regular guests is back! Bangkok Podcast's official Buddhist correspondent, Phra Pandit, welcomed Greg at his temple to talk about amulets, talismans, and Buddhist relics - and what ties them all together. The burning question Greg had was - if seemingly every third temple claims to have a piece of Bud…

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Greg & Ed Opine on BBC's 'Documentary' and Media Misconceptions of Thailand [S8.E13) 41:50

2M ago41:50

41:50

Greg and Ed discuss the recent BBC 'documentary' called 'The Dark Side of Paradise' and what it says about media representation of Thailand. Ed explains that the recently aired 3-episode series has been getting a LOT of blowback on expat social media. The series depicts Zara, a young British woman, on her first trip to Thailand, ostensibly to repor…

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Chatwan Mongkok Digs Into Bangkok with His 'Soiciety' Newsletter [S8.E12] 42:26

2M ago42:26

42:26

Greg and Ed interview Chatwan Mongkol about his relatively new website called 'Soiciety.' Chatwan begins by explaining that he was born and raised in Thailand but then went to the U.S. for a year of high school and stayed on for university. He majored in journalism and (shock!) subsequently worked for several news outlets in the Northeast. During h…

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Grave Topic: Discussing Bangkok's Protestant & Chinese Cemeteries [S8.E11] 32:28

2M ago32:28

32:28

Diving into the differences between East & West, Greg and Ed discuss two famous cemeteries in Bangkok. Ed takes the Teochiew Chinese Cemetery off of Sathorn Road, and Greg talks about the Protestant Cemetery in the Baan Mai neighborhood not too far from Asiatique on Charoen Krung Road. Ed begins by explaining that Thai Buddhists in general practice…

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Can Bangkok Be Enjoyed Without Booze? [S8.E10] 29:24

2M ago29:24

29:24

Greg and Ed discuss a much neglected topic in Bangkok expat life: how to survive as someone who doesn't drink alcohol. Everyone knows that Bangkok has an epic nightlife, but much of that experience revolves around alcohol consumption. The guys discuss the option of going to the usual places and merely opting out of drink, but they also admit that f…

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Don't Do These Things: How to Earn an Expat Demerit Badge [S8.E9] (Classic ReCast) 37:03

2M ago37:03

37:03

In a follow-up to previous episodes on expat 'Merit Badges,' Greg and Ed discuss 'DEmerit Badges,' mistakes that long term expats make that they should NOT make. In other words, if you've lived in Thailand for a while, and you act like a n00b, you deserve a demerit. Greg begins with the classic fashion faux-pas of all foreigners in Thailand for mor…

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Bangkok Smackdown: Lumphini Park vs Benjakitti Park [S8.E8] 39:07

3M ago39:07

39:07

Greg and Ed discuss the pros and cons of Lumphini and Benjakitti parks in central Bangkok, and best of all - you get to vote for your favorite by clicking here! The boys begin almost with a disclaimer: both parks are genuinely awesome, and there's no way to definitely declare one park obviously superior to another. Nevertheless, each has its streng…

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Tourism Challenge: Comparing Thailand to Europe as a Traveler [S8.E7] 58:23

3M ago58:23

58:23

While Greg is travelling in Canada, Ed interviews old friend of the podcast Jonathan about his recent trip to Europe. Jon and his Thai wife Poom spent a couple weeks on vacation, first in Paris and then in Poland. Jon begins talking about the multicultural nature of Paris, something he's familiar with as a native New Yorker. He and his wife revelle…

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The Gun Show: How a Few Thai Cannons Helped Shape History [S8.E6] (Classic ReCast) 26:49

3M ago26:49

26:49

We return to our Thai history series with a fascinating look at the role that several Thai cannons played in some important historical events. First, with the help of a cool blog on Thai history from our friend Ken Lohatepanont, Greg tells the story of some silver cannons gifted by King Narai of Siam to Louis XIV of France. It turns out that during…

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Second Opinions and Jedi Lies: Stories from Bangkok's Hospitals [S8.E5] (Classic ReCast) 46:13

3M ago46:13

46:13

Sooner or later, we all spend some time in the hospital, so Greg and Ed riff on their myriad experiences in Bangkok hospitals over the years. But before we get into that, we should note - due to Thailand's strict defamation laws, some of the places we talk about will remain nameless. But with that out of the way, we can say that Thailand in general…

1
When Jaded Expats Wrongly Predict Thai Failures [S8.E4] 32:14

4M ago32:14

32:14

Greg and Ed discuss something that is more common than many people think: being wrong about expecting some Thai government project or initiative to fail. It's pretty easy, as expats often fall into the rut of cynicism about the Thai government sticking to a plan and actually getting stuff done, but the truth is, Thailand sometimes gets stuff right!…

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CRINGE: Tales of Trying to Fit in to Thai Culture & Failing Badly [S8.E3] 30:35

4M ago30:35

30:35

Greg and Ed discuss a few of the many 'cringe' moments they have experienced over the years in failing to fit into Thai culture or 'do the right thing' according to Thai society. Ed begins with the 'classics,' mistakes that probably most expats make, such as wai-ing a person younger than you are, accidentally pointing the bottom of your feet toward…

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Justin Dunne on Bangkok's Red-Hot Culinary Scene [S8.E2] 56:17

4M ago56:17

56:17

Greg interviews repeat guest Justin Dunne, who previously appeared on Season 6, Episode 24, discussing his cool side project 'Bangkok Haunts.' Justin's main gig is to be a legend of the Food & Beverage scene in Bangkok, having been the GM of the epic Bed Supperclub back in the day, and many more bars and restaurants between then and now. Oh yeah, h…

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Looking Back, Looking Forward: What's Next for S8 [S8.E1] 1:03:50

5M ago1:03:50

1:03:50

Greg and Ed introduce Season 8 of the podcast first by looking back and all that has been achieved. Greg runs through some crazy stats, just a few of which are that there have been a total of 885 shows and more than 1.6 million (!) total streams or downloads. Insane! Next, the guys check in with Season 1 co-host Tony Joh and frequent podcast guest …

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Dating in Bangkok: Expat Women Share Their Stories - Part 1 [S7.E76] (Classic ReCast) 46:21

5M ago46:21

46:21

Greg and Ed do a first for the the show, with a panel discussion with four guests! Why four? Well, everyone knows that cliche about Bangkok being a heaven for expat men, but we didn't know much about expat women. It stands to reason that one woman can't speak for all women, so we upped the game a bit. After some introductions, we get into the meat …

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Western Weddings vs Thai Weddings: Which is More Fun? [S7.E75] 27:31

5M ago27:31

27:31

Greg and Ed discuss a fascinating question: Are Thai weddings or American weddings more fun? The question was raised after Greg attended the wedding of friend of the podcast Daniel Fraser. As everyone knows, Dan is a legit expert on travel in Thailand, in addition to being a bit of a celebrity in the country due to his appearances in various TV sho…

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Thai Tourism: Is the Downward Trend Here to Stay? [S7.E74] 31:53

5M ago31:53

31:53

Greg and Ed discuss the recent troubling decrease in overall Thai tourism numbers. In general, since COVID, the Thai tourism industry has bounced back quite well, and projections were that 2025 numbers would exceed the pre-COVID peak of 39 million visitors. However, starting at the end of last year, numbers didn't meet expectations, and since then …

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Stolen English: A Few Words That Thai Has Fully Thai-ified [S7.E73] 45:48

6M ago45:48

45:48

Greg and Ed tackle a frustrating aspect of learning Thai - borrowed English words that are pronounced according to the rules normally applied to native Thai words. Ed makes clear they are not just talking about accent or 'prosody' - the cadence of pronunciation - but actually specific changes to pronunciation that are part of the rules of the Thai …

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Making Thai Subtitles: Culture, Slang & Curse Words [S7.E72] (Classic ReCast) 37:18

6M ago37:18

37:18

In this month's Classic Recast, Greg interviews Palm, a professional translator of English to Thai, but in a very specific context: subtitles for film and television. Palm begins by explaining that she literally learned English by being a couch potato and watching a lot of Western TV shows and movies, surviving by figuring out the subtitles word by…

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Are Int'l School Fees a Scam? Stu Jay Raj Crunches the Numbers [S7.E71] 58:08

6M ago58:08

58:08

After his latest video dropped and generated a lot of buzz, Greg and Ed interview Stu Jay Raj, the podcast's Thai language expert, but this time Stu explains his new video and website discussing the cost of international school in Thailand. As most people are aware, the Thai public school system is not particularly strong, especially for students l…

1
A Few Western Staples Thai Cuisine Refuses to Embrace [S7.E70] 37:28

6M ago37:28

37:28

Thai cuisine is remarkably good at adopting flavors and ingredients into its fold, but there are some that just have not made the cut. In a city where you can find almost any type of food from around the world, certain Western foods seem to get embraced by Thais, while others don't. For example, while not SUPER popular, both pizza and hamburgers ar…

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Phra Pandit Joins to Discuss the Mixing of Monks and Politics [S7.E69] 49:48

6M ago49:48

49:48

Greg interviews Phra Pandit about Buddhist monks and politics. Greg begins by framing the issue around the recent tumultuous nature of politics around the world. Could Buddhist calmness provide an answer? Well, Phra Pandit begins by making clear that under the rules of the Sangha as interpreted in Thailand, monks are definitely not permitted to bec…

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Gotcha! Ten Situations When the Score is Bangkok 1, You 0 [S7.E68] (Classic Recast) 43:09

7M ago43:09

43:09

Bangkok's a big city that's got her own rules. You can try to fight them, but in the end, in certain situations, no matter how much you beg and plead, Bangkok wins, and you lose. Greg and Ed discuss ten ways Bangkok can own you: frustrating 'gotchas' that are devilishly difficult to avoid. Even veterans of the city with tons of experience still som…

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Action Figure Overload: How Accurate Are the Thai Versions of the Viral AI Trend? [S7.E67] 44:38

7M ago44:38

44:38

Greg and Ed jump on the bandwagon and discuss the recent trend of images of 'action figures' generated by AI. ChatGPT especially seems quite good at creating semblances of plastic blister packs filled with dolls and accessories that might go along with them. Hence, the guys take a look at 9 different images based on Thai stereotypes before offering…

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Interesting Friends And Strange Characters: Expat Connections [S7.E66] 42:32

7M ago42:32

42:32

Greg and Ed discuss some interesting expats they have met over the years - both good and bad - and what lessons they have managed to glean from them. Thailand is a bit of a strange stew of expats; with many different types of people coming together in a foreign land, you are apt to meet and/or befriend people in Thailand that you never would back h…

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Myanmar Quakes & Bangkok Shakes: Thoughts on the March 28 Earthquake [S7.E65] 35:41

7M ago35:41

35:41

Greg and Ed address the unavoidable topic du jour: the earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28 that was felt all the way to Bangkok. Greg begins by pointing out that even though much ink and many words have already been spilled on the topic, listeners may be concerned about traveling to Bangkok now or the safety of Bangkok's buildings in general…

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Sopping, Soggy, Sodden, Soaking Songkran: The Thai New Year is Here! [S7.E64] 39:00

8M ago39:00

39:00

With the big holiday nearly here, Greg and Ed reminisce about their various Songkran experiences over the years. Ed notes that last year was a breakthrough year: he actually went out and 'threw water' for the first time in many years and had a blast. Greg points out that it's pretty common for expats to love Songkran at first, but then quickly swit…

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Second Opinions & Jedi Lies: Stories From Bangkok's Hospitals [S7.E63] (Classic Recast) 45:35

8M ago45:35

45:35

A fabulous re-cast episode from season 3! Sooner or later, we all spend some time in the hospital, so Greg and Ed riff on their myriad experiences in Bangkok hospitals over the years. But before we get into that, we should note - due to Thailand's strict defamation laws, some of the places we talk about will remain nameless. But with that out of th…

1
The Russians are Coming! What the Influx Means for Phuket [S7.E62] 26:43

8M ago26:43

26:43

Greg and Ed discuss the massive influx of Russians (and some Ukrainians) into Thailand, particularly the island of Phuket. Numerous stories have been written in the last year about the unusually high number of long-stay tourists and expats who appear to be escaping the conflict in Europe, some even calling the trend an 'invasion'. No doubt the sunn…

1
Bangkok Pains: Distilling Bangkok Into a Board Game [S7.E61] 44:54

8M ago44:54

44:54

Greg interviews Tim Swainson and his team at creative agency Invisible Ink about their Thai-centric board game, 'Bangkok Pains.' The show begins with introductions from the creative team at Invisible Ink, and Tim then gets into explaining the game. The first rule of Bangkok Pains is that all players start in debt, mirroring the plight of many Bangk…

1
How Thick is Your Bubble? Piercing the Thai/Expat Barrier [S7.E60] 31:51

9M ago31:51

31:51

Following a great suggestion from listener Kelly, Greg and Ed discuss the 'expat bubble,' the tendency for expats (and tourists) to primarily spend time with foreigners, rather than experience the same Bangkok that the majority of Thais are experiencing. Kelly noted that on her recent solo travels in Bangkok, she often found truly Thai markets that…

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George Dupont: The Only Thai to Fight in the US Civil War [S7.E59] (Classic Recast) 27:07

9M ago27:07

27:07

We recount the fascinating story of George DuPont, the only Thai person who fought in the American Civil War. The first record of George in the U.S. is in 1859, but almost nothing is known of how or why he ended up in the United States. We know that in 1862 he volunteered for a New Jersey regiment to fight for the North in the American Civil War. S…

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Ajarn Ed: Explaining America to Thai University Students [S7.E58] 39:05

9M ago39:05

39:05

Greg questions Ed about his main job - teaching 'American Studies' to Thai college students. Effectively, Ed's job and his side gig (the podcast) are opposites of each other, given that he is attempting to explain Thai society and culture to foreigners on the podcast. Ed begins with America 101 - basic lessons about the U.S. that every Thai person …

1
Hmmm…A Few Things About Bangkok That Are Over & Underrated [S7.E57] 38:07

9M ago38:07

38:07

Greg and Ed discuss various aspects of Bangkok that they believe are either overrated or underrated. The guys start with things that they believe get too many props. Greg mentions the Grand Palace and the Damnoen Saduak floating market that tend to be too touristy and overcrowded, but that there are unsung superior alternatives where tourists could…

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Redefining What A Modern Family Means in Thailand [S7.E56] 54:59

9M ago54:59

54:59

Continuing the exploration of some of the unexpectedly progressive moves that Thailand makes from time to time, Greg interviews his friend Jacob, an American, and his husband Geng, a Thai, about their marriage in Thailand as two men and their efforts to build a family through surrogacy. The couple begins by relating how they met and began dating, a…

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Bangkok's Craft Brew Godfather: A Chat with Khun Chit [S7.E55] (Classic Recast) 41:55

10M ago41:55

41:55

Greg interviews the fascinating Wichit Saiklao, godfather of craft beer in Thailand and founder of Chit Beer, with podcast friend Scott Coates sitting in for fun. Khun Chit relates how he first learned about homebrewing while living in the States, and after returning to Thailand and buying a small house on the river island of Ko Kret, he decided to…

1
What Changes Would Ed Make if He Was in Charge of Thailand? [S7.E54] 44:07

10M ago44:07

44:07

Greg and Ed engage in a bit of fantasy as Ed imagines what he would do if he were the Prime Minister (or maybe more accurately, dictator) of Thailand. Ed begins with the caveat that he can only see the world through his own eyes, so his dream policies probably will not align with the average Thai person or maybe even most foreigners. Ed presents a …

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What's It Like Being An Exchange Student in Thailand? [S7.E53] 47:20

10M ago47:20

47:20

Greg interviews our new friend Jannik Hiller about his experience as an exchange student in Thailand. Jannik explains that while a university student, he decided he wanted to do an exchange year in a country completely different from his native Germany, so he settled on Thailand, despite never having been here before. Greg wonders about the quality…

1
Keeping Resolutions in Bangkok: A Fool's Errand? [S7.E52] 34:54

10M ago34:54

34:54

Greg and Ed ring in 2025 with a difficult look back at their New Year's Resolutions from 2024. They recognize the obvious: if you don't keep your resolutions, you only have yourself to blame. But they try to answer the interesting question of whether Bangkok itself might make keeping certain resolutions more difficult. Ed begins with a confession t…

1
Looking Back, Looking Forward: What's Next for BP in 2025 [S7.E51] 36:05

11M ago36:05

36:05

In a year-end wrap up, Greg and Ed discuss their favorite shows of the year and some plans for the podcast in 2025. Ed begins by waxing rhapsodic over his early year interview with David Cluck, Hollywood assistant director who has been based in Bangkok for the last 10 years or so (S7, Ep. 6-7). The flow of the interview was aided by the fact that D…

1
Setting Down Roots in Bangkok: Should You Rent or Buy? [S7.E50] 30:26

11M ago30:26

30:26

Greg and Ed tackle the age-old question for expats living in Thailand: Should I buy or rent a condo or house? The boys begin by making clear there is not one simple answer to this question, and it depends a LOT on a person's particular circumstances, such as budget, length of stay, and investment expectations. Nevertheless, there are general questi…

1
Filmmaker James Newman on his Documentary Bangkok: City of Angels [S7.E49] 42:47

11M ago42:47

42:47

Greg interviews writer and filmmaker James Newman, a long-time expat in Thailand who recently made a documentary film about our beloved city of Bangkok. James starts out explaining his background in London as an insurance executive, his subsequent departure to Thailand, and his career as a writer during the e-book boom of the naughts. Around 2017 h…

1
Behind the Scenes: Making an Episode of the Bangkok Podcast [S7, E48] 46:36

12M ago46:36

46:36

In a first, the Bangkok Podcast turns its focus on itself as Greg and Ed explain the process by which they create two shows almost every week of the year. The boys begin discussing their approach to brainstorming topics for new shows. Given that the podcast has been around for more than 10 years and there are more than 700 back episodes in total, c…

1
From the Vault: Five Observations on What Makes Thai Culture Thai [S7.E47] 41:37

12M ago41:37

41:37

In a first for the podcast, the boys decide to review a part of the Bangkok Podcast website - the relatively new for Season 4 'Resources' section. A few weeks back we posted a page called 'Some Thoughts on Thai Culture,' and it elicited some responses from friends of the podcast, so we decided to dig into it. We don't want to rehash what's already …