The Bangkok Podcast

Photographer Tim Russell on the Fading Glory of Hualamphong Station [S8.E34] (Classic ReCast)

In a ReCast episode from season 7, Greg interviews well known Bangkok-based photographer Tim Russell about his book 'Bangkok Station,' which focuses (literally) on the iconic and now mostly defunct Hualamphong Train Station. Greg has had a special connection to the place over the past few months because he just finished organizing an event there for 300 guests last Friday, which is why we've been off air for the past two weeks as activity and stress reached their peak. Tim begins by explaining his early days twenty years ago as a traveller in Vietnam and how he picked up photography as a way to document his travels. Eventually he made his way to Thailand and managed to pass through Hualamphong in its heyday. The guys discuss Huamlamphong's design by an Italian architect and its opening in 1916, making it a Bangkok institution for more than 100 years. 

Linguist Rikker Dockum on the Royal Institute's Thai Language Oversight [S8.E33] (Classic ReCast)

Greg interviews old friend of the podcast Rikker Dockum, Thai language expert extraordinaire about the Thai Royal Society, an organization dedicated to overseeing, promoting and regulating the Thai language. Rikker begins by explaining that he actually wrote his undergraduate thesis on the Society more than 20 years ago, so he's a longstanding follower of their work. He notes that it originally modeled itself after the French Academy, which, among other things, develops French words for English equivalents.  For instance, Greg brings up the issue of the word 'computer,' which is typically spoken in Thai as 'com-pu-TER,' even though the Institute has specified a true Thai word for the computer. Rikker goes through the etymology of the word, but Greg asks whether the work of the Institute is even necessary if people don't adopt the words they come up with. Rikker defends the use of public funds for work codifying 'official' Thai, noting that were it left to the private marketplace, the work would never get done.  The old friends continue their conversation about the Institute, emphasizing the need for such an organization for a language like Thai, which is vital to the history and culture of Thailand, but plays little role outside the country. Very few languages in the world are so popularly dominant that their continued preservation is assured, and unfortunately, Thai language is not one of them.  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.

Election Analysis: Young Thais, Old Parties...New Tricks? [S8E32]

Tech Fail Alert! The last 5 minutes of our discussion was cut off by dastardly internet Gremlins, but we said most of what we wanted to say anyway.  In a follow-up to the recent Thai election, Greg and Ed do their best to make sense of the unexpected outcome. Greg defers to Ed's poli sci knowledge, and Ed struggles through it despite his expertise being American politics. Before the election, polls indicate it was a three-horse race between the progressive faction, the Thaksin clan, and the conservative faction led by the current Prime Minister. Although the progressive faction was expected to grab a plurality, none of the three were expected to have the majority necessary to form a government - so the main question was going to be: Which two factions would team up? Alas, the conservative faction ended up with a decisive victory, upending many of the gains that the progressive faction made in the last election, especially in rural areas. The margin of victory was such that the issue of coalition-building was almost moot due to the plethora of small parties to build the majority. So what led to the conservative victory? Ed notes that the current Prime Minister capitalized on his incumbency to ride a nationalist wave driven by the recent conflict with Cambodia. This was somewhat expected, but not to the extent that came to pass. Other factors, such as the lack of a charismatic leader among the progressive faction could also have been a factor. Greg chalks it up to people just being tired of the constant back-and-forth where nothing ever really changes, so they just chose to stay home and not vote for anyone - basically, they prefer stability to fighting for change. Last, the guys discuss the myriad claims of mistakes in the vote count and hope the Election Commission orders some recounts in at least some districts.  

Greg & Ed Discuss Ed's Big Thailand Quiz [S8.E31]

In a followup to a recent episode, Greg and Ed walk through the entire 'Facts About Thailand' quiz that Ed gave his Thai Society students. It's a broad test of Thailand - geography, history, politics, government, demographics, and more, that's slightly harder than the average quiz you'd find online.   If you are an intrepid soul, you can take the quiz yourself before you listen in for the answers. Use the link here. Another option is to use this sheet to take the quiz and then check the answers yourself. (If you do take it and then check the answers yourself, be sure to reset the form to not show the correct answers).   Full disclosure - Greg got 36/50 - can you beat him??  

Dreamster's Mario Butler on Thai Music and New Creative Frontiers [S8.E30]

Greg interviews Mario Butler of Dreamster.io, a platform that allows musicians to connect directly with their audience, and fans to own the music they buy, not just rent. Greg begins by asking about Mario's background and the core mission of Dreamster.io, prompting Mario to explain how the music industry has shifted from tangible ownership to a "rental" model through streaming. Mario responds by introducing Digital Music Assets (DMAs), which utilize blockchain to allow fans to truly own digital music again, much like they once owned vinyl or CDs. Next, Greg wonders whether this technology is actually beneficial for the average listener compared to the convenience of a cheap monthly subscription. Mario clarifies that DMAs function as financial assets; because they are built on a bonding curve, the price can increase like a stock, and the platform's smart contracts allow users to sell their music back for a profit. Furthermore, Mario explains that these assets are programmable, meaning an artist can embed real-world perks like merchandise discounts or backstage passes directly into the digital file. Greg then asks why Mario is specifically targeting the Thailand market. Mario notes that Thai artists and fans are exceptionally tech-savvy and passionate, making them early adopters of innovative platforms. He emphasizes that Dreamster removes the usual "crypto" hurdles by allowing users to sign up via email and pay with credit cards, hiding the complex backend technology to focus on the user experience. The interview finishes with a discussion of how the platform protects against AI-generated content and automates royalty splits, ensuring that human creators are fairly compensated for their work in real-time.