loader from loading.io

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

The Bangkok Podcast

Release Date: 07/29/2025

From NGOs to Employment Coaching: Helping Thais Find Their Purpose [S8.E28] show art From NGOs to Employment Coaching: Helping Thais Find Their Purpose [S8.E28]

The Bangkok Podcast

Ed interviews Thanita ‘Ninar’ Wongprasert, an old student of his and former guest on the show in 2018. On the earlier show she came on to talk about gay rights and same sex marriage in Thailand, and the two begin the interview with a high five to celebrate the eventual passage of gay marriage laws in Thailand. Ninar then discusses her work with various international NGOs and agencies of the UN. She was able to work on multiple issues, from the ozone layer to cyber security among others, and focused mostly on public information campaigns. Ed asks her about the transition from their...

info_outline
Ed Ponders a New Class: Teaching Contemporary Thailand to Thais [S8.E27] show art Ed Ponders a New Class: Teaching Contemporary Thailand to Thais [S8.E27]

The Bangkok Podcast

Greg and Ed discuss Ed’s new class at his Thai university: “Contemporary Thai Society in the Modern World.” The guys have a laugh at the thought of a white guy from Ohio teaching young Thais about their own country, but Ed notes that he has been living in Thailand as an adult for 25 years, whereas his students are only 18-20 years old. One point for Ed! Further, there’s considerable value to getting an ‘outsider’ view of one’s own country. Greg admits that his knowledge of his own birth country is scant in many ways. Ed and Greg banter about different topics that should be...

info_outline
Beer & Politics: Catching Up With MP Taopiphop Limjittrakorn [S8.E26] show art Beer & Politics: Catching Up With MP Taopiphop Limjittrakorn [S8.E26]

The Bangkok Podcast

Greg and Ed interview Taopiphop Limjittrakorn, a Thai Member of Parliament known for his advocacy in liberalizing Thailand’s craft beer industry. The conversation takes place shortly after the dissolution of the Thai government, a transition that finds Taopiphop technically unemployed but focused on the future of his party. A central theme of the interview is Taopiphop’s unconventional decision not to seek re-election. He expresses a desire to set a new standard in Thai politics by stepping down after achieving his primary goals, such as the liberalization of alcohol production laws. He...

info_outline
Frenemies: The Long History Between Thailand & Cambodia [S8.E25] show art Frenemies: The Long History Between Thailand & Cambodia [S8.E25]

The Bangkok Podcast

Greg and Ed discuss the long, strange and complex history between Thailand and Cambodia in an attempt to shed some light on the tragic current conflict. Greg begins with some early history. The majority of Southeast Asia was once part of the Khmer Empire based in Angkor. Eventually Thai kingdoms in Sukhothai and Ayutthaya achieved independence, but tension between the two powers was constant. In a complex maelstrom of alliance and conflict, each power borrowed, copied and outright stole selected cultural artifacts from each other, such that untangling the exact pedigree of multiple shared...

info_outline
What Changes Would Greg Make if He Was in Charge of Bangkok? [S8.E24] show art What Changes Would Greg Make if He Was in Charge of Bangkok? [S8.E24]

The Bangkok Podcast

On this show, Greg and Ed discuss what Greg would do if he was the boss man in charge of Thailand, echoing a similar show with Ed’s plans earlier in the year. (Check out Season 7, Episode 54 if you are curious.) Greg begins with an interesting but ambitious plan to establish bike lanes underneath the elevated portion of the BTS and MRT. Ed immediately welcomes the idea, but both recognize what a massive undertaking it would be. Currently there are long walkways under certain portions of the BTS, but there are miles upon miles of essentially unused ‘space’ underneath other portions that...

info_outline
Don't forget the meetup! show art Don't forget the meetup!

The Bangkok Podcast

Saturday, Dec 6, 2025 at . Chec our for more details.

info_outline
Making Bangkok Accessible for All: Khun Saba Keeps Fighting (Classic ReCast) [S8.E23] show art Making Bangkok Accessible for All: Khun Saba Keeps Fighting (Classic ReCast) [S8.E23]

The Bangkok Podcast

On this episode - a classic ReCast from season 3! - Greg interviews Khun Saba, a disabled rights activist in Bangkok. It’s a topic near and dear to the Bangkok Podcast, because we want everyone to enjoy Bangkok, which is very hard to do if you don’t have full mobility. Khun Saba explains that he became aware of the difficulty of moving around Thai cities, especially Bangkok, after he became disabled, and notes that while physical and structural issues are important, the key issue is really awareness. Simply put, if people blindly accept all the problems with transportation in Bangkok, then...

info_outline
Former FBI Agent John Schachnovsky Talks Crime & Punishment in Thailand Part 2 [S8.E22] show art Former FBI Agent John Schachnovsky Talks Crime & Punishment in Thailand Part 2 [S8.E22]

The Bangkok Podcast

First off - if you’re in town, join our meetup: Saturday, December 6 at . Check our first before you come just to make sure there have been no last minute changes. In Part 2 of Greg and Ed’s interview with John Schachnovsky, the former head of the FBI in Thailand, the men continue discussing John’s varied responsibilities in the Land of Smiles, this time focusing on specific cases. John brings up the he played in the Asian Tsunami of 2004 and how the FBI used its technology to help identify myriad victims. John mentions that due to the close working relationship between the U.S. and...

info_outline
Former FBI Agent John Schachnovsky Talks Crime & Punishment in Thailand [S8.E21] show art Former FBI Agent John Schachnovsky Talks Crime & Punishment in Thailand [S8.E21]

The Bangkok Podcast

In part 1 of a two-part episode, Greg and Ed interview John Schachnovsky about his upcoming book “Beyond the Badge,” which recounts his experience as the head of the FBI in Thailand. John starts out explaining his early career with the FBI and his subsequent move to Bangkok. Greg and Ed ask about the exact role of the FBI oversees and John explains in detail. First, as a branch of the U.S. government, the FBI has no legal jurisdiction in Thailand and must work directly with the Thai government for everything they do. Second, the FBI’s role is entirely distinct from the CIA. The FBI does...

info_outline
Road Blocks: The Big Issues That Thailand Needs to Solve [S8.E20] show art Road Blocks: The Big Issues That Thailand Needs to Solve [S8.E20]

The Bangkok Podcast

Greg and Ed discuss an article on Ajarn.com by Dr. Jesse Sessions called “” 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 first issue is border security. Ed points out that Thailand actually has major security issues on the Burmese, Malaysian, and Cambodian borders, something that is easy to forget from the security of Bangkok. In fact several of the later issues tie in to this problem,...

info_outline
 
More Episodes

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 has pretty good medical care, and it is standard advice for travelers in neighboring countries to get over the border into Thailand if they have any medical problems. But, as Ed notes, Thailand does not have very good legal protections against medical malpractice: if a doctor makes a mistake, don’t expect significant financial compensation from the Thai justice system.


Greg and Ed then trade anecdotes about their own experiences in the Thai medical system, each with some good and bad things to say. Ed’s life has been literally saved by competent doctors; Greg passed himself off as a Jedi in lieu of a real religion; both have been saved a ton of grief by getting a second opinion. Your mileage may vary, but both Greg and Ed agree, as a pure value proposition (i.e. what you get for the money), Thailand, though far from perfect, is a pretty good deal. 


Listen in for some great advice on how to maximize your chances of getting a good experience at a Bangkok hospital. 


As always, the podcast will continue to be 100% funded by listeners just like you who get some special swag from us. And we’ll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.