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Technology to the Rescue: Working With Thai Police to Save a Stranded Friend

When you come to Thailand on a vacation, you hope that your trip will be smooth sailing. No problems, no hiccups, no wrinkles...just your itinerary the way you planned it. That's usually what happens - but not always. A few weeks ago a visiting group of friends had what you'd call a problem...and a hiccup, and a wrinkle - all on the same night! Thankfully, with the help of modern technology - and especially a few friendly Thai policemen - we were able to rescue them from what could have been a very long and very bad night.

Greg2017-01-15T14:42:05+00:00Asia, Holidays, Thailand, Transport, Travel, Video|10 Comments

My PechaKucha Speech

On July 9, I was honored to be invited to speak at the all new PechaKucha Bangkok. Yeah, I know, I think it's a weird name too, but it's a pretty cool concept. Basically, it started in Japan as a forum for designers and creative people to get together and share their ideas and concepts. About 8 people get up and present something, and each of them has to get their idea across using only 20 PowerPoint slides, each one for exactly 20 seconds. It's a great format for a presentation, because every speaker has exactly the same amount of time, and it encourages presenters to be quick and punchy in their presentation style. A few weeks ago I was asked to present, so I chose my favorite hobby (besides nerding out online) - riding my bike in Bangkok.

Greg2016-11-17T15:48:00+00:00Bangkok, Biking, Video|0 Comments

Can Thais Laugh at Themselves?

Want to hear my favorite Canadian joke? Here it is: Two Canadians, let's call them Bob and Doug, are snowed in and bored. Bob says, "I'm bored, eh. Want to play a game?" "Doug says, "Sure, why not - how about 20 questions? I'll go first." So Doug thinks of something that Bob couldn't possible guess - moose cock. Bob says, "Okay, animal, vegetable or mineral...is it animal?" Ummm, yes it is." "Is it bigger than a bread box?" "No, smaller than a bread box." "Is it something you can eat?" "Hahaha, well, yes, I guess you could eat it if you had no other choice." "Is it moose cock?" (Pause for laughter) Okay, maybe it's not a great joke, but I like it for its pure stupidity, and it goes to show something interesting: us Canadians love making fun of ourselves. I was thinking about this over the past few days when a story a friend wrote blew up online, showing that Thais most definitely do not like people - even Thais - poking fun at Thailand.

Greg2016-11-17T15:48:02+00:00Comedy, Culture, Pop Culture, Video, Web Media|0 Comments

A Bit of Comedy in a Grim Time

Whenever I’m feeling depressed or bored, or simply haven’t laughed in a while, I always turn to standup comedy to cheer me up. Despite the message I got from a clueless guy tonight who thought the goofy SCUBA mask on my header meant I didn't care about any of the flood victims, I think now is a perfect time to have a bit of a laugh - after all, the ability to laugh in even the most dire of situations is one thing the Thais are known for, right? Anyway, with a kabazillion cubic meters of water bearing down on Bangkok and the mood of the city best described as ‘moribund’, I thought it would be a good time to start a series of posts I’ve been thinking about for a while in which I profile a certain comedian that I like. A bit more of my thoughts on comedy and my first comedian below.

Greg2016-11-17T15:48:14+00:00Comedy, Fun Stuff, Pop Culture, Video|0 Comments

(B)angkok’s (T)ightest (S)queeze

I hate writing posts like this because there's no way to come off as anything but one of the thousands of complaining douchebag expats that live in Thailand, which is really not what I'm about. Well, usually not what I’m about - we're all allowed to have off-days, but I'm generally a pretty up-beat guy. Anyway, any regular commuter who uses the BTS in Bangkok will have noticed that it's been pretty crowded of late - and not just "Wow, this is slightly inconvenient" crowded, but "Wow, I hope no one falls on the tracks and dies" crowded. There are several reasons why, so forgive me if I rant on a bit about what it’s like to ride the BTS these days. Hopefully someone at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA, English link doesn't work, natch) will see this and take immediate, effective, and far-reaching action! Also, I’d like a Learjet.

Greg2016-11-17T15:48:16+00:00Bangkok, Transport, Video|0 Comments

Bangkok Podcast: One Year In

Well, that was a long stretch with no updates – again. Freelance assignments are taking most of my time these days (not to mention a video game I downloaded against my better judgment), but it was a memorable week for another reason too – the one-year anniversary of the Bangkok Podcast. If you don’t know about that, well, click on the little box to the left and check it out. My buddy Tony Joh and I recorded our first show on May 17, 2010 and have done a show every week since then. It’s been a good time and we’ve had some pretty interesting guests. To celebrate, we decided to have a party, and with the help of some friends and sponsors, it was a great success.

Greg2016-11-17T15:48:22+00:00Bangkok, Current Events, Food, Music, Video|0 Comments

Cultural Counterweights

The topic of navigating inter-cultural relationships in Thailand is something that comes up a lot in books, bars, and especially on the web. In Bangkok, it’s kind of assumed that a foreigner will have a Thai girlfriend – with a few thousand of us and a few million of them, it’s simply a numbers game. (So much so that it's still a bit odd when you see a foreign guy with a foreign girl, or even odder, a foreign girl with a Thai guy, but that’s another post). The topic was being discussed and dissected long before I was even born, but I’ve been mulling it for a while and wanted to put something down on, err, a thin liquid crystal display panel. Obviously, this post will be from the perspective of a foreigner (that’s me) and will obviously not cover both sides of the coin, but I’d like to hear what you think.

Greg2016-11-17T15:48:26+00:00Culture, Pop Culture, Thailand, Video|12 Comments

A New Year Memory – Attacked by Fireworks on the River

blam A few years ago, some friends and I decided to rent a boat for New Year's Eve, load it with snacks and drinks, a stereo, and steam up and down the Chao Phraya River all night. At midnight, we thought, we'd park the boat next to the barge that sets off the traditional fireworks. It was a hell of a night, actually, super-fun, with about 40 people on the boat living it up in true Bangkok style. However, the fireworks didn't really go as planned, and luckily, I had my camera going at the time. I just found this video burried on my hard drive and thought it'd be fun to put up.

Greg2016-11-17T15:48:50+00:00Fun Stuff, Video|0 Comments

Chinatown Vegetarian Festival – More Fun Than a Bucket of Snakefish

My crazy neighborhood is no crazier than during the period from September 28-October 7, when the Chinese vegetarian festival takes place. During this time, the sois (alleys) around my apartment are packed with crowds of people dressed in white, food stalls selling all manner of food, Chinese opera singers, parades, firecrackers and even the odd acrobat or two. It's quite the sight. The festival is similar to the Christian observance of Lent, but the rules are a bit different and the celebrations seem to be a hell of a lot more fun. Although to be honest, I haven't spent that much time praying in front of a statue of a naked guy nailed to a tree - it might be really enjoyable, who knows?

Greg2016-11-17T15:48:54+00:00Bangkok, Religion, Video|0 Comments

Biking Around Bangkok

Biking around Bangkok is something I really like doing, which freaks a lot of people out. Most automatically assume that it's nothing more than a date with death, but I Greg to differ (ha!). If you're patient, know how traffic works, and keep your wits about you, city riding can be really rewarding, especially if you have an all-terrain bike like mine (pictured at left). Indeed, there are several companies that exist solely to take people on rides through Bangkok's twisting, labyrinthine alleys. I've written about biking before on this blog, but recently, I made a DIY camera mount on my handlebars to see what some video would look like. I know I'm not the first one to do this, but I'm happy with the nascent results, as you can see below.

Greg2016-11-17T15:48:54+00:00Bangkok, Biking, Video|0 Comments