Bangkok Devaluation: A Few Things That Used to Matter…But Don't Anymore [S7.E22]

In a possible new series, Greg and Ed discuss things that have
become less important or meaningful since they began living in
Thailand. In short, stuff that we used to value a lot that just
seems not to matter as much anymore.


Ed begins with the somewhat obvious: clothes in general just
matter a lot less. Never a fashion guy, Bangkok's 'uni-season' is
perfect for him since he can basically wear the same thing all
year round. Greg - famous for his consistent shorts/t-shirt/vans
outfit, concurs that it's just much easier here to get dressed in
the morning. No need for 'winter clothes,' giant snow boots, nor
rainwear either - rains come and go so quickly, it's simply
better to wait them out.


Greg starts out with a much more complex topic: he thinks sex and
perhaps even romance are given less significance in Thai culture,
and it has rubbed off on him in the last twenty years. Many
factors could be at play: Thais seemingly casual nature about
just about everything, the advantage that foreigners seem to have
in the Thai dating market, or perhaps the greater social
acceptance of go-go bars and redlight districts. The guys do
their best to delve into the nuances of the issue.


Ed responds by bringing up his total lack of interest in owning a
car, something that would be unthinkable anywhere he lived in the
U.S. Although Greg likes the freedom owning a car in Bangkok
brings, Ed sees it as nothing but a hassle and is glad to be free
of looking for parking spaces, paying for upkeep, and worrying
how much he has had to drink. 


Greg then brings up another tricky topic: intellectual property.
Back home fake goods were a hard no-no, but their prevalence here
has devalued the importance of buying original all the time, with
the caveat that you know what you are getting when you buy. 


Ed finishes off by admitting that he probably cares less about
his salary living in Thailand than he would have if he stayed
back home. Greg concurs that when the average salaries of nearly
everyone else are much lower, it makes it much easier to be happy
with what you are getting here, as long as you like your
job. 


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.