22 Years Later: Ed Boils Bangkok Down to 5 Reasons He Stays [S6.E6]

Ed reminisces on 22 years in Thailand and tries to summarize exactly why he has decided to stay for so long. It’s hard to sum up, of course, but Ed manages to come up with five positives and three negatives, and Greg helps to clarify things as he goes along. 

On the positive side, Ed mentions Thailand’s depth and variety, with many niches and subcultures that it would take a lifetime to explore. As Greg notes, if you are bored in Bangkok, the problem is not Bangkok. Ed also talks about how some things DO change and get better in Bangkok, despite frequent grumblings from most who live here - new weed laws, expanded public transportation and more public parks to name a few. In addition to other points, the boys also agree that there is a very supportive community of expats to ease foreigners’ transition to living long term in the land of smiles. 

As for negatives, Ed cannot resist bringing up classic persistent problems in Thailand that NEVER seems to get properly addressed no matter how predictable they are (see Bangkok’s recent floods) as well as the sad state of Thailand’s bureaucracy that is NOT very expat friendly compared to other countries. 

Of course Ed’s decision is clear: the positives definitely outweigh the negatives. 

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