Dealing With Annoying Expat Requests [S5.E13]

On this show the guys keep it real by discussing things they do not like about being an expat. Plus, patrons and listeners write in with their own pet peeves about being a stranger in the strange land of Thailand. 

Ed begins with his number one complaint: being mistaken for a tourist. Even after 20 years in Thailand, he is still clearly not Thai, and Thais (especially those looking to make a buck) assume that ‘not-Thai’ equals tourist. This annoyance manifests itself in many ways, from constant pestering to buy tchotchkes to take home (wooden frog anyone?) to taxi drivers that won’t use the meter. Ed wishes for a permanent sign (or maybe a tattoo?) that makes clear he’s not fresh off the plane.

Greg follows with a whole series of annoyances sent in by listeners, from the classic ‘can you take care of my friend’s friend while they are in Thailand’ to the more obscure favors asked by former expats who still need help from someone in-country (power of attorney, really?). The complaints run the gamut, but with one overriding certainty: if the positives didn’t outweigh the negatives, we wouldn’t still be here. That doesn’t mean there are no negatives though. :)

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