Thai Police Bust Multi-Million Baht Sex Toy Smuggling Ring

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Interview with Anthony "Tony" Joh of www.thai-faq.com and www.bangkokpodcast.com

Anthony “Tony” Joh has a hobby. But his hobby isn’t stamp collecting or ornithology…it’s helping travelers and long term expats alike discover unique things and sharing his perspectives about Thailand on www.thai-faq.com and www.bangkokpodcast.com.

Tony traveled to Thailand twice before deciding to make Thailand part of his long term plans. So, after selling his business in Canada in 2007 he traveled around Europe and Asia then decided to rent an apartment in Bangkok. He has been discovering and uncovering interesting things in the Land of Smiles ever since

Having grown up in Japan, the USA and Vancouver, Canada he’s been a world traveler for decades. He is of mixed Asian-Western descent so he thinks that sometimes gives him a good perspective on things he sees in Bangkok. He started www.bangkokpodcast.com during the “Red Shirt riots” in March 2010. He says that people abroad and expats in the city didn’t seem to always know what was really going on and that the website was created to “tell it like it is” because “if you watched CNN you’d think the whole city was on fire while in reality on Thong Lo and almost every other neighborhood it was pretty normal every day.”

Tony says that he hopes the show can “make things a bit less confusing” for visitors to the city but that long-term expats also often enjoy the information and perspective he and his co-host Greg Jorgensen provide on their weekly podcast show. His on-air guest have included a man who dealt with alcohol addiction with the help of a Thai monastery, a Thai language expert, an Adventure travel team and some hints on finding a great apartment in Bangkok. And having lived in Canada you know he had to discuss and sponsor the Flying Farangs hockey team in Thailand! To say his content on both thai-faq.com and bangkokpodcast.com is diverse is an understatement

Tony sees an “American Town” section of Bangkok (and in other major Asian cities) forming in the next 10-15 years with the large number of American leaving the stagnating US economy and moving to Asia for work and/or the cheaper cost of living. He says that the cost of living in Bangkok has increased over the years but that 60,000 THB/month is sufficient for most single people to live a comfortable lifestyle but that those with children attending foreign schools in Bangkok will need much more. He says there are many business opportunities in Bangkok and the number of foreign jobs available continues to increase.

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