{"podcast":{"title":"The Bangkok Podcast","slug":"the-bangkok-podcast-419399","podcast_index_feed_id":419399,"rss_url":"https://thaifaq.libsyn.com/rss","website_url":"http://www.bangkokpodcast.com","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/7/b/f/5/7bf5548cb29d038fd959afa2a1bf1c87/S8_Show_Logo.jpg","author":"Greg Jorgensen & Ed Knuth","episode_count":574,"summary":"Online since 2010! Greg Jorgensen and Ed Knuth have been knocking around Bangkok since the turn of the century. Exploring dark corners, eating amazing food, and interacting with fascinating people, the two have gotten to know and love Thailand's capital in all its confusing, mysterious glory. Every week they chat about topics near and dear to those living here, those visiting here, or those who are just curious about what it's like to live in Asia's craziest city. Want to explore Bangkok on your own? Check out Greg's self-guided audio tours on Voice Map! https://voicemap.me/publisher/greg-jorgensen","last_synced_at":"2026-07-15T06:21:24.425454+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bangkok-podcast-419399"},"episode":{"title":"Strange Bedfellows: Prof. Khemthong on the Buddhism and Politics [S8.E52]","slug":"strange-bedfellows-prof-khemthong-on-the-buddhism-and-politics-s8-e52","published_at":"2026-07-14T17:01:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bangkok-podcast-419399/strange-bedfellows-prof-khemthong-on-the-buddhism-and-politics-s8-e52","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bangkok-podcast-419399","url":"https://thaifaq.libsyn.com/strange-bedfellows-prof-khemthong-on-the-buddhism-and-politics-s8e52","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/thaifaq/BKPS8E52_-_Khem_Buddhism.mp3?dest-id=34166","summary":"Ed interviews K. Khemthong Tonsakulrungruang, a constitutional lawyer and professor from Chulalongkorn University whose work bridges law and Buddhism. After Ed shares his own background as an American lawyer, the two men begin by discussing the modern relevance of Buddhist teachings. K. Khemthong explains that Buddhist mindfulness practices are more important than ever for combating the overwhelming distractions of smartphones and social media. They touch upon how both traditional and secular meditation retreats are increasingly popular for people seeking mental clarity in a chaotic world. Next, Ed brings up Khemthong's academic focus, prompting a fascinating story about a former student who researched local political movements. The guest recounts how Thai protest leaders have historically invoked Buddhist concepts to justify anti-democratic actions. He explains that this political ideology emphasizes the purity of a leader's intentions rather than the strict legality of their actions, meaning that acting with a benevolent mind can supposedly excuse technically illegal political moves. Finally, the conversation shifts to the intersection of religion and constitutional law in Thailand. They discuss how various iterations of the Thai constitution have handled the country's religious identity. K. Khemthong notes that while the government guarantees freedom of religion, it also holds a special duty to promote Buddhism. The interview concludes with an agreement that the state maintains a delicate, pragmatic balance to honor the nation's primary faith without marginalizing minority religions.","meta_description":"Ed interviews K. Khemthong Tonsakulrungruang, a constitutional lawyer and professor from Chulalongkorn University whose work bridges law and Buddhism. Aft…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2554,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-bangkok-podcast-419399/episodes/strange-bedfellows-prof-khemthong-on-the-buddhism-and-politics-s8-e52/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bangkok-podcast-419399/strange-bedfellows-prof-khemthong-on-the-buddhism-and-politics-s8-e52.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}