I first went to Thailand in 1997 and immediately fell in love with the country. Thailand at that time to me was mysterious and exotic, full of potentials and pitfalls.
Fast forward to 2010 and here I am after 13 years and many trips to the LOS sharing, with the help of my 
Ben From Thai Pirate
Today’s featured blogger hails from England, but has made his home in Suphanburi province Thailand. If you’ve always had a yearning for the life of a pirate, then you may be interested in the Thai Pirate which has nothing to do with the Caribbean, boats or the ocean, but you may find some reference to rum…oh yes, where’s the rum?
1. What is your name, the name of your blog and the subject matter of the Thailand blog (language, food, general life, nightlife, etc)? If you don’t mind, please provide a photo of yourself so I can share it with my readers. We all like to see who it is that we’re talking to.
Ben Shingleton. The Thai Pirate. Blog about life and work from a Brit perspective in Thailand.
2. How long have you been blogging about Thailand? What was your inspiration to start
I started blogging because I didn’t know how long I would be in Thailand, so I thought it would be useful to keep a record for family, and possibly future employers back in UK… I’ve been blogging about 18 months now… never blogged previously.
3. Obviously you are not Thai and have chosen to expatriate to Thailand. What country are you from originally? What made you choose Thailand as your home away from home?
I must be a bit blinkered because I still don’t consider myself expatriate. I still call England home. I moved here due to family illness on my wife’s side.
4. How long have you been visiting and/or living in Thailand? If you’re currently living in Thailand, what part of Thailand do you live in? Why did you choose this city/province over others in Thailand?
Been coming here since I met my wife to be in England. All in all around 6 years.
5. From the south of Thailand to Bangkok and Chiang Mai and the NE provinces of Isaan Thailand is very different depending on what part of the country you’re in. What is your favorite region in Thailand and why?
I love Krabi / Phuket, but only been there once.. Can’t wait to go again.
6. Even though Thai food is really built upon the same 4 precepts as Chinese food (sweet, sour, spicy and salty) Thai food is known throughout the world for its spicy component. Do you like spicy food? What is your favorite Thai dish?
Love it. Favourite dish at the moment is a baked chicken with spicy nam jim sauce from a shop in town. They won’t tell me the recipe!
7. Thailand is known to be very affordable as a tourist destination and as a place to live. What things do you find to be the biggest bargains in Thailand?
Food. Petrol. Haircuts…. Loads more.
8. Even though there are bargains to be had, some things are certainly more expensive than others. What do you find to be most expensive in Thailand?
Well, when you look at the prices in Thailand’s malls at clothing / electrical consumerables etc, they are ‘around’ the same prices as back home.. Not everything is cheaper.
9. There are many good reasons given by those who live in Thailand for settling in the Kingdom. What do you feel is the best part of living in Thailand?
I like working out here. Myself and my wife have a lot more time for my son than I would back in England.
10. One group that’s easy to find online are the complainers who live in Thailand, but seem to feel that the Thai’s should change to accommodate their Western guests. What things do you feel are frustrating for foreigners living in Thailand? Do you think these aspects of Thailand should change or that they are simply part of the culture?
I think those living abroad have a duty to respect their host culture, however, the roads are awful.
11. Considering the last few years especially it’s evident that Thailand is a country in flux. Western thinking and Western customs are rapidly invading the Kingdom. The Thai people seem to be looking for change and the political leadership in Thailand is constantly changing. How do you think Thailand has changed since the first time you visited, both positively and negatively?
For me as a relative newcomer to Thailand, I haven’t been here long enough to notice any real lasting changes, although Thailand has definitely changed me.
12. Even with all the changes in the past decades, it’s safe to say that Thailand is very different from any Western country. How is your life in Thailand different from your life in the West?
In England I would spend 3-4 hours on the train everyday. Not so in Thailand. I have more time. I also don’t spend hardly any time in the pub, which my wife will say is a good thing.
13. Please tell us about 3-5 of the best posts from your blog.
Traveling Back 1000 Years in Time – Thailand is an amazing mixture of the current and the past. Best to keep that in mind.
Bathroom Nasties – Ya never know what you might find in your bathroom whilst in Thailand.
The Winner Is – You have to play to win…
Songkhran Dinner and Festivities – A traditional Thai country Songkhran celebration, warts and all.
The Chris Kays Memorial Rugby Tournament 2009 – Rugby fun in Pattaya.
If you liked this interview why not go check out all of my Thailand blogger interviews.
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I couldn’t help but comment on #6… Naam Jim. Jim – when said with a short vowel sound means – the girl’s uhm, “V”. Not sure Steve wants the V word said here. So, juice V. V juice… hmmm. What kind of stuff they feeding you Ben????? Be careful – The Thais – like the Vietnamese (all asians?) have this strange belief that if they put the blood of the monthly discharge into your coffee you’ll fall helplessly in love with the girl it came from. I’m not saying that’s what’s going on with your chicken – but, you did say you enjoyed it a LOT.
LOL. Don’t start as well Vern. Myself, Thai language and Thai food are not a good combo. I once ordered an omelette apparently asking the waiter for some ‘C’ (the male equivelant of the ladies ‘V’), that did raise a few eyebrows, especially as I was sitting with my Thai family… Interesing point on the jim juice tho, whatever it is, it keeps me coming back
And you’re quite right Steve, where is the rum? That is definitely something that should be on the list of things that are cheaper in LOS… Booze!
I’ve just poured my jar of Red Mountain coffee into the dustbin after reading Vern’s comment and I’ll remember never to order a Bloody Mary in Asia again.
I’ve never met Ben but through reading his blog I know he’s a ‘ one of the lads’ type of character with a big heart of gold. Someone who is a great ambassador for the UK abroad. Ben’s blog is full of humour with enough factual and informative posts to intrigue all of us and is a damn good read as well. I love his TV commercial spot he does now and again plus he’s a great lover of sport just like myself. Ben comes across in his writing as a sincere kind of bloke who landed in the Land of Smiles a little green but has wised up real fast, discounting his strange eating habits of course. I’d highly recommend the Thai Pirate has a 5 star bookmark.
Strangely, I read Ben’s “bathroom nasties” post while in Thailand last month.
Had a great laugh and loved it, great to learn a little more about the author…
Off to check out some more posts now.
I will surely have a look at Your blog, Ben. Another misunderstanding is when you order a Singha, which in some cases can lead to a mountain of fried chicken wings. i don´t know why. Be careful with the Naam Jim words, some find it very offensive (i know that from experience)
nice interview, it’s always nteresting to find out the bio of other blog owners.