#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Learn Thai Language >  >  Dangers in not able to speak Thai

## Bill Donnell

I went to the barber shop yesterday. I don't know the Thai word for "STOP". The barber cut off half my beard while I was trying to think of the word. I was too late. I am now beardless.

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## ChiangMai noon

> I don't know the Thai word for "STOP"


presumably, it's your first week.

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## Marmite the Dog

Easy.

'Ee kwai, hyud! yak dtai mai?'

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## kmart

> Easy.
> 
> 'Ee kwai, hyud! yak dtai mai?'


 :rofl: 

Watch your easygoing, friendly local Thai barber turn into Sweeney Todd.

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## Attilla the Hen

Easy, you could have yelled "Aardvaark" if you wanted to. It's not the word, it's the tone they understand; just like with pets.

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## Thetyim

If he cut off half your beard then why are you beardless ?
By my calculation you should still have half a beard

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## kingwilly

> I went to the barber shop yesterday. I don't know the Thai word for "STOP". The barber cut off half my beard while I was trying to think of the word. I was too late. I am now beardless.


never mind, its a good tale, and one that happens to plenty of us.

hope it grows back soon.

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## Travelmate

Just shout "Oi!"

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## Wayne Kerr

> I went to the barber shop yesterday. I don't know the Thai word for "STOP".


Same thing happened to me at the massage joint not long ago ... lucky she was a good sort  :Smile:

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## Bobcock

I think No might have done it.

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## Loy Toy

" What the fcuk" works also! Most thai's recognize fcuk and when they hear it!  :Smile:

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## Attilla the Hen

^
Not a good idea if the man's holding a cut-throat razor........

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## cali kid

Stop = Sa thop, 

Now you know.

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## ayayeyey

> I went to the barber shop yesterday. I don't know the Thai word for "STOP". The barber cut off half my beard while I was trying to think of the word. I was too late. I am now beardless.



You could not show with your hands and body language? I am sure he would have understood.

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## HBerghoff

> Easy.
> 
> 'Ee kwai, hyud! yak dtai mai?'


Buffalo you wanna die?  :smiley laughing:

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## hillbilly

Stop in Thai is pronouced 'yut'. Just look at all of the stop signs.

Or you could have just said 'paw' which means enough.

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## jandajoy

> and one that happens to plenty of us


WHO ? Just name one other person who experienced this kind of trauma.

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## Panda

> Originally Posted by kingwilly
> 
> and one that happens to plenty of us
> 
> 
> WHO ? Just name one other person who experienced this kind of trauma.


Take a look around at all the beardless farangs. :Smile:

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## forreachingme

Well, over 8 years here and i would have said :  SET LEO, what i think means : it is finish ! The chap migth just start working faster eventually, as per Leoleo...

Even ordering a LEO beer in a bar or a small shop is difficult in this country, they never get it by my first asking !

i then say LEee - ooOO and i get my beer with them replying aaaaaaAAAAAAAA generally

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## watterinja

> I am now beardless.


Most of us on TD are legless.

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## kingwilly

> WHO ? Just name one other person who experienced this kind of trauma.


Blackgang

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## Mr Brown

> i then say LEee - ooOO and i get my beer with them replying aaaaaaAAAAAAAA generally


Get that with Tiger

Have to say Ti GUUR

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## matsalleh

> Originally Posted by forreachingme
> 
> i then say LEee - ooOO and i get my beer with them replying aaaaaaAAAAAAAA generally
> 
> 
> Get that with Tiger
> 
> Have to say Ti GUUR


Hey, not all speak Lao (Isarn)!!!

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## jandajoy

> Blackgang



Honestly ?

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## DrAndy

something to do with a brain surgeon, if I remember correctly

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## somtamslap

> Have to say Ti GUUR


and Pepsiiiiii, Fantaaa, Sp - rite, and my least favourite, Coake...fucking hate saying that.

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## isdatu

I always get the blank looks with Tiger. Had this discussion with Mrs Is. We are in   a bar, like what stretch of the imagination does it take to understand Tiger. Like did she think, "did he want a wheelbarrow or a Tiger". Mrs Is says Tiga, or Thai- ga then they say  "mai mee". Lazy srtetch  of no imagination

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## November Rain

> Fantaaa


Nam som (how the hell is that crap orange juice???), nam keow or nam daeng?

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## TSR2

[quote="Wayne Kerr"]Same thing happened to me at the massage joint not long ago ... lucky she was a good sort [/QUOTE


Like Don,t Stop     don.t    Stop    Don.t /Stop,, Christ Don,t stop

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## dirtydog

It's probably quite a good idea to learn everyday Thai for normal day to day situations even for the silly things that could turn dangerous, lets say Somchai the nutter axe murderer is behind you just about to embed his freshly sharpened axe into the back of your head, if you can understand Thai and a passerby shouts out, "Oi farang kee nok, there is a physchotic axe murderer behind you who is about to embed his freshly sharpened axe into the back of your head and then he might try to kill you", undertsanding Thai could save you from a severe injury from Somchais axe.

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## November Rain

> "Oi farang kee nok, there is a physchotic axe murderer behind you who is about to embed his freshly sharpened axe into the back of your head and then he might try to kill you",


Isn't it a more likely scenario that no-one would say a word, but that a crowd would gather waiting 
a) to see a farang get their come-uppance
b) to see all the blood & gore
c) to be able to be the one pointing in the newspaper pics
?

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## Marmite the Dog

> Hey, not all speak Lao


I think you'll find that apart from the newsreaders, most seem to speak a version of it.

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## barbaro

> I went to the barber shop yesterday. I don't know the Thai word for "STOP". The barber cut off half my beard while I was trying to think of the word. I was too late. I am now beardless.


It depends on how long you've live in Thailand (or any foreign country).

You should also know in addition to "stop," to be able to tell the barber before hand - in simple terms - how you want your hair cut.

Before you learn Thai - bring a good phrasebook (not a dictionary) to explaine the terms.

Those who live in a foreign country for years (not saying this is you) and cannot communicate in survival are idiot, low-class, foreigners.

Lazy, and stupid.

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## somtamslap

> Those who live in a foreign country for years (not saying this is you) and cannot communicate in survival are idiot, low-class, foreigners


I know a chap who's been here for well over 20 years, can't even count to ten. Pretty piss poor effort.

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## Rural Surin

> Originally Posted by Milkman
> 
> Those who live in a foreign country for years (not saying this is you) and cannot communicate in survival are idiot, low-class, foreigners
> 
> 
> I know a chap who's been here for well over 20 years, can't even count to ten. Pretty piss poor effort.


How's he get on?

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## somtamslap

Well. He's quite successful in his line of work.

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## dirtydog

^What? Counting to 9  :Smile:

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## Loy Toy

I can honestly say, and from my experience that most of the important technical responsibilities I have here are normally discussed in English. In fact we buy equipment from all around the world and all of the commisioning training is in English regardless whether the machines have come from Japan, Germany or Taiwan (and for instance).

I can speak Thai as well as anyone else and when I am working in the factory but we rarely have a technical or commercial discussion in Thai. In fact I have only ever had discussions with my Thai partner in English and for the past 18 years.

To speak Thai is an advantage and during social activities only in my opinion.

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## dirtydog

^You wont be saying that when you got a load of Thais shouting at you in Thai, "WATCH OUT FARANG, THE ANAL RAPIST IS BEHIND YOU", I reckon you would have wished you had spent the time to learn important stuff like that  :Smile:

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## good2bhappy

^ very important commonly used phrase that one!
how does it go again?

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## dirtydog

Oy Falang, me khon ma haa yet tuot khorng khun, cow mai yorm jai tang.

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## Loy Toy

> To speak Thai is an advantage and during social activities only in my opinion.





> You wont be saying that when you got a load of Thais shouting at you in Thai, "WATCH OUT FARANG, THE ANAL RAPIST IS BEHIND YOU",


Anal rape ia a social activity here in Pattaya isn't it Dog?

I think my Thai can cover that one mate!  :Smile:

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## Panda

[quote=Loy Toy;1063699]


> Anal rape ia a social activity here in Pattaya isn't it Dog?
> 
> I think my Thai can cover that one mate!


Oiy! Chep toot!!!  :Smile:

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## Marmite the Dog

Thai is only good for ordering food, ordering drink or ordering Somchai do get off his lazy arse and do his job.

Otherwise, stick to English.

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## DrAndy

> ^You wont be saying that when you got a load of Thais shouting at you in Thai, "WATCH OUT FARANG, THE ANAL RAPIST IS BEHIND YOU", I reckon you would have wished you had spent the time to learn important stuff like that


 
blimey DD, we don't all go to that sort of bar

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## dirtydog

I haven't got to the Thai for visiting bars chapter yet  :Smile:

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## grasshopper

> Originally Posted by Bill Donnell
> 
> I went to the barber shop yesterday. I don't know the Thai word for "STOP".
> 
> 
> Same thing happened to me at the massage joint not long ago ... lucky she was a good sort


You probably yelled "stop! dont!  ahhhh! dont stop!

Am i right or am i right?

 :smiley laughing:

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## mrsquirrel

> Originally Posted by Wayne Kerr
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Bill Donnell
> ...


You're dead?

Or at least you're meant to be.

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## bandito

Help me out here, having only been here 11 months so I tend to make regular stuff ups in the language and no doubt not that culturally aware.

But, is it common for Thais to repeat every thing you say and laugh. Have had this occur a few times with the street food vendors.

I am just not sure whether to take it with good humor and Smile or tell them to fuck off as I would in ferang land, as I think this is completely rude.

Granted I may be speaking Thai poorly, but would you laugh at a strangers attempt to speak English?

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## Marmite the Dog

> But, is it common for Thais to repeat every thing you say and laugh.


I would think it's common for _any_ retard to do that.

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## tsicar

> Help me out here, having only been here 11 months so I tend to make regular stuff ups in the language and no doubt not that culturally aware.
> 
> But, is it common for Thais to repeat every thing you say and laugh. Have had this occur a few times with the street food vendors.
> 
> I am just not sure whether to take it with good humor and Smile or tell them to fuck off as I would in ferang land, as I think this is completely rude.
> 
> Granted I may be speaking Thai poorly, but would you laugh at a strangers attempt to speak English?


if you learned to speak thai in isaan, as i did, you will often have people do this, since they don't expect a farang tio be speaking lao! (i got laughed at in a bank in bangkok for speaking "k'men"!)
whatever happens, don't let this put you off. concentrate on getting your vocabulary up and learn the rest by conversing with the retards as much as possible: you will soon get the hang of it, and once you do, you will find there is a point where you will "click" and from that point on it becomes fairly easy.
good luck!i

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## Muadib

> Originally Posted by bandito
> 
> But, is it common for Thais to repeat every thing you say and laugh.
> 
> 
> I would think it's common for _any_ retard to do that.


My ex used to do that every time I would speak Spanish... Part of the reason fired her... 

DD, if you are worried about ass-bandits sneaking up on you, then it might be a good idea to stay away from the Jenny Star bar...  :Smile:

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## baldrick

> Oi farang kee nok


I have ascended the social ladder and am referred to as farang kee mar now - I aspire to the dizzying heights of farang kee kwai

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## BugginOut

> I went to the barber shop yesterday. I don't know the Thai word for "STOP". The barber cut off half my beard while I was trying to think of the word. I was too late. I am now beardless.



Well, the good thing about hair...it grows.

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## Mickmac

My mate Dean had a "haircut" in Chiang Rai a couple of years ago. He asked the girl NOT to touch his sidelevers, so she whipped one of them off. He complained about her doing so and she asked whether he wanted to keep the other one or should she take that one as well.
Was very funny when he came back to the bar to tell the story.

Mickmac

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## Blonk

yoot - stop

ngoht - to stop; to cancel; to rescind; to halt; to interrupt; to cease

yohk leerk -  cancel; abandon

waang wen - to cease; abstain; refrain; stop; quit

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## Panda

Never had a problem getting simple messages across using a very basic Thai vocabulary combined with body language/hand signs etc..

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## ossierob

I will certainly feel a lot more familiar and probably even more secure when I learn a few more words and phrases.... though its not bloody easy ....at the moment I am very basic though my Thai family do try to help me a lot...I cant even quite pick up if the language is logical which of course English is certainly not

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## Nostradamus

The more you learn the more you will feel alienated IMO.

Speak English to them and if they don't understand SPEAK LOUDER.

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## Ripley

> Help me out here, having only been here 11 months so I tend to make regular stuff ups in the language and no doubt not that culturally aware.
> 
> But, is it common for Thais to repeat every thing you say and laugh. Have had this occur a few times with the street food vendors.
> 
> I am just not sure whether to take it with good humor and Smile or tell them to fuck off as I would in ferang land, as I think this is completely rude.
> 
> Granted I may be speaking Thai poorly, but would you laugh at a strangers attempt to speak English?


 Yes, if I was a rude nationalist that needs to belittle  foreigners in every way in order to not  feel inferior.

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## nigelandjan

> Or you could have just said 'paw' which means enough.


might have been confused with por which as you all know means teacher ,,, the only reason I know is I married a por  :Smile: 

          By the way Bill I have to put my hand up and admit a similar experience as my sideburns very quickly dissapeared with the cut throat razor ,, infact the razor travelled up about an inch above me ears , mind you it was nice to pay 40bt instead of 400bt back home also to have nasal,ear,eyebrow trim all thrown in without the usual sighing I get in the UK barber when requested

                 Just as well I am a fat old git otherwise looking like that I might have been conscripted  ( allthough some would say that wouldnt be a bad idea ! )

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## isanmick

por also means father

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## isanmick

they say its only two weeks between a good and a bad hair cut.

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## superman

> might have been confused with por which as you all know means teacher


I thought Kruu means teacher ?

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## FarangRed

or Tigeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer

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## FarangRed

ngoh, would have been good enough

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## FarangRed

before you went you should have asked him for thung yaang anaamai

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## superman

> thung yaang anaamai


You missed lek off the end.

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## FarangRed

how you know?

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## nigelandjan

> I thought Kruu means teacher ?


yes Superman u are corect Kroo means teacher ,,,,,,,,,,but apparently  por as in we hear " bor " is used in the missus village for teacher ,,,,,,,,,, its all so bloody confusing ,,Thai seems to have many " assuptions " acording to how the wind blows

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## Mickmac

I laugh every time I hear a Thai say "Harry Potter", reminds me of Robin Williams pulling the pis out of the way the French speak.

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## silversands

> Originally Posted by superman
> 
> I thought Kruu means teacher ?
> 
> 
> yes Superman u are corect Kroo means teacher ,,,,,,,,,,but apparently  por as in we hear " bor " is used in the missus village for teacher ,,,,,,,,,, its all so bloody confusing ,,Thai seems to have many " assuptions " acording to how the wind blows


Always the problem with Thai! Someone tells you one thing and another something else. Sometimes I wonder if they even speak the same language as each other.
My friends girlfriend can order a table full of food with 8 words but finding out they have no more Leo towers consists of the conversation going back and forth 3 times and about 100 words! 
I thought mai mee Leo would of been enough. Maybe they didn't learn this sentance.

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## dirtydog

^If you went down your local pub and they said they had no beer how many times would you ask?

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## silversands

I'd ask once and then say "what kind of fcuking pub are you?"

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## dirtydog

^Perhaps your girlfriends friend is more polite than you  :Smile:  or perhaps she is saying "what kind of fcuking pub are you?"

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## baby maker

> My friends girlfriend can order a table full of food with 8 words but finding out they have no more Leo towers consists of the conversation going back and forth 3 times and about 100 words!


Simple misunderstanding....

the assumption is she is talking about LEO BEER......
now you know that's wrong...

she talking about every other thing, on her tiny mind....not your needs and wants...

man !!.... how long have you been here....
what do you really know about women...

 :trainwreck:

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## Thormaturge

> But, is it common for Thais to repeat every thing you say and laugh. Have had this occur a few times with the street food vendors.
> ?


As Marmite says, it is common with the sort of people who eke out a living as street vendors.  Hand them a ThB 1,000 note and wait for the change.

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## Thormaturge

I got into a taxi on Friday.

"Sukhumvit soi xx"

Blank stare followed by "Petchaburi?"

"Sukhumvit soi xx"  slightly firmer.

"Prakunam?"

My next taxi had, thankfully, heard of Sukhumvit.  I have just accepted that some people here have something very wrong inside their heads, and I have no time to figure out what it is.

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## silversands

Not much! Thankfully.

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## silversands

> ^Perhaps your girlfriends friend is more polite than you  or perhaps she is saying "what kind of fcuking pub are you?"


Not my intention to be rude! I'm sure she has said worse things about me! :smiley laughing:

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