#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Learn Thai Language >  >  Is it really necessary to learn a host country's language?

## Texpat

That they need not learn their hosts' language to communicate.

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## ChiangMai noon

> That they need not learn their hosts' language to communicate.


interesting that.

as my thai has improved to a really pretty good level, i have found myself less willing to broadcast it.

these days I speak English to Thais that can, even if their English is worse than my Thai.

for some reason it annoys me to hear bad Thai spoken very loudly, especially to people who speak good enough English.

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## Texpat

^Yes, good to have the option, but the farangs I am referring to are the smug, I-won't-stoop-to-learn-Thai types.

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## peterpan

> Originally Posted by Texpat
> 
> That they need not learn their hosts' language to communicate.
> 
> 
> interesting that.
> 
> as my thai has improved to a really pretty good level, i have found myself less willing to broadcast it.
> 
> ...


Must admit I have gone in that direction myself, partly due to wanting my children to improve their engllsh and partly wanting the locals to get off their butts and start using some of the ( lImited) English skills I know they have. 

I spent a couple of days in BKK last week with me Mia noi  or ex Mia noi as she now is, trying to bond with our daughter. They both live in  Thai situation, she has a job dealing only with Thais, her English has regressed to the point of being useless. 
So maybe they feel the same way, when the requirment becomes superfluous the skill atrophys.

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## Butterfly

> ^Yes, good to have the option, but the farangs I am referring to are the smug, I-won't-stoop-to-learn-Thai types.


I don't see the point of learning Thai, it's not like it's a major language, definitely not a must

It's like learning how to speak Monkey, who the fuck care.

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## ChiangMai noon

^
jeezus.

 :France:

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## Texpat

^^like that  :Smile:  Thanks for illustrating my point BF.

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## chinthee

> Originally Posted by Texpat
> 
> ^Yes, good to have the option, but the farangs I am referring to are the smug, I-won't-stoop-to-learn-Thai types.
> 
> 
> I don't see the point of learning Thai, it's not like it's a major language, definitely not a must
> 
> It's like learning how to speak Monkey, who the fuck care.


No honestly, BF has a good point.  Nobody in the entire world speaks Thai.  It has no influence whatsoever in any circles in the world, whether business, diplomatic, scientific...nothing.

Why learn more than a smattering of this useless language?  What's the point?

Learn Chinese.  Learn Russian.  Learn Arabic.  Learn Spanish.

Those are important world languages.

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## ChiangMai noon

^
is that a troll?

do you live in thailand?

absolutely beats me how people can live here and can't read or write.

would you feel happy being illiterate in France, England, America.
not rocket science.

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## slimboyfat

well at least BF can speak a couple of languages well 
(that i know of, it may be more).  And thats better than me.

As for monkey, yes i never bothered to learn malay either, even though the whole language only seems to comprise of about 100 words

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## Bluecat

[quote=kingwilly;455738]


> I've never asked her out or even asked for her number. I like joking around with her, but I've never had the urge to pursue her. She's a cutie though, no doubt about it. Then again, there are so many cuties on the blok.


Well, most expats are not that careful usually and it has nothing to do with delusions of grandeur.
He should be rewarded for his caution... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## Clockwork Orange

> Nobody in the entire world speaks Thai


I was just going to say that but I could predict the responses - _after a quick edit, I see I was right_ - but the cat's out of the bag now. The way I see it, the Thais would be doing themselves a big favour if they just learn English & if they're going to do that, there's not much point learning Thai properly.

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## chinthee

> ^
> is that a troll?
> 
> do you live in thailand?
> 
> absolutely beats me how people can live here and can't read or write.
> 
> would you feel happy being illiterate in France, England, America.
> not rocket science.


I speak fluent French, mostly fluent English and American, and conversational Thai.  I rarely use English in Thailand.

But I stand by my point.  It's a useless language.  It relates to no other important world language, such as Mandarin.  It gives you no foundation for any other important Asian language, such as Japanese or Bahasa.

Useless.  Sorry.

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## Butterfly

> Learn Chinese. Learn Russian. Learn Arabic. Learn Spanish.
> 
> Those are important world languages.


Exactly. But you forgot French, the universal language of love and a beautiful language period  :Smile:

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## chinthee

> Originally Posted by chinthee
> 
> Learn Chinese. Learn Russian. Learn Arabic. Learn Spanish.
> 
> Those are important world languages.
> 
> 
> Exactly. But you forgot French, the universal language of love and a beautiful language period


Je parle Francais parfaitement mon ami!

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## ChiangMai noon

> The way I see it, the Thais would be doing themselves a big favour if they just learn English & if they're going to do that, there's not much point learning Thai properly.


twattish post.







> Useless. Sorry.


I'm sure it is, unless you fukking live here.






> Exactly. But you forgot French, the universal language of love and a beautiful language period


christ almighty.
 :Sad:

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## Butterfly

> absolutely beats me how people can live here and can't read or write.


I have plenty of admiration for those who try and do speak and read Thai

but really, it's pointless and there are better things to do than spend time to learn the language of a minor third world country

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## kingwilly

learning a language is never a waste of time.

i've learnt (and forgotten) to speak half a dozen languages over the years, always helps.

one day i might even learn to speak or write english

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## chinthee

Ok, yeah, I speak converasational Thai because I have to.  Not because I want to.  It's a useless language and gives you no tools for any other language on this earth.  * And I promise this is true.

Everyone is so proud when they speak Thai in Thailand, but it doesn't get them anything outside this little country.

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## ChiangMai noon

^
I'm flabbergasted.

do you live in thailand or not Chintee.

i agree it is utterly useless if you are elsewhere, but if you are here???

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## chinthee

> ^
> I'm flabbergasted.
> 
> do you live in thailand or not Chintee.
> 
> i agree it is utterly useless if you are elsewhere, but if you are here???


yeah, I'm here and I speak passable Thai, but not literate.  Anyway, if you've learned as many languages as I have you get weary of it all...

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## Bluecat

> Originally Posted by Texpat
> 
> ^Yes, good to have the option, but the farangs I am referring to are the smug, I-won't-stoop-to-learn-Thai types.
> 
> 
> I don't see the point of learning Thai, it's not like it's a major language, definitely not a must


I agree with that.
Far better to learn French, German, Mandarin or Japanese.
That is if you do not live in Thailand or want to live in Thailand.
Because, well, here, speaking Thai is sure more helpful than speaking French or Mandarin... :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## slimboyfat

anyone who cant speak english probably isn't worth speaking to anyway.

espcially kw

anyway this thread wasn't about speaking thai and is also in the indo/phils forum

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## Butterfly

> Everyone is so proud when they speak Thai in Thailand, but it doesn't get them anything outside this little country.


It's actually useful to score hotties and have freebies with the uni girls, so not totally useless if you live here. But yeah being proud of speaking Thai is like being a proud puppy putting his first turd on the carpet, not really an accomplishment.




> do you live in thailand or not Chintee.


I don't see how this can be an argument, and no, giving out reds is the not answer

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## ChiangMai noon

> anyway this thread wasn't about speaking thai and is also in the indo/phils forum


oops.
sorry
I accidentally popped over to thaivisa

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## ChiangMai noon

> I don't see how this can be an argument, and no, giving reds is the not answer


how can that not be an argument?

"if you live in thailand it is more useful to learn Japanese??"

WTF.

I'll red you again as soon as I can.
 :wales:

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## chinthee

> Originally Posted by chinthee
> 
> Everyone is so proud when they speak Thai in Thailand, but it doesn't get them anything outside this little country.
> 
> 
> It's actually useful to score hotties and have freebies with the uni girls, so not totally useless if you live here. But yeah being proud of speaking Thai is like being a proud puppy putting his first turd on the carpet, not really an accomplishment.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ok, look, I'm married to a Thai, I speak Thai everyday, and it is a useless language to my life outside Thailand.  What is so hard to understand about that?

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## Butterfly

> how can that not be an argument?
> 
> "if you live in thailand it is more useful to learn Japanese??"


but we do not live here, we are only temporary guests,

I hope you are not planning to spend the rest of your life here ?

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## NickA

Oh dear, I find myself agreeing with the wise Welsh one, something must be wrong. 

Thai is very easy to read and write, listening is pretty simple, but speaking is difficult for most people, including me. I have the distinct advantage of being able to say krap at the end of my sentences instead of boyo, which is off-putting to some of the natives.

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## ChiangMai noon

> but we do not live here, we are only temporary guests,


silly argument.

I have been here pushing 7 years.

if I didn't speak thai by now I would be horribly ashamed.
i would also find stuff like calling the electricians a bit difficult.

you are a buffoon
a large French one.

I will red you as often as the software allows.
i have just stuck a reminder on my monitor.

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## watterinja

Interesting that technical books written in Thai have important words set in  English inside brackets, next to the Thai equivalent.

The reason for this is that the Thai language invariably does not have an appropriate word of its own - the de facto standard is English - the Thai lecturer often has to synthesise a Thai equivalent that will hopefully convey some kind of primitive constructive meaning to the locals.

So, the easiest way to read a Thai technical book is to skim read through the bracketed English key words, look at the pictures & equations. This is how I studied at CU when the main text book was in Thai.

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## NickA

> i would also find stuff like calling the electricians a bit difficult.


Isn't that what the wife's for?

I wouldn't even consider making a phone call in Thai.

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## ChiangMai noon

> I wouldn't even consider making a phone call in Thai.


she's shy.

It's always me that has to do that stuff.

anyway, not everyone has a wife.

she might leave me tomorrow and i like living here regardless.

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## NickA

^I hide behind the wife a lot, when she's not around I get forced to speak Thai and I can get by, but I make her do all the talking when she's there. Probably my own shyness rather than a language barrier.

I even make her answer the phone to my parents now, I really can't stand fucking phones.

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## Butterfly

> you are a buffoon
> a large French one.
> 
> I will red you as often as the software allows.
> i have just stuck a reminder on my monitor.


you silly petite Gaelic, you are a proud little puppy, aren't you ?  :Smile: 

 :kma:

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## Texpat

I made a decision to live in Thailand. I came here with a plan to live here a very long time. Within weeks of arriving I started taking Thai language lessons -- 3x a week for 2 hours a shot. I studied for eight months until I moved into the jungle. 

Nobody here speaks English save my precious wife. Funnily (or not so) they don't speak much Thai either, they speak Issan wich is nothing more than a Thai/Lao mix. Eight months won't get you far, but I have the fundamentals down. I can read and write at a basic level. I'd be screwed without being able to communicate.

If you live in Bangkok or Phuket maybe the need to speak Thai isn't as pressing. For me it is, and I think it a bit haughty that some don't concede they might be better for it, regarless of where they live.

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## Marmite the Dog

> being proud of speaking Thai is like being a proud puppy putting his first turd on the carpet


Brilliant!

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## Texpat

> I really can't stand fucking phones.


Yeah, the G-spot is so elusive. They're getting smaller every day, though, and that's a plus.  :Smile:

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## NickA

^**** :Smile:

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## Norton

Language is simply a means of communication (even body language :Smile: ).  For those in areas of Thailand where non Thai speakers are fortunate enough to find English speaking Thais or have English speaking Thai wives or GFs, learning Thai is really not worth the effort.  In the area I chose to live (Isaan) without some Thai and Lao language skill it would be impossible to communicate the most basic of things even to my wife.  I could try to teach all the villagers to speak English or learn enough Lao to get by.  I chose the latter. 

IMO, Thai is a useless language anywhere outside Thailand.  Thais, especially in the business community, would be better off if they were taught to speak English and/or Mandarin.

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## Norton

> If you live in Bangkok or Phuket maybe the need to speak Thai isn't as pressing. For me it is, and I think it a bit haughty that some don't concede they might be better for it, regarless of where they live.


Well you beat me to it.  Guess the old saying "you snooze you lose" is still true. :Smile:

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## Spin

Reading Thai, pointless. Writing Thai pointless. Fluent Thai pointless.
Basic Thai/Lao, essential.

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## ChiangMai noon

^
another troll.
 :Sad:

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## kingwilly

> I think it a bit haughty that some don't concede they might be better for it, regarless of where they live.


agreed.

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## Texpat

I can't imagine living here for years and not being able to read.

Don't you ever drive down the road and wonder what is written on all the signs?

Don't you ever pick up something in a store and wonder what the package says?

Wouldn't you like to look at someone's Thai ID card and know what their name is without having to ask?

Maybe not. As someone said before, it's not that difficult to read.

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## Bluecat

I can't imagine living here either without being able to speak and read Thai language.
I'm just surviving so far... :Smile:

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## Bluecat

And for the people who did not understand this comment.
I work here, this is why I'm here.
When the work is gone, the equation changes...

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## DrB0b

Jeez. Thai is a useless language, nobody wants to learn it as it's unimportant to the world scene? I had no idea I was in the presence of such big time players on the world stage. I was under the impression this forum was full of expats, losers, whoremongers, retirees, and ex-shelfpackers, who would have though it was packed to the gills with such big important people? People who can't waste their time learning non-international languages, after all they may be called upon to address the UN or solve the middle-east crisis at any time, the kind of guys who may have to leave the BJ bar at a moments notice and jet into Darfur to sort out those damn Janjaweed. I wonder if Thailand knows just how lucky it is to have you guys gracing its territory? Pity you can't tell them that in their own language.

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## Boon Mee

> . I wonder if Thailand knows just how lucky it is to have you guys gracing its territory?


They basically don't give a shit.  Usually laugh at my feeble attempts to articulate but that's OK - used to it.  You can live in Thailand all your life and speak Thai like a native but you'll always be a Farang.  Even the girls when they find out you do comprehend switch to some obscure Issan dialect or Cambodian or something... :Sad:

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## watterinja

> I can't imagine living here ...
> I'm just surviving so far...


Agreed.  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

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## ProjectExcelsior

I can't believe the narrow-minded nature of some of you plebs, you seem to be proud of not being able to speak thai.  You ought to be ashamed.  So what if it's not the big bad language that English or Spanish is that everyone speaks of.  

If you're living in Thailand no matter what your 'style' is if you make an effort to speak 'decent' thai, (not the hooker bar variant either) people will respect you much more and when you're up shit creek with a broken down car, lost or arrested etc you won't be panicking about whats going on around you.
Sorry Dr Bob is that too much 'Big Time' Player style to you.  I'll get back to my UN meetings now  :Smile:

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## Marmite the Dog

I had a taxi driver who said I was very polite the other day, and thanked me for trying to speak his language with courtesy and respect. Blimey!

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## chinthee

Oh, for Christ's sake, I speak Thai better than most loser farangs.  Why the insistence upon perferction?  What  is so shameful about speaking perfectly passable conversational Thai?'

Christ almightly, it's a country that is the smallest  blemish on the buttocks of the earth!

Get some perspective people.  This country means nothing in the greater scheme of things.

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## Spin

> you seem to be proud of not being able to speak thai


Its no big deal, daily interaction with Thais has shown me that when you ask for directions they dont know.
Ask a shop assistant for some advice or information on some product, they dont know.
Just this evening in a restaraunt the cashier used a focking calculator to subtract 34 from 200.

I just dont see the point in integrating too much in this country, sorry but there aint much to be learned from these guys on any level higher that "have you eaten yet?" so thats the level I'm gonna stay at.




> You ought to be ashamed.


Maybe its a kind of delusion of granduer that drives you to say that?

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## Spin

> another troll.


You know thats not the case, I'm like Smeg in that i dont kiss ass Thailand and for good reasons. All you guys who wanna run around fitting in so much will be leaving the same day as me if they strike oil.

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## Troubled

> I'd be screwed without being able to communicate.


There is the key. 
Language is a means to communicate. Most of how we communicate anyhow is by body language not by word. Just ask Marcel Marceau ( Well you could if he were still alive)
Being able to speak any language used where one is living has got to assist in this communication process as it will provide more tools.

It is possible to communicate at some level without speaking Thai.

As Texpat has said speaking Thai is perhaps less imperative in the larger or more cosmopolitan communities and that if you do live in the wilds the "local" language might not even be Thai

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## NickA

> Get some perspective people. This country means nothing in the greater scheme of things.


What are you talking about?

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## robin

Proficiency in the language becomes more relevant if you need to work or do business as an expat.

I live and work in Germany and although the language isn't much use outside Germany (even most of its neighbours don't want to hear it), I couldn't get through a day without it. 

The same applies here as in Thailand:many people don't have much of interest to say but in any emergency or dispute you're up shit creek and seriously disadvantaged if you don't command the local lingo, not to mention the handicap of finding work if you can't read the want ads.

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## Ivor Biggun

> ^Yes, good to have the option, but the farangs I am referring to are the smug, I-won't-stoop-to-learn-Thai types.


How do you know the difference between the smug type and those that, let's say, have learning difficulies. I have, I feel, a justified reason as to why I find learning Thai difficult. So I feel some what offended to be bracketed as 'I won't stoop to learn Thai types'. Perhaps I should wear a badge saying 'I'm not smug, I just have difficulty in learning' ? 
We can't all be clever fuckers.

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## slimboyfat

> Originally Posted by slimboyfat
> 
> anyway this thread wasn't about speaking thai and is also in the indo/phils forum
> 
> 
> oops.
> sorry
> I accidentally popped over to thaivisa


 
ok fair enough, but please bear in mind that this is a KW thread and may well make a ton.

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## Texpat

> How do you know the difference between the smug type and those that, let's say, have learning difficulies. I have, I feel, a justified reason as to why I find learning Thai difficult.


In which case you're not among the group to which I'm referring.  :Smile: 

This thread is about pet peeves among farangs. It's not a witchhunt.

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## ChiangMai noon

> ok fair enough, but please bear in mind that this is a KW thread and may well make a ton.


it has indeed gone way off topic since the first reply but it's developed into one of willie's better threads.

maybe it should be moved to the Thailand forum, except for the OP.

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## kingwilly

> Perhaps I should wear a badge saying 'I'm not smug, I just have difficulty in learning' ? We can't all be clever fuckers.


This is the same sort of arguement that people use when they cannot remember someones name, I think its a cop out! 

yes it's hard, no you didnt make an effort!

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## NickA

> This is the same sort of arguement that people use when they cannot spell, I think its a cop out!


Yes, I agree heartily :Smile:

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## Ivor Biggun

> I can't imagine living here for years and not being able to read. Don't you ever drive down the road and wonder what is written on all the signs?


The Thais have been here longer than us and they still can't read the the signs. Why learn when you can buy your licence as per most of them here in Isaan. When in Thailand, monkey see monkey do. Learning to read here isn't going to help harvest the rice.
I'm not having a go at you Texpat but I think the Thais are more ignorant than us when it comes to learning Thai, written or verbal. They only learn what they feel will be of use to them in their job options, which aint much.

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## kingwilly

^ rather sweeping generalisation there young fella!

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## Ivor Biggun

> yes it's hard, no you didnt make an effort!





> This is the same sort of arguement that people use when they cannot remember someones name, I think its a cop out! yes it's hard, no you didnt make an effort!


Very easy to say if you don't have this affliction and I hope you never do. What I would give not to suffer from the above.

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## kingwilly

^ it is not an affliction nor a disease, it is simply nothing more than not giving it a real effort!

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## Ivor Biggun

> rather sweeping generalisation there young fella!


I can only say what I see around me. They don't speak Thai here and as I've said learning to read aint going to make them better rice harvesters.

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## kingwilly

^ not all thais are rice harvesters, ignorant, monkeys nor unable to read written thai.

hence the reason I pointed out that such comments are rather sweeping generalisations!

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## Ivor Biggun

> it is not an affliction nor a disease, it is simply nothing more than not giving it a real effort!


I suppose that comes from your medical training ? There are medical names for it and I'm sure someone will enlighten me to it's title.

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## Jet Gorgon

> But I stand by my point. (Thai) is a useless language. It relates to no other important world language, such as Mandarin. It gives you no foundation for any other important Asian language, such as Japanese or Bahasa.
> 
> Useless. Sorry.


Ooooh, Chinthee, I don't believe you said that. 
Thai is very close to Mandarin in terms of grammar and there are no verb conjugations, it's tonal, and several words appear similar (OK, san/sam for three is pan-Asian, but even mai mee -- Mandarin mei yo) is not that much of a stretch. Also, for Westerners who have never heard tonal languages before, it's a good intro to Chinese. 
Bahasa? WTF speaks Bahasa? There aren't that many Indonesians. If you're going for the biz angle, speak whatever lingo your partners are speaking. Oh, sorry, forgot this was the Indo forum. 55

I knew an old-school Brit in Thailand who just shouted in English. Embarrassing.

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## kingwilly

> There aren't that many Indonesians.


erm, 220 million ppl or so.

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## Butterfly

> Get some perspective people. This country means nothing in the greater scheme of things.


I think you just missed your plane to Darfur !!!  :Smile:

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## Butterfly

> Its no big deal, daily interaction with Thais has shown me that when you ask for directions they dont know.
> Ask a shop assistant for some advice or information on some product, they dont know.
> Just this evening in a restaraunt the cashier used a focking calculator to subtract 34 from 200.
> 
> I just dont see the point in integrating too much in this country, sorry but there aint much to be learned from these guys on any level higher that "have you eaten yet?" so thats the level I'm gonna stay at.


Brillant !!! Exactly. This is another reason why I don't want to learn more, you will just be another monkey speaking to another monkey. Fuck that. I have better things to do.

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## Norton

Definition: Bahasa, language.
Bahasa Indonesia - Spoken by appoximately 235,000,000 people.
Bahasa Malayu - Spoken by approximately 27,000,000 people.
Thai - Spoken by approximately 62,000,000 people

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## AntRobertson

> you will just be another monkey speaking to another monkey. Fuck that. I have better things to do.


Like speaking to other frogs?

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## Lily

ribbet, ribbet!

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## AntRobertson

^^Vous faites moi faim!  :Smile:

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## Luckydog

> Originally Posted by Texpat
> 
> ^Yes, good to have the option, but the farangs I am referring to are the smug, I-won't-stoop-to-learn-Thai types.
> 
> 
> I don't see the point of learning Thai, it's not like it's a major language, definitely not a must
> 
> It's like learning how to speak Monkey, who the fuck care.


Agreed BF......

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## ChiangMai noon

> Agreed BF.


incredible.

do you mind expanding?

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## kingwilly

^ obviously not. incredible how bigoted some ppl can be....

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## ChiangMai noon

Interestingly I found a post in the language forum where butterfly is talking about a good Thai learning cd he found.

from this we can gather he is either.
a. trolling
or
b. failed to master the language.

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## kingwilly

c. both.

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## Butterfly

> incredible how bigoted some ppl can be....


I don't see how this has anything to do with racism ?

Do you learn how to speak dolphin when you go to the Aquarium ?

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## ChiangMai noon

> I don't see how this has anything to do with racism ?


who said it did.






> Do you learn how to speak dolphin when you go to the Aquarium ?


truly inane.

 :France:

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## AntRobertson

> ^ I don't see how this has anything to do with racism ?




Que? Who said anything about racism? Although what else would your alluding to Thais and monkey's be?




> Do you learn how to speak dolphin when you go to the Aquarium ?




Do you think you could possibly come up with an even more supercilious or ludicrous analogy?

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## Butterfly

> Interestingly I found a post in the language forum where butterfly is talking about a good Thai learning cd he found.


I still have that CD, and if I had time with nothing better to do, I would probably learn how to speak Thai out of curiosity, and probably to score the freebies with the uni girls.

For the record, everytime I speak Thai to one of the locals, they tell me I speak perfectly. I know it's not true as I really speak only a few words, but I see this as a social thing for them to be polite. Fine with me, but English will be the only fluent language I will speak most of the time in Monkey land, and I don't need to feel guilty about it. Not my country and not my residence and I don't live in some little village out of nowhere.

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## kingwilly

> but English will be the only fluent language I will speak most of the time in Monkey land, and I don't need to feel guilty about it. Not my country and not my residence and I don't live in some little village out of nowhere.


so foreigners in your country shouldn't have to learn to speak frog then, should they?

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## Butterfly

> incredible how bigoted some ppl can be....





> Que? Who said anything about racism? Although what else would your alluding to Thais and monkey's be?


maybe a language misunderstanding,

Thais often refer themselves to "monkeys" but in a cute way, not a racist one.

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## kingwilly

> Thais often refer themselves to "monkeys" but in a cute way, not a racist one.


cute?

nope.

BTW - bigoted doesn't just mean racist ! 

the very fact that you say you don't need to learn their language because it is not as important as yours is bigoted!

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## Butterfly

> so foreigners in your country shouldn't have to learn to speak frog then, should they?


I am always amazed how many people are interested into learning French or Italian despite being completely unecessary. A bit of snobbery I think even though it does sound very nice when they do try to speak French, so no complain.

Also France having the world capital of culture and "elegance", there is a point of learning French if you want to learn about History of Arts etc...  :Smile:

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## Butterfly

> the very fact that you say you don't need to learn their language because it is not as important as yours is bigoted!


I don't see how it is ? maybe a definition is in order.

----------


## AntRobertson

> maybe a language misunderstanding, Thais often refer themselves to "monkeys" but in a cute way, not a racist one


They do?  Fair enough, I didn't know that.

My Thai is shite!  :Very Happy:

----------


## NickA

> Fine with me, but English will be the only fluent language I will speak most of the time


Good, you seem to know who your masters are and act accordingly... I just wish all the French could understand this.

----------


## Butterfly

^ actually, it's the same the other way around, I hate those French expats who go into a foreigner country and expect everyone to speak French or won't speak English but will learn the local language (like Thai) instead.

International English is the language to be spoken for all expats, period, regardless of which country they are attached to. There is no master/slave relationship, it's all about convenience.

----------


## kingwilly

> International English is the language to be spoken for all expats, period, ........ it's all about convenience.


true, is it going to remain that way though? 

and does that then preclude the need to learn a little of the local language? 
I wouldnt think so !

----------


## Butterfly

> and does that then preclude the need to learn a little of the local language?


no, but only if you have the time, definitely not a must as originally pointed out, just an optional luxury,

----------


## kingwilly

> maybe a definition is in order.


here's a definition. 




> *bigot*. n. person with fixed and intolerant belief. bigoted

----------


## kingwilly

> no, but only if you have the time, definitely not a must as originally pointed out,


i think it was the negative side that was suggesting the absolute not the positive.

----------


## Whiteshiva

Strangely enough, I find myself agreeing to a large extent with Butterfly on this topic.  I have learned some basic Thai in the time I have been here, but since I live in the city, speak English with the wife and English is my working language, I rarely have the opportunity (or need, more likely) to speak Thai.  In fact, when I started in this job (Thai company), my boss told me that her staff needed to learn better English, and that she wanted them to get more exposure to the language! 

I guess I could spend a few hours a week to learn the Thai, but even if I did learn to speak and write/read with ease, what use would it be?  There is very little Thai literature to speak of, the TV is, as far as I can tell, absolute rubbish, and the great majority of Thais I come across in my daily life speak English rather well, and could probably not be bothered to converse in pidgin Thai, anyway.

My kids are gradually becoming trilingual, and I am picking up a bit of Thai from them(!), but if I was actually going to take time off to study a language, I would either have a go at improving my German or Bahasa, or learn a useful and widely used language like Spanish, Arabic or Mandarin.

There is another aspect of this debate as well - as long as foreigners (and I am talking urbanites here, you guys out in the sticks don't really have a choice!) learn Thai, we are removing one reason for the locals to learn English.  I have been teaching our live-in nanny to speak some basic English, basically for the kids sake, but it could certainly give her the option of working for a foreign family in the future, should we decide to move to another country.

To those of you who have mastered Thai, I salute you - well done.  But please accept that some of us have little incentive to do so, and quite frankly - very little need for it.

Would life be a little easier if I spoke better Thai? - probably.  Do I think it is worth the effort? - probably not.  I'd much rather play with my kids, hang out with friends (including a few Thais!), travel, play, work in my garden, read a good book or watch a good movie, or cross swords with the TD intelligentsia!

----------


## chinthee

> Originally Posted by chinthee
> 
> 
> But I stand by my point. (Thai) is a useless language. It relates to no other important world language, such as Mandarin. It gives you no foundation for any other important Asian language, such as Japanese or Bahasa.
> 
> Useless. Sorry.
> 
> 
> Ooooh, Chinthee, I don't believe you said that. 
> ...


Yes, Jet I did say it and stand by it.  As I stated, I do speak "good enough" conversational Thai.  I'm illiterate, and can't write in Thai.  Who cares?  I'm only here at the whim and good graces of immigration year-to-year.  It's very hard to become a permanent resident, and there is no permanency here.  Anybody who believes otherwise is fooling himself (herself).

Having said that, I do enjoy speaking Thai and I rarely have to revert to English for most things daily.  No, I can't carry on extended business conversations, but most of the Thais I know in business speak better English than my Thai.

I mean, what is the point?

Go learn Mandarin or Arabic or Spanish ffs.

----------


## Marmite the Dog

Seeing as this has absolutely nothing to do with Indo, it's now in the Thai Language Forum.

----------


## Ivor Biggun

Good article on Language of Thailand - IndigoGuide Thailand

----------


## Texpat

Very odd how my thread about languages (sounds greek) spiralled into a avatar-guessing contest and KW's thread about farang pet peeves morphed into a language shit-storm.  :Smile: 

Carry-on.

----------


## chinthee

As LD would say, "sorry old bean."

----------


## DrB0b

> There is very little Thai literature to speak of


That's not really true. There's quite a lot of Thai literature. Small in comparison to English literature of course but still quite a lot of good reading there.

----------


## NickA

I understand that some people don't want to learn a particularly high level of Thai as I don't bother that much myself. What I don't understand is people claiming that learning Russian, Spanish or Indonesian is a more useful use of time.

I mean how often are you going to use Spanish in Udon Thani or Russian in Surin or Indonesian in Chiang Mai. It doesn't really make any sense unless you are planning to move to a Spanish or Russian or Indonesian speaking country, which I'm not and I assume most people are not.

----------


## NickA

> That's not really true. There's quite a lot of Thai literature. Small in comparison to English literature of course but still quite a lot of good reading there.


Also English books translated into thai are cheaper than the original books and are easier to find.

----------


## chinthee

> I understand that some people don't want to learn a particularly high level of Thai as I don't bother that much myself. What I don't understand is people claiming that learning Russian, Spanish or Indonesian is a more useful use of time.
> 
> I mean how often are you going to use Spanish in Udon Thani or Russian in Surin or Indonesian in Chiang Mai. It doesn't really make any sense unless you are planning to move to a Spanish or Russian or Indonesian speaking country, which I'm not and I assume most people are not.


So, tell us again, just how long is your Thai visa or right to remain valid for??

----------


## NickA

^Ah, yes, my Thai visa is only valid for a year, so I should learn the language of another country that I may never use because it is a better use of my time than learning the language of the country that I live in and that my wife and her family and my children speak. Now, I understand. :Smile: 

As I said, fair enough if you can't be bothered learning a high level of Thai, but let's stop making such weak excuses. :Wink:

----------


## chinthee

^ So, you've accepted that you will never live anyplace but Thailand, even though you only have 12 month guarantee of living here.  And, you believe your career opportunities in Thailand exceed those of any other country.  What did you say you do for a living?

----------


## NickA

^never said any of those things... where did you read them?

----------


## chinthee

^ No, really this is silly.  Those of us who live here have a life.  Some of us speak a number of languages already, and don't see the value in plunging deeply into yet another language that has questionable usefulness in the world.  My view is that I speak Thai quite well enough to suit my purposes.  I don't need to knock myself out yet again to go deeper.

Simple as that.

----------


## ProjectExcelsior

> Originally Posted by kingwilly
> 
> incredible how bigoted some ppl can be....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Freebies with the university girls?  You need to get back into your dingy dive in Pattaya with your hooker buddies m8. Cause they're about the only ones you'd get freebies off  :Smile: 
Let me assure you thais do not like being called monkeys.  I've yet to hear the thais call each other ling, joking or not.
if you turn around and call a thai a monkey you'd stand a good chance of being pounded.

----------


## Spin

> Freebies with the university girls?


Yep, is it too difficult to believe that not all thai women want to be payed and if they enjoy your company and converstaion they will fcuk your brains out for free. They actually enjoy sex you know! Maybe you should get out more?




> You need to get back into your dingy dive in Pattaya with your hooker buddies m8. Cause they're about the only ones you'd get freebies off


I have never met BF but i have learned he is a man of means with some sophistication. He doesnt do dingy. hookers maybe....




> I've yet to hear the thais call each other ling, joking or not.


So until you hear it, it has to be untrue? Is that what you are saying?

----------


## kingwilly

^ i think, mate, that it is pretty obviously an insult. lets not be pedantic.

----------


## chitown

Ok, just my 2 cents. I am really tired of meeting farangs that demand their Thai wife / girlfriend learn English (or whatever the man's native tongue is) and they have no intention of learning Thai. I think it is a bit selfish and also a bit lazy. The man should learn Thai and the woman should learn English. It covers both bases. The two meet in the middle and both put forth some effort. It helps withj communication all the way around.

I speak some Thai and try and learn more each day. I can say a lot of words and phrases. I can usually get the point of a conversation or a movie or an advertisement. I can have general conversation with Thais. I can't read Thai ....yet. 

I would hate to live here and have everyone around me speaking and not be able to understand it. At least pick up a few phrases like "you hit him and I will get his wallet" and "Here comes another dumb ass farang, charge him double."

As for Thai being useful in other parts of the world? Me and the missus have a blast talking about people behind their backs when we are in Chicago. No one can understand a word unless we are in a Thai restaurant.

If you plan on living here or marrying a Thai, then you should learn the langauge for sure. If you are here for fun, then do not bother. Just speak broken Englsih to bar girls....Do you smoke? etc.

Oh, by the way....it also helps to speak Thai when you are chatting up Thai ladies at a department store!!!

Anyhow, I have to side with CMN on this one!

----------


## Spin

> that it is pretty obviously an insult.


I disagree, i have come across numerous examples of Thais being what i consider being rude to each other, but between close freinds in the right context is seems ok. My G/f calls her best friend "hoy".Its not too difficult to imagine them calling each other monkey.

This is turning into a pissing contest anyway now. Boring.

----------


## Ivor Biggun

^^ But Thai isn't spoken every where in Thailand it all depends on where you are. Where I live the children have to be taught Thai in school and when they go home they speak Loas or Isaan and don't bother with Thai.
Also my wife told me that Thais look like monkeys. Especially their noses . They don't take it as offensively as some are saying.

----------


## ChiangMai noon

> they speak Loas or Isaan and don't bother with Thai.


it is very similar.
just a dialect.

learn thai and it's not that great a leap to issaan.

----------


## NickA

^Khmer is completely different, although most Thai-Khmer will speak Thai as well unless they are really old.

----------


## chitown

If your wife or gf is not around and you need help (ie medical asistance or the police), you may wish you spoke Thai. And if you were arrogant about not learning Thai, then all I can say is *som num na krahp!!!!*

----------


## DrB0b

> Originally Posted by ProjectExcelsior
> 
> Freebies with the university girls?
> 
> 
> Yep, is it too difficult to believe that not all thai women want to be payed and if they enjoy your company and converstaion they will fcuk your brains out for free. They actually enjoy sex you know! Maybe you should get out more?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


If you listen carefully to what the bar girls are shouting as you walk past you'll hear that it's not "Hallo Darling", it's "Ha Loy Dak Ling" (true!)

----------


## ChiangMai noon

> Ha Loy Dak Ling"


 :rofl: 

didn't know that, but I would never dream of going near any of those places myself.

----------


## DrB0b

> ^Khmer is completely different, although most Thai-Khmer will speak Thai as well unless they are really old.


Khmer is Cambodian. What does it have to do with Laos or Isaan? In Thailand Khmer is mostly used in magical incantations and the dialect for talking to royalty or extremely senior monks. Any old Thai who only speaks Khmer would have to be well over a 1000 years old as that's the last time it was used as a generally spoken language in Thailand.

----------


## DrB0b

> Originally Posted by DrB0b
> 
> Ha Loy Dak Ling"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> didn't know that.


They find it endlessly amusing, I think it's rather funny myself  :Smile:

----------


## Marmite the Dog

I can speak Khymer.

To order a beer, anyway.

----------


## chinthee

> Originally Posted by DrB0b
> 
> Ha Loy Dak Ling"
> 
> 
> 
> 
> didn't know that, but I would never dream of going near any of those places myself.


Priceless.  quote of the year.  :rofl:

----------


## DrB0b

> I can speak Khymer.
> 
> To order a beer, anyway.


 
Is that related to Khmer?

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog
> 
> 
> I can speak Khymer.
> 
> To order a beer, anyway.
> 
> 
>  
> Is that related to Khmer?


Yes. It's one of the lesser known dialects.  :bunny3:

----------


## peterpan

One would have thought in the sticks. where I now reside, that some fuency in thai would be mandatory. Strangely its quite rare for me to come across a Westener who has even basic Thai language skills. 
In fact my friends in Bangkok have a much greater grasp of the language than those here. I assume because they are in the main, not working and therefore their wife is always around to sort things out for them as its also quite rare to meet a Thai who has good English skills, even my kids English teacher finds it easier to converse with me in Thai than English. 
Maybe a confidence thing tho', upcountry Thai feel intimidated speaking English with a foreigner even if they have a reasonable grasp of the language.

----------


## NickA

> Khmer is Cambodian. What does it have to do with Laos or Isaan? In Thailand Khmer is mostly used in magical incantations and the dialect for talking to royalty or extremely senior monks. Any old Thai who only speaks Khmer would have to be well over a 1000 years old as that's the last time it was used as a generally spoken language in Thailand.


Well, Mr Bob, that shows that even doctors don't know what they are talking about and spout complete bollox sometimes.  :Smile: 

My wife and her family and the whole village she lives in and quite a lot of people in Surin and a few other provinces speak Khmer. My wife's grandmother can only speak Khmer and not Thai and as far as I know she isn't 1000 years old, though she does look it.

----------


## Norton

> My wife and her family and the whole village she lives in and quite a lot of people in Surin and a few other provinces speak Khmer.


And they are not alone!  Government estimates 1.1M, 6.5&#37; of Isaan residents speak Khmer "officially" know as Northern Khmer.  Khmer is the 2nd most spoken behind Lao/Issan (officially known as Northeastern Thai) spoken by 15M, 87% of Isaan residents.

----------


## Butterfly

> "Ha Loy Dak Ling"


Ok I got most of it except that word "Dak", what does it mean ?

I will use it next time I go to the bars and see their reactions  :Smile:

----------


## ChiangMai noon

It means to trap or ensnare.

----------


## DrB0b

> Originally Posted by DrB0b
> 
> "Ha Loy Dak Ling"
> 
> 
> Ok I got most of it except that word "Dak", what does it mean ?
> 
> I will use it next time I go to the bars and see their reactions


It means arse, "500, monkey arse!"

----------


## DrB0b

> Originally Posted by DrB0b
> 
> Khmer is Cambodian. What does it have to do with Laos or Isaan? In Thailand Khmer is mostly used in magical incantations and the dialect for talking to royalty or extremely senior monks. Any old Thai who only speaks Khmer would have to be well over a 1000 years old as that's the last time it was used as a generally spoken language in Thailand.
> 
> 
> Well, Mr Bob, that shows that even doctors don't know what they are talking about and spout complete bollox sometimes.


Sadly true, I'll get me coat  :Smile:

----------


## Butterfly

> It means arse, "500, monkey arse!"


it could also mean "Delicious Monkey Arse"

----------


## kingwilly

actually my understanding of 'dark ling' is that it is a little worse than just monkey arse, its more like monkey asshole.

----------


## Texpat

I don't care what she calls me if it's only 500.  :Smile:

----------


## DrB0b

> Originally Posted by DrB0b
> 
> It means arse, "500, monkey arse!"
> 
> 
> it could also mean "Delicious Monkey Arse"


Only if she's speaking with a French or Cockney accent  :Smile:

----------


## DrB0b

> actually my understanding of 'dark ling' is that it is a little worse than just monkey arse, its more like monkey asshole.


 
Means both, afaik, in Isaan ดาก means arse, I've also heard it used in normal non-slang Thai to mean rectum.

----------


## ChiangMai noon

> It means arse, "500, monkey arse!"


it also means to trap or snare.

if spelt like this ด้ก

----------


## Thormaturge

> I would hate to live here and have everyone around me speaking and not be able to understand it. At least pick up a few phrases like "you hit him and I will get his wallet" and "Here comes another dumb ass farang, charge him double."


I'm with you on this 100&#37;

A friend of mine, Italian, whose English was understandable to me but not to most Thais, and who spoke zero Thai, fell seriously ill last year. The missus sensing her opportunity lifted not one finger and he wound up flying home to Italy for healthcare.

It killed him.

The missus gets the house and car. 

Learn the lingo.

----------


## DrB0b

> Originally Posted by DrB0b
> 
> It means arse, "500, monkey arse!"
> 
> 
> it also means to trap or snare.
> 
> if spelt like this ด้ก


That's a different word, you silly bugger :Smile:  Yes, that does mean trap,  daaaaaaaaaaaaak, as in arse, is spelt  ดาก.

----------


## DrAndy

> ^ So, you've accepted that you will never live anyplace but Thailand, even though you only have 12 month guarantee of living here. And, you believe your career opportunities in Thailand exceed those of any other country. What did you say you do for a living?


I learnt Portuguese when living in Brasil as it improved my life. I had no idea how long I was going to be there and it hardly improved my career prospects.

It did enable me to travel and speak to people in off-road places and made meeting cute women much easier

I now have to learn Thai, even if only to communicate with my ma-in-law

what is the problem? why is learning something such a big deal?

I have studied and learnt many things in my life that are apparently no use whatever, like English History or Latin, but they do improve my basic understanding of life somehow.

learning Thai could also be almost useless for many people, but that does not mean they should not do it.

----------


## chinthee

^ A lot of people seem to have misconstrued my comments on this thread.  I _do_ speak passable Thai.  I do speak several other languages.  I do think it's valuable to learn the language wherever you go.

I'm too lazy to study Thai formally and to learn to read and write.  That's a personal choice.  When I arrived in Thailand, I did take a conversational Thai class and studied for a few months, but again the focus was simply conversation.

I will say this.  I never have any Thai ask me to restate or rephrase anything, or that they don't understand it.  I don't speak bargirl Thai.  My wife corrects me when I make a mistake, and that is how I learned.

----------


## panama hat

My first contribution to this thread and it certainly has meandered . . . 

I also speak four languages fluently, but they are European languages.  I speak a smattering of Hokkien and Mandarin, a bit of Japanese and more than a bit of Bahasa Malayu. 

All this helps me sweet FA when I'm at my office or out on site and can't understand a word anyone is saying, I can't read directions to where I need to go and I am reliant on other people to provide me with what I need. 

Of course knowledge of Thai in Thailand is necessary and all the arrogant posturing that the _'jungle-bunnies' should be learning English_ just deflects from the point that *we need the local language here*.

----------


## Looper

I don't try it for any practical reason. It's just like an interesting puzzle to try and decipher which is fun when you get it right. I wish they would put spaces between the words.

It is handy being able to read street signs for getting around.

----------


## chinthee

> I don't try it for any practical reason. It's just like an interesting puzzle to try and decipher which is fun when you get it right. I wish they would put spaces between the words.
> 
> It is handy being able to read street signs for getting around.


I agree, this is a pain for me sometimes.  I guess I will give it up at some point and learn to read.

----------


## Butterfly

> It is handy being able to read street signs for getting around.


yes as handy as wipping your ass with a banana leaf,

----------


## ChiangMai noon

> yes as handy as wipping your ass with a banana leaf,


plonk plink troll.

fukking idiot butterfly.

do you really think it is unnecessary to not read in the country you live in.

ploop

 :France:

----------


## Butterfly

^ come on, the signs are useless here, all the directions do not make any sense, and the Thai themselves don't read them. How many times I have asked for what a sign meant and they don't even know it, not even the police. Maybe in your village, but in a big urban area ? a joke

I understand you are being proud to be able to read Thai and you need to advertise everywhere you go, but in reality you are just advertising how you can read "cartoons". A bit funny.

----------


## Ban Saray

If you want to enjoy life here learn the language, if you want residency you pass a literacy test, citizenship is another level higher.  
Australia does it, Slovenia does it.
IME it's only the lazy poms who refuse to learn, thyinking they know it all, as always.  That's probably why they hate the UK due to the influx of people who don't need to learn English to get the social security, free health, and a commission flat?

----------


## ChiangMai noon

> to be able to read Thai and you need to advertise everywhere you go,


never did until this thread.
I'm astonished that you would think it useless to be able to read Thai when you live in Thailand.

honestly.

redded again.

 :France:

----------


## ChiangMai noon

> IME it's only the lazy poms who refuse to learn,


the French too it would seem.

----------


## Ban Saray

I can't read Thai well, but I agree that once you give it some time, it's fun to be able to get a few right.  My 7 y.o. daughter does better in Thai, and she is pretty good an English.  I'm just lazy like most posters here I guess.

----------


## Texpat

Credibility's shooting through the roof Sputterfly. Attaboy.

----------


## Ban Saray

NOON, haven't worked with many froggies, but have worked with a lot of Poms, and they are the most arrogant pricks when it comes to assimilating.

----------


## DrAndy

> Originally Posted by Looper
> 
> It is handy being able to read street signs for getting around.
> 
> 
> yes as handy as wipping your ass with a banana leaf,


yes, for you, as you only go from your home to the bars

so don't bother BF (apt) just live your own insular life; but stop telling others how they should live theirs, maybe they can make their own decisions

----------


## Robski

> A lot of people seem to have misconstrued my comments on this thread.


No I think you've made yourself quite clear.





> Nobody in the entire world speaks Thai. It has no influence whatsoever in any circles in the world, whether business, diplomatic, scientific...nothing.
> 
> Why learn more than a smattering of this useless language? What's the point?





> Everyone is so proud when they speak Thai in Thailand, but it doesn't get them anything outside this little country.





> I'm married to a Thai, I speak Thai everyday

----------


## DrAndy

> If you want to enjoy life here learn the language, if you want residency you pass a literacy test, citizenship is another level higher. 
> Australia does it, Slovenia does it.
> IME it's only the lazy poms who refuse to learn, thyinking they know it all, as always. That's probably why they hate the UK due to the influx of people who don't need to learn English to get the social security, free health, and a commission flat?


you seem to have an insecurity complex about the "poms"

----------


## Butterfly

> I'm astonished that you would think it useless to be able to read Thai when you live in Thailand.


But maybe the misunderstanding come from this, I am only a temporary guest here and this is a third world country. I am more interested in Thai history and the Budhist temples than speaking with the locals.

If you plan to live all your life here, like it seems to be the case for you, then I can understand perfectly your commitment. No argument. But don't expect everyone to follow your route because it feels right to you.




> but stop telling others how they should live theirs, maybe they can make their own decisions


I don't, but shortie does, see his post above, no argument from me if someone has a lot of free time or some strange intellectual curiosity to learn Thai, nothing wrong with that, they make their own decisions.

----------


## AntRobertson

> I am more interested in Thai history and the Budhist temples than speaking with the locals.


Surely the best way to learn of Thai history and the temples is to speak to the locals no?

----------


## ChiangMai noon

> If you plan to live all your life here, like it seems to be the case for you, then I can understand perfectly your commitment. No argument.


if you plan to live here even a month, reading a road sign would be sort of handy.
reading a menu is good too.

also other things.

yup you are wrong and all babboon like, like a big babboon.
 :France:

----------


## chinthee

^^^^Ok Robski, fair enough.  Would you like to detail how helpful learning Thai would be to someone outside Thailand?

My first language isn't English BTW, and two of the other languages I speak well are very important in the world.  Another tonal language I speak not fluently, but it is also a major influence in the world.

Yes, it's nice to always speak any language you can, but everyone who knows me thinks I'm a polyglot advocate.  I just don't see the value in learning to read and write fluently in Thai.

----------


## DrB0b

> Originally Posted by Butterfly
> 
> I am more interested in Thai history and the Budhist temples than speaking with the locals.
> 
> 
> Surely the best way to learn of Thai history and the temples is to speak to the locals no?


Temples possibly, but history? no, not a chance, seriously, History is not taught here, what is considered history is mostly myth and deliberate propaganda. History is a political and dynastic tool here and popular history bears no relation to the reality. People are often reluctant to discuss even what they personally remember of historical events, it can be very dangerous. If you do go to the trouble to learn genuine Thai history and find Thai people willing to talk to you about it and who believe you have a genuine interest it can be very enlightening. As a farang is no real threat to them they will often be willing to discuss things with you that they would rarely discuss with another Thai.

----------


## Robski

> ^^^^Ok Robski, fair enough. Would you like to detail how helpful learning Thai would be to someone outside Thailand?
> I just don't see the value in learning to read and write fluently in Thai.


My girlfriend is Thai, we both live in England. We meet many Thai people, visit Thai restaurants and are interested in the current situation in Thailand. There are many things lost in translation and as with all countries the essence of the culture is held in the language.

----------


## ChiangMai noon

> My girlfriend is Thai, we both live in England. We meet many Thai people, visit Thai restaurants and are interested in the current situation in Thailand. There are many things lost in translation and as with all countries the essence of the culture is held in the language.


quite, but you are preaching to the terribly retarded.

----------


## Butterfly

> Surely the best way to learn of Thai history and the temples is to speak to the locals no?


I don't think you will meet a local here who knows anything about Thai history apart from some Thai "popular myth", could be interesting though to learn more about those popular myths, but a bit pointless. The majority of people here are uneducated and don't know shit so talking with them about history might be a bit gauche, don't you think ?




> if you plan to live here even a month, reading a road sign would be sort of handy.


Sure could be handy, but necessary ? no !!! 

related question: if you are using a computer everyday for pleasure and for your work, why don't you learn how to use one or even better how to speak with one ?  :Smile:

----------


## Butterfly

> There are many things lost in translation and as with all countries the essence of the culture is held in the language.


Yes this is very true, but it seems that the only people who speak more about Thailand than Thai themselves are those overseas Thais and farangs waiting for their next trip to Thailand.

----------


## Robski

> quite, but you are preaching to the terribly retarded.


^Obviously..  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):

----------


## kingwilly

> quite, but you are preaching to the terribly retarded.


I love it when u talk sweet!

----------


## DrAndy

> I just don't see the value in learning to read and write fluently in Thai.


AS you have said you can speak Thai, you probably also can read it, yes?

I agree that reading Thai is not much use unless you want to find out more about Thailand, or do research etc, but it can be handy when confronted with a Thai document in a police station, and they assure you it just says that you are innocent. Sign here please

----------


## Ban Saray

> Originally Posted by Ban Saray
> 
> 
> If you want to enjoy life here learn the language, if you want residency you pass a literacy test, citizenship is another level higher. 
> Australia does it, Slovenia does it.
> IME it's only the lazy poms who refuse to learn, thyinking they know it all, as always. That's probably why they hate the UK due to the influx of people who don't need to learn English to get the social security, free health, and a commission flat?
> 
> 
> you seem to have an insecurity complex about the "poms"


No, I wrote IME (In my experience), and I've met more Poms who when asked this question simply answer "Why should I", than you can imagine.  All of these guys live and work with Thais all day.
If nothing else it is a safety issue.
But hey like I said I do what I do, they do what they do, it's a free world.

----------


## Mr Earl

> Originally Posted by Butterfly
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by chinthee
> ...


Le papillon est un trou du cul.

----------


## DrAndy

Ban Saray, I agree a lot of English speakers get lazy as most people they work with speak their language but..

I was referring more to your rant than to that point in it

----------


## Norton

Seems there is general consensus speaking Thai is not essential but handy.  So if you don't want to be handy-capped learning a little Thai seems sensible. 

Recall recently where a Polish guy was tasered to death in a Canadian airport because he didn't understand enough English to respond to what the cops were saying to him.

----------


## Butterfly

> Le papillon est un trou du cul.


Je t'emmerde trou de bal, succeur de bites  :Smile:

----------


## Looper

> Recall recently where a Polish guy was tasered to death in a Canadian airport because he didn't understand enough English


A useful new classroom aid for the ajarns?

----------


## ChiangMai noon

> So if you don't want to be handy-capped learning a little Thai seems sensible.


well, bugger me senseless.

----------


## Texpat

Conversely, I can't speak Thai nor posess a Thai driver's license, when stopped by the BiB.

"Whadja say there officer, I caint speek no Thai."

----------


## Butterfly

Actually speaking Thai can be quite useful in a mundane dinner back home,

a small show off to demonstrate your language capacity,

----------


## Spin

> but you are preaching to the terribly retarded.


In my case i dont need to learn to read or write Thai. I can speak plenty when i need to and can understand way more than I speak. 
My work here involes the heavy consumption of time and there is no energy left to garner skills which are not essential here. My first priority is to provide for me and my gf. She is the Thai language expert and is salaried by me to deal with all events pertaining to that part of living here.

Your concept that maybe I am retarded by my choices tells me more about you than me, albiet even more than the fact you are a petty criminal from wales who spits on thais in his local shop.

----------


## Norton

> well, bugger me senseless.


Love it when you talk dirty to me.

----------


## ChiangMai noon

> Conversely, I can't speak Thai nor posess a Thai driver's license, when stopped by the BiB.  "Whadja say there officer, I caint speek no Thai."


they usually speak enough english to fine you.

they don't speak welsh, nor have they heard of wales.

speak welsh and tell them you are from Kurdistan.

----------


## ChiangMai noon

> In my case i dont need to learn to read or write Thai. I can speak plenty when i need to and can understand way more than I speak. My work here involes the heavy consumption of time and there is no energy left to garner skills which are not essential here. My first priority is to provide for me and my gf. She is the Thai language expert and is salaried by me to deal with all events pertaining to that part of living here.  Your concept that maybe I am retarded by my choices tells me more about you than me, albiet even more than the fact you are a petty criminal from wales who spits on thais in his local shop.


that makes it ever so clear.

you don't need to speak the language of the country you live in, that would be just daft.

I understand now.

----------


## Butterfly

> albiet even more than the fact you are a petty criminal from wales who spits on thais in his local shop.


Brillant !!! lol

----------


## ChiangMai noon

^
albeit that neither of you can understand the play with words.

"preaching to the retarded"

gettit.?

 :France:

----------


## Butterfly

^ The play on words probably sounded better in your head in Thai

 :France:

----------


## Norton

> A useful new classroom aid for the ajarns?


Good idea but set the voltage down.  Don't want to be killing off paying customers.

----------


## ChiangMai noon

> The play on words probably sounded better in your head in Thai


"nasty thick twat" does too.
 :Smile:

----------


## chinthee

:rofl: , yeah gotta love sucking those bites!

----------


## Butterfly

> "nasty thick twat" does too.


How about that one "Petit Bouffon Gallois" ?  :Smile:

----------


## Spin

> I can speak plenty when i need to





> you don't need to speak the language of the country you live in, that would be just daft.


Reading English, not your strong point?

Perhaps you are dumbing down to Thai level?

----------


## Butterfly

> Perhaps you are dumbing down to Thai level?





> The play on words probably sounded better in your head in Thai


I think he is, another reason why not to learn Thai, it's really a language for "primitives",

and it brings an interesting question, does speaking a language make you think like a local ?

----------


## ChiangMai noon

> Reading English, not your strong point?


staying sober isn't.

but that last post did me.

i agree.
reading Thai is an awful waste of time.

if anyone is thinking of it, don't bother.

----------


## Butterfly

> but that last post did me.


Come on, don't give up yet ? split the thread and make it your own for a double century candidate  :Smile:

----------


## Sir Burr

Too lazy to read the whole thread, but, here's my take on it.

Learning Thai obeys the law of diminishing returns.
When you first start learning Thai and use a vocabulary of a hundred words, or so, the benefits are large and immediate. You are treated better by the locals and they are pleased that you have made the effort. The vocabulary that you have learnt is in constant use.
But, the more you learn, the less important to communication the new words are. After a while, the rewards don't seem to match the effort involved.
I speak Thai reasonably well, but I would say I learnt 80&#37; of my vocabuary within the first couple of months. I have reached a plateau. 
The newer words that I have learnt, I don't use so much, so, I tend to forget them and have to learn them over again.

My own viewpoint, is that if you live here, it is essential to be able to speak basic Thai, but, not really that important to speak Thai very, very well.

----------


## ChiangMai noon

^^
no, honestly butterfly.

anyone that even contemplates embarking on a 1 hour a day 30 day course in learning to read is a buffon.
there are many better ways to spend a month of 1 hours.

lots of them.

----------


## kingwilly

love this thread, on its way to a double century, unlike that poor sri lankan  sap  today, neway a helmet is sort of connected to the batsman's arm, aint it?

----------


## Butterfly

> there are many better ways to spend a month of 1 hours.


agree, like downloading porn for example

----------


## Texpat

For me, it's not the lack of Thai language that's at issue. Many people have different reasons for either learning or not learning the language.

What steams my kettle is what's often said after the farang's response to the question of whether or not he speaks Thai.

I would assume everybody here knows a little Thai. So why wouldn't, at a minimum, everyone respond, "I speak a little Thai." It shows good faith, softens the friction and it's true even for those who claim no skill.

Some, it seems, want to drive home the point of their unwillingness to learn (or even speak a little) like a sledgehammer. With full faith and backing of their superior, ubiquitious and treasured English.

Then they stretch the irrational to the absurd with further insult to all things Thai (economy sucks, poxy little third world nation, monkeys etc).

I believe its often, not always, a case of a poor response to being asked an embarassing question.

----------


## kingwilly

> embarassing question.


and this they crux of the issue too, i do believe!

----------


## NickA

When a tourist gets asked if they speak Thai they are all proud when they say "Nit noy"  and can wai like a three-legged donkey on acid saying "Shawadywaddy Cap" and the Thais smile and say how clever they are. The long-termer answers with a "no" even though they could hold a reasonable explicit conversation about the merits of the greater-spotted Isaan toad and the Thai says "Oh, you stay here long time, why you not speak Thai"

It's more to do with relative expectations, the tourist thinks knowing 10 words is good, while someone who has been here 5 years thinks that knowing a thousand words is somewhat below par.

----------


## ChiangMai noon

^
not withstanding the poster, that is a wonderful post.

----------


## kingwilly

> ^ not withstanding the poster, that is a wonderful post.


me or him?

----------


## DrAndy

I think most of CMN posts should immediately vanish or be consigned to MKP along with his "petit amis Francais"

and before you say anything, Butterbutt "ta geule, salop"

OOOh we are so clever today, ain't we?

----------


## Butterfly

> "ta geule, salop"


no, it's "ta geule, salope"

you missed a "e" DrA  :France:

----------


## Spin

> What steams my kettle is what's often said after the farang's response to the question of whether or not he speaks Thai.


I dont think its an easy language to learn and personally i just cant seem to remember the words. In other languages like French for example there is sometimes a similarity to the English or Latin equivalent. That makes it easy to remember by association. 

To what does one associate words like "boriboon" or "borisat" "borigan" they all have differnet meanings but which one is "complete", "company' or "service".

Thats why i will not learn to read or write, because i cant remember the spoken word half the time :Smile:

----------


## Texpat

Learning to read helps your pronunciation greatly. I was shocked at how many words I was mispronouncing for so long.

----------


## NickA

^Yes, well done, now try learning to read Thai as well :Smile:

----------


## DrAndy

double post, or double poste

----------


## DrAndy

> Originally Posted by DrAndy
> 
> "ta geule, salop"
> 
> 
> no, it's "ta geule, salope"
> 
> you missed a "e" DrA


language is about communication BB

oh, it should be "an e" by the way

----------


## DrAndy

> Learning to read helps your pronunciation greatly. I was shocked at how many words I was mispronouncing for so long.


 
yes, I can speak Thai but nobody understands me

must do better, must do better, must do better....

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> If you want to enjoy life here learn the language, if you want residency you pass a literacy test, citizenship is another level higher.  
> Australia does it, Slovenia does it.
> IME it's only the lazy poms who refuse to learn, thyinking they know it all, as always.  That's probably why they hate the UK due to the influx of people who don't need to learn English to get the social security, free health, and a commission flat?


Residency can and often is bought by cash, not by having the languge skills of a 12 year old Thai.

And it's good to see it's the Poms' fault again. Maybe you should write a few more stories about deceased bar-girls rather than post complete crap like the above?

----------


## Ban Saray

^I studied for it, I'm not rich enough to grease Immigration officials, never siad it was the Poms fault either.
I said (or meant to say) was that IME the poms were the worst and often the most likely to refuse to learn a foreign language.
I work with guys who have been here over 5 years and they can't mumble 5 Thai words, they simply do not see any point in it!
I don't know any deceased bar girls, sorry.
And if you dont't like the crap I write, bad luck.

----------


## ChiangMai noon

yes, i got it.

i didn't laugh.

not your best material and not really worthy of a repeat.

----------


## ChiangMai noon

> I think most of CMN posts should immediately vanish or be consigned to MKP along with his "petit amis Francais"


why??

----------


## Dalton

I my humble opinion, I think that it's very un-polite not to learn the language in the country one decides to live permenently in, regardless what name that country has.

----------


## Whiteshiva

> Originally Posted by AntRobertson
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  Originally Posted by Butterfly
> ...


A good, valid and also rather interesting  point, IMHO, and perhaps worthy of a separate thread?

----------


## Whiteshiva

> Too lazy to read the whole thread, but, here's my take on it.
> 
> Learning Thai obeys the law of diminishing returns.
> When you first start learning Thai and use a vocabulary of a hundred words, or so, the benefits are large and immediate. You are treated better by the locals and they are pleased that you have made the effort. The vocabulary that you have learnt is in constant use.
> But, the more you learn, the less important to communication the new words are. After a while, the rewards don't seem to match the effort involved.
> I speak Thai reasonably well, but I would say I learnt 80% of my vocabuary within the first couple of months. I have reached a plateau. 
> The newer words that I have learnt, I don't use so much, so, I tend to forget them and have to learn them over again.
> 
> My own viewpoint, is that if you live here, it is essential to be able to speak basic Thai, but, not really that important to speak Thai very, very well.


Oh, damn you Burry - there you go again trying to ruin a good argument with common sense! :Wink: 

There is no middle ground.  No compromise. Take no prisoners.  You are either with us or against us.





kap

----------


## The Gentleman Scamp

> Originally Posted by Texpat
> 
> ^Yes, good to have the option, but the farangs I am referring to are the smug, I-won't-stoop-to-learn-Thai types.
> 
> 
> I don't see the point of learning Thai, it's not like it's a major language, definitely not a must
> 
> It's like learning how to speak Monkey, who the fuck cares.


I agree, in fact I find people that speak very fluent Thai to be rather vain about it which merely makes them come across as a 'super backpat' na khrap.

I can speak 40&#37; Thai which isn't bad and is enough to get by when they don't speak English (which they jolly well should as their sucess is down to whitey) but I stopped learning 2 years ago na khrap.

They have more to gain from learning English than I have to gain learning Monkey na khrap.

----------


## AntRobertson

> I can speak 40&#37; Thai which isn't bad and is enough to get by when they don't speak English (which they jolly well should as their sucess is down to whitey) but I stopped learning 2 years ago. 
> 
> They have more to gain from learning English than I have to gain l;earning Monkey na ka.


Rotten bait.  And you've managed to tangle your line whilst casting.  Change your lure and try again.

2.3/10 - Lousy fishing technique

----------


## AntRobertson

> This is usually the toughest part, because it requires reading and paying attention and other skills usually only posessed by homos and losers...
> 
> If they try to get rid of you, it means you're winning. Find a way to return. Declare your superiority once you arrive. (Don't forget the capitals and exclamation points!) Eventually they will admit defeat and make you their King, and shower you with gifts and money and naked chicks...


Not often I pull one of these out but that deserves one:

 :rofl:

----------


## Marmite the Dog

> I can speak 40&#37; Thai


You forgot the decimal point. I think you meant 0.4%.

----------


## Texpat

I was wondering how he arrived at that figure.

I figure I'm about 28% but it could be 62. I'm not a mathematician.  :Sad:

----------


## Spin

> I think that it's very un-polite not to learn the language in the country one decides to live permenently in


No sure about the polite bit, you can be polite and respectful without use of verbal communication. I dont feel like its a permanent arrangment for me here. The usual things like land ownership, investment hassles, visa worries, work pemit paperwork mountains and other beurocracy make me treat Thailand as one big playground to piss around in, in my spare time.

Sure, if I was afforded the ability to buy a place i could call my own and stay here with some peace of mind in a dignified way, my attitude might change.

Why bother jumping through hoops to "fit in" when the vibe from the government is "spend and leave".

Call the above simplistic if you like, but thats the way I see and feel it.

----------


## kingwilly

> Why bother jumping through hoops to "fit in" when the vibe from the government is "spend and leave".


One could argue that it's a circle, hey?

 Who starts first?

----------


## njdesi

Since I don't live in Thailand, it is only useful to the extent that I can talk with my wife and in-laws.

Mostly, I speak Thai and Isaan to communicate feelings with my wife. There are probably fifty different ways describing your heart or the meaning of a smile. For me, it is easier to talk about feelings in Thai than in English. I'd feel weird talking about my calm, loving heart in English, but when I speak monkey, it doesn't sound as queer.  :Smile: 

I don't plan on studying above an intermediate level of Thai. Most Thai conversations seem to focus on the present and what is happening now. There is little reflection or debating for fun, like there is with native English speakers. In fact, their culture and the way their language is structured seems to be hostile to this. 

In my experience, any Thais who have anything interesting to say will be fluent in English.

----------


## Dalton

> In my experience, any Thais who have anything interesting to say will be fluent in English.


Interesting, I find it the other way, but I'm also a naive moron... :Wink:

----------


## Butterfly

> I don't plan on studying above an intermediate level of Thai. Most Thai conversations seem to focus on the present and what is happening now. There is little reflection or debating for fun, like there is with native English speakers. In fact, their culture and the way their language is structured seems to be hostile to this.
> 
> In my experience, any Thais who have anything interesting to say will be fluent in English.


Amen to that, different languages different purpose, that's why it's always good to speak more than one language, more than 3 or 4 and then it becomes a bit ridiculous

----------


## tsicar

it is a complete waste of time learning thai!
1  most bargirls can speak enough english to make themselves understood to us.
2  of course all thais speak enough english for us to understand exactly what they are trying to say.
3  if you can make yourself understood to your thai wife, she can do all the negotiations for you, and she would NEVER rip you off!
4  it is ok to live in thailand being totally unaware of what is going on around you.
5  when your thai wife dumps you and runs off with the money, you will easily communicate with the cops, immigration officials, bankers and lawyers in english, and will get by just fine communicating in english when you need to use public transport or need to buy anything or do any kind of business in thailand.

i would prefer not to have had to make the effort to learn to speak thai, too, but since i did make the effort, i found it opened so many doors for me.
if you can't understand thai and you live in thailand, you may as well be deaf and dumb!
thailand becomes s totally different place when you can speak and understand thai.
i guess that for some though, ignorance is bliss!

----------


## friscofrankie

> There is little reflection or debating for fun, like there is with native English speakers. In fact, their culture and the way their language is structured seems to be hostile to this.  
> In my experience, any Thais who have anything interesting to say will be fluent in English.


Without learning the language you'll never know, will you?  There are educated people here that use tricks of language to make a point and have a laugh.  Many of them have learned English but will not embark on a complex conversation in it.  

The woman I live with was involved in a couple academic clubs at the University they get together from time to time.  About 90&#37; of her club members bore me silly, although some of he ladies are pleasant enough to look at. That other 10%? I've found them entertaining and enjoyable for conversation and discussion, not much different than any similar group in the west.  The added challenge of using a language foreign a bit to the enjoyment for me.  

Road side banter with shop ladies, fruit sellers or mechanics can be fun; just like at home.  

Getting away from the bars and Thais that make their living hustling farang you get less and less of that banal "You like Thai Women?" tripe. I haven't heard that question for quite a while now. 

Sit down with a shot of Lao Khao or bottle of Chaang out away from the tourist areas, after a few minutes of "where you come from?" (in Thai) and the few minutes of uncomfortable silence the bullshit session starts with jokes, gossip and the inconsequential use of language for having fun begins.  Drunken drivel for the most part, not much more than a group of the fellas talkin' shit; Important Subjects need not be spoken.  I miss a lot of the conversation, to be sure. 

I'm getting better and learning to stay just that much more alert while semi drunk.  Any real gems where one guy gets the better of another and the table rocks with laughter there's always one guy willing to take the time to explain the joke if I'm looking confused.  Yeah, it's potty humor, one guy isn't able to get it up any more or some other guy spends to much time "satisfying himself alone."  Hardly important or much different than the banter I witness when a group of English speaking fellas get together for a drink or ten.  

Not much different from the bater that makes up abut 70% of the posts on this forum.  

Most excuses I've heard for not learning the language are some sort of elitism or laziness  For some, a lack of opportunity or hearing disability can be very real reasons.  

Saying Thai have very little say is could be just as accurate discussing English speaking folk.  Fuckin A; may as well remain mute; most people on the planet are fuckin dummies anyway...

----------


## Marmite the Dog

^Good post as ever, mate.

Even with my limited Thai it makes things more interesting. Just last night I was at the Buriram bus station. Dalton was having a natter with the Thai chaps who run the place before going off to the 7/11. One of the guys turns to me and asks me if Dalton is my father. Sadly, my honesty is too ingrained and replied that he is only 3 years older than me. I got some nice compliments about my baby-face.  :Smile:

----------


## Little Chuchok

^You should have pulled your pants up then...

----------


## robin

On a serious note, I suppose if I wanted to live and work in Thailand, I'd have to learn to read and write Thai.

Otherwise, I'd never be able to read  or reply to  people sending me bills  or  pleasant  post.

When I first moved to Germany I found plenty of English speakers in Hamburg and Berlin but the job opportunities were in provincial east Germany and where I now live most people speak nothing aside from German and Russian.

I couldn't have survived here without learning German and I think the same must apply to Thailand or wherever else the first language is not English.

----------


## Dalton

> You should have pulled your pants up then...


He did complain about a sore arse.....Now we know why   :Smile:

----------


## Dalton

> One of the guys turns to me and asks me if Dalton is my father. Sadly, my honesty is too ingrained and replied that he is only 3 years older than me. I got some nice compliments about my baby-face.


 :kma:     You wouldent understand if he asked you for a blow-job or to merry his sister... :Wink:

----------


## Phuketrichard

just curious;
How many of u posters live here in thailand?
I live here and think that of course outsdie the country its a worthless language but living here it makes it so much better and defintley more fun
I love hanging out and not speaking thai and listening in the the conversation and then on leaving making a nice comment and watching the reaction.

I had a good experience, i lived in pattaya for a year and learned "bar" thai.
I then brought into a ruby mine on the Cambodian Border and everytime i opened my mouth someone would laugh and ask me in Thai, if i learned to speak in a bar,  made me embaraseed enough to learn correct thai and i am thankful

Thai's really like to speak with farangs that speak their language

----------


## njdesi

> Originally Posted by njdesi
> 
> There is little reflection or debating for fun, like there is with native English speakers. In fact, their culture and the way their language is structured seems to be hostile to this. 
> In my experience, any Thais who have anything interesting to say will be fluent in English.
> 
> 
> Without learning the language you'll never know, will you? There are educated people here that use tricks of language to make a point and have a laugh. Many of them have learned English but will not embark on a complex conversation in it.


I say that mostly based on the my Thai friend, who has lived in the US for three years who is fluent in both languages. There are things she will talk about it in English that just don't seem appropriate when speaking Thai.

When I say intermediate Thai, here is some examples.

The first time my future father in law saw my friend (who is American), he said to him, "Don't worry about the dogs barking, they only do that when they see ugly people."

Again, my future father in law at my friends wedding ceremony. "Hey! Stop paying attention to that stupid witch doctor. Look at me!" (He was a bit drunk)

When my friend was drunk and started talking to his shrimp, my father in law said, "Do you have a car in America? Good, you can drive your friend to the crazy house when you get back."

Father in law again talking about my friend to his thai wife: "Good job marrying the farang. He can't even speak Thai!"

To me after seeing my hairy chest: "Are you sure you aren't a shaved monkey pretending to be a person?" 

Him and my wife are big fans of puns in Thai, which go over my head. I miss out on all those jokes. I am content knowing enough Thai that I can understand my father in law when he is taking the piss out of me. 
 :bunny3:

----------


## friscofrankie

Your father in law sounds a right fuckin dick head  :Very Happy: 
It's OK, I've had a couple pretty fuckin weird ones in my life as well.

----------


## dirtydog

> Is it really necessary to learn a host country's language? That they need not learn their hosts' language to communicate.


Of course not, you wouldn't expect nasty Johnny foreigner to learn the language of your own country would you  :Smile:

----------


## Butterfly

> The first time my future father in law saw my friend (who is American), he said to him, "Don't worry about the dogs barking, they only do that when they see ugly people."
> 
> Again, my future father in law at my friends wedding ceremony. "Hey! Stop paying attention to that stupid witch doctor. Look at me!" (He was a bit drunk)
> 
> When my friend was drunk and started talking to his shrimp, my father in law said, "Do you have a car in America? Good, you can drive your friend to the crazy house when you get back."
> 
> Father in law again talking about my friend to his thai wife: "Good job marrying the farang. He can't even speak Thai!"


Another reason why you don't want to understand the locals, monkey noises with monkeys jokes, sometimes it's just better to be deaf and blind.

Yes ignorance can be liberating sometimes  :Smile:

----------


## Dalton

Makes life easy for you, right butterfly.. :Smile:

----------


## bar dog

When I was coming to Thailand on holidays I didn't bother too much with learning Thai. It seemed a waste of time to practice a few basic words and sentences just to forget them when I went away. When I decided to come here to live I purposely studied Thai before I arrived and that helped me in the transition period between being a short term visitor on holiday and actually living here. I like speaking in Thai with Thai people and it has helped me to understand more about what it is like outside of the tourist areas and away from the farung scene. My partner and I speak only Thai. Partly because it is the language she is most comfortable with and partly by me practicing every day it helps me to develop my skills.

It doesn't matter to me if others learn or not but speaking Thai has made my life more enjoyable and easier.

----------


## Butterfly

I quite enjoy speaking Thais, my only problem is to listen to them and then understand all the boring things they have to say,

going to Tesco for example is difficult enough for shopping already with the crowd, and I don't want to understand all the garbage advertising they are blasting through the speakers,

so speaking Thai, good, understanding Thai bad,

----------


## bar dog

> I quite enjoy speaking Thais, my only problem is to listen to them and then understand all the boring things they have to say,
> 
> going to Tesco for example is difficult enough for shopping already with the crowd, and I don't want to understand all the garbage advertising they are blasting through the speakers,


Like most Thai my partner loves to watch the soap operas on TV. I have developed a mental block to  anything on the TV and it comes in handy for situations such as you describe at department stores etc.



> so speaking Thai, good, understanding Thai bad,


When I was trying to learn Thai I would practice at the local food cafe where I lived. Each day I would ask for my meal in Thai and it frustrated me that sometimes no matter how correct I was sure I had spoken the correct words with the correct tone I ended up with something completely different. Being in Thailand I simply shrugged and ate it anyway assuming I had done something wrong. One day after months of this I asked the waitress who had brought me a meal that wasn't what I thought I had asked for, how to pronounce it correctly. She laughed and said I had done it right but the cook had decided to do something different because I had that meal that week already.

So yes - even if I could speak very good Thai I may still not get what I ask for.

----------


## Torbek

I posted this 'over there' on the subject a couple of months back. My views haven't really changed.




> Being in the final stages of leaving Thailand after 4 years, I have had the opportunity to reflect on the experience - pros, cons, etc.
> 
> I'm not a fan of anyone who tries to overlay their experiences, good and bad, on the expectations of another but, after having spent a week or so back in the homeland, I do feel strongly about passing on one lesson...
> 
> Unless you intend living in Thailand for the long haul, or plan on a career as an interpreter...*Do not learn the language beyond what you need for survival!* 
> 
> Until I returned home (with the intention of resuming permanent residence) I never realised the bliss of *not* knowing what is going on around you at all times...the immunity you enjoy from pop-culture, idle gossip, trivial politics, idiotic advertising, B grade celebrities, etc.
> 
> I know these things exist as much in Thailand as do they do in Australia...*but I didn't have to endure it in Thailand!*
> ...


 
I suppose I am saying that the lack of total understanding of what is going on around you has a considerable upside and, for me at least, was one of the pleasures of living in Thailand.

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## Butterfly

> So yes - even if I could speak very good Thai I may still not get what I ask for.


And that's exactly what I am talking about, the argument of convenience is not a strong one, Thais are jokers, they love to joke, and even between themselves the level of miscommunication is enormous, so as a farang it really doesn't make any difference wether you speak or not, they will always take you on a ride. It's a curiosity at best.




> I suppose I am saying that the lack of total understanding of what is going on around you has a considerable upside and, for me at least, was one of the pleasures of living in Thailand.


That's basically my take. I was going to learn more Thais when I realized that  I didn't really want to understand what they had to say, not interested in their lifestyle or "culture" as it's non-existent anyway. I had the same problem in the US. I suddently realized that I was surrounded by overweighted idiots, trash TV with nothing on, Walmart culture centered around food and frutility, and people obsessed with consumerism. With so much noises around, such an alienating society could only turn you into a brainwashed consumer bot. I didn't want to become one and I left. Living in Paris and Eastern Europe after that was extremly refreshing without the noises.

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