Gsxrnz

I've found that it's mainly due to the aspiration both at the beginning and the end of words that causes most of the issue. Essentially in English we aspirate, and the Thais don't. So that's why a K at the start of a word sounds to them more like a G, as said from the back of the throat.

A good example is when using the polite "Krup" for males. If you breathe out and open your mouth after the P it aspirates and sounds like our English P. If you keep your mouth closed at the P, it sounds like a B.

Let's not even talk about the Krup - Kup comparison, the R's and L's totally blow me away.

A good example is when using the polite "Krup" for males.

Krup ????

I don't understand the question.

Don't you mean khrab - khab

Don't really want to get into a discussion re the spelling of Thai words transliterated into English as it's rather a subjective issue.

The point I was making is that the word in question, being the polite particle for males, should be correctly spoken with an 'R' sound as in krap/krup/khrap/khrab and a few other variations depending on which form of transliteration you want to adopt. However you rarely hear the 'R' being used when the word is spoken by a Thai male.

Reminds me of the fish memory story. Fish sees a worm on a hook and thinks "Hmmm.....that looks tasty", takes a bite, hook hurts like hell but the fish escapes and thinks "Bugger, won't do that again!" Three seconds later the fish sees the same worm on the same hook and thinks "Hmmm....that looks tasty.............etc etc".

Your friend needs some serious therapy of some sort, in the same way that a kleptomaniac needs therapy. He is obviously hooked on whatever sort of "high" he is getting from his actions and from what you have said he cannot see the wood for the trees. In fact it's worse, he's denying there is any wood or any trees at all.

I've found that it's mainly due to the aspiration both at the beginning and the end of words that causes most of the issue. Essentially in English we aspirate, and the Thais don't. So that's why a K at the start of a word sounds to them more like a G, as said from the back of the throat.

A good example is when using the polite "Krup" for males. If you breathe out and open your mouth after the P it aspirates and sounds like our English P. If you keep your mouth closed at the P, it sounds like a B.

Let's not even talk about the Krup - Kup comparison, the R's and L's totally blow me away.

A good example is when using the polite "Krup" for males.

Krup ????

I don't understand the question.

I'm glad your not a history teacher.

Did you mean "I'm glad you're not a history teacher"?

I can't be bothered with the apostrophe and the e, it's a trait I have that annoys people.

Can you see my concerned face?

No, cant see your concerned face, and if your not concerned with it, neither am I. Apostrophes, contractions, and possessive adjectives are highly overrated anyway.

Yourauntbob - When writing posts do you watch the news or, indeed spend time reading topics on the Internet. USA and Europe are in financial sh*ts still. Have you ever heard of Greece, Cyprus or Spain? They are in Europe - did you know? It is recorded that the UK is going into a "Triple Dip Recession". Of course did you forget that this was all started by "Toxic Lending" in the US?

I keep up with the news daily. Why do you ask? My original post points to the US and EU heading for recession just as you pointed out.

What exactly with my post are you disagreeing with?????

p.s. When you post, do you try to defy the rules of grammar?

You talk about reducing GDP etc. USA and Europe are in deep sh*t now. GDP has reduced dramatically. Do you know what "GDP" is? As for your comment on "Third Worlds" their economies are doing much better right now. If I was you I would start to learn Chinese. They will become the new financial rulers of the world. USA step down and bow. As for my grammar, well as an ex-BBC Financial Expert and a communicator to the Royal Household, I would say its quite good. Of course if you are American it may sound quite different but remember, Christopher Columbus found America and he was British.

I'm glad your not a history teacher.

Did you mean "I'm glad you're not a history teacher"?

Thanks for the info, and that great translation of the long Krungthep name ......I didn't know that

No worries. The full name for Krung-Tehp is actually the longest place name in the world (or so I am lead to believe) and it also highlights one of the OP's points about the opening letter K and G in Thai. It's transliterated as a Krung in English, but the Thais speak it as a slightly guttural (back of the throat) GK cross. So if we Falang say Krung Tehp with either a hard K or hard G sound, we aren't understood too easily.

It's the same with Coffee - the transliteration is ga-fee, but of we say it as a hard K, or a C, or a G we aren't understood. I don't claim to know too much conversational Thai but I understand more than I speak, and I try hard to be fluent with the words that I do use.....but I can order hot coffee in Thai and 50% of the time I get a blank look. And I think it's 50% my fault for not being fluent enough, and 50% their fault for not being flexible in their listening/context association. It's all a learning curve I guess.

Had fun at the golf course - ordered two bottles of water and a bottle of orange juice in Thai every time for weeks at the No.1 tee. The same bloke would look blank and make me say it at least twice, and then say in poor English "oh, 2 water and I orange." One week I ordered in Thai and got the same look, so I got a little annoyed and said in English "OK clever clogs, gimme a coupla tubes o' H2O and an OJ". Blank look, so I repeated it...another blank look. I said in Thai "Can you speak English?" he answers yes. I repeated my cryptic order in English....blank look. I said in Thai " I think maybe I speak Thai better than you speak English, can I have 2 bottles of water and 1 bottle of orange juice please?". Suddenly he understood my request. He always gives me a wry smile now.

I've found that it's mainly due to the aspiration both at the beginning and the end of words that causes most of the issue. Essentially in English we aspirate, and the Thais don't. So that's why a K at the start of a word sounds to them more like a G, as said from the back of the throat.

A good example is when using the polite "Krup" for males. If you breathe out and open your mouth after the P it aspirates and sounds like our English P. If you keep your mouth closed at the P, it sounds like a B.

Let's not even talk about the Krup - Kup comparison, the R's and L's totally blow me away.

What was the budgie's name?

He is German , speaks little English and has been making the rounds on Sukumvit some time now.

I asked him why he does not go home , he said to me " I'm Thai " ............

Ok, so any explanation regarding his tendency to walk down the centre line of Thepprasit Road?

Is he the one who often sit at police booth on Sukhumvit road and watch cars passing for hours ?

Nope, I've seen that bloke too and wondered what his story was as well. But the dude that walks in the middle of the road is not the same guy. Haven't seen the Sukhumvit Road bloke for quite a while now I think about it.

The type of shorts worn, coupled with the type of shirt/T-Shirt or wifebeater, coupled with the attached accoutrements such as bum-bag, cellphone, backpack or the occasional fishing jacket, is often a dead giveaway as to the nationality of the wearer.

eg: Where does this bloke come from....wearing short (and I mean SHORT) shorts, no shirt or T-Shirt, and an open fishing jacket showing a bulbous belly?

The Stig?

Haven't seen The Stig out of his white racing suit and tinted visor......but it's food for thought!

cool story bro.

one thing, your analogy with the Wright brothers is terrible.

"She does not understand my frustration, its a little like asking the Wright Brothers can they build an areoplane, when your passing them at 350mph on a Qatar 777 in business class."

If you are passing "them" (i assume that means the Wright bros. as it is a plural pronoun and the brothers are the only plural thing mentioned beforehand) then that implies you are indeed doing better than "them". So it would make sense that one would question the capabilities of people who are performing at a level that is subpar.

I agree, and never mind the "your" when it should have been "you're".

Should be tasty dipped in melted chocolate.

I often see a European walking down the middle of the road in Jomtien. Usually it's while I'm driving down Thepprasit Road, and today I saw him walking up Jomtien Sai 2 towards Thepprasit. He's tall, dressed a bit scruffy, longish dark hair and a bit of a beard. Without wanting too generalise too much, he looks a little eccentric and could be anything from 25 to 45 years old.

I've nearly run him over a few times and seen a few hairy situations where he's not seen by cars or scooter riders and they have to take evasive action.

I just wondered if anybody knew him (or maybe you're on TV?), and wondered what his story is. He seems to make it a habit of walking in the middle of the road and I'd hate to see him nailed by a bike or car, especially not mine! I've never seen him when I'm in a position to stop and talk to him, but the incident where I nearly ran him over today was a bit frightening so hence my reason for asking about him.

Not wanting to start a Trans-Tasman conflict or anything, but is the OP aware that the NZ in ANZAC stands for New Zealand? I see no reference to the fallen soldiers of New Zealand in his posting. I for one will be remembering the fallen soldiers of both Australia and New Zealand on ANZAC day.

An oversite (and humble apology) as the posted quote, was taken from an Australian website.

Together, KIWI's and Aussies stood bravely together.

We remember them all.

Please feel free to add a NZ flavour to the thread ... it will be warmly welcomed ...

.

Sorry mate, I wasn't having a real crack at you or looking for an apology, and I certainly have no intention of derailing this solemn and important thread that celebrates the loss of so many soldiers from both countries.

As you know, we from the Eastern State (a.k.a. New Zealand) and you Aussies rarely pass up a chance to take a shot at each other but it's nearly always in friendly rivalry and jest. Let's face it, if the Aussies and Kiwis are on the rugby paddock we'd slit each others throats for the price of yesterday's newspaper, but put us in a conflict situation and we'll defend each other like brothers. We must do a good job of confusing other nationalities - you'd be surprised how many people from places like Norway, Germany, Sweden etc., have asked me why the Aussies and Kiwis hate each other so much. It takes a bit of explaining to convince them otherwise!

I'm unable to make the dawn parade this year for only the 6th time since I was a 14 year old. But nonetheless I will be awake and saying a silent prayer.

I agree. We think of NZ as being the 7th state of Australia

And we Kiwis refer to Australia as a small island of our Western coast. Cheers Mate

It's sad to think that in just a few more generations the two World Wars will be nothing but a few pages in the history books as those that were alive between those conflicts, or born as baby-boomers and Gen-X, age, and depart the world. I recall my Dad talking of his forebears that served in the Boer War and thinking that it didn't have much meaning to me at the time. I can see even in my own kids now (in their 20's) that they have no understanding of the huge sacrifices that their Grandparent's generation made in the 1940's. One more generation and perhaps ANZAC Day will just be a public holiday with very little remembrance of those that made the ultimate sacrifice.

Lest we Forget, lest we Forget.

You have a month's grace after expiry to renew either a one or five year licence. Anecdotally, it is rumoured that if you apply to renew your one year licence before it expires, you will be issued with a further one year licence - not sure if this is correct, whether it is policy, or whether it has happened on some occasions and hence become urban legend material. But as you have the one month's grace period there is no need to renew before expiry.

I left a 25 satang tip today due to poor service.

Three more equally generous customers and the waitress can go weigh herself at the local 7/11

23 April 2013 Last updated at 18:31 GMT

James McCormick guilty of selling fake bomb detectors

A millionaire businessman who sold fake bomb detectors to countries including Iraq and Georgia, knowing they did not work, has been convicted of fraud.

James McCormick, 56, of Langport, Somerset, is said to have made £50m from sales and sold more than 6,000 in Iraq, the Old Bailey heard.

Police said the devices, modelled on a novelty golf ball finder, are still in use at some checkpoints.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22266051

-- BBC 2013-04-23

Ironically, I see that the Novelty Golf Ball Finder can be purchased online for a mere 48.97 GBP (plus P&P).

I can't understand why anybody could consider alleged noise pollution as being a cultural issue or a cultural trait. A social issue in many countries it ma ybe, but making it a cultural issue in this forum is quite absurd. The Thais don't have a monopoly on making noise.