cooked

Nope, thanks. The phone is about to be thrown at a wall very very hard.

I just put in a new card and although now, for some reason, everything is in English, I get 'no service'. Before I had service but no English language. As I said, I will unlock my phone and then try again. This isn't the same as jailbreaking it apparently.

thanks guys, that's the conclusion I ocame to also. My wife was afraid to touch the phone and I can read Thai only when I'm drunk.I'll go buy a cheap card and see what happens. I think I may have to jailbreak the phone at some point.

ehmmm... I just learnt something... these guys are capable of going out into the rice paddies to work with their families and then just walking on past without noticing that their family is there. Alcohol, yes sir. My son in law is drinking with the big guys at the age of 14 and passing out with the big guys for an afternoon... Not much I can do about that at his age I guess.

sorry, thanks for your efforts. I have a Swiss sim card on the iPhone and I wish to put in a Thai card, phone language English. The girl put in a card that worked, however when I tried to look at settings and stuff, they were in Thai, must pay 7000 for a card that lets me read my phone in English.! Maybe the fact that you don't understand my question means that the people I went to are abysmally thick or I am?

I think I should be able to buy any card and then change its language to Japanese, Eskimo or whatever I want?

Yes I laughed too. I bought my beloved phone to Thailand expecting to get a new card fitted on arrival. No time at the airport as my son-in-law was parked wrong. So what? This is the funny part, in Buriram they put in a card for me (very nice girl, she cut the card correctly to put in my phone. It worked, but the phone language was Thai, she can't change. We go to another place, they tell me it will cost me 5000, no hang on, 7000 Baht to get me a card. I rarely had so much fun, they didn't seem to mind when I roared with laughter and made a scene, they were back to sleep before I left.

If I could 1: read Thai or2: my wife was savvy in iPhone technology, I assume that I would not be having a problem. Correct?

Do I have to wait until I get back to Bangkok in 2 weeks time?

Ok ok I love Thailand, I laugh a lot, but the language barrier bet me this time. Any advice please?

and snooker, pot black, in black and white, no wonder it didn't catch on then

Archaeologists will agree with me I'm afraid.

at Leeds University there was a huge influx to the TV room when magic roundabout came on. (1967 ...) AS we intellectuals (ha ha) stayed on to watch the news, they went on to their pre food pint. The students Union bar was always packed. Going back years later it was nearly empty apart from a few guys tringto seriously study

Wood will not rot when it is permanently immersed in water ( vis 1000 year old pilings found in wet environments etc). It is the variation of moisture that allows fungi to complete their life cycle and thrive. So drainage at the bottom of the post might do more harm than good. Just face up to the fact that wood will eventually recycle itself into soil.

On a deeper level other than just the acquisition of English as a second language, the Thai education system is, in my experience an abomination. People used to tell me how the 'system' here actively discourages learning as it is not in the interests of the powers that be (of all political persuasions) to have highly educated masses. I never believed it; at first but now I am convinced it is true. One only needs to look at the structure of written Thai to see how even something as simple as breaking away from scriptura continua would effect changes at a neurological level which would enhance reflection and meaning. A past prime minister made some very minor changes to the obsolete characters, but 3 years later the changes were abolished. Thais have an abysmal knowledge of world history other than a navel gazing retrospective of 'ASPECTS' of the Thai story. A similar complaint could be levelled at Americans' knowledge of global issues. Basic mathematics, owing to its structure can lend itself to rote learning and the Thai children I have seen do very well here. The teaching of Thai language rests heavily on memorisation and rote learning, on being very very particular. My experience has led me to believe that this teaching style carries over into all other aspects of the curriculum. Divergent thinking, problem solving and questioning of accepted wisdom is actively discouraged. Thailand is a wonderful country with wonderful people, but the feudal system which still runs deep is holding back the life chances for millions of rural Thai children and eventually the nation as it fails to capitalise on its most precious resource... it's children. And there endeth the sermon !

Yes indeed. I don't think that the methods of teaching in Thailand were actually planned, this is Thailand after all. The way things turned out suits many people, making it difficult to introduce change.

Thai people are not inherently stupid by any means, but it is possible to instill intellectual laziness into people, especially if you catch them young. Most Isaan people have to learn Thai as a second language, pretty impressive I find.

As an anecdote, my wife had 2 years of school and learnt English from books and TV. Not bar girl English I might add for the cynics out there. If she had gone through the Thai school system I doubt she could have done this, her English is much better than that of the local teachers, I can actually converse with her intelligently.

Google 'Visa shop' in Pattaya. Andrew Drummond has something to say about these guys and what happens to people that use his exploitative 'services'.

his or this?

I think you mean this, it are not his services.

Google 'Visa shop' in Pattaya. Andrew Drummond has something to say about these guys and what happens to people that use his exploitative 'services'.

his or this?

I think you mean this, it are not his services.

Sorry mistake, I am a bit jet lagged. I meant the services of 'Visa Shop'.

Some middle east carriers have farang management with a proven track record and those airlines are doing well. This will never happen at THAI. Thai will always be run by sycophants who bow to their masters. Hundreds of Thais ncluding ex THAI execs and their families are eligible for free 1st and business class tickets.

I wouldnt be surprised if the top military brass and families travel free to Europe regularly and what about Thaksins family ?

AND 'certain people' treating Thai Airways as their personal, free taxi service.

Google 'Visa shop' in Pattaya. Andrew Drummond has something to say about these guys and what happens to people that use his exploitative 'services'.

I dunno, I think 'traditional Thai music' might mean stuff played before the introduction of electronic amplifiers, drum machines and the rest? I detest the above example of music. I imagine that Thailand is going through the same process that Europe went through up to about 30 -40 years ago. Everything that really is traditional was really boring, only for the oldies. When people catch on to the fact that it has nearly gone then there may be a determined effort to recover what is left -the folk revival of the fifties and sixties in the USA and Europe was just in time.

Meanwhile, people that did learn the old songs and dances feel ashamed, they are laughed at (not always), as I saw in Portugal 20 years ago.

Anyway I have plans to buy a decent video camera and start collecting in Isaan, I'm sure that every village has people that still know the old songs, I just have to find and persuade people not to be shy. (meaning whiskey I guess).

Any help, suggestions or hints about this project would be most welcome!

For my soon to happen 'traditional Thai marriage' I am causing unrest in the village when I suggest a ban on electronic gear at least for the first part of the proceedings, and am wondering about how to organise things, I am looked at as if I am mad when I talk about this.

Issan music - Thai music. The best demonstration I saw was in fact in Switzerland - we saw examples of music and dance from the south, from Isaan, Chiang Mai as well as courtly. The Isaan music and dance was simple enough, the dancers had been taught well as they made the effort to dance 'flat footed' as the rustic dances in Europe are danced. Isaan people don't walk the same as Bangkok people. The courtly dances were more on the on the balls of the feet, which changes the style completely.

I talk about dance principally as I led a historical dance group in Switzerland for many years, and also because wherever music is played, people will dance to it.

Sorry if this post is a bit disjointed, I will need a few days to recover from jet lag.

I can't claim to be an expert but I have been rooting around for a decent illness insurance for about 6 months now. I am 64.

Guaranteeing that you have an insurance for life doesn't mean much, they forget to tell you that premiums will double by the time you are 70. Then we have 'preconditions: high blood pressure at 60 means your heart bypass doesn't get paid for...Question: why should a company that wants to make money accept your insurance? The only one that seems trustworthy is Nordic, they are asking 13 000 a month plus the first 2500 dollars of any treatment. I think we have to admit that putting 13 000Baht in the bank is a better alternative. Maybe not for some people but as the government hospitals seem to be quite good, I think that this is the way that I will be going.

Well even if you multiply the Thai statistics by 10 you don't get near the UK levels.

"cooked"

1) To my recollection - I have never commented on any of your posts nor called anyone stupid on this thread.

2) There is a difference between "uneducated" and "under-educated" - which might escape some "lesser educated" individuals

3) Please re-read Peppy's comments (who is very logical in his arguements). His reference is to your apparent lack of ability in the Thai language - not whether you are fluent in several languages (as you claim).

When opinions differ - logic should prevail (not opinions reinforced by egos). However, when the arguements presented are not logical (only opinionated) no reasonable discussion can elucidate the subject matter.

Wrong, read again. People feel insulted when they are told that they are un- under-, lesser or over- educated. They assume that they are being called stupid. Mr. Peppy's arguments are well put but seem to have missed the point that I was trying to make as do you.

Yes I claim to be fluent in three languages + a dialect, to be exact, did help doing business in Switzerland for 40 years and my kids thank me for it. I was forced over this period to simplify my English, which doesn't do any harm, but has stayed with me. Please don't assume that people that don't express themselves in a refined manner are thick. Opinionated? Yes there is a lot of that present in this 'rational discussion'.

If you aren't fluent in a particular language, how on earth are you able to pass judgement on whether a translation into that language conveys the nuances of the original or not? Show me a translation that doesn't quite capture everything, and I'll show you a bad translation.

For the record, I think "ao mai" is a perfectly acceptable rendering of "Hey, would you like some of this?"

Edit: Changed Thai script to Roman letters. It seems Thai script isn't working for my posts...

Assuming that you are referring to my post, yes I am fluent in several languages, one of them being French. Why do these initially interesting and edifying postings inevitably have to turn into slanging matches? (Don't answer, I know). Mr. Parvis your posts are intelligible AND intelligent but hardly susceptible of being taken seriously. Try to avoid telling people that they are stupid or uneducated and maybe we could have a civilised discourse...?

My dad used to do that and was bemused by the fact that people were honking behind him ( and embarrassingly, occasionally, me). He was a driver in the war and drove all over North Africa, the Middle East , Sicily, Italy and Germany. Somebody had to tell him that they weren't guiding lines like on an aerodrome.

This problem show again the advantages of having a retirement extension, which I myself can't afford, at least at the moment. There is also the extension based on guardianship, which does not end when when the child reaches 21 as far as I know. This seems to be the one to go for in my own case as I could then legally work in Thailand.

When the time came around I was living in Switzerland, not so far away from the UK. However in both cases I had dodgy conversations with nurses not willing to say outright that I might want to come over, I had to interrogate them. I went over quite a few times and in the end missed their end although I was able to help (my dad reckoned that the beer that I smuggled into the hospital was the best he had ever had). I do regret not having fixed up a stay in a hospice for them, that stays with me.

I still come upon websites occasionally that won't work with Firefox. English sites used to be major offenders, but this has improved. I have IE installed and have the Firefox extension 'view in IE' available with a right mouse click.

If they originate with the fruit then at least you have fruit that hasn't been drenched in pesticide. My wife tends to buy stuff with flies hovering around them.....

Can anyone recommend a book on Thai language or if not any other books related to the topic of this thread as its interesting stuff?

This is why I think the Thai language is too simplistic/primitive: I was watching a film the other day in English with Thai subs and the English guy said "Hey, would like you like some of this?" and in the Thai subtitles it said "Ow mai".

How can the meaning, emotion and implication of "Hey, would you like some of this" be conveyed with just the word "want?". I don't understand.

As you can see I don't have an educated opinion on the matter so please recommend me a book!

I have the same problem when I watch an American gangster film being duubed over in French. You just can't extract the nuances involved however hard you try. So it's not just a Thai problem.