Learned

Yeah, I think he manages to persuade people with no language skills that he has 'mastered' a language in three months but anyone versed in that particular language often disagrees.

Still, it makes him money so it (sort of) works for him!

There is already a Fighting Spirit Muay Thai gym in Bangkok isn't there?

What is the correct way to say (to a taxi driver for example): please turn up the air con (to make it colder)?

gwàa air ?

Or turn down the air con?

What about "turn down the music (its too loud)?" in a restaurant.

bpìt teewee ?

Thanks!

I am after a monthly subscription for a data package for my current phone, which seems to be about 800 baht a month (correct me if there are cheaper ones available).

What sort of prices do Iphone 4s go for these days with a monthly data package? Not bothered about calls or texts really.

If you've spotted any deals please post them up.

I will be in Bangkok mostly and wanting to connect to the net from my laptop, through the phone.

Thanks.

I picked up a Wifi signal on my phone and when I connected I was prompted to register.

This is the site: http://vip.totwifi.com/ict-metro1/regis.php

Is this the new free wifi service in Bangkok/Thailand that has just been launched?

I tried to sign up but it said my passport number was incorrect (it wasn't).

Is it only for Thais? Or is the form broken?

Thanks!

Currently living in Bangkok but am tempted by a move to CM.

What sort of price would one have to pay for a decent 3 bedroom house or condo/apartment not too far from the walled town part?

Anything for 20,000 a month? Pool would be nice and not more than 10-15 minutes walk (in the heat) to the old town?

It would probably be a short term thing, 3 - 6 months.

Are there any property sites you could recommend?

Thanks!

I'm after a cheap (less than 5000 baht) smartphone that I can pick up in Bangkok.

Would like to be able to go online with it mainly for Facebook and emails. Wifi and 3G would be needed I presume?

I guess the main choice if an Android vs a Blackberry.

What are the bottom end (5000 approx. baht) Blackberrys like?

Anyone make a good android phone at that price?

Thanks very much.

Does anyone know of a yoga instructor who will do home lesson visits for beginners in Bangkok?

Thanks

To the OP. In almost 30 years of speaking Thai i have only ever encountered resentment in the circumstances "Mind" outlined above, though never in the case of tones . Tones are rarely ,if ever, a cause of miscommunication, the context of the sentence will always make the meaning clear.

Hmmm, i am only a thai beginner, but i have strong doubt about your statement that the contect of the sentence will always make the meaning clear. Yes, you can see out of the context that you talking about a shirt and not about a tiger. But how will you see out of the context if something is near or far away?

Here is a quote of Hugh Leong from a women learn thai interview:

I took a double take too when I read that incorrect tones don't cause problems.

Great link, really shows the importance of the tones in a way we can understand and relate to.

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!

Obviously if you have to remember tones on top of new words, then that is more work than just learning new words. And that's the main problem with teaching Thai with romanized spelling since it makes no sense as the spelling should tell you the pronounciation. So learning tones should not be the focus, but rather learning how to read the alphabet and then simply learning word for word pronounciation. The association in your brain should be to make an association between a set of symbols attached to a sound, not to knowing a bunch of romanized letters with an attached tonal rule. If I were to learn Thai again, I would simply immerse myself in the alphabet before attempting to speak.

The tones are my biggest problem.

If all words were mid tone then I think I would be able to speak Thai quite well with the knowledge I have now.

But as it is I can't remember the tones of any words I 'know' ( yes I know not knowing the tone means I don't really know the word but you know what I mean).

I also can't hear tones when Thais speak so that causes a few problems too!

I can read Thai but I didn't learn to read until at least a few years of starting learning to speak. I thought learning to read would help my speaking but it hasn't. I guess the only way it would is if I also learnt all the spelling of the words I know so that I can picture the spelling and 'see' the tone. But that is even more things to learn!

Perhaps someone could make a list of all the mid-tone words and I can just use those to try and speak Thai?

Thanks, will have a look for that one.

I'm on an Ed Visa at the moment. I was already in Thailand when I signed up for one.

Paid my money to the school and they did me the paperwork which took about 4 weeks. Left Thailand and went to KL to apply for the Ed Visa (took two days). Returned to Thailand and now every 90 days I go to immigration to get another 90 days.

I got a single entry Ed Visa which means if I want to leave Thailand I have to get a re-entry permit so that my Ed Visa stays 'live' when I return to Thailand and they don't overwrite it and give me the 30 days stay (AFAIK). It costs 1000 baht to get a re-entry permit.

We're here on Samui for a quick break but the place we are staying has run out of baby cots.

Does anyone know where we can buy, borrow, rent or hire one on the island?

Thanks!

This language school has some videos with translation too: http://www.facebook.com/EverydayThaiLanguageSchool

Thanks for the replies. Tablet might be a bit too expensive for what I need. It is just to keep the sprog entertained on flights and long car journeys which aren't a regular occurrence.

I will have a look at that Google pad though as it seems pretty affordable.

Thanks for the replies. I will have a look for what you suggest.

I use Thai every day at work and going around town. Never need a dictionary. That just about is enough for me.

I would be very happy with that level: speaking without ever having to look words up.

I would like to get a portable device with a screen that can play video files on it.

It could be one of those portable DVD players with built in screen although the DVD drive isn't necessary if it has a USB port that divx and similar files can be played from.

Long battery life would be good or a way to add extra battery to it on long journeys.

Any recommendations on a particular model I could pick up in Bangkok and how much they cost?

Thanks.

I know it sounds a bit gimmicky but are there any instructional videos or DVDs of people conversing in Thai for us to learn from?

Could have subtitles in England and Thai script under the dialogue to help you learn to read and speak Thai.

Does such a thing exist?

Thanks.

Must've been something else as the person who was been given something pulled a face and refused to take it.

Probably heard it wrong.

Thanks though.

p.s. apologies to Learned for jumping on your post, but saves repetition. Cheers.

No problem, replies to your post will be of help to me too.

How much time/hours per day do you want to study? This might influence the suggestions you get.

If someone was trying to give you something and you said "mai wai" (not sure of the tones) what would it mean?

Thanks.

Bangkok is the best place to be. You can hear standard Thai every day all day.

Yes I would agree with that, due to the number of people you are never that far away from a Thai speaker. I don't often hear Thai speakers everyday but I could if I had to find them.

Resources : Try using Anki.

Bytebuster gave you some good advice. I think pimsleur is amazing, it's just too bad they only have like 20 lessons.

Yes I agree with Anki. I use it to learn the new vocab for my lessons each week. Then the next week and the next one...

The Pimsleur audio series was my first Thai learning material when I got here and I still listen back to it now from time to time as its quite easy to follow.

If you’re having difficulty remembering word tones then your reading ability should be very helpful. One of the great things about the Thai language is if you can spell a word in Thai there is normally no doubt about how to pronounce it, including tone. You just need to remember how to spell it.

That is what I thought and what motivated me to learn to read single words. But I find it hard to remember the spelling as its another thing to remember (along with the meaning). But its better than nothing.