foolforlove

Has anyone encountered the word "en". My best guess at writing it in Thai would be: เอ็น but it could be เอน แอ็น แอน.

I have come across it twice now.

Once I saw a Thai person write in English: "He is en".

The second time I overheard someone speaking and it sounded like "เขาเอ็น". I wasn't listening closely to the overheard conversation so it could have been "เขาเป็นเอ็น" for all I know.

Anyway...anyone know this word?

hi...

I currently work in Thailand under a contract that ends April 30, 2010.

My work permit and non-B visa, of course, are set and matched to the end on dates coinciding with my current contract.

Next week, I will receive a new contract (from current employer) that will cover working from May 1 2010 to April 30 2011 (extend current employment one additional year).

I am not sure -- what is the procedure for getting my visa and work permit extended to match the new contract end date of April 2011?

For example, do I first go to Immigration with my passport and the new contract and request an extension of stay until April 20 2011? Then to Labor for the work permit?

Or do I first go to the Labor Ministry with the contract and have the work permit changed first, then to immigration?

Can I start this process now, as soon as I get the new contract, even though the new end date will be more than a year in the future? I don't want to wait until April 30 2010 to have to run around quickly to get this all done.

Thanks

farangnahrak,

I dont like to be the bearer of bad news... but perhaps the news will save you hours of effort.

The "Thai Isaan Lao Phrasebook" is mildly interesting. It comes with a CD, which is helpful. It doesnt really explain too much, from what I remember. It merely presents sample conversations in parallel text. Also on the downside, the topics and conversations reflect ideas, culture, and values which seem somewhat provincial to the author's locale and experience.

There is another book, somewhat new on the market, titled "Speak Thai Isaan". It comes with a CD/DVD. It is interesting and makes a better effort at being an actual text book presentation. I should say that I have spent quite a bit of time studying to speak Isaan (with my friends and at a language school), so I didnt find the book particularly useful. On the plus side, the author attempts to couch the language in explanations of culture. On the downside of this book, the author misses some important vocabulary and also is unaware of the limitations of his experience. To wit, his book contains a number of regionalism (in language and culturally explanation) which are unique to Udon or at least "upper Isaan".

There are a few other scattered options more along the lines of phrase books. But they are less interesting than these two.

I can't speak to the other dialects, but if you want to speak Isaan, your best avenue is to get lessons from a native speaker. That's what I did. And further, the speaker should be somewhat close geographically to the area you want to use Isaan in, because (as you yourself noted 100% accurately),

• Thais don't talk like in the books
  
• Most Thais add informal/rude words into sentences
  
• Thailand is a hodgepodge of regional dialects
  

The same is true within Isaan, having language characteristics unique to each province.

I'm reporting back . . . I went to a few book stores, no luck.

I found books of folk tales from the different regions, but its all written in Bangkok dialect.

Se-ed Books not only didn't have anything, but an employee there told me he hadn't even heard of a book that taught anything other than Bangkok dialect.

That being said, I found this for Isaan Thai:

http://www.chulabook.com/description.asp?b...e=9789747534887

But I haven't gone to the store to check it out, yet. 329 pages for ~1000 baht.

Gaccha,

I know there is always a lot of talk on this board about the Higbe book, but I hadn't seen this book discussed.....

I can't watch every thread though.

I am glad to hear its well known. As you suggested, I see it in the online library catalog for Chula.

However, the website for both Kinokuniya and Chula bookstores say they DON'T have this book.

Since a lot of posters have spoken about it on this site, can someone suggest where to buy this book in BKK?

Yes, a lot of us have spoken about it on this site. If you can't find it in the shops, and don't want to order it, then both Thammasat and Chula have copies in their libraries. Their library catalogues are available on line.

I stumbled upon this on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Reference-Grammar-Th...9485&sr=1-2

"A Reference Grammar of Thai" by Shoichi Iwasaki and Preeya Ingkaphirom

Has anyone seen this in real life? Perhaps even for sale in BKK?

The Kinokuniya website says they DON'T have it.

When I read the customer reviews, I got the impression it might only have transliterated Thai, but an online look through Amazon showed that it has both Thai script and transliteration side by side.... FYI.

Thanks

Yes, high tone (เสียงตรี) is the one I want to start with... it's my first priority...

high tone is the hardest i think. When you look at a spectral graph it looks more like a straight rising tone from just above mid tone.

Anyone looking for these books should be able to find them at SE-ED. Even the small branch of SE-ED that I checked out (Rangsit) had almost a complete set of volumes One to Seven.

On the other hand, the Suksapanit I went to practically laughed as if I was asking them to get a live dinosaur out of the stockroom... he he.

That said, these books seem good for learning to read, and spell, individual words. The organization seemed to be grouped around making (all) combinations of consonants and vowels -- at least the combinations that make actual words.

Even in volume seven there did not seem to be any actual sentences.

"หักอ่าน ภาษาไทย แบบใหม่ เล่ม ๑ - ๗"

Sorry about the bad spelling.....it's supposed to be หัดอ่าน ภาษาไทย แบบใหม่ เล่ม ๑ - ๗

he he...well i can make my own scrub compounds even cheaper than that....

but i was looking for a place that would do the scrub... he he.

i mean, even though i can do massage, i'd rather get a massage than do it for myself sometimes. :-)

Colabamumbai, I liked the word/sentence pattern quiz there.... that is useful.

Kokesat, thanks for the book recommendation, I will check that out.

Todd... thanks also.

I am not interested in working on listening or spelling. Those I am fine on.

My purpose and interest is to work on pronunciation.

My plan is to find a suitable text or word list. Then have a native speaker friend record it as MP3... I can then work on my own to mimic their pronunciation.

I would like to find a text -- a group of sentences or an actual paragraph-- to practice a particular Thai tone.

For example, a page of text dedicated to 'High Tone' (เสียงตรี).

The idea would be a large occurrence of the High Tone within the text....

Failing that, perhaps just a list of words that would focus on a particular Thai tone.

Sometimes in Thai it seems there are limericks or poems to work on specific pronunciation aspects... used for native speakers in pratom level.

Anyone have anything like this or another suggestion?

I came across this website...perhaps youve all seen it before...but here it is in case someone has not:

http://www.seasite.niu.edu:85/Thai/Default.htm

enjoy!

Someone may find this useful:

http://learn-thai-podcast.com/

this is for learning Thai language.....

Where is a good place in BKK to get an Exfoliating Body Scrub?

It doesnt need to be some fancy hi-so spa atmosphere... in fact, probably better if it is not a hi-so spa...

Just a place that does good work for a reasonable price....

thanks

It could be short for ขี้โมโห

which would be someone who tends to get angry/be angry/get angered easily....

depending on how you say the vowels (american or british)........

could be: อเล็กซานเตอร์ ไฮนซ์

or: แอเล็กซานเตอร์ ไฮนซ์

ผมรู้จักคำมเยอะแล้ว

และก็คนไทยบอกผมบ่อยว่า คุณพูดไทยชัด ด้วยนะครับ

แต่ผมรู้ว่าผมออกเสียงไม่ถูกทั้งหมด

ดังนั้นผมหาโรงเรียนหรือครูที่สามารถแก้ไขสำเนียงครับ

ขอบคุณครับ

There area lot of competitions--some which are related to a group of schools. Do you have any more information than this? Where is it held, how many schools, etc.?

The student attends "Satit Bilingual School (SBS) of Rangsit University".

I don't know where its held or how many schools.

Believe me, I have asked. The student is unaggressive plying their teacher for more details.

But I will try again tonight to see if I can get more.

Hi,

I am tutoring an M3 student from Rangsit who is being sent to an English competition in late November.

The competition, he says, is called "Gold Crown" or perhaps "Golden Crown".

I have never heard of this.

It involves a written test or two, plus a speaking competition.

Anyone know anything about this? Google has not turned up anything.

Thanks!!

I think there are several ways to do it, and it would depend on what meaning is important in your sentence.

For example, is the idea you want to emphasize simply that he became rich?

Or how he became rich?

Or that it was especially THE AMERICANS involved in him becoming rich?

Or that it was a WAR (vietnam) that got him rich?

that said.... this will probably do the trick for you, covering the most generic of the above situations:

khao glaai bpen kon ruai dooi chuai lua ameriga giaw gap "vietnam war"

as a further note, it's mostly the USA which would call that conflict "the vietnam war". so this sentence has a meaning/vocabulary problem probably around the term "vietnam war", as that is an american viewpoint. and a viewpoint thais probably wont know.... providing they even knew about a conflict between america and vietnam to begin with.

I tried to say "He became rich by helping the Americans during the Vietnam war." in Thai.

The people I was talking to did understand what I tried to say, but my grammar and usage was definitly wrong.

So, could somebody please help me with the correct way of saying this sentence in Thai.

I want to find a copy store (in Bangkok) with more services than the average one on my corner.

Specifically, I have seen copiers (in offices) that are linked to a computer. Then the copier can be used as a scanner. And the computer could burn me a CD (e.g. PDF).

I have a document that is about 100 pages. I don't want to scan it myself with my "one page at a time" (and slow!) HP flat bed scanner.

thanks

Anyone have any experience(s) or recommendations on Thai banks that offer EITHER

* a pre-paid credit card

OR

* a secured credit card

thanks

Perhaps some members of this forum will remember an "ancient" device from 30-40 years ago called a slide rule.

It looked a little like a ruler and was used for doing calculations before the arrival of calculators.

I have the markings (ie scales) of a slide rule that I can print out from a PDF file.

But I'd like to find a small shop to fabricate a slide rule for me.

Anyone know of a place? If they only speak Thai, that is OK.

I just need a craftsman who would take the time to understand the requirements.

Thanks

They still sell them in SUK SAH PAN all over Bangkok, these are stationary stores that are quite old school and are located in every district. Slide rules of all sizes there!

Just for the record, I went to another Suk Sah Pan branch and brough the Thai Wikipedia entry on slide rules, which

gives the name in Thai, a description of its function in Thai, and a picture.

At this Suk Sah Pan, three employees puzzled over it and said they'd never heard of or seen such a thing.

Again, if you know which Suk Sah Pan branch has them.... please share the secret.

thanks

Perhaps some members of this forum will remember an "ancient" device from 30-40 years ago called a slide rule.

It looked a little like a ruler and was used for doing calculations before the arrival of calculators.

I have the markings (ie scales) of a slide rule that I can print out from a PDF file.

But I'd like to find a small shop to fabricate a slide rule for me.

Anyone know of a place? If they only speak Thai, that is OK.

I just need a craftsman who would take the time to understand the requirements.

Thanks

They still sell them in SUK SAH PAN all over Bangkok, these are stationary stores that are quite old school and are located in every district. Slide rules of all sizes there!

Are you sure about this? Because I already went to one Suk Sah Pan (in Future Park Rangsit) looking for this before I posted.

Which Suk Sah Pan location have you recently found slide rules at? A search in Thai and English of the Suk Sah Pan website finds no hits.

I am more than willing to go to a Suk Sah Pan store - heck I even have a membership card - but not every location has the same merchandise.

If you can point to a particular branch location of Suk Sah Pan, I will go.

Thanks

Perhaps some members of this forum will remember an "ancient" device from 30-40 years ago called a slide rule.

It looked a little like a ruler and was used for doing calculations before the arrival of calculators.

I have the markings (ie scales) of a slide rule that I can print out from a PDF file.

But I'd like to find a small shop to fabricate a slide rule for me.

Anyone know of a place? If they only speak Thai, that is OK.

I just need a craftsman who would take the time to understand the requirements.

Thanks

I have a picture from a magazine of the suit coat /jacket that I want.

where is a good place in BKK that I can take to have one made like the picture.

thanks