kiakaha

I should then be able to hit that bank up to try and recover my money and/or issue a police report...

For your adsense income lost cheque, just to be safe I'd make sure you have your work permit and thai personal tax in order before involving the police...could easily backfire on you.

What's the fascination with speaking the same as a native Thai?

It's called "setting goals". Nothing wrong with setting the bar as high as it will go mate. Tiger Woods didn't get to his level by simply striving to be a good Sunday golfer

i have never heard a farang speak like a native thai. not even andrew biggs or any other farang on tv.

i apppreciate the effort they put in, but 20 year expat heros who claim to speak obscure dialects or claim to 'waal isaan' still speak 'mai chat'.

polite thai is essential to learn.

Really, I've heard a lot.

I too have heard foreigners speak like a native thai, indistinguishable accent. I also know countless foreigners who can read and write exceptionally well where many native thais are illiterate or have very poor reading/writing skills.

And how are you both allowed to stay here being under 50???????????

These are the situations that I know of foreigners, myself included, that are under 50 and legally staying in thailand long term :

Non immigrant visa , get 1 yearly permit of stay extensions on the basis of work(work permit holders) , spouse(married to a thai national)

Diplomat postings.

Immigrant Visa holders (AKA permanent residence) (i know many foreigners under 50 in this situation)

Grant of citizenship (i know 2 foreigners under 50 in this situation)

The more you learn thai, the more you understand the culture, the more you realise that "mouthing off" and "ranting" is not the way to approach things here.

I got news for you buster. You don't have to know one word of Thai to learn that. Now that we ALL know, yet another reason not to learn Thai.

lets agree to disagree on the merits(too many to mention) of learning the thai language . Period.

Hi All,

My wife and I have moved to bangkok about a month ago and I had a craving yesterday for potato bake and the wife had one for sheppards pie.

My wife is Thai but she doesnt know where they sell it here, hoping someone can suggest some good places that will sell both of these as I would like some sheppards pie too.

I can make both but it never turns out that well.

I think Molly Malones on Convent Rd do a fine Shepherd Pie

I still say that learning to speak Thai is not going so solve "90% of the issues people on this forum have with Thais, Thailand, etc." Being able to mouth off in Thai, and be understood, could make things much worse. Do you somehow assume that learning Thai will change them to reasonable people. Taking away any doubt about what they are saying, could be detrimental to their health. Rant in English or some other language, and you might get away with it. Rant in Thai, and you are just looking for trouble.

The more you learn thai, the more you understand the culture, the more you realise that "mouthing off" and "ranting" is not the way to approach things here.

i don't mind paying a fee,

what better place to write than at The Oriental

http://www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok/bu...s/at_the_hotel/

Failing that, there are many places/hotels/cafes on the river that must be 100 times better for one's cerebral zen than sitting in a dingy pub or library.

i'm not sure the mandarin oriental hotel will let me sit around for free in their business loby, allowing me to work all day.

but you did type, and i quoted "i dont mind paying a fee"....

Has anyone else found that seeing a foreign word, such as Vietnamese, written in Thai makes it easier to pronounce? I find that it removes any ambiguity as to how to pronounce the vowels and, to a lessor extent, the tones. When I work in Vietnam, I carry a Vietnamese - Thai dictionary for this purpose.

ยู แฮฟ เอ กูด ไอเดีย

"You have a good idea" ? Well, at least its better than what you could approximate with japanese katakana

i don't mind paying a fee,

what better place to write than at The Oriental

http://www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok/bu...s/at_the_hotel/

Failing that, there are many places/hotels/cafes on the river that must be 100 times better for one's cerebral zen than sitting in a dingy pub or library.

I always enjoy these threads. Although not shaven headed I firmly come into the category of heavily tattooed 40+ living in Thailand. If you saw me in a cafe in a tee shirt you might well judge me harshly. But when I am in a shirt or suit for work you would not know about the tattoo's therefore leaving you the difficult job of judging me for who I am not my body art.

I recognise that this requires a bit of effort in that you would have to talk to me but you might be quietly surprised that someone with tattoo's is intelligent, well read and articulate. If I happened to roll up my sleeves during a conversation would you then re-appraise your view?

To answer the other part of the question I have a successful business employing 20 people in Thailand which allows me the freedom to live in this country.

I understand that there are many tattooed thugs out there but look at it this way; at least you can see them coming. Its the sociopaths with no visible clues you need to worry about.

Reminds me of this quote:

"I think body piercing's a good thing. It gives us a quick way to tell when someone aint right."

-- Hank Hill (from the television show "King of the Hill")

Most of my friends have tattoos or body piercings (I don't, though -- maybe I'm one of the sociopaths with no visible clues...). It seems to be becoming mainstream, and doesn't carry with it the same stigma that it used to.

I'm with Hank Hill. When I see tattoos I just think that at some point in that persons life they weren't thinking straight.

I hail from the largest Polynesian city in the world(population wise), not to mention the country's indigenous Maori race...tattoo is an integral part of their cultures.

I here what your saying, what I mean it is not right to generalize people in Pattaya, Thailand or anywhere else in the world with short hair and Tattoos as layabout yob. How about the ones with long hair and no tattoos can we call them unkempt, scruffy nerds?

its the guy with short back and sides, dress pants and collared shirt, shiny shoes, shiny watch, shiny car, shiny wife, shiny goddam everything, with zero net worth and 10's of thousands of dollars of consumer debt to keep up his shiny life that disturbs me the most.

Robbie Williams , like him or hate him, the guy can hold an audience...check out his Knebworth concert.

Axl Rose....up until the mid 90's (before he got fat and had hair plugs put in)

Would Robert Plant (Zeppelin) count (well he's still alive)

Not a front "man", but, Tina Turner.

Hey kiakaha, your Robert Plant suggestion gives you 200 points on the sympathy scale.

And I thought you just can read Thai newspapers only...

My headstone will read.."He loved getting the Led out"

Almost forgot...Chris Martin....saw a coldplay concert once, he was great.

Lots of people in the world with 10's, 100's of millions of USD....with tatoos galore. Moral of this story , you just never know who that guy is, what he does, what he's got...I've been surprised so many times over the years that I simply wont even bother casting judgment on someone until I know them. The wealthiest guy(VERY wealthy) I know in Bangkok looks like a dollar a day Khao San Rd backpacker, doesn't drink,smoke,screw around, keeps to himself while all the other loudmouths show their hand.

Robbie Williams , like him or hate him, the guy can hold an audience...check out his Knebworth concert.

Axl Rose....up until the mid 90's (before he got fat and had hair plugs put in)

Would Robert Plant (Zeppelin) count (well he's still alive)

Not a front "man", but, Tina Turner.

well, freddie mercury was still alive 20 years ago.

someone once told me i needed a dance permit....i always thought my two step shuffle was very hip.

I learnt to speak some thai when I was a lot younger when I was single. I made a big effort in my first few (3 month long) visits to Thailand.

Nowadays I speak thai when I am in Thailand but when I'm in New Zealand I speak english to thai people. When I speak thai my daughter teases me and pretends she doesn't understand me which is a little off putting - I know she's my daughter - what am I thinking?

But my understanding of thai still improves all the time. My partner speaks thai to our daughter at home so I'm around it all the time. Also, when thai friends visit they all speak thai and I just sit and listen. It's always funny when a new thai visits us and chats away for a long time to my partner about all sorts of things assuming I do not understand. Then after witnessing me chuckle at various things said she will turn to my partner and ask (in thai) if I speak thai. My partner will tell her yes I do. The visitor will blush usually reflecting on what she has said now realising I have understood. Still not fully believing I really speak thai the visitor will then direct the question at me - "phut pasaat thai dai mai". "Yes" I will reply and then a few testing questions will be posed to me, and I will answer.

It plays out the same every time. Always makes me laugh. I do feel that there is a different level of respect from them once they are aware I understand thai.

I do need to put more effort into learning to read and write in thai - I'm hopeless on that front . Why? Laziness I guess. That, and time restraints - but that's just an excuse really!

As you have found, it is not necessary to show off when you have self-confidence about your ability to speak and understand Thai. A simple "yes" is the appropriate answer. Of course you need to politely answer their questions, if they persist.

Learning to read and write a bit in the beginning, is indeed helpful and explains a few things. Except for signs, menus, and some scripts in my acting days, I have found very little practical use for reading and writing in my 30+ years of living here.

I consider reading to be a mandatory(not just "helpful") prerequisite to being able to speak correctly and tonely acccurately. Also for learning new words from thai script dictionarys(not translitered thai). And I would say that I use reading everyday in practical situations (bills, bank, post office, signs, newspaper, some internet sites, packaging etc... so many things, and many other areas on a less regular basis...ie: legal agreements). I rarely use writing(handwriting or typing) though....i think that text messaging in thai is my biggest usage of writing.

I used to learn 5 new words everyday. I used to have a lot of learning Thai books and hung out with Thai people. I've never been to a class but think it's necessay for some if they have the time/money. When learning to read and write I put aside 1 hour a day, which when you think about it is nothing.

The best way to learn is immersion, in MHO.

I think it's sad when someone who has been here for 20 years can't pick up the local newspaper or have a proper conversation. I'd be embarassed. I remember many years ago sitting in a Pat Pong bar not being able to ask for a knife and fork after being here for 18 months. Knowing then I'd probably be here fo a while, I made a huge effort and am so glad I did.

It's amazing the number of times I go to a new restaurant and the waitress gives a menu to only my wife and totally ignores me. Thailand must be the only country in the world that treats foreigners this way, probably due to the number who can't speak. Can you imagine a waiter in UK asking a Uk woman what her brown-skinned partner wanted to drink.

What do you do to improve your Thai?

If you do nothing, why?

Laziness, arrogance, fear, stupidity?

I learnt to speak some thai when I was a lot younger when I was single. I made a big effort in my first few (3 month long) visits to Thailand.

Nowadays I speak thai when I am in Thailand but when I'm in New Zealand I speak english to thai people. When I speak thai my daughter teases me and pretends she doesn't understand me which is a little off putting - I know she's my daughter - what am I thinking?

But my understanding of thai still improves all the time. My partner speaks thai to our daughter at home so I'm around it all the time. Also, when thai friends visit they all speak thai and I just sit and listen. It's always funny when a new thai visits us and chats away for a long time to my partner about all sorts of things assuming I do not understand. Then after witnessing me chuckle at various things said she will turn to my partner and ask (in thai) if I speak thai. My partner will tell her yes I do. The visitor will blush usually reflecting on what she has said now realising I have understood. Still not fully believing I really speak thai the visitor will then direct the question at me - "phut pasaat thai dai mai". "Yes" I will reply and then a few testing questions will be posed to me, and I will answer.

It plays out the same every time. Always makes me laugh. I do feel that there is a different level of respect from them once they are aware I understand thai.

I do need to put more effort into learning to read and write in thai - I'm hopeless on that front . Why? Laziness I guess. That, and time restraints - but that's just an excuse really!

Whenver I visit NZL(a couple of times a year), or any other country for that matter , I NEVER let on that I can read/write/speak thai, ...its more fun...the things I've overheard in thai restaurants, at the casino, out and about, around groups of thais .....as well as read on noticeboards and in the thai news pamphlet.......well, lets just say its priceless

Say a foreigner based in thailand had a website that was being run illegally (no work permit, tax evasion etc..) , and that website had a "copyright" disclaimer on it , legally would this have any relevance whatsoever ie: where/how could this copyright possibly have standing and be enforced given the illegality of the operation...there would be nothing stopping you from taking the contents of foo.com and simply copying it to boo.com

What legal requirements do you have to fill for the copyright law in thailand to cover you ?

A friend, a true friend, is best defined as somebody you can call at 1 am to say you just killed somebody and need to bury the corpse. Friend replies, "I'll be there ASAP - should I bring a shovel?"

In many families here, those folks are also called employees.

In America they are called HillBilly Rednecks.

... It just leads to a much bigger outing when you do something naughty and hide behind your username, Stickman can attest to that.

I'd hide my name too if I was openly breaking labor and tax laws in Thailand

I'm here to extract useful information. And occasionally I'll give a bit back. Any other features of the site ie:profiles etc... are more or less irrelevant to my reasons for using this site.

Becoming fluent(reading and speaking) in another language has also been a wonderful experience...and without out this I know that I would not have had the experiences I've had in Thailand, it really opens up a whole new universe to your stay here.

Just curious..How did you go about learning? Class, private or on your own?

Have been studying alone for a year & now have a teacher. It is not an easy task ( for me )

How long did the process take for you to be pretty fluent in speaking & more importantly hearing?

Thanks

Fluency......More than a decade and always ongoing

I could read at speed (the newspaper etc....) after about 1 year of really applying myself to the thai alphabet and various rules you just have to know etc...

That was the most important thing...because then being able to read, I could learn vocabulary from thai script (no transliterations needed), and thus get my pronunication accurate because I could understand the consonant classes, tone markers etc...

Then to get to a level of fluency, and by that I mean hear, speak, read "everyday thai"(going to the bank, post offfice, shopping etc...) with no problems...probably a couple of years to build up a solid vocabulary...each word learned being able to be read/written and spoken.

The its just a matter of building you vocab over time, learning vocab in speciality areas etc....

How did I learn ? A combo of some classes early on(company sponsored), being around thais, living in Bangkok a long time, and my own self motivation.