gintOnic

Out of curiosity I went on the Victoria's Secret website yesterday to see if they can now ship to me here, and to my delight they CAN! Their bras and undies are much better quality and fit than anything I can find in Thailand, worth the expense I think.

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I think they have this serivce a long time ago. I had a friend ordered Victoria's Secret since a few years back - I even was looking those new catalogues with her - which was shipped monthly (if I don't remember it wrong) here in Bangkok!

heheh ok ok ..again ...

please call me "Pretty Chomchi"     

no need  special effect  nor make  up... my face (and teeth ) are weapon

Im ready for  halloween now 

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Bambina,

If that is you pictured above, you've just become my favourite poster.

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Come on Bambi! Don't bluff us! I have seen you before .. you are not 'that beautiful'

gintOnic

I've read somewhere that household utility bills can be paid at 7-11 stores.

How does it work?

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You need to look for 7-11 that has 'Counter Service' sign - some branches do not have it. You can also find 'Counter Serivce' some place else that is not 7-11. Many cell phone shops also have this service or you can also find the counter at some Lotus Express, just look for the 'Counter Service' sign or you may also use 'Pay Point' counter

Also make sure you pay the bill on time since these service counters do not accept an overdue bill.

gintOnic

I took note of all the members present, and they were (in no particular order) Tornado, Tukyleith, Jockstar, LC, Rosie, Firefan, Kat, Pearl, BambinA, GinTonic, Gwkenny, and Candyflip. (I hope I didn't overlook anyone) Friends and spouses also made an appearance, and our table had to be extended at least 3 times to accomodate the new arrivals.

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It was so nice to see you guys as well, especially you, Jai Dee (also Tukyleith and LC) - have always seen your names here and finally we met - well, at last ..

Oh, also Bambi and Firefan - always nice to meet you guys again

gintOnic

Would  ไมคูล be pronounced as mai-koon by Thais though..? 

totster 

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Actually YES!! ...I forgot thinking about that

gintOnic

GintOnic

Many english people will pronounce Michael as

Mai-kool

The ending being the same as in "School"

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loong,

That's what I was doubting - if the name might be read in another way else (Mai-Kool) as well. Even so, still ไมคูล์ or ไมคุล์ are read as Mai-Koo. If we want it to be read as Mai-Kool then Mr.Farang needs to remove the garun away - then we will get ไมคูล = Mai-Kool (as in school)

gintOnic

(by the way ไมคูล์ or ไมคุล์ does look strange to me) 

Hi Nong Gin!

As far as ไมคูล์ or ไมคุล์ , yes, they "look strange" and that is why it is SANOOK, because we have the freedom in transcription to be creative and have a bit of fun. Transliteration is different, a bit more "formal" and "rigid" but with transcription we can "play around and have fun"......

BTW: I have many Chinese-Thai friends, and their Chinese names, spelling in Thai, look strange to me to!

We can keep in mind,, like Roger, it is "his name in Thai" and he can choose to spell it as he pleases him. The same for Michael....... They will not "go to jail" for being creative with their names...... There are no laws against having a bit of fun with language - and no "language police"....

Gin, You are wonderful! Take care, na krap.

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Hi Mr.Farang,

Yes, I got what you mean. I am sure we can play around and have fun - people can write their names the way they want but at least it should be based on some real language knowledge, basis or principle or whatever that is.

Like a name Michael, I am not sure how you come up with the spelling as ไมคูล์ or ไมคุล์ . If I have to read the words and write them in English they would be read as 'Mai - Koo' . If that is how 'Michael' is pronounced then your Thai writing is correct. Well, I don't know - my english is just not good enough

gintOnic

Hey there ladies, girls and females... let's get this forum up and running.... I log in briefly late at night due to work pressure and what do I see.... cosmetics?????? I mean PLEASE....... there is so much more to discuss. Only last night I had a huge debate with Farang males about the fact that Farang males have forgotten how to treat Farang females while living in Thailand...... any ideas???????

Seonai

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Seonai,

Are you saying that farang males don't treat farang females while living in Thailand? How so?

gintOnic

In all of my eight years in this country, I have to say that farangs are the most unfriendliest bunch of people here that another farang could ever meet.  I have lost count of the amount of times that I have walked past a farang in the street and have tried to get eye contact in order to exchange a friendly nod, or even said hello and just been completely ignored.

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This might be a little off topic but having mentioned about eye contact, I wonder if you meet some girls in a place like Qbar or HRC or CM2 and she makes an eye contact with you, will that give you the first impression that she might be a working girl? I'm asking this because there are sometimes I got an eye contact in such places - I don't really know what to do. I don't want to be understood as an unfriendly person nor a working girl (which is even worse) so most of the time I choose to ignore the look .. well.. Am I missing anything?

gintOnic

From my minimal research, there doesn't appear to be any explanation of what certain traffic light configurations actual require you to do.

Being from the UK, I interpret them as being the same as there but the Thais appear to have a different interpretation.

For example, at a 'T' junction. My understanding is:

Fig 1 - Straight on is permitted, turning right is not.

Fig 2 - Straight on is permitted, only turn right if safe to do so.

Fig 3 - Straight on and turning right (filter) is permitted.

Any comments?

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Hi jayenram,

Fig 1 : I don't recall if we have this light (with striaght and right arrows) .. hmm..

Fig 2 : shoud be - Straight on is permitted. To turn right you have to wait for the green arrow. Your understanding will be correct for a traffic light with no right arrow sign (= Straight on is permitted, only turn right if safe to do so) Well, at least that's how I do while driving here

Fig 3 : Correct

gintOnic

How many suggestions for "Keith" written in Thai?

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loong,

As I have seen and known, I think your name in Thai should be written as คีธ, although this spelling can't represent a correct pronounciation if you ask a Thai to read the word - but as you already know we don't have 'th' sound in Thai.

For me, I had been practising how to pronounce 'th' sound a long time ago and I could say your name correctly (I believe) However, I still have some problem saying a word ended with 'th' then 's'. For example, to say 'monTHS' - too much tongue using for me!

So How do you write your name in Thai by the way?

gintOnic

But the main reason I agreed with Bambi is because I wanted to finish the discussion,

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Mr.Farang, same here - we were not fighting, were we? (by the way ไมคูล์ or ไมคุล์ does look strange to me)

What's that all about?    We certainly did not get two independent opinions did we now :-)

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emm... not sure what you mean

gintOnic

Why is Toilet Paper ALWAYS on the table but NEVER in the Toilet?

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ReallyyYyyY? So that is toilet paper that we use on the table? Never realize that :D

gintOnic

By the way, hey Bambi guess what - I just realize I become an 'advanced member' now .. maybe because of many posts in this topic hehe

gintOnic

Love gintonic     

actually  Gin is  better  in Eng 'n Thai lang  than me... i know  she well ..and  for  more info. she  has  more IQ  score than me ..heheheh 

  < gintonic

  <Bambi

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Bambi, stop being nice - you are turning me into a bad person now!

I don't feel "relieved" in any way, I am just a perfectionist that want's to get it right. So if you feel left out, thank you too gintOnic. 

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Okay, so I feel 'relieve' now

gintOnic

Thank you Bambi, will leave my business cards as they are and as suggested pronounce my name for them.  Have to do that even when written in English, half the time I'm Michelle 

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This is a note to Bambi

I don't understand why tywais doesn't believe when I told him to keep his card as ไมเคิล but now when you said 'I totally agree with gintonic' tywais then feel relieves to leave his name card the way it is??

So I should thanks Bambina to support me then?

gintOnic

True, one Thai told me to use the garuun and another said not to, listened to the 2nd one for no particular reason.

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tywais, I am sure you already know any letter having garun will give no sound in Thai. So if your name is spelled as ไมเคิล์ - well since ล์ makes no sounds so it doesn't matter to have it or not. If we remove ไม from your name and just give only เคิ to your Thai friends, ask them if they can read.

The only reason Thai can read ไมเคิล์ , it is not because it is spelled correctly but it is only because they 'know' this name.

The same thing when you see Sukhumvit or Sukumvit or Sukhumvid - no matter how they are spelled still you know which road is mentioned and it is สุขุมวิท

Hope I make some senses to you

gintOnic

You see it wrong.  Many Thais make considerable and repeated English-Thai transcription errors.  Two Thais, depending on their formal education and background, will repeated disagree.  Bambi just corrected another Thai speaker in a different thread on Charles and Charlie.  Bambi was correct.

You cannot say "all Thai people are right"... that is nonsense, totster.  If all Thai people were "Right" on any topic, then there would never be a disagreement in the entire Kingdom of Thailand because all Thais would agree on every point, laughing out loud.

In English-Thai transcriptions, people who the most qualified have a formal education in both Thai and English.  Their nationality is not important, their education is important.

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I agree with you not all Thai are correct - depending on their formal education and background

However, what make you think Bambina should be better in Thai than me?

gintOnic

That was my understanding, only changed because a Thai friend said otherwise.  Need to make new business cards.

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No, just keep your business card as what it is. ไมเคิล is correct for being written in Thai. However, it is true Thai will pronounce 'L' in your name as 'N' but if you put a 'garun' on your name as ไมเคิล์ <<< this spelling is actually can't be read! So, the best way is, to give Thai your name card and tell them how to pronounce it correctly

I am surprised your gf read the word ออยล์ as 'Oil'. In Thai that word is pronounced as 'Oy' not 'Oil'.  Well I know that's not correct to say the word 'oil' in English but that's how Thai pronounce the word. 

Just rememeber to say 'Oy' for 'Oil' to (some) Thai - or they will never get what you are trying to say at all

gintOnic 

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Just used Thaisoft PC dictionary and it shows this ออยล no garuun but of course it was written by a Thai and the same rules of incorrect transliteration probably applies.

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Even this ออยล with no garuun still it is read as 'Oy' If you really want to teach your Thai friend to say the word 'Oil', you may try with this reading 'ออย-เอล'

Let me know if it does work somehow!

gintOnic

"Darling, how do you say this word?".

I show her what I wrote: ออยล์

She says: "Oil".

I said: "Perfect. That is how you pronounce 'Oil' ".

"No", she says, "It's pronounced 'Oy' ".

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I am surprised your gf read the word ออยล์ as 'Oil'. In Thai that word is pronounced as 'Oy' not 'Oil'. Well I know that's not correct to say the word 'oil' in English but that's how Thai pronounce the word.

Just rememeber to say 'Oy' for 'Oil' to (some) Thai - or they will never get what you are trying to say at all

gintOnic

What would be the point in working in a far off land to your own country if you weren't paid compensation money?

Because I like the country and the attitude towards work, life and other things.

I took a significant drop in wages. I used to earn more in a day,15 years ago in the oil business, than I do in a week now, and much much happier. Come to Thailand for money, don't be silly.

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Neeranam - Good one! I'm really proud of you!

gintOnic

That literally means "intersection where dirty Indians live" or something close to that. Could be anywhere.

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There is really an intersection called Ban Khaek just like Bambina just told the direction - not 'could be anywhere' like you said.

Besides, how did you come across by translating Khaek = dirty Indian ?? In Thai when we say Khaek it just only refers to Indians. Just like when we call Khon Jeen for Chinese or Farang for Foreigners (mostly caucasian) ..

Nothing to do with 'dirty' as you understand.

Ok, I am Italian and I will tell you.  Originally, it is pronounced how you said it, "Cal-zone-ee".  The way your friend said it, "Cal-zone" is the way it is widely used in America but ultimately, incorrect. 

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TRIPx - grazieee for your help! I will tell my friend to have a look on this post but he might still come back to me by saying "Well, if pizza is Italian food then ok it might be pronounced as Cal-zone-ne BUT hey it is AMERICAN food !!

Guess I can't never beat him on that ..

gintOnic

Isaan Vocab

Bambi

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Bambi, thanks for the useful link - you are sooOooo กะเลิงเบิ๊บ

gintOnic

Tyree D

I'm tired of people b!tching about the salary. 25000 is more than twice the median family income of most provinces. The science supervisor at my school is getting only 11,000 a month. She has been teaching for 10 years compared to my one. When we told each other what our salaries were, her reply was, "Oh my Buddha, you are rich!" And all I have is a college degree, which got me nothing in America!

We as farangs should be paid more money to teach as we have a certain level of existence we're used to as well as the international telephone calls and flights back home. My body has not been brought up to deal with constant heat and a diet of rice and noodles, yes it can change but its a long process, so I need air-con and a diet of western food which all costs... a few good points as to why we are paid more money I'm sure some of the more educated writers can come up with different reasons..

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Just because one speak English doesn't mean you can teach English. I was born speaking Thai but that doesn't tell I can teach Thai to non-Thai speaker. If you have some Thai friends around who ever tried to explain the meaning of some Thai words to you - you might experience some people can make things clearer for you while some even make it more confusing !

Anyhow, if comparing English native speaker to Thai native speaker who have the same abilities in teaching people, I wouldn't deny English speaker must be better in teaching English and maybe you should get more paid. But how about some other fields like marketing or finance or whatever that is - if 2 persons can work indifferently then why still local get less paid? Is that just because they don't have to pay for international telephone calls and flights back home?

Sorry if my post is not really relevant to the topic - I just can't help myself

gintOnic