Davidcharles

People who are considered "welll spoken" can come from the U.K, the U.S., France or wherever. Accents can be charming and makes speech more interesting to listen to as long as the accent doesn't get in the way.

The danger with generalities is there are so many exceptions. One would like to agree with the many posts regarding the quality of the accents spoken on the BBC, and perhaps they are speaking of the BBC aired in England. They certainly can't be speaking about BBC World News seen on channel 54 on UBC in Thailand.

There is one female news reader, who was on assignment in Bagdad during the war there and shortly thereafter, who is now reading news in the evening and she is barely intelligable.

Perhaps because she is so unattractive, but my guess the accent is Scottish?

I change channels when she comes on because the hard clip to the accent is most annoying and could hardly be touted by any reasonable person to be a standard one would ascribe to.

Can anyone name that "mistake".

Couldn't agree more!.

That Scottish Lady has a far too thick accent. I can't understand her either!

Scottish English can be charming. But her's is awful!

Well done Kev!

But quite frankly, the English here on British TV these days can be quite awful!

The presenter on a kids TV show this morning is a real Cockney (East Ender),

and his grammar is terrible.....my little nephew likes him a lot, and is starting to

copy him!

Look, there is nothing wrong with regional accents. They are great, if you live in the area. But when you move away, you could have problems if you want a good job.

And certainly, teaching foreigners to speak with anything other than 'Good BBC Newsreader English', is not ideal......

Sorry.

Went once.

Bored me to death!

My GF says that if you stay at the scene after an accident even if it is not your fault the cops will arrest you and throw you in click until it is sorted. Where as, if you do a runner, and they call at your drum a week or so later, all you have to do is give them a few Bht, and they will go back to the station saying they can't find you!

Well that's what she says.......Disgusting really.

I have formed a company so that I can buy a house. What do these people charge to do the Annual returns?

It's true. A young girl will see her VERY old boyfriend as a walking ATM. And what is wrong with that? He gets what he wants, and so does she.

I overheard a women in Sainsbury's yesterday say to her young daughter "What you want is a Sugar Daddy, but make sure he's got plenty of Sugar".

It isn't only Thais who want your dosh fellas......

I have always had wives and girlfriends who were a lot younger than me.

And they have kept ME young. Bless 'em.

If you keep fit and your Testosterone levels up. You will be able to do the business to her satisfaction, and that will make you feel good too.

But let yourself go. Smoke and drink too much. Get fat and lazy, and secretly, your young GF/wife will dispise you.......

Oh MB! How can you say that the "Awfully terrible Darling...." type of English spoken in those films was easy on the ear?

I see where you are coming from otherwise and approve absolutely.

Jolly good old chap......

Funny though. People from my neck of the woods, Surrey, think they don't have an accent!

I think that the "CNN" test of intelligibility might apply here. As you probably know, CNN employs announcers and commentators with a variety of accents. They are apparently understood by most CNN viewers. Perhaps English teachers should aim at this standard of intelligibility.

I have no wish to knock Americans. They have been very kind to me in the past.

BUT, CNN Newscasters are awful in my opinion.

Their rapid, nasel, harsh, New York voices grate on my nerves!

Sorry, BBC News readers are definitely the very best, when it comes to spoken English.

It used to be far too Posh, but now it's just right. Music to my ears.....

Heard an Indian Lady Teacher once, saying "Vot is diss?" as she held up a book.

The class answered enthusiastically, "Dat is a boook".

It's hard enough for Thais to learn to say their Ls and Rs correctly, without telling them to say V for W, and D for Th.......Sad really.

I would be most grateful if anyone would let me know the Email address of the Tantraruk or is it Tantrarak School in Pattaya near Carrefour.....

Pointing to her forehead, my lady said sadly "Look a big temple".

The Thai Air Hostess bowed and smiled sweetly "We hope you have enjoyed your FRIGHT".......

Bless 'em.

.....She's watching her favourite soap on TV, and painting her nails.

You mention that a cup of tea would be nice......AND SHE GETS IT FOR YOU!!!

She definitely, likes you son.

"The patient had no history of successful Suicides!"

(Quote from a Pattaya Hospital note)

In the 40/50s, if you wanted a job at the BBC as a performer, or if you were an Actor, you had to speak, what then was considered to be, 'Good English' as taught by Schools such as RADA. Today thankfully every kind of Regional accent is to be heard on Radio and TV in the UK. Although it goes a bit too far at times.....

However, the question is, should teachers with Regional English accents, or Scottish,Irish or Welsh accents be teaching in Thailand?

Incidentally, I overheard a heated discussion recently, in Bangkok, about this.

One Brit, who sounded as if he had come from Surrey, was adament that it was "Not on". And as for Americans, Ozzies etc, well he was dead against those

teaching Thais to speak like them......

I worked in one small School a few months ago with a smashing guy from Glasgow,

who had a very thick accent.......and to hear his students copying his way of speaking was......well, quite amusing to say the least.

Any opinions on this Guys?

Swallow two packs of Viagra and <deleted> yourself to death!

Best way I know......

it is really funny to read this forum to be honest.Cant stop laughing. I am

Thai and it is quite good to hear some opinions from farang who got thai wife. Hope you dont mind if there is a new face to join the forum.unfortunatly she is Thai. 

A big welcome to you vrsushi.

Hope you can have a nice time here and we can learn from each other.

Yeh! WELCOME......

I was over 65 when I came to Thailand and there was only one international carrier that would insure me for 12k baht a month.

With the cost of medical care so reasonable, I have already saved 360k Baht in premiums and building.

There was one post of a heart bypass suregery costing 188k Baht.

In ten years I will have saved more than a million baht in my health account, one of the advantages of self insurance.

Very wise. I will do just that when I get there.

I have been with PPP for 35yrs and had a couple of expensive ops, but God knows what I have paid in premiums in that time.

I have had 'Farmers' for 25yrs. They flare up from time to time and are very painful for a day or two.

Mine have been Injected - Useless......Banded.....reasonably successful but not very comfortable while the bands are in place.....and they have still come back.

Surgery is, I am told, very painful afterwards, and there's no a guarantee that they will not recur.

It's essential that you do not allow yourself to get constipated. That is bound to cause problems Analwise!

While I was in LOS recently, I got some very good ointment, BACTROBAN.

It's the best one I have ever used. Try it.

I MUST say this.....

The people on this Forum are almost always unstinting with their good (mostly)

advice and patience. I have benefited greatly in the past, so I speak from personal experience.

The only time they get a bit touchy, is when new posters don't bother to check out the vast number of previous posts, to see if it has been covered already.

AND BUYING HOUSES HAS, MANY TIMES! Recently for me.......

My gratitude knows no bounds, Guys.

If anyone has actually bought Sterling TCs from Thomas Cook commision free please post here, would be very useful to know.

I buy all my Stirling TCs from Tesco in the UK. FREE of all charges accept special delivery which is £5 for £1000 worth.

And if you want to cash them in later. No charge again!. I never have any to cash in sadly.....

Incidentally, If you can't get an ATM to deliver, and you go into the branch and ask them to use your debit card to get cash from your UK bank. Do they charge you for this, and do you get the same rate of exchange as the ATM would have given....? I have always wondered about this........

1. She is numb from the toes down.

2. She was examined, X-rated and sent home.

3. The patient was alert and unresponsive.

4. Rectal examination revealed a normal size Thyroid.

5. She said she was Constipated until she got Married.

6. On the 2nd day the Knee was better, and on the 3rd day it had disappeared altogether!

7. Examination of his Genitalia revealed that he was Circus Sized....

8. The Patient declined the chance of an Autopsy.

9. The Patient had no history of successful Suicides.

Does your overseas bank not decide your rate, and change it to baht on transfer?

Not if you want a half decent exchange rate. Always send your own currency when doing a wire transfer and let the receiving bank here in Thailand make the conversion. Understand some banks have a tic box for this so be sure to check. There can be a very large difference.

Absolutely right Lop....

BBk in London were going to give me 73bht per pound and send it to BBk in BKK.

But I checked it out and found that if I sent my Dosh in GBP to BBk in BKK they would give me much better rates.....Doing this I will probably be about £3/400

better off!.

As we have said previously, Nationwide do not charge for foreign withdrawls

from ATMs. So they are the one to go for.......

Thanks to all for the info. Your really are a smashing lot!

I would strongly advise reading the novel Private Dancer by Stephen Leather.

You can download it for free at http://www.stephenleather.com/author.html

He covers much the same predicament.

True. Private Dancer is a great read. But remember it is mostly fiction.

Much rings true agreed. But do not Tar all Thai Girls with the same Brush.

And remember, WE ARE ALL PROSTITUTES!

He has a point, but he is also a bit too sensative, in my sad and bitter opinion!

It would be S E N S I T I V E to be exact.

Ooops! Meant old Asia. The guy who was complaining about you dr.

HE is the 'TOO SENSITIVE' one I feel.

I shall always read back my posts in future, to made sure they say what I mean.

I will check my spelling too.......Hope I'm forgiven.

Isn't it the BUYING Rate we should be looking at?

I am sendin Sterling and they will buy them for whatever that rate is at the time.

Today itis 75.44Bht.

Fingers crossed it stays there until Tuesday next......