Jeddah Jo

For some weird reason mine always starts talking to me when I am taking a pee.

How am I supposed to aim with all these distractions

Major resort chain being held to ransom by untouchable mafia.

The situation is just getting more bizarre by the day.

Why can't these large multi-national companies see the damage these thugs do to their business and do something about it?

JJ.

I live on Phuket and have friends who run tour companies.

The taxi 'conglomerates' outside most of the large hotels have threatened the private drivers to stay away from 'their' patch or - if they insist on coming they have been told to pay a 'fee' each time they visit to the taxi drivers. At one hotel in Kata - this 'fee' is 1500 baht per visit.

If they refuse to pay and still turn up - they are threatened and/or their vehicles damaged.

The company mentioned in this article is known to have received threats but what is the driver supposed to do when he has pre-paid customers waiting for their trip in the hotel lobby and his boss has told him to pick up these guests?

My friends vehicle was damaged (not to the same extent as this report) and the police informed who refused to make a written report - despite CCTV evidence and suggested mediation instead with the taxi drivers !

The Hotel Manager has refused responsibility for the taxi drivers outside his hotel - stating it is out of his jurisdiction yet his staff still recommend the guests take local taxis from outside the hotel.

I think what the hotels need to realise is, once they let gangs operate outside their premises they are effectively handing over their business to the gang.

The gang decides what transport options their guests have, what tours they are or are not allowed to go on, and generally control access to the premises.

I am sure people in the various hotels are paid to allow these gangs to operate, but it seems insane to me to hand control of your multi-million (billion?) baht investment to a few thugs who are happy to beat up other Thais to protect their turf, and to allow the gang to rip off their own guests with the result being the guest is much more likely never to return.

JJ

The word I seem to hear most often to describe a demonstration or protest is :-

การ ประท้วง - gaan bpratuang

JJ

Was playing around with Thai dictionary and just found that

อภิสิทธิ์ - Abhisit

Also has the meaning of a privileged person or someone from a privileged class. Could that possibly be the reason why he annoys so many Thais?

JJ

Hear this word all the time while watching popular Thai television

ไคโยตี

It seems to have the same etymology as a lot of Pali words so I was wondering what its ancient roots were

JJ.

I was curious about what a Thai woman is feeling when she refers to her husband or partner as her เจ้าของ. I have heard it in both Thai songs and in daily conversation.

Obviously from a Western perspective it would not be understood or accepted, I was just wondering what a Thai lady was feeling emotionally when making such a statement. Is there a sense that she is the property of her husband or more that the husband is her lifelong protector, guardian?

JJ.

2. Yes, when given the chance to speak. That Sunday, both times, just standing at the counter waiting for someone to make eye contact while other customers came in, got their meals, and left, didn't really offer much of an opportunity to demonstrate any language skills at all.

When observing Thai queuing behaviour and ordering food I would say making eye contact was a not pre-requisite for commencing your order. In fact a lot of Thais do not seem to enjoy initiating eye contact, maybe they feel it is an assertive/aggressive act or something like that.

Very often if I am at the front of the queue I will just start reeling off my order and magically things start happening. A few words of Thai will make the process even smoother. Of course the occasional Thai will try to queue jump the slow farang which is why it is important to speak first and not wait for the undivided attention of your server, who as other people have already stated is probably underpaid, fed up and generally having a bad day already without having to deal with someone who likely cannot speak Thai.

JJ.

A friend was trying to explain this expression to me. I can't remember much of it but it seemed to start

ยิงเป็ดยิงไก่...

The gist of it was about how if a relationship is too 'sweet' then it is no fun, she was saying sometimes a partner will create a problem just to get some 'passion' in a relationship.

Seemed to strike a chord with some of my experiences anyway. Just going along smoothly and happily is not an option for some Thai girls, unless there is drama and conflict they just ain't happy

Cheers,

JJ.

I always wondered how one determines this:

I wonder whether the receiver subconsciously thinks "hmm, he is adding Pee in front of my name he must think i'm old/he must think i'm X years older than him"

I have noticed with Thais that do not know each other, very often the first thing they ask is how old they are so they can establish a pecking order

Your buddy's wife would have been subject to exactly the same immigration requirements as the non EU spouse of any other British citizen, including those from Thailand.

There have been a few posts in this topic which demonstrate almost complete ignorance of the UK immigration rules and procedures as well as the reality of the situation. Each year on average over 90% of visa applications made in Bangkok are successful. Experience has shown that, whilst ECOs do make mistakes, the most common reason for refusal is not that the applicant didn't qualify; but that they failed to show that they did.

A read through the Visas and migration to other countries forum may enlighten those who require it.

JJ, it is impossible to comment on the rights/wrongs of your friends refusal without knowing a lot more details; ideally what the refusal notice said. If you want advice on this, feel free to post in the above forum.

Thanks for the offer, but I don't really want advice. It is clear to me when someone has been treated unfairly and unreasonably and an injustice has been committed. It is really up to the UK immigration service in Bangkok to get its act together and not subject legitimate tourists to an inconvenient, insulting and offensive experience.

The Australian visa application process was smooth, respectful and trouble free. She was granted a visa without even being interviewed, she is now looking forward to dumping 2-3K GBP on the Australian economy during her forthcoming holiday rather than the UK one.

JJ.

I wanted to invite a Thai friend over to the UK for a few weeks. She had her own money in the bank, a hotel booking, a return air ticket, a car rental booking, annual travel insurance and owns her own home.

She was rejected without even being invited to interview.

Frankly the state the UK is in they should be welcoming legitimate tourists with open arms not spurning them like that. Needless to say she has no interest in going to the UK anymore, and instead applied for and was given an Australian tourist visa instead. So all her tourist $$$ will go there.

Seems the UK just cannot get immigration right.

JJ.

It makes me laugh reading all these posts from so-called "True Brits" who go and live in Thailand bemoaning the weather in UK- when most Thais I have met would love to see the Snow and feel the cold.

Then there are those who complain about the "foreigners" - and they become foreigners in someone else's land ? Or they have a go at the "Nanny" state which is just code for being closet conservatives - after all you couldn't get more of a Nanny state than Thailand ( you try saying anything against the Monarchy ) and as for Gordon Brown - I suppose you lot would prefer David Cameron and his Bullingdon Club Bufoons - Rich Fat Boys the lot of 'em. I suppose you old school expats who dream of the old country might have to swallow humble pie when you get seriously sick and see the medical bills they charge Farangs and have to go back with their tails between their legs to get serious medical treatment on the NHS - completely free. Most Thais would love to have THAT kind of Nanny state - in fact most countries including the US would LOVE to have a "Nanny" state like that!

GET REAL you untrue "True Brits" why do you think the Thai girls wanna marry you and love you long time..eh? eh?

NHS hospital? You have to be joking. If I wanted to die of an MRSA infection I would be in the UK right, not getting 5* medical treatment when and where I want it for a very reasonable price!

JJ.

Maybe outside of London, England is still England (in parts).

But on a recent business trip over there I had a Polish guy open his car door on to mine in the car park and then proceed to give me a hard time when he had parked there after I had.

I had a Turkish guy in a restaurant take offence to me for some reason and start ranting at me in Turkish, I had an Indian guy give me a hard time as I was trying to get out of a very congested car park and finally had another Polish guy in the hotel try to speak Polish to me because he thought I might understand it.

I think I was there for 2 days before I spoke to a native Brit.

JJ

Chang draught is not too bad at all, quite light and refreshing (better on ice as otherwise it gets too warm too quickly). Never drink the bottled stuff though as it gives me a headache after one bottle.

I used to like Leo but found it too hoppy after a while so now am mainly a San Mig Lite person. Although sometimes the limes they put in the bottle are less than clean and it can be a little variable. If I am not in the mood will revert to Heineken.

JJ.

If you see this woman on a frequent basis and have established a friendship then using น้อง is not out of the question. When a man and a woman are close in age, many women will refer to themselves as น้อง just as many western women prefer to understate their age. But to be safe, just follow her example as to how she refers to herself in your presence and use the same pronoun.

That's interesting. I don't know why but I always assumed น้อง could be used in a slightly patronising way if not careful and was generally used for people of a youngish age.

Are you saying that if a customer was in their 50s and there was someone serving him who was in her 40s it would be acceptable for him to call her น้อง?

Apologies for my ignorance in this matter.

JJ.

Why can't people just accept Thailand is a very spiritual country. I mean they have shrines in brothels for goodness sake.

Having witnessed first hand all the craziness that goes on in Thailand and how erratically most of the population behave, I think if I had been raised in that culture I would definitely believe in super natural forces affecting my daily existence.

Otherwise none of it really would make any sense

JJ.

Never understood why Thais say 'Don't think too much' all the time.

Now I understand, if you genuinely thought too much about things out here you would almost certainly go insane.

JJ

Occasionally I get chatty with my local som dtam seller as she is happy and friendly and never rips me off. The thing is she is of slightly indeterminate age. I am in my early 40s and she is around the same but probably a little younger.

My question is which of the following terms of address would be the most appropriate to a lady who is probably of a similar age? Using คุณ all the time sounds a little unfriendly and stilited but not sure first name terms are appropriate either.

ป้า - Aunty

แม่ - Mother

แก - Slightly less formal version of you?

เจ๊ - Elder sister (might she take offence at this?)

พี่ - Just assume she is older even if she isn't as a mark of respect

น้อง - No way I am calling her this

Which would be best and are there any others?

TIA

JJ.

I think your "less than perfect belief or knowledge" pretty much sums up สงสัย. In the example sentences you gave it seems very much up to the speaker to clarify if it is a doubt or suspicion.

My only other thought on the matter is if you ask a Thai a question and they simply reply สงสัย, I always translate in my head as 'It appears so' with a positive bias i.e a suspicion rather than a doubt. Or more long winded 'with a less than perfect belief or knowledge about the reality of the situation I believe that to be the case'.

JJ

In class i often had teachers ask มีอะไรสงสัยไหม่ (Mii arai songsai Mai). Basically asking if anyone had any question or anything they wanted to know. So wonder would be a pretty good translation. สงสัย could also be translated as suspect. There is an idiom of สงสัยฝนจะตก (songsai fon ja tok) literally meaning i suspect it will rain. but have been told it means that you are suspicious about something. although have never actually heard anyone use it in normal speach.

I am a little confused about this expression too.

If สงสัย means both to doubt and suspect does สงสัยฝนจะตก mean 'I suspect it will rain' or 'I doubt it will rain'. Two quite different meanings!

Is it fair to say it is generally used more commonly as a way to describe a suspicion being accurate i.e 'It appears that way' rather than expressing doubt i.e 'I doubt something will happen'?

JJ.

I would definitely not use it back at her as that smacks of being 'spiteful' which will not go down at all well.

They know it is not very proper speech, so when you called them out on it, they were probably embarassed. Basically, do not look to take offence at things so easily, especially a language you are not entirely familiar with.

JJ

What would be the best/commonest way to say in Thai...

Treat someone well (with courtesy and respect I guess)

and

Treat someone badly (harshly, unfairly)

TIA

JJ.

Someone very kindly PM'd me a link to this site which has just about every font you could need. Very useful

http://www.thai-language.com/ref/characterstyles&page=37

JJ.

Sorry if this has been covered before, I did google it and could not find anything (probably because I am not even sure what I am looking for).

However, there is a certain type of thai font used I guess on packaging, TV commercials, posters/bill boards etc which uses a heavily stylised bold Thai font. I am tempted to call them capitals or upper case Thai but I know there is only one Thai chracter set so that is probably an inaccurate label.

The bold fonts usually seem to follow the same rules but while my reading of regular Thai fonts is improving there are still a few characters I am missing in the stylised form.

Has anyone got a link to a website that shows these 'capital' letters and their regular equivalent. Also how are these fonts referred to in Thai?

Apologies if I haven't explained myself well.

TIA,

JJ.