“Don’t complain about our English, If you can’t speak Thai” - sign at restaurant goes viral - again

[webfact]

“Don’t complain about our English, If you can’t speak Thai” - sign at restaurant goes viral - again

 

 

A photo of a sign outside a restaurant in Thailand has sparked debate amongst netizens after it went viral on social media.

 

The sign reads: "Please, Don't complain about our English, If you can't speak Thai, Love you".

 

The photo went viral after being retweeted more than 45k times, while at the same time amassing 187.6K likes.

 

Responses to the image were wide ranging, with the sign being featured on one UK based news site who called out those complaining as being “entitled English speakers”.

 

Others said it was absurd for a native English speaker to go to a country such as Thailand and complain about a local’s English speaking ability when English is not their first language.

 

 

“Who is going into THAILAND and complaining about their ENGLISH????”, wrote one user.

 

Another said: “I wouldn’t be surprised... I’ve heard that it’s not unusual how English-speakers (mostly Americans) who can’t speak another language go to other countries and start complaining. It’s absurd”.

 

Others commenting on the shared praise nothing but praise for Thai people, saying: “Thai people are so nice and so many people there tried to practice their English with us especially on flights/taxis it was so precious”

 

“As a thai this is a very thai thing to say. Like I can almost 100% hear my grandma saying this”, said one user. 

 

Others were questioning what the whole thing meant for humanity in 2020: “Imagine going to a non English speaking country to complain about their English lmao lads we reached peak of humanity 2000IQ ????????”

 

It’s not known exactly where the photo of the sign was taken.

 

What it is known is that the photo is actually a few years old and has gone viral several times, in fact almost whenever it is posted anywhere online.

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-01-20

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[Jingthing]

Translation of Love you.

Hate you.

Bring money.

Shut up.

Go home. 

[Denim]

Sigh.....nothing much happening in the world today I guess.

 

In other riveting news , a man crossed a busy road to go to a 7/11 store and survived.

[samsensam]

 

if someone complained about my second language ability, for example my french, and especially if i was using that language in order to be successful in business, i'd work hard to improve my language skills. that would be common sense/good business sense, wouldn't it?!

[Jingthing]

If a Thai business is catering to English speaking tourists then it's in their interest to help their staff speak better English as opposed to dissing their customers. That said, living in Pattaya I can see the language is quite challenging. One year it's English, then Russian, then Arabic, then Hindi, then Farsi, then Chinese. Too much!

Edited January 20, 2020 by Jingthing

[ParkerN]

Yes. well. English is the default uniquitous language of the world. Thai isn't. It must surely be the responsibility of Thais to speak English, not for Europeans or Americans (both of whom come here mainly for cheap beaches, cheap food or cheap sex) to learn how to order Somtam in Thai or to engage a waiter whose IQ is likely less than 90 in conversation (quantum mechanics anyone?).

 

Seems reasonable for foreigners to boycott jingoistic little restaurants like this one. It probably isn't very clean anyway and it seems they need a few lessons in how not to <deleted> their customers off.

[bkk6060]

I speak only a few Thai words but I agree with the sign.

Only because I have witnessed too many Falang get upset or even yell at staff at various places because they cannot understand English.  Calling them stupid and the such.

It can be frustrating but not really their fault. Blame the government for not making them learn English in school.

If you want good English interaction with mostly polite people, go to the Philippines 90% there speak.

[Coremouse]

Still think most Thai people are very nice but encountering more and more xenophobics, rude behaviors everyday. 

 

It may be inappropriate to question a country farmer's english skill, but for Service Industry earning income from farangs, this sign is just a silly excuse. And a country as a whole putting up a language barrier won't do any good to its economy. As you see I'm also not a native english speaker, yet the appalling english-inability of Thailand also gave me tons headache. 

[ezzra]

I'd very much like the TAT to put THAT in their next promotional leaflets being distributed on the next tourism roadshow...

[ThomasThBKK]

11 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

If a Thai business is catering to English speaking tourists then it's in their interest to help their staff speak better English as opposed to dissing their customers. That said, living in Pattaya I can see the language is quite challenging. One year it's English, then Russian, then Arabic, then Hindi, then Farsi, then Chinese. Too much!

But they don't.

 

U native english speakers are the minority here, most german, russian,chinese, japanese, korean etc tourists suck at english as much as thais and just point at a picture or menu to order what they want or use google translate. They don't throw a hissy fit about language.

 

if i would run a basic restaurant and someone threats my employes badly for their spoken english i would stick this sign in their face too.

 

This isn't a 5 star hotel, this is some somchai street restaurant. 

 

 

[Yinn]

5 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

If a Thai business is catering to English speaking tourists then it's in their interest to help their staff speak better English as opposed to dissing their customers. That said, living in Pattaya the I can see the language is quite challenging. One year it's English, then Russian, the Arabic, then Hindi, then Farsi, then Chinese. Too much!

Jingthing live in Thailand right? 

many years. How your thai language skill? Is difficult learn second language yes? 

You know about how ask for something polite thai language right? Can read thai?

 

When I work the hotel Phuket before have very angry Aussie scream at taxi driver. They said the place want to go wrong way, so he take them wrong place. 

They so impolite, refuse pay him. They say to me “F idiot, why he not speak English??” 

I answer that if he can know second language he will get high wage job more than be taxi driver. Ask them “taxi driver in Australia study all the language for help tourist? Or not?” 

 

IMO eglish speaker never learn second language is most impolite. (USA, Aussie, NZ, England). And speak to quickly.

 

Usually German, Italy, Holland, Korean, Chinese very polite about language misunderstanding. Because they understand it difficult. Have experience.

 

 

[Exilerunner]

I disagree. I have seen lots of people in the Philippines speaking nothing but Tagalog even though it is supposed to be their primary language in school. I have seen many Thais speaking better English ...

[Yinn]

32 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Translation of Love you.

Hate you.

Bring money.

Shut up.

Go home. 

No 

translation= stop complain like idiot.

[ravip]

Absolutely true!

One should be ashamed to bash the contents of this sign. Do all the staff in restaurants in your home country speak all the languages of their customers?

Arrogance & Racism will bring out more stuff similar to this. 

 

[ravip]

35 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Translation of Love you.

Hate you.

Bring money.

Shut up.

Go home. 

Please explain. Very difficult for the common man to understand your unique and extraordinary post.

[Aforek]

26 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

I speak only a few Thai words but I agree with the sign.

 

I agree, too; even if it's more convenient if somebody speaks English, we can't be angry with people who don't 

English language doesn't not take precedence over other languages , it's not the language of God 

but we need a common language, true, but everybody didn't go to school too long 

Edited January 20, 2020 by Aforek

[Jingthing]

Just now, ravip said:

Absolutely true!

One should be ashamed to bash the contents of this sign. Do all the staff in restaurants in your home country speak all the languages of their customers?

Arrogance & Racism will bring out more stuff similar to this. 

 

It's a very rude sign.

Sure some customers are A-holes but a restaurant is a service business.

Decent service means taking a certain amount of <deleted> with a polite smile.

If I saw that sign I would think the place is run by xenophobes not interested in giving good service and walk away. 

[ThaiBunny]

1 minute ago, ravip said:

Do all the staff in restaurants in your home country speak all the languages of their customers? Arrogance & Racism will bring out more stuff similar to this. 

No, but all airline pilots must speak English which is nowadays considered to be a basic requirement for doing business almost anywhere. If you want to be in an industry that caters to tourists ...

[brewsterbudgen]

Stupid, provocative sign.  If you can speak Thai, does that make it OK to complain about the staff's English?  Why would any tourist need or want to speak Thai?  If the restaurant is trying to attract tourist customers, they should employ staff with a reasonable level of English.  

[ravip]

31 minutes ago, samsensam said:

 

if someone complained about my second language ability, for example my french, and especially if i was using that language in order to be successful in business, i'd work hard to improve my language skills. that would be common sense/good business sense, wouldn't it?!

How many 'second languages' would a business have to learn according to common sense/good business sense?  

[Jingthing]

2 minutes ago, ravip said:

Please explain. Very difficult for the common man to understand your unique and extraordinary post.

I think it's already clear so can't help you further with it. 

[Jingthing]

Just now, brewsterbudgen said:

Stupid, provocative sign.  If you can speak Thai, does that make it OK to complain about the staff's English?  Why would any tourist need or want to speak Thai?  If the restaurant is trying to attract tourist customers, they should employ staff with a reasonable level of English.  

I'm OK if staff don't speak English personally and can work through that. I even go into Chinese places with no English menu and use my phone to try to figure it out. But that sign again is rude and insulting and any self respecting foreigners (and decent Thais as well) should give that bad attitude a miss!

[ravip]

3 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

It's a very rude sign.

Sure some customers are A-holes but a restaurant is a service business.

Decent service means taking a certain amount of <deleted> with a polite smile.

If I saw that sign I would think the place is run by xenophobes not interested in giving good service and walk away. 

Too much of A-holes would create more of them - business or no business! A-holes have a way of reproducing super fast.

[Ventenio]

Yea, it's funny.  UNLESS you own a business.

 

Hey boss, 65% of our money comes from the farangs.

 

Boss, "Go insult them and make them feel welcomed."

 

"Don't bite the hand the feeds you," the Thai guy said.

 

Boss, "What?????  Speak Thai!!!!"  

[ravip]

5 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

No, but all airline pilots must speak English which is nowadays considered to be a basic requirement for doing business almost anywhere. If you want to be in an industry that caters to tourists ...

Airline pilots vs a restaurentier?

[Mitkof Island]

I totally agree. Wish there were more signs like this.

[Jingthing]

Another way to look at this.

We all know that businesses in general seek profits. 

But as customers I think most people are looking for businesses that are putting the customers first.

Not the hurt feelings of the staff. 

Certainly not insulting the customers.

In other words, treat the customers well and you get repeat business and make more money.

On the other hand I suppose a sign like that might be a hit with the self hating types that see Thais as some kind of romantic noble savages and westerners as crude animals. 

[Mitkof Island]

Just now, Jingthing said:

Another way to look at this.

We all know that businesses in general seek profits. 

But as customers I think most people are looking for businesses that are putting the customers first.

Not the hurt feelings of the staff. 

Certainly not insulting the customers.

In other words, treat the customers well and you get repeat business and make more money.

On the other hand I suppose a sign like that might be a hit with the self hating types that see Thais as some kind of romantic noble savages and westerners as crude animals. 

From the foreigners i have encountered crude is too kind of a word.

[rkidlad]

I think if you're any business, and you're getting what you feel is an unreasonable complaint, then you shouldn't combat it with passive aggressive signs. Address the problem if you can, or suck it up and continue to turn a profit. It's all part of doing business. You can't have your cake and eat it at the same time if you want someone's custom. 

 

Pictures in the menu always go a long way. Oh, and people always assume that people who complain about a lack of English in foreign countries are always native-English speakers. Not true. Not true at all. 

 

 

[holy cow cm]

31 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Only because I have witnessed too many Falang get upset

I can speak Thai pretty fluent, but I do cringe when I hear a foreigner using the word Farang and depending on how the tone is said and even then for when the Thai uses it. Does using the word farang give the foreigner a feeling of word superiority of mixing in with and trying to fit in?