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

[Thian]

7 hours ago, Yinn said:

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.

 

 

If you spoke this bad english to me in a Phuket hotel i would be angry and write that on Agoda, your english is sure not good enough to work in a hotel. Your level of english is just good enough for a taxidriver in Sukhumvit BKK.

 

And yes i am from Holland and speak 5 languages.

[Destiny1990]

8 hours 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!

Nowadays for restaurant staff its sufficient  just master the Thai language.

[HarryWho]

I love the sign.  Anyone who complains about the lack of English speaking skills in a non-English speaking third world country is just being rude.  Just stay in your own perfect English speaking country, or learn how to travel with dignity and class.  Don't be a dick when you are a guest.

Edited January 20, 2020 by HarryWho
fix

[Jingthing]

3 hours ago, AJS150654 said:

I can't believe there are actually posts critisising this sign. Get over yourselves, you are in these peoples country, if you owned a restaurant in your home country, would you expect your staff to be multi lingual. If you want to eat at an english speaking restaurant, Suvarnabhumi is your first stop.

Depending on the demographic of the customer base, yes, by all means, it would be important to at least have some staff that speak both English and other relevant languages. 

[Jingthing]

31 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

Fantastic stuff. English speakers are linguist imperialists expecting everyone else to learn their tongue. 

Nobody said that!

The sign is rude.

I don't want to be greeted at a business with a rude xenophobic sign. 

That's the problem. 

Love indeed. 

[emptypockets]

1 hour ago, Enki said:

Not everyone, but many do. In Isaan it is rare, but sometimes they even have street signs in french, aka Bon Voyage and stuff like that. 

Same as the big sign at Swampy....bon voyage.

[Enki]

1 hour ago, Steve Vincent said:

Thai is limited as cannot get the tones correct,. it’s a very difficult language to learn.

Grammar wise, Thai is simpler than Japanese. You only have to learn vocabulary and say it in the right order, which happens to be the same order as english.

The tone thing is overrated. Ordinary Thai speak in a quite flat tone, and like in every language teaching class: the stupid teacher strive for perfection instead of "what works". E.g. Old school german, words like "wenig", "König", "Krieg", would pronounce the final g, like a "ch" as in "Ich". It is still taught all over the world like that (especially in old colonies, or areas like Russia where people emigrated to in the middle ages), no idea about UK german schools. But: no one talks like that anymore. A final "G" in any german word is simply a "g" ... not an "ch".

The tones get interesting when they either get excited or do an official speech or recite poetry. 

[emptypockets]

1 hour ago, monkfish said:

No I don't speak French I do speak fluent German though does that count?
Anyway of course there are more languages spoken in Asean than just English but English is the prefered language of communication between Asean countries.

https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+the+official+language+of+asean&rlz=1C1CHBF_enTH818TH818&oq=what+is+the+official+language+of+asean&aqs=chrome..69i57j33.10247j1j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Currently, English stands as the official language of ASEAN used by foreign ministers in regional
meetings, decision-making agendas and charter agreements. English was selected due to its
widespread utility in several ASEAN countries like Singapore and the Philippines


 

Funnily enough my gf who speaks very basic English is disgusted at the English ability of the current Thai PM. She sees him as an embarrassment....not for the politics but for the lack of English. She laughs...he only know three words.

Edited January 20, 2020 by emptypockets

[emptypockets]

1 hour ago, Susco said:

It's pretty simple, if you run a business catering to tourists you speak a language they understand, not the other way around.

Which language of the 39 million tourists would you recommend?

All of them?

[WhatupThailand]

Mid 80's after Marrying a Thai Girl, I found myself in a Little village in the North of Thailand.

The family house was across the road from the village school, where the school master and

a few students came to see if I would like to be their English Teacher, because the one they

had did not speak English. I was very busy at the time, and told them Sorry I could not.

But before they left, they said they knew to say "Hello" but asked how to say Goodbye in English.

I being from the American South, explained how to say "Yall come back Now, Ya Hear",

I have to admit they were very Quick to Learn, speaking "Yall come back Now, Ya Hear",

as they left.

Well it's S.E. Asia, after all....

[emptypockets]

1 hour ago, Bigz said:

Absolutely nobody speak French in Isaan. Not even in Cambodia or Laos anymore. Yes, they got their street signs and government buildings/post offices in French but the younger generation in Laos/Cambodia/Vietnam learn English now. Still no one should complain if staff at the local restaurant can't speak fluent English. Education is really bad in Thai state schools. Only the bar girls and a few lucky upper class people speak decent English in Thailand.

 

A friend of my wife speaks French. Her French husband speaks neither Thai or English. She also speaks very good English too. She translates Thai/English/ French when we get together.

 

[sucit]

43 minutes ago, i84teen said:

Fair enough. I won't complain.

But keep this in mind: your very existence as a restaurant was made possible ONLY by english speaking foreigners and other farangs.

You seemed to have assumed that you know the percentages of their clientele makeup.

[Enki]

1 hour ago, Bigz said:

Absolutely nobody speak French in Isaan. Not even in Cambodia or Laos anymore. Yes, they got their street signs and government buildings/post offices in French but the younger generation in Laos/Cambodia/Vietnam learn English now. Still no one should complain if staff at the local restaurant can't speak fluent English. Education is really bad in Thai state schools. Only the bar girls and a few lucky upper class people speak decent English in Thailand.

 

Sorry,

I have been in Lao two times last year.

EVERYONE I met spoke french. Even the 6 year old little kids.

No idea where you have been, I was in: Thakek (Opposite side of Nakhon Phanom). Full with french tourists. Every menu in Lao and French, Lao unfortunately written in a slightly different script than Thai, so my wife had trouble reading it and we had to ask for Thai or english menus, sometimes (for my wife, as I can read and understand french, but don't really speak it) .

The kids engaged with tourists in french, just like they engage me in Thailand in english. No idea how wide spread it is. But it is certainly there. The immigration officer in Thailand who explained to me, "Farang can not use the boat, but have to take the friendship bridge", addressed me in French, and then switched to English.

[rvaviator]

8 hours ago, BritManToo said:

They all get taught English for 11 years in school.

Maybe blame them for not learning.

 

Oddly enough, my son aged 8, has been learning English for 3 years in his Thai school, and they class his English ability as 'poor', even though he's a native English speaker and chats all day in English at home.

Makes you wonder!

Do you happen to be from the NE and he speak George (I think I spelt that wrong .. but I think you know what I mean ???? ..)

[roo860]

1 minute ago, rvaviator said:

Do you happen to be from the NE and he speak George (I think I spelt that wrong .. but I think you know what I mean ???? ..)

Geordie.

[Enki]

52 minutes ago, Thian said:

If you spoke this bad english to me in a Phuket hotel i would be angry and write that on Agoda, your english is sure not good enough to work in a hotel. Your level of english is just good enough for a taxidriver in Sukhumvit BKK.

 

And yes i am from Holland and speak 5 languages.

And those 5 languages are most likely very similar to Dutch, like German, English or Danish. Sorry ... his english is perfectly fine. And 100% certainty: better than your Thai, Mandarin, Sanskrit or Japanese ...

[CNXexpat]

I never complain about bad spoken English. I only smile about signs in wrong written English and wonder why they never ask a native English speaker. Ok, ok, I know, loosing face when they ask.

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, Enki said:

No it is not.

There are more spanish speakers than english.

There are more Mandarin speakers than spanish and english together.

There are plenty of countries where the lingua franca is: french.

And there are plenty of countries where the first second language you learn in school: is not english. And on top of that there are countries, were except for the reception in a hotel: no one speaks english, e.g. Spain or Italy (yes, I'm exaggerating, but you get the point, right?)

 

And regardless: for a Thai it is quite difficult to learn english, as english as in relation to Thai, a super complicated language.

 

Thai on the other hand is a super simple language. Complaining that one who speaks naturally a simple language makes mistakes in a complex language, is not very smart/intelligent or polite. Especially if it is a street food restaurant.

 

In Thai it is: "go bathroom". Why would a Thai not literally translate that to english, and say in english: "go bathroom"?

 

You don't know anything about languages, but you think your language is "the world language"? ROFL.

 

I'd like to know an authoritative source for your statements, because English is spoken by 1.5 billion people. Mandarin comes in second, Spanish third. English is also the most common language of commerce and aviation.

Thai is a super simple language? 44 consonants, 32 vowels, and 5 tones? I'd hate to meet your idea of a complex language - Finnish or Basque, perhaps?

 

 

[rvaviator]

2 hours ago, miskanotaji said:

in a bank "what's required to open an account?" -- "give me your passport" --> "I asked only "what's required!"

 

 

Well you give her your passport and she will tell you ... ???? ... 

[sambum]

4 hours ago, Yinn said:

45% of TVF vote for say Yinn most helpful, wonderful and lovely poster of the year 2019.

i only post 6 months for 45%. If full year, will be 90%+ sure. I very popular, same real life, everybody want be friend Yinn.

 

Two year ago the winner only get 30%. Yinn 50% more lovely and popular. 

 

I help many people translate, find the real news, find the cheapest place to buy, good place to tour etc. Very helpful.

 

And promise to “drain the swamp” of the foreigner in thailand who complain and complain. Everybody boring them. Boring themself.

 

Good luck sir in your next country, thailand not for you. 

My, my you do like yourself don't you! 

 

"If full year, will be 90%+ sure." Rest assured, that I would be one of the 10% that don't think you are "wonderful and lovely"! What a croad of lap!

[VBF]

16 minutes ago, Enki said:

Sorry,

I have been in Lao two times last year.

EVERYONE I met spoke french. Even the 6 year old little kids.

No idea where you have been, I was in: Thakek (Opposite side of Nakhon Phanom). Full with french tourists. Every menu in Lao and French, Lao unfortunately written in a slightly different script than Thai, so my wife had trouble reading it and we had to ask for Thai or english menus, sometimes (for my wife, as I can read and understand french, but don't really speak it) .

The kids engaged with tourists in french, just like they engage me in Thailand in english. No idea how wide spread it is. But it is certainly there. The immigration officer in Thailand who explained to me, "Farang can not use the boat, but have to take the friendship bridge", addressed me in French, and then switched to English.

I had a similar experience at Siem Reap when I went with a former TGF.

 

We were sitting having a drink when 2 little kids came up and said something in Khmer to my girlfriend.

Neither of us understood, so they turned to me and asked me, in French (a little of which I understand), for the empty bottles.

I replied, in English "Here you are then"

THEY replied, in English "Thank you mister"

 

These kids were, I suppose, about 8 years old. Go figure!

 

Of course, both Laos and Cambodia are former French colonies which may explain it.

Edited January 20, 2020 by VBF

[Miami007]

8 hours ago, ravip said:

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

When I was young (many years ago) it was amazing to see how many languages servers (and other staff in tourism businesses) were speaking when traveling in Europe. 

Basic English, German and French to ensure that staff could greet customers and that they could order was pretty much a given in countries like Italy, Greece and Spain.

 

The fact that tourists could communicate while on vacation provided a better holiday experience and resulted in repeat business and positive word of mouth (the Social Media of the 1970s and 80s).

 

Maybe speaking English would help improve the experience for visitors

[alien365]

1 hour ago, JAG said:

I have to say, if I saw that sign, in the surroundings the picture sets it in, I would think:"Interesting, obviously composed and written by someone who speaks excellent colloquial English, and who understands how to use coloured chalks to get it noticed!"

 

If anything it might cause me to stop by for elevenses or something, to find out what their English is actually like!

For me it's the 'love you' at the end that would make me find another place to eat/drink. The sign gives off negative vibes and I'd expect attitude inside as they're effectively saying you're not allowed to complain if part of their service is not up to scratch.

99% of the time I have no problems and enjoy communicating with Thais in both English and Thai. It does grind my gears though if I go into a coffee shop and ask for a latte and they have no clue what I am talking about. If you work in a coffee shop and can't understand that, you shouldn't be working in a coffee shop. Same with restaurant workers who ask me what I would like to drink (usually in Thai). Sometimes I ask for a beer Heineken and they look confused. The menu consists of the usual four beers ???? As I say though that's the 1%

[Jingthing]

Yeah the Love You is the trigger line. It's not a loving sign. It's totally disrespectful to foreigners. In your face. No doubt they get some A-hole customers. Don't take it out on all foreigners passing by. 

[Enki]

5 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Thai is a super simple language? 44 consonants, 32 vowels, and 5 tones? I'd hate to meet your idea of a complex language - Finnish or Basque, perhaps?

What have consonants and tones to do with it? The vowels are completely straight forward. And unlike english or danish that uses 5 vowels in odd combinations to form actually the sound (sound, instead of saund, sea versus see, beak, bear, been, boom etc. sun instead of san, sand instead of saend or seand?) In other words: there is basically no english word that is pronounced like it is spelled. Thai vowels are pronounced _exactly_ as they are spelled, hence they were smart and introduced their own letters for every vowel and diphthong just like norwegians and danish did ????. 

 

Complex languages are indeed Finish, Basque, and German, Russian, English, but also: Spanish, Italian ... etc.

 

English: "Yesterday I have been in the cinema".

Thai: "Yesterday go cinema"

 

English: "After the cinema yesterday, we had dinner".

Thai: "After go cinema yesterday, dinner" or more typical "After yesterday go cinema already, go dinner with friends" In this case, "already" is a marker word to indicate that something happened after something else.

 

And so on. No singular, no plural. No genders as in male or female. No special future or past tense. Just an arrangement of words.

 

In your language comparison, you should have looked first for "native speakers". If you count Indians, you might have a point and get indeed close to 1.5b english speakers. The planet has 7.5billion people however ... so good luck convincing the other 6 billion that they _need_ to learn english ????

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, Traubert said:

They are when they're 100% correct. A conversation I witnessed:

 

Tourist ; Jack, rocks!

Barman : I'm sorry, sir, what would you like?

T: Jack, rocks! I told you.

B: I'm afraid we don't have any Jackrocks sir, would you like something else?

T: I can see the damn Jack! There, you stupid?

B Oh, Jack Daniels sir, and.....?

T: Rocks! Rocks! Jesus Christ!

 

Who is speaking the better English there?

 

Typical uneducated slob. 

[sambum]

5 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Perhaps he has picked up your accent, the UK has a large number of them. Cockney, Welsh, Yorkshire, Cornwall, cut-glass - the list goes on and on. You would be unaware of it, but it might sound weird to the teachers. Hence their rating.

I once had a Latin teacher from the north of England. Took the class 3 months to work out what on earth he was saying.

 

There used to be a comedy programme on BBC Scotland called "Rab C. Nesbitt" Rumour has it that when they broadcast it in the South of England they had to use subtitles!

 

P.S. There is "Esan" Thai and "Bangkok" Thai!

[Assurancetourix]

3 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

As a Brit you have to work hard indeed to speak a bit of French and even after hard working it sounds the same as French speaking English.... ????????????

I'm french and when I speak english all english people  believe i'm irish 

[Momofarang]

1 minute ago, Assurancetourix said:

I'm french and when I speak english all english people  believe i'm irish 

Maybe nothing to do with your accent?

[Nkpjed]

I have to agree with the sign.  If you are in any foreign country and don’t understand the language don’t complain.  Expecting everyone in a foreign country to speak your language, whatever it is, is not only unrealistic but arrogant and just plain stupid.  And for those who choose to live here that don’t even try and learn the language you should never complain.  Whatever country you choose to live in learn the language.  Thai is a difficult language but it’s not impossible to learn.  Don’t just sit back like a moron and get by with your wife or gf translating everything for you.  Thai’s love it when you try to speak their language and you’d be surprised at how much enjoyable living here is when you can speak, read and write Thai.