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

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3 minutes ago, ravip said:

Airline pilots vs a restaurentier?

It's the same business - customer service

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  • Translation of Love you. Hate you. Bring money. Shut up. Go home. 

  • 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.

  • 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 m

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36 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

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

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!

I attended a conference in Mexico several years ago, on the flight into Mexico City from LAX, a very loud woman from USA, who was also a fellow presenter, in the seat next to me, stated "I hope they speak decent english there", when I pointed out that a lot of the conference presentations from other world wide presenters whose native language was NOT English,  would be translated into nominated languages through headsets, but the major language was Spanish, her indignation was one of entitlement and complete lack of respect for any other tongue.

 

3 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

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?

I think same same, mak mak.

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13 minutes ago, Mitkof Island said:

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

Some foreigners seem to think, all the 'poor' should worship them for that lovely foreign money they bring to feed the poor, without which they would become extinct in a couple of months due to starvation.

Also, the poor should feel privileged to get literally kicked by these demigods... so they think.

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11 minutes ago, 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 wonder if you live in the real world.  I'll bet the people that wrote that sign just got fed-up...and I can't blame them.  I have seen myself how some farangs can be total pr**ks when they're harassing Thai servers who are trying their best to understand.  And as another said, Thais have to deal with all manner of foreigners.  Do they have to be fluent in Chinese, Korean, Japanese, etc.?  There are more Chinese speakers in the world than English.  Anyways, I can see how some businesses see loss revenue as a cost they'd prefer to pay over having to deal with jerks. 

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10 minutes ago, Mitkof Island said:

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

Me too, would let me know which business didn't need my custom.

Plenty more that want me to spend money with them.

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6 minutes 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!

Something similar to this, Britman?

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2kel00

 

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I guess the sign could be worse though.

 

Like the sign in San Francisco -- We cheat tourists and drunks.

 

In Thailand it might be -- White people pay double. Love you!

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19 minutes ago, Andrew23 said:

Yes, Thai is also an international language. Half of the world speak Thai. So, shut up uneducated moron.

No matter how much the "democratic soldier" would  like it to be, Thai language is never going to "the international language"

English is still the international language and will be for some time yet.

5 minutes 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!

Yeah been there heard that, ignore Dat! I actually let mine get a grab on Thai first before they had to hunker down on the ole English. The bullying from little kids mouth's was not so kind way back in the day. Prodigy of the parents rotten mouth but the world is looking up as far as I see. 

 

Anyway, my kids are just fine right now in their later teens speaking English, just have a slight accent, but I love to hear it.. 

Just now, johng said:

No matter how much the "democratic soldier" would  like it to be, Thai language is never going to "the international language"

English is still the international language and will be for some time yet.

I think indefinitely. 

It would be Chinese but it won't be Chinese because it's … Chinese. 

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Just now, Jingthing said:

In Thailand it might be -- White people pay double. Love you!

It is...they just write the Thai price in Thai  so the "silly whities" can't read it and know that they are being overcharged.

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1 minute ago, johng said:

No matter how much the "democratic soldier" would  like it to be, Thai language is never going to "the international language"

English is still the international language and will be for some time yet.

And neither will French, German, Russian, etc. be the international language.  So what's your point?  Perhaps next time in Paris, you can tell the French waiter to "Speak English you dumba*s!"  I'm sure that will go over well. 

Just now, johng said:

It is...they just write the Thai price in Thai  so the "silly whities" can't read it and know that they are being overcharged.

Yes, I'm aware of course but a sign like that in English with the Love You! would be precious. 

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59 minutes ago, Denim said:

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

 

but was unable to pay his electricity bill because he had no ID card.

"I don't want to know why you can't. I want to know how you can!"

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56 minutes ago, webfact said:

Don’t complain about our English, If you can’t speak Thai”

Nothing wrong with that statement if you are serving Thai people "but" you are entertaining and serving foreign tourists who generally "do not speak Thai", if you want tourists to continue to come here then make and effort to be good hosts - if your business is not doing well then blame the tourists/customers - typical Thai attitude of not owning their own issues and blaming everyone and everything else.  

 

So your statement is one of blatant ignorance and stupidity 

 

Lets refrase your statement to what it actually means 

 

In our country of Thailand were tourism makes up almost 20% of our GDP do not come here on holiday unless you speak Thai - go somewhere else

 

New test for tourists at airports/borders - a Thai language test - if you don't pass you will be deported :cheesy:

 

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They are correct. If you don't speak Thai, don't come to Thailand. Tell all your friends. Khopkhunkhraaaaaaaap.

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27 minutes ago, ravip said:

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

All 7-11 workers should spend years study English for the tourist?

And supermarket worker?

Fuel pump? 

9000 baht/month.

 

Pffft

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55 minutes ago, ParkerN said:

Yes. well. English is the default uniquitous language of the world.

Obviously not for you though ...

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1 minute ago, DrTuner said:

They are correct. If you don't speak Thai, don't come to Thailand. Tell all your friends. Khopkhunkhraaaaaaaap.

Not say that.

it say not complain. 

Understand? Or not?

9 minutes ago, johng said:

It is...they just write the Thai price in Thai  so the "silly whities" can't read it and know that they are being overcharged.

More common is an English menu with raised prices, and a Thai menu with normal prices.

I always grab the Thai menu.

Never seen Thai numbers in a restaurant.

4 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

"Speak English you dumba*s!"  I'm sure that will go over well. 

Well if the waiter doesn't speak the international language how would they understand  me asking them to speak English..and if I called them a dumda*s ( which I wouldn't because I'm not such a dumba*s ) and they kicked my dumba*s would that mean they do in fact speak the international language ?

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Happy to be corrected but is not English taught in Thai schools, is English not the Government approved 2nd language of Thailand and that is why ALL the major highways are signposted in English, most buildings and Government buildings etc all have their name in English script not only Thai script .

 

Just an observation ????

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7 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Yes, I'm aware of course but a sign like that in English with the Love You! would be precious. 

Jingthing live in Thailand many years right? 

Can you read Thai? Or are you illiterate? I ask before, but not answer.

 

 

Can you complain in Thai language yet? 

 

Can you read any second language?

Obviously expats in Thailand should learn Thai. But tourists shouldn't be expected to. And Thailand shouldn't complain when those tourists choose other destinations that cater to their needs.

4 minutes ago, Yinn said:

Not say that.

it say not complain. 

Understand? Or not?

The idea is close enough. Other places are happy to provide service in English. Forget Thailand, leave it to the Chinese and let them learn mandarin.

2 minutes ago, johng said:

Well if the waiter doesn't speak the international language how would they understand  me asking them to speak English..and if I called them a dumda*s ( which I wouldn't because I'm not such a dumba*s ) and they kicked my dumba*s would that mean they do in fact speak the international language ?

They can speak English. 

They write the sign in English!

Boring listen to people complain English not enough for SOME customer.

Happen already. Reason make the sign.

 

 

4 minutes ago, Yinn said:

All 7-11 workers should spend years study English for the tourist?

And supermarket worker?

Fuel pump? 

9000 baht/month.

 

Pffft

Actually I love it when the 711 or supermarket workers don't speak English or not enough. I can float either way, but if they try I do also help them and not embarrass them. In the stores around me English is not really spoken so the conversation is Thai.

 

Question Yinn: Can you look at a Foreigner and get a feeling they can speak Thai by the way they act and carry themselves? I get the feeling most Thai can.

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51 minutes ago, Yinn said:

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.

I don't see the french in your list.

 

So finaly you opened a restaurant?

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