Should Expats Be Able to Speak Thai

[userabcd]

A better question would be, should every person in the world be compelled to  speak and read English.

[transam]

4 minutes ago, userabcd said:

A better question would be, should every person in the world be compelled to  speak and read English.

English is THE worldwide communication language, even all the Asian countries have voted to use it. Fly a plane, you use it...

 

Now I am very pleased about that, as I am Langlixic....????

[Kwasaki]

8 minutes ago, userabcd said:

A better question would be, should every person in the world be compelled to  speak and read English.

I have friends who I see from time to time from, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Finland, Holland in Thailand that all speak English, 2 speak some Thai as I do but only enough for my needs.

 

Only know 2 Thais that speak and can read and write English.

My wife can speak some English enough to put up with me. ????

[moogradod]

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Agree. In secondary college, I learned Latin, French, and German. The last was by far the easiest to comprehend.

Perhaps the poster was talking about compound words, such as schadenfreude. Or gesamtstickstoff.

Or "Grundstücksverkehrsgenehmigungszuständigkeitsübertragungsverordnung". No joke, this word exists.

[connda]

19 hours ago, peterfranks said:

As far as I'm aware everyone can get the Thai nationality, IF you comply with the requirements

There are different 'requirements' for different classes of people.
The bar is low for foreign women married to a Thai guy - essentially three years of marriage and then apply with no financial requirements and 1 year of marriage and no financial requirements requirements if the Thai man/foreigner woman have a child.
For us foreign men with Thai wives and Thai children?  <laughs>  There is no such path to either permanent residency or citizenship. 

If the playing field was level for all seeking citizenship, then perhaps it would be a 'flawed argument" but...
There is no level playing field and foreign men married to Thai women or also have children with their Thai wife are relegated to the category of "guest" unless you're independently wealthy. and meet a high bar of pre-conditions.  So no - it's not a flawed argument.
It's a form of discrimination.   
Thai child with a foreign mum - mum is welcomed to obtain citizenship.
Thai child with a foreign dad - don't get too comfortable kid as dad is only a guest and having junior with a Thai wife doesn't open a path to citizenship.

Edited August 30, 2022 by connda

[Rimmer]

Flame has been removed

[LaosLover]

The overwhelming consensus that I have read on this board is that most Thai romantic partners would prefer it if you DIDN'T speak Thai. True?

 

I'm going to do a bit of research and interviewing here of Thai people. So, I want to learn Thai at least at the basic conversational level. And I want to be able to read amulet magazines.

 

However, Before Thailand, I was living in Mexico. It's a rare expat/retiree that has any Spanish language skills at all there. Costa Rica, the same. And just like here, they'd prefer you speak English so they can get a little free practice in with you.

 

English is much more widely spoken in a place like Chiang Mai than its Mexican equivalent of say, San Miguel Allende.

 

As the near-universal don't-bother response here shows, the world seems to have moved on from the old Lonely Planet ideal that speaking the local language is essential to functioning or endears you to the locals

[Alex2554]

"Mishkin once planned to learn Sanskrit in order to read The Upanishads in the original. Now he doesn't even read them in English"

Robert Sheckley

[EricTh]

17 hours ago, peterfranks said:

Why you not tell us which English word it would resemble?

 

It's fish!

 

When I heard it for the first time, I said 'what the hell is he trying to say?'.

 

Most Thai people cannot pronounce the simple word 'fish' properly.  Try asking your Thai friends to pronounce it by pointing at a fish.

 

It's the same situation as when westerners mispronounce some Thai words, those who are used to hearing the mispronunciation will know what you are trying to say.

Edited August 30, 2022 by EricTh

[sandyf]

On 8/29/2022 at 4:39 PM, KannikaP said:

However Thai cannot be so difficult as my 22 month old grandson can speak & understand it very well.

Glad to hear he wasn't born tone deaf.

Music wasn't my best subject at school.

[KannikaP]

15 minutes ago, EricTh said:

It's fish!

 

When I heard it for the first time, I said 'what the hell is he trying to say?'.

 

Most Thai people cannot pronounce the simple word 'fish' properly.  Try asking your Thai friends to pronounce it by pointing at a fish.

 

It's the same situation as when westerners mispronounce some Thai words, those who are used to hearing the mispronunciation will know what you are trying to say.

My GF is pretty good at English, after 12 years with me, but CHURCH and SQUIRREL still give her a bit of gip.

[walailak]

On 8/29/2022 at 4:52 PM, connda said:

Exactly.  Give me a path to citizenship (like farang gals married to Thai guys) and I'd be motivated to absorb more Thai to the point of gaining fluency.  But?  I'm just a "guest" living here for the last 14+ years with my Thai wife - supporting her - supporting my family.  Just a "guest."  Nothing more to Thailand. 

Same same... after 16 years, non immigrant just a guest. 

No motivation to learn... hardly know more than 5 words in Thai ????

 

[zzaa09]

12 minutes ago, walailak said:

Same same... after 16 years, non immigrant just a guest. 

No motivation to learn... hardly know more than 5 words in Thai ????

 

Astoundingly, much more commonly typical than not. 

Dullards. 

[Kwasaki]

10 minutes ago, walailak said:

Same same... after 16 years, non immigrant just a guest. 

No motivation to learn... hardly know more than 5 words in Thai ????

 

Beer,  beer ig, Ow beer ig. Non, kit tang doee.

 

I know 7. ????

[Doctor Tom]

22 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Not true.  You need to pass various levels of English Language tests and the Life in the UK Test.

Only for Citizenship, not for 'Indefinite Leave to Remain'. 

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, LaosLover said:

The overwhelming consensus that I have read on this board is that most Thai romantic partners would prefer it if you DIDN'T speak Thai. True?

That is the consensus from guys who have no idea that their significant other has no respect for them whatsoever and wants to talk about them behind their back. 

 

It's not true of those in relationships built on mutual respect and in those relationships solid communication is key. 

 

3 hours ago, LaosLover said:

 

I'm going to do a bit of research and interviewing here of Thai people. So, I want to learn Thai at least at the basic conversational level. And I want to be able to read amulet magazines.

 

However, Before Thailand, I was living in Mexico. It's a rare expat/retiree that has any Spanish language skills at all there. Costa Rica, the same. And just like here, they'd prefer you speak English so they can get a little free practice in with you.

 

English is much more widely spoken in a place like Chiang Mai than its Mexican equivalent of say, San Miguel Allende.

 

As the near-universal don't-bother response here shows, the world seems to have moved on from the old Lonely Planet ideal that speaking the local language is essential to functioning or endears you to the locals

The near-universal ‘don’t bother’ response could be due to the demographic of those answering, retirees etc who just don’t want the hassle of learning a new language. 

 

The near-universal ‘don’t bother’ response is readily interpreted as laziness, but of course, no one wants to admit they’re lazy. 

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by richard_smith237

[richard_smith237]

35 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

My GF is pretty good at English, after 12 years with me, but CHURCH and SQUIRREL still give her a bit of gip.

Try ‘Crisps’ !!!....   equally so there are Thai words and tongue twisters that many Westerners struggle with....   Get an ‘unfamiliar’ foreigner to try and say ‘money’ (in Thai - Ngien) correctly... 

[LaosLover]

I've heard here that the correct approach is to become fluent in Thai, pretend you aren't, and then lay in wait to catch them out.

 

But that's all too convoluted for me and why I prefer white women, if only for the simplicity.

[KannikaP]

4 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Try ‘Crisps’ !!!....   equally so there are Thai words and tongue twisters that many Westerners struggle with....   Get an ‘unfamiliar’ foreigner to try and say ‘money’ (in Thai - Ngien) correctly... 

Oh, my GF can say MONEY PLEASE perfectly. 

[473geo]

2 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

That is the consensus from guys who have no idea that their significant other has no respect for them whatsoever and wants to talk about them behind their back. 

 

It's not true of those in relationships built on mutual respect and in those relationships solid communication is key. 

 

The near-universal ‘don’t bother’ response could be due to the demographic of those answering, retirees etc who just don’t want the hassle of learning a new language. 

 

The near-universal ‘don’t bother’ response is readily interpreted as laziness, but of course, no one wants to admit they’re lazy. 

 

Nah Richard, my wife and I converse in English, of course wives talk about their husbands, same as they talk about money, no need to do it behind anybody's back. 

On occasions I am drawn into the conversation 

 

I threw out another phrase today, must have hit the mark as I got a Phoot maak back ????

 

Perhaps the danger of a foreigner husband speaking Thai to other than the wife, and been misquoted, misunderstood, or just plain using incorrect words is a step too far. Perhaps the husband may also inadvertently release information not usually shared in Thai circles 

 

I think your cloak and dagger theory is a bit over dramatic 

[recom273]

23 minutes ago, Doctor Tom said:

Only for Citizenship, not for 'Indefinite Leave to Remain'. 

And am I correct in saying you are given (free) classes, materials, and encouragement to pass the citizenship?

 

I can just imagine that happening here. If it's anything like the teachers Thai culture course, they wouldn't even last one month.

 

Actually, my Thai is OK, I can read / write and babble on, but I would still give up an evening or two at a local tech or rajapat college /uni if there was a government sponsored scheme that got me a certificate the same as the "living in the UK test" which I gather isn't just about language, its about history and culture too.

 

Anyway, the answer to the OP is, no not really, up to the individual, some people get more from it than others.

[Bday Prang]

20 hours ago, EricTh said:

@NickyLouie

 

Counting from 1 to 10 is not a problem for most expats. I think this is exaggeration. Even tourists who are here for a short while can learn Thai numbers quickly.

 

It's speaking at an intermediate level without a heavy farang accent that is a challenge for most expats.

 

anybody with a strong / heavy "farang" accent would be difficult for a Thai to understand" even when counting 1 - 10

 

[Lacessit]

3 hours ago, LaosLover said:

The overwhelming consensus that I have read on this board is that most Thai romantic partners would prefer it if you DIDN'T speak Thai. True?

 

I'm going to do a bit of research and interviewing here of Thai people. So, I want to learn Thai at least at the basic conversational level. And I want to be able to read amulet magazines.

 

However, Before Thailand, I was living in Mexico. It's a rare expat/retiree that has any Spanish language skills at all there. Costa Rica, the same. And just like here, they'd prefer you speak English so they can get a little free practice in with you.

 

English is much more widely spoken in a place like Chiang Mai than its Mexican equivalent of say, San Miguel Allende.

 

As the near-universal don't-bother response here shows, the world seems to have moved on from the old Lonely Planet ideal that speaking the local language is essential to functioning or endears you to the locals

My Thai GF speaks to me in English, I speak to her in Thai. She has not said she wants me to use English.

 

It's not essential to be able to speak Thai to professionals such as dentists and doctors, IME they speak better English than I do Thai.

 

OTOH, if I had a car breakdown in the boondocks, or a cardiac arrest on the golf course, I should imagine being able to speak Thai to someone with zero English would be very useful.

 

Can't say endearing myself to the locals was an objective of mine, although they appear to enjoy some of the lame jokes I make.

[GarryP]

On 8/29/2022 at 4:46 PM, BritManToo said:

Would point out immigrants are not expats.

Give me Thai nationality and I'll learn the language better.

Surely it should be learning the language before getting citizenship? 

[LaosLover]

8 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

My Thai GF speaks to me in English, I speak to her in Thai. She has not said she wants me to use English.

 

It's not essential to be able to speak Thai to professionals such as dentists and doctors, IME they speak better English than I do Thai.

 

OTOH, if I had a car breakdown in the boondocks, or a cardiac arrest on the golf course, I should imagine being able to speak Thai to someone with zero English would be very useful.

 

Can't say endearing myself to the locals was an objective of mine, although they appear to enjoy some of the lame jokes I make.

This is broadly my own approach: Some light/medium fluency for Emergencies and the pleasures of small talk.

 

Partic with Thai men. There def seems to be a strong female bias in terms of English language skills.

[AddyA]

Just learn how to say this every time a Thai asks, "You su-peak Thai, or not? You will then be forgiven for trying, and it'll give 'em a good laugh. 
 

ผมพูดภาษาไทยได้นิดหน่อยนะครับไม่เก่งจริงๆผมรู้บ้างคำเท่านั้นครับ ???? ผมพยายามพูดภาษาไทยแต่ว่าคนไทยทุกคนนะไม่เข้าใจเมื่อผมพูดพวกเขาบอกว่า"เฮ้ยฝรั่งคุณพูดภาษาอะไร" จริงๆ

 

Or, if you prefer...

 

Pŏm pôot paa-săa tai dâai nít nòi ná kráp mâi gèng jing jing pŏm róo bâang kam tâo nán kráp pŏm pá-yaa-yaam pôot paa-săa tai dtàe wâa kon tai túk kon ná mâi kâo jai mêuua pŏm pôot pûuak kăo bòk wâa, "Hóiie fà-ràng kun pôot paa-săa à-rai?... jing jing.

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by AddyA

[Doctor Tom]

23 minutes ago, recom273 said:

And am I correct in saying you are given (free) classes, materials,

No, you pay. 

[Doctor Tom]

15 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

My Thai GF speaks to me in English, I speak to her in Thai.

Everyone in my house understands and speaks only  English, even our 3, Thai born dogs. 

[Lacessit]

17 minutes ago, Doctor Tom said:

Everyone in my house understands and speaks only  English, even our 3, Thai born dogs. 

You have dogs that speak English? What a pity the only circuses in Thailand reside in government.

[BritManToo]

29 minutes ago, GarryP said:

Surely it should be learning the language before getting citizenship? 

No path to citizenship for retired men, so no point.