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Posted
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....????

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Posted

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

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Posted (edited)
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 by EricTh
  • Like 1
Posted
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.

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Posted
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.

  • Haha 2
Posted
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 ????

 

  • Like 2
Posted
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. 

  • Sad 1
Posted
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'. 

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Posted
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... 

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Posted

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.

  • Confused 1
Posted
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. 

  • Haha 1
Posted
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.

Posted
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

 

Posted
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.

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Posted
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? 

Posted
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.

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Posted (edited)

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 by AddyA
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Posted
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.

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