Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted
On 1/3/2024 at 5:50 PM, Chris Daley said:

people not being able to speak basic English in 2024?

Did you forget that we are living in Thailand? 

 

Some of the poorer Thai's can't speak basic Thai. 

 

  • Confused 1
  • Thumbs Up 1
Posted
On 1/3/2024 at 7:00 PM, Lacessit said:

I am tired of people who come to Thailand, and expecting everyone to speak English. It's about as logical as a Thai going to America, and expecting everyone to speak Thai.

If the OP can't be bothered learning some Thai, IMO the problem is self-inflicted.

 

Point (re: the value of learning some Thai language) taken.

 

However, the comparison is faulty inasmuch as English - not Thai - is the international language of business, and, as we all know, Thailand is perpetually soliciting foreign tourism, business, investment, etc.

 

That said, we should blame the political powers that be and the miserable Thai educational system for the communication problem here before we blame the delivery driver.

Posted
24 minutes ago, fusion58 said:

 

Point (re: the value of learning some Thai language) taken.

 

However, the comparison is faulty inasmuch as English - not Thai - is the international language of business, and, as we all know, Thailand is perpetually soliciting foreign tourism, business, investment, etc.

 

That said, we should blame the political powers that be and the miserable Thai educational system for the communication problem here before we blame the delivery driver.

No argument from me re the Thai education system.

 

I'd  argue Thailand is bipolar - it wants foreigners, but only if they will submit to a straitjacket.

  • Sad 1
Posted (edited)
On 1/3/2024 at 5:50 PM, Chris Daley said:

I am a valuable tourist and I got a call from a man shouting ''Pasadouk krap!  Pasadouk krap!''  Naturally I hung up on him.  I was busy doing my job when he called so he should be busy doing his job.

 

Take your pasadouk and follow the directions.  When you get to the door stick in the box that holds pasadouks.

 

How about you?  Are you tired of people not being able to speak basic English in 2024?

Linguistic imperialism. You expect Thais to learn English, but you live here are won't learn basic Thai. I suppose you imagine colonialism brought great benefits to the colonised power don't you? Don't give me the tourist crap.

Edited by retarius
  • Agree 1
Posted
On 1/3/2024 at 7:00 PM, Lacessit said:

I am tired of people who come to Thailand, and expecting everyone to speak English. It's about as logical as a Thai going to America, and expecting everyone to speak Thai.

If the OP can't be bothered learning some Thai, IMO the problem is self-inflicted.

To be fair English is Thailand's official 2nd language, and they all learned it at school from age 6 until they left.

 

  • Agree 1
Posted
8 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

To be fair English is Thailand's official 2nd language, and they all learned it at school from age 6 until they left.

If not used, you lose it quick.  I was fluent in Spanish.  15 yrs later in Mexico, and no way could I have a conversation with anyone.  Not even the basics.

 

Where here in TH, I can get by, but never studied the language, and rarely speak it.  Getting by, doesn't mean having an intelligent conversation with anyone.  Just can function without a translator.

Posted
On 1/4/2024 at 6:26 PM, swm59nj said:

What is a valuable tourist?

Somebody that has an inflated idea of themselves, or maybe overstayed and waiting for Immigration to find him so that a "valuable" fine can be paid.

  • Haha 1
Posted
44 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

To be fair English is Thailand's official 2nd language, and they all learned it at school from age 6 until they left.

 

I have met quite a few Thais with good English; however, most seem to be either professionals, or hooked up with a foreigner.

Posted (edited)
50 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

To be fair English is Thailand's official 2nd language, and they all learned it at school from age 6 until they left.

I spent a number of years working in a High School (11 to 18 year olds), and 80% of the Thai English speakers  teachers could not speak a sentence, they were wizard at written grammar though and believed that English Conversation was a totally different subject to written English.

One of the students said to me one day "I'm going to spend 40 years working in the fields, why do I need to study English"

Edited by foreverlomsak
error in text said speakers instead of teachers
Posted

I've never understood how they are able to find anyone's home

 

My address is xxx/22, while xxx/23 is more than 2km away in another road.

 

I only found out where it is because one time the postman had misread the address on a package for me and delivered it there

Posted
On 1/3/2024 at 5:50 PM, Chris Daley said:

I am a valuable tourist and I got a call from a man shouting ''Pasadouk krap!  Pasadouk krap!''  Naturally I hung up on him.  I was busy doing my job when he called so he should be busy doing his job.

 

Take your pasadouk and follow the directions.  When you get to the door stick in the box that holds pasadouks.

 

How about you?  Are you tired of people not being able to speak basic English in 2024?

 

I kind of sympathize, I don't share your opinion about the English language but isn't it time delivery drivers to

 

a) Do their job! - Even my wife tells me how bored she is of it all. At least twice a day we get a phone call "Song Patsadou krup" - OK, send it to the house, just leave it at the door. "Baan You Nai?" - As the OP says, "I do my job.." why do these people not know their job, the address is on the parcel, I know Thai addresses are a little difficult, but why not try? Drive to the village and ask. Even when we tell these people, they often just ignore the clear directions and drive straight past. (before email, I used to deliver financial documents in London, I had addresses but I couldn't rock up to the front desk, I had to know where the goods entrance and post rooms were - any fool can drive a truck, not everyone can memorize the routes, accumulate local knowledge and build relationships with other drivers)

 

b) Learn to speak to people - I have a regular lazada driver, and he's cool, he calls and tells me he is coming even tho' we are never at home. If I dont pickup then he doesnt keep on calling and calling. If it's after 6.00pm I will pickup and he asks me politely (In Thai) if I can wait until tomorrow. 

 

How many drivers call and just say "err .. err .." "Darling? Darling?" or "house Baan Baan house".. why not just speak in easy to understand Thai to everyone.

 

 

Posted
1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

If not used, you lose it quick.  I was fluent in Spanish.  15 yrs later in Mexico, and no way could I have a conversation with anyone.  Not even the basics.

 

Where here in TH, I can get by, but never studied the language, and rarely speak it.  Getting by, doesn't mean having an intelligent conversation with anyone.  Just can function without a translator.

I moved here when I was 54. I took private lessons three times a week, as I had done in other countries I had lived in successfully. Here I wasn't looking for business language skills but just enough to carry a conversation. I learned to read well but failed dismally at understanding others and speaking., The teacher was excellent and well prepared, but I could not make myself understood with my Bangkok Thai, outside speaking with the teacher, nor could I understand the language they use in rural Isaan. I packed it in as a bad job after being a dedicated student for 6 months. Like you I can get by, with a few words here and there....I know loads of nouns, many adjectives but not that many verbs to pout it all together. 

As an aside, I met an Aussie who had been here years, when I first came. I asked him about his language skills and he said, I quote "Yeah, I can order a beer, order food, and get myself laid.....I don't need any more than that."

  • Like 1
  • Thumbs Up 1

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



×
×
  • Create New...