Minimum level of Thai knowledge and language for long term residents

[KannikaP]

13 hours ago, PomPolo said:

Hahaha classic, I took the misses family to a resort over the new year and said exactly the same and the availability of mobile phones her daughter, niece and nephew translated it!!!
I am not even allowed to say what the hell now!
Was hoping none of the babies had have gone back to school and said this farang said 'what the 4..k' 🙂

He's obviously picked iy up from the 'kids' stuff he watches online. Being a manchester lad, I always say Kinnell. 555

[MangoKorat]

5 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

But how true is that?

Well in the cases I know of I have no reason to think its anything else but true, my friends are not the type to lie. I don't doubt that there will have been cases where the application has been successful with only the normal fees.

 

The problem is, how do you get around it once you are asked for a 'sweetener'?

 

It must be remembered that the total proper fees for Permanent Residence are already around 200k baht.

[cdemundo]

From reading between the lines of posts about self-proclaimed proficient Thai speakers, I suspect that this is an area were many demonstrate the Dunning-Krueger effect.

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

1 minute ago, cdemundo said:

From reading between the lines of posts about self-proclaimed proficient Thai speakers, I suspect that this is an area were many demonstrate the Dunning-Krueger effect.

 

Really?

I think with language skills it's relatively easy. Do I understand everything Thai people say? Can I reply in Thai so that they understand me?

Personally, I am perfectly able to order somtam and tell them if they should all a little sugar. I am also perfectly able to tell the taxi driver to go left or right. But this would not convince me that my Thai is perfect.

 

I think many of us have a pretty good idea about our language skills. 

 

 

[PomPolo]

9 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

Really?

I think with language skills it's relatively easy. Do I understand everything Thai people say? Can I reply in Thai so that they understand me?

Personally, I am perfectly able to order somtam and tell them if they should all a little sugar. I am also perfectly able to tell the taxi driver to go left or right. But this would not convince me that my Thai is perfect.

 

I think many of us have a pretty good idea about our language skills. 

 

 

Once we have the numbers sorted we can negotiate anything 🙂

[cdemundo]

2 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

 

Really?

I think with language skills it's relatively easy. Do I understand everything Thai people say? Can I reply in Thai so that they understand me?

Personally, I am perfectly able to order somtam and tell them if they should all a little sugar. I am also perfectly able to tell the taxi driver to go left or right. But this would not convince me that my Thai is perfect.

 

I think many of us have a pretty good idea about our language skills. 

 

 

It's relatively easy if you have a realistic idea of your ability yes I agree.

You obviously have a reasonable grasp on how to evaluate your level of Thai proficiency.

"Personally, I am perfectly able to order somtam and tell them if they should all a little sugar. I am also perfectly able to tell the taxi driver to go left or right. But this would not convince me that my Thai is perfect."

As you say "But this would not convince me that my Thai is perfect."

So you are not demonstrating the effect I speak of.

 

I am thinking of the following.

There have been repeated posts by self-proclaimed fluent speakers asking for help to solve the mystery of why Thais didn't like to speak to them or would rather speak to their Thai significant other than to them.

Then they would suggest some kind of animosity, envy, xenophobia or some other reason when the simplest reason is that their Thai isn't that great.

No mystery.

[nauseus]

17 hours ago, Ben Zioner said:

Add Hebrew, German and Spanish  mate..

 

Quê?

[KhunLA]

As a guest (need to extend visa), then no.

 

As a resident, or even getting citizenship, also no.   BUT, don't expect any or all to cater to your inability to understand anything,

 

No mandatory signage or forms in 'your home language'.  You chose to remain ignorant and not learn the language, then you have to deal with that.

 

If you can't, oh well ... bye bye 

[BonnieandClyde]

18 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Yeah, you gave a sorry, but not at all necessary. You are 100% right! It´s really dumb to relocate to other country and culture, and not care about learning the language. it´s ignorant beyond belief!

In many or most cases, it is willful ignorance.

They usually don't think too highly of Thais, or their history and culture.

Why people would continue to live in a country and have an attitude like that is hard to understand,

They would be doing everybody = including themselves - a favour if they moved on.

[Jingthing]

Delete

 

[Ben Zioner]

Just now, BonnieandClyde said:

They usually don't think too highly of Thais, or their history and culture.

Why people would continue to live in a country and have an attitude like that is hard to understand,

They would be doing everybody = including themselves - a favour if they moved on.

Well, I am still waiting for a Thai Nobel prize or Fields medal. Now it happened a couple of times that a jury of onanists, in Cannes, gave a distinction to Thai movies both deprived of any meaningful story line.

 

So yes I don't think too highly of Thai history and culture even though I can feel some mild curiosity for it.

 

It also pretty arrogant to judge the motivation of other people to stay here, maybe they can't leave or just don't want to impose expatriation on their wives and kids.. 

 

 

[LosLobo]

1 hour ago, nauseus said:

Quê?

If you are trying to say "what" in Castellano, it's qué.

Quê means "home" in Vietnamese.

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, PomPolo said:

Once we have the numbers sorted we can negotiate anything 🙂

Some of us also want to discuss the details of the deal. 😉 

[Ben Zioner]

15 hours ago, simon43 said:

I speak/read Thai to a good level because I consider it 'good manners' to speak the language (at least to conversational level) of the country that one lives in.  So I speak/read Thai, speak/read Lao and speak/read Burmese, with Thai being my most fluent language because that's the country that I've resided in for the longest time.

I have lived (more than 10 years) in France, Israel and Australia, all three offered free language classes for immigrants. I guess I could find expensive language schools in Bangkok or Chiang Mai but not everyone lives there.

[PomPolo]

17 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Some of us also want to discuss the details of the deal. 😉 

There are many more things to factor into the equation totally agree, like volumes of that genders drink etc (can't believe how politically correct I am being)

The length of the contract and what the deal looks like on the face of things 🙂 

[phetphet]

21 hours ago, NickyLouie said:

If you have lived here 10 years and cant speak adequate Thai, you're dumb AF.

 

 

 

Bulls**t. It depends where you live in Thailand and how exposed you are to the language. 

 

Many people that live in the holiday hotspots, where most Thais speak English, can go without almost never being exposed to significant levels of Thai. Therefore never picking it up, or needing it. The only way they will speak it is by taking Thai language lessons.

 

Even half Thai children, if going to English speaking international schools, and speaking only English at home (if the Thai parent doesn't make the effort to speak only Thai to them)  will have weak Thai language skills. It doesn't make them dumb.

 

Get dumped in the back of beyond, where hardly anyone speaks  English, (or whatever your native language is), and you will be forced to pick up some Thai or local dialect very quickly by necessity.

[Baht Simpson]

The trouble I've found is that I can understand Thai to a certain degree but speaking it I find much harder. I also have a partner who speaks good English as do some of his friends which makes it less of a necessity. 

 

I'm learning more day by day but as I'm getting older it's harder to retain the information.

 

Also, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. When I do try to converse in Thai the response is usually that they think that I'm fluent and expect me to respond with unlimited conversation. And I really don't want everyone to know I speak Thai because they'll all try to spark up conversations, which will be tiresome. I'd rather increase my knowledge slowly and understand more first.

 

It's probably dumb not knowing anything but a little gets you by most of the time. 

 

 

 

[Briggsy]

This thread is based upon a false premise. That premise is that one-year extensions in Thailand are equivalent to 'further leave to remain' in the UK. There is NO equivalence.

 

In the UK, if you hold FLR, you can work in whatever field you like (one or two weird exceptions), set up your own business, access the National Health Service and stay as long as you like as long as you renew your FLR or obtain ILR. In addition there is a clear path to citizenship.

 

In Thailand, holding a one-year extension, you have very few rights. You have no right to work without a work permit and each change of employer will need a new work permit application. You cannot own a business or land. There is no path to citizenship. Each year, you need to resubmit documentation to extend your permission to stay.

 

You will require some Thai language skills to obtain Permanent Residence in Thailand or citizenship, particularly Permanent Residence.

 

Beware false equivalents.

[Lacessit]

I can speak Thai with reasonable fluency, and understand it 50% of the time. I can't get my head around the alphabet, so I can't read or write it. i know a few signs.

 

IME the foreigners here who don't have any Thai usually have a Thai partner who is proficient in English, and hence don't bother.

 

I can usually make myself understood in most situations. I talk to my GF in Thai all the time.

 

IMO knowing some Thai is much better than having none, if living here long-term.

[PomPolo]

Agree with this @Lacessit and I was being slightly flippant earlier when I said I only learned it for the numbers so the x-wife didn't rob me, partially true though 🙂
Unless you live in a bar drinking beer every day (even living in a bar you would learn some Thai) then I think it is respectful to be able to speak a little bit of Thai and generally I have found even if you are not fluent or great at Thai, it is amazing how much Thai people appreciate that you have taken time to learn a little of their language, sometimes you have to have slightly thicker skin I think as you might get a couple of giggles, but not usually in a bad way!

 

2 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I can speak Thai with reasonable fluency, and understand it 50% of the time. I can't get my head around the alphabet, so I can't read or write it. i know a few signs.

 

IME the foreigners here who don't have any Thai usually have a Thai partner who is proficient in English, and hence don't bother.

 

I can usually make myself understood in most situations. I talk to my GF in Thai all the time.

 

IMO knowing some Thai is much better than having none, if living here long-term.

 

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, PomPolo said:

Agree with this @Lacessit and I was being slightly flippant earlier when I said I only learned it for the numbers so the x-wife didn't rob me, partially true though 🙂
Unless you live in a bar drinking beer every day (even living in a bar you would learn some Thai) then I think it is respectful to be able to speak a little bit of Thai and generally I have found even if you are not fluent or great at Thai, it is amazing how much Thai people appreciate that you have taken time to learn a little of their language, sometimes you have to have slightly thicker skin I think as you might get a couple of giggles, but not usually in a bad way!

 

 

I have found over the years Thais love a joke, even bad ones, in their language.

 

IME it's also useful to learn Thai slang for various body parts and functions.

[marin]

4 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

IME it's also useful to learn Thai slang for various body parts and functions.

For that it would depend on what level of Thai society you are dealing with. 

[MisterTee]

1 hour ago, Ben Zioner said:

Well, I am still waiting for a Thai Nobel prize or Fields medal. Now it happened a couple of times that a jury of onanists, in Cannes, gave a distinction to Thai movies both deprived of any meaningful story line.

 

So yes I don't think too highly of Thai history and culture even though I can feel some mild curiosity for it.

 

It also pretty arrogant to judge the motivation of other people to stay here, maybe they can't leave or just don't want to impose expatriation on their wives and kids.. 

 

 

Why not go back to one of those countries where you can hobnob with Nobel prizewinners and Fields' medalists while at the same time learning the local language for free?

Thailand doesn't seem to be your cup of tea.

[Lacessit]

16 minutes ago, marin said:

For that it would depend on what level of Thai society you are dealing with. 

True enough, I have no desire to move in the realm of HiSo's.

[marin]

18 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

True enough, I have no desire to move in the realm of HiSo's.

Nothing to do with "hi/so" all to do with education. 

[cdemundo]

45 minutes ago, PomPolo said:

Agree with this @Lacessit and I was being slightly flippant earlier when I said I only learned it for the numbers so the x-wife didn't rob me, partially true though 🙂
Unless you live in a bar drinking beer every day (even living in a bar you would learn some Thai) then I think it is respectful to be able to speak a little bit of Thai and generally I have found even if you are not fluent or great at Thai, it is amazing how much Thai people appreciate that you have taken time to learn a little of their language, sometimes you have to have slightly thicker skin I think as you might get a couple of giggles, but not usually in a bad way!

 

 

 "it is amazing how much Thai people appreciate that you have taken time to learn a little of their language, sometimes you have to have slightly thicker skin I think as you might get a couple of giggles, but not usually in a bad way!"

 

I have also found that Thai people appreciate the effort to learn.

As for the laughter I just figure they are laughing cuz it sounds funny, not laughing at me.

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, marin said:

Nothing to do with "hi/so" all to do with education. 

Well-educated people don't swear? News to me.

 

You sound like a bit of a snob.

[marin]

Just now, Lacessit said:

Well-educated people don't swear? News to me.

 

You sound like a bit of a snob.

If you want to get personal you sound like someone who does not know the real Thailand at all. Tourist Thailand you very well have pegged. JHC dude someone disagrees with you and you sure do get snotty fast. 

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, Ben Zioner said:

I have lived (more than 10 years) in France, Israel and Australia, all three offered free language classes for immigrants. I guess I could find expensive language schools in Bangkok or Chiang Mai but not everyone lives there.

You could buy a book. Or you could just (try to) talk with the locals.

Maybe visit a school nearby and ask them if someone wants to help you to improve your Thai.

I would be surprised if you won't find anybody. 

[Lacessit]

1 minute ago, marin said:

If you want to get personal you sound like someone who does not know the real Thailand at all. Tourist Thailand you very well have pegged. JHC dude someone disagrees with you and you sure do get snotty fast. 

 

2 minutes ago, marin said:

 

You implied I was not educated.

 

Respect me, I respect you. Don't, and I don't. Is that too hard for you to understand?