Why haven't you learned Thai even after several years as an expat in Thailand?

[Tiger1980]

6 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

Laziness and arrogance 

I think it’s you that is the arrogant one. Some people including myself have found it very different to learn Thai or any foreign language, while others seem to pick it up quite easlly. Same as the ability to learn a musical instrument, not all can do.

I have one friend who can speak many languages, yet has difficulty in adding 2+2.

[Harrisfan]

31 minutes ago, Tiger1980 said:

I think it’s you that is the arrogant one. Some people including myself have found it very different to learn Thai or any foreign language, while others seem to pick it up quite easlly. Same as the ability to learn a musical instrument, not all can do.

I have one friend who can speak many languages, yet has difficulty in adding 2+2.

2+2? Come on

[advancebooking]

7 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I spent two years learning central Thai (speaking, reading and writing).

It was completely pointless because.

1. Most Thais we encounter don't speak central Thai (Southern Thai, Lao, Lanna are more popular).

2. Many Thais are too stupid to realise a foreigner is speaking Thai.

3. They hate you for knowing too much.

 

Obviously I only speak with low class Thais, and don't know any Bangkok CEOs like the rest of you.

Lots of tribal girls hanging about Chiang Mai, most of them can barely speak any Thai language, Akha, Lissu, Hmong, Arabic all fairly common.

What a stupid comment you make. Point 2 and 3. 

 

 

[advancebooking]

I was lazy for my first 8 yrs here. Then decided to have 3 lessons a week with different teachers bc I knew I was applying for thai citizenship. 

 

Its hard but rewarding to be intermediate now. Im trying and will not give up. Payayarm. Mai yompair. 

[MalcolmB]

53 minutes ago, Tiger1980 said:

I think it’s you that is the arrogant one. Some people including myself have found it very different to learn Thai

What did you actually do to learn?

Did you go to a school and practice reading and writing?  
I ain’t rocket science.

[MalcolmB]

24 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

2+2? Come on

Birds of a feather

[MalcolmB]

3 hours ago, save the frogs said:

Most locals who don't speak any English have no education.

Totally wrong.

Most educated Thais don’t need English in their day to day lives, don’t have any English speaking friends and therefore have no use for English and will not bother wasting their time learning it.

[NorthernRyland]

7 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I spent two years learning central Thai (speaking, reading and writing).

It was completely pointless because.

1. Most Thais we encounter don't speak central Thai (Southern Thai, Lao, Lanna are more popular).

 

 

I disagree. All Thai's can understand the central dialect because that's what's used on TV. They may not speak it comfortably but they can understand it.

 

I wish I could find the video but I saw on YouTube an Isaan women who moved to America and was making a channel for Thai people. She even had to preface by saying sorry I'm still practicing my Thai and see she was speaking slowly and clearly not a native speaker. This was an older women though and I bet the younger ones are more up to speed.

[Harrisfan]

21 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

I disagree. All Thai's can understand the central dialect because that's what's used on TV. They may not speak it comfortably but they can understand it.

 

I wish I could find the video but I saw on YouTube an Isaan women who moved to America and was making a channel for Thai people. She even had to preface by saying sorry I'm still practicing my Thai and see she was speaking slowly and clearly not a native speaker. This was an older women though and I bet the younger ones are more up to speed.

School, Uni, TV and most movies are in central Thai. 

[simon43]

A little story from today, (not about Thai language but about Lao language, but the principle is the same - knowing a language can be useful!).

 

I flew from Bangkok to Luang Prabang today.  I spoke Thai with the staff at Don Muang and all was good.

 

When I got to Luang Prabang airport, the male immigration officer was as miserable as ****, speaking curtly to every person who presented their passport.  It got to my turn and I handed over my passport.  He thumbed through it and then noticed many different Lao annual business visas over the past 15 years.

 

"Do you speak Lao?" he asked me in Lao. "Yes" I replied in Lao, "but I have to practice every day!"

 

His demeanour completely changed.  He smiled and asked me if I had a Lao wife (and so on and so on), then asked me about my previous jobs as a teacher in Laos.  All was great, his Lao immigration colleagues joked with me in Lao about getting a Lao wife, and I sailed though immigration in seconds 🙂

 

There is never a problem that you know too many languages.....

[MalcolmB]

1 hour ago, NorthernRyland said:

All Thai's can understand the central dialect because that's what's used on TV.

In Issan Tv they speak Issan, and on Issan soaps they show nationally they speak Issan and have thai sub titles.

[MalcolmB]

23 minutes ago, simon43 said:

A little story from today, (not about Thai language but about Lao language, but the principle is the same - knowing a language can be useful!).

 

I flew from Bangkok to Luang Prabang today.  I spoke Thai with the staff at Don Muang and all was good.

 

When I got to Luang Prabang airport, the male immigration officer was as miserable as ****, speaking curtly to every person who presented their passport.  It got to my turn and I handed over my passport.  He thumbed through it and then noticed many different Lao annual business visas over the past 15 years.

 

"Do you speak Lao?" he asked me in Lao. "Yes" I replied in Lao, "but I have to practice every day!"

 

His demeanour completely changed.  He smiled and asked me if I had a Lao wife (and so on and so on), then asked me about my previous jobs as a teacher in Laos.  All was great, his Lao immigration colleagues joked with me in Lao about getting a Lao wife, and I sailed though immigration in seconds 🙂

 

There is never a problem that you know too many languages.....

Well done, I have to admit I am envious of you.

[Harrisfan]

1 hour ago, simon43 said:

A little story from today, (not about Thai language but about Lao language, but the principle is the same - knowing a language can be useful!).

 

I flew from Bangkok to Luang Prabang today.  I spoke Thai with the staff at Don Muang and all was good.

 

When I got to Luang Prabang airport, the male immigration officer was as miserable as ****, speaking curtly to every person who presented their passport.  It got to my turn and I handed over my passport.  He thumbed through it and then noticed many different Lao annual business visas over the past 15 years.

 

"Do you speak Lao?" he asked me in Lao. "Yes" I replied in Lao, "but I have to practice every day!"

 

His demeanour completely changed.  He smiled and asked me if I had a Lao wife (and so on and so on), then asked me about my previous jobs as a teacher in Laos.  All was great, his Lao immigration colleagues joked with me in Lao about getting a Lao wife, and I sailed though immigration in seconds 🙂

 

There is never a problem that you know too many languages.....

Yes most tourists are rude. Be friendly and talk their language.

[Maxbkkcm]

9 hours ago, save the frogs said:

 

Yeah, but that's mostly "polite society" bs.

On the surface, you might get a pat on the back for integrating and learning the language, but nobody cares.

Apart from in-laws maybe if you're married ... then it might be important.

 

My landlord speaks English very well. Even in English, last time I was talking to her when I ran into her, I got the impression I was bothering her. I won't be speaking to her much, even though her English is good. People are busy with their lives, trying to make money. Maybe she doesn't like me that much. Most people don't care, apart from if you're putting food on their table, eating in their restaurants. All you need to do is smile and be polite and not be arrogant. 

 

Most locals who don't speak any English have no education. So most of the conversation in Thai will be gossip or mundane stuff. The most interesting Thais are the educated or wordly ones who have learned some English and maybe even traveled abroad. And the "bar girls", because they been around. 

 

 

Are you implying that they are not that friendly in reality? And where would you meet educated ones in bkk? 

[theshu25]

13 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

Pretty retarded dropping out of school age 11 

So what is your excuse?

[GinBoy2]

10 hours ago, Tiger1980 said:

I think it’s you that is the arrogant one. Some people including myself have found it very different to learn Thai or any foreign language, while others seem to pick it up quite easlly. Same as the ability to learn a musical instrument, not all can do.

I have one friend who can speak many languages, yet has difficulty in adding 2+2.

I kinda agree with you on that.

 

A lot depends on where you start out.

 

I find folks who grow up bilingual tend to have an easier time picking up others languages as an adult.

 

I grew up as bilingual English/Spanish and as an adult picked up Mandarin, Thai and Lao, not the easiest as they are tonal, but I figured it out.

 

All my kids are multilingual, did the tried and trusted method of each parent only speaking one, but different language to them.

 

Now I would have to say, for whatever reason native English speakers seem to have the hardest time picking up languages. My ex wife could not master Spanish with me at all, and given the general age of expats in Thailand I'd postulate that difficulty gets worse the older you get, especially trying to learn a tonal language.

 

So I also say it's arrogant not to learn Thai, more a case of they  probably simply cant. It gets harder to rewire the brain as we age!

 

On a nerdy note, and it may explain something about the aging brain, my two native languages float around in my head seamlessly, thoughts flipping from English to Spanish.

 

My learned language's don't work that way, I never 'think' in them and I constantly translate them in my head

[Gottfrid]

17 hours ago, BritManToo said:

They hate you for knowing too much.

No they don´t! They seem to be quite happy, when I actually can explain something or ask the right question that they can understand.

[ChaiyaTH]

1 hour ago, Gottfrid said:

No they don´t! They seem to be quite happy, when I actually can explain something or ask the right question that they can understand.

Top notch ignorance level here. Of course because in that case you are bothering them and offer the solution by at least speaking in Thai. However as soon it would be about things were you actually give your opinion, or just listen to their no longer secret gossip, and so fort, they will actually dislike it big time in many situations and prefer your to be in your farang only bubble language. Specially girls.

[ChaiyaTH]

I learned enough and more Thai to get by but as many others written already it turned out quite pointless. Same with the education visa I started on over a decade ago, they teach you entire illogical things that are never really used in real life. And if you finally manage to say those things with tones perfect, outside BKK, nobody gets it. 

You have to imagine being in this country pub in your home country where some immigrant suddenly tries to socialize to then speak as if he is reading a court verdict. Way too formal, missing local dialect, missing slang, missing perspective. It's just akward.

 

Even they might appreciate the fact that your Bangkok Thai would be great, you now have a issue within the face and social structure, you likely become someone they not want to even approach as of thinking you are too spoiled, hi-so or maybe cause issues when there is drama.

 

I figured that just sticking to the English works perfectly fine outside the chit chat, taxi instructions, hello goodbye thank you etc. It is not exactly as if they talk about much more than Food and Drama anyway.

 

Last but not least, the more you understand, the more you realize my sentence above. It is actually nicer to not understand what they say, then the thai sound really romantic or like a song, unless it is this chain smoker voice from isaan on max volume with blasted speakers... Mamasan style.

 

I do not even know how much I know is bangkok thai, southern thai, isaan or lanna language but somehow in the north they get me most.

 

It is like Bangkok thai use the letter 'R' really nicely in words used a lot while the R is for most Thais a issue to pronounce too.

[sandyf]

21 hours ago, Keep Right said:

I have been studying Thai for the last twenty years but still find it difficult to converse in Thai. I have tinnitus and cannot hear high tones. Thai being a tone language makes it very difficult for me to differentiate between certain words.

Exactly.

I knew I was tone deaf but thought I would give it a go and did a course at the language school, couldn't hack it.

The tutor found it difficult to understand what she was hearing was different to what I thought I was saying.

[cdemundo]

21 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Use full sentences then the tones don't matter!

Exactly!

I am surprised how few notice this.

Many teachers emphasize the tones but as you say, people understand you even if the tones aren't right if you use full sentences.

[scorecard]

22 hours ago, StandardIssue said:

I've lived in Bangkok and Pattaya on and off for the last 12 years. 

 

Most all the long term expats I've met don't know much Thai at all even before the use of Google Translate which many now rely on.

 

I never really asked why. I decided to learn early on and tooks some classes at the local library.

 

Question: As an expat in LOS why did you decide to not learn Thai and why?

 

ready set go. From a curious expat

 

21 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I spent two years learning central Thai (speaking, reading and writing).

It was completely pointless because.

1. Most Thais we encounter don't speak central Thai (Southern Thai, Lao, Lanna are more popular).

2. Many Thais are too stupid to realise a foreigner is speaking Thai.

3. They hate you for knowing too much.

 

Obviously I only speak with low class Thais, and don't know any Bangkok CEOs like the rest of you.

Lots of tribal girls hanging about Chiang Mai, most of them can barely speak any Thai language, Akha, Lissu, Hmong, Arabic all fairly common.

 

Right back to the initial question. I don't really like the way you ask. Totally my business how much Thai I have learned in 38+ years, and I have no intention of explaining myself to anybody.

[FruitPudding]

I learned Thai to about the intermediate level, even some reading and writing.

 

I have enough for my needs, so I stopped studying; I have better things to do with my time.

 

I rarely use Thai, except when I really have to.

 

For example, I'd never order food or drink in Thai in a tourist area. I'd use English, of course. Guys who do that are just trying to impress the staff.

 

But at a hospital talking to a nurse with poor English I might be able to describe my symptoms more understandably in Thai, though most doctors will understand my symptoms in English medical jargon more clearly than with my limited medical Thai vocabulary.

 

I am just not really interested in Thai language and I don't care about it, so that's why I am not fluent. 

[Tiger1980]

13 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

What did you actually do to learn?

Did you go to a school and practice reading and writing?  
I ain’t rocket science.

Yes, this was 25yrs ago. My Thai teacher nearly had a nervous breakdown trying to understand my coconut Thai. 

[FruitPudding]

13 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

Totally wrong.

Most educated Thais don’t need English in their day to day lives, don’t have any English speaking friends and therefore have no use for English and will not bother wasting their time learning it.

 

How do you know this? 

[Liquorice]

22 hours ago, StandardIssue said:

I never really asked why. I decided to learn early on and tooks some classes at the local library.

Thailand is home to 51 living indigenous languages and 24 living non-indigenous languages, so which one did you learn.

Whilst you may believe you can speak Thai, many Thais would probably disagree.

[BritManToo]

47 minutes ago, FruitPudding said:

I learned Thai to about the intermediate level, even some reading and writing.

 

I have enough for my needs, so I stopped studying; I have better things to do with my time.

 

I rarely use Thai, except when I really have to.

 

For example, I'd never order food or drink in Thai in a tourist area. I'd use English, of course. Guys who do that are just trying to impress the staff.

 

But at a hospital talking to a nurse with poor English I might be able to describe my symptoms more understandably in Thai, though most doctors will understand my symptoms in English medical jargon more clearly than with my limited medical Thai vocabulary.

 

I am just not really interested in Thai language and I don't care about it, so that's why I am not fluent. 

Google translate, you speak into it in English, it prints the Thai translation, you show them the phone.

[MalcolmB]

28 minutes ago, FruitPudding said:

 

How do you know this? 

Because I just spent a week in a huge factory complex looking at an investment outside the normal tourist areas and socialized with these people every night during that week.
 

Lawyers, technicians, accountants, engineers, admin and marketing professionals. 
Hardly any spoke English. 
Why would they?

[Asean Tiger]

No matter how much I studied these Thai people refuse to understand my utterances

[MalcolmB]

36 minutes ago, Tiger1980 said:

Yes, this was 25yrs ago. My Thai teacher nearly had a nervous breakdown trying to understand my coconut Thai. 

Sounds like a bad teacher.

You maybe should try another one.