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

[msbkk]

2 minutes ago, Liquorice said:

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.

Every country has its dialects and even in a country like Germany you can encounter situations where people do not understand each others (for example tourists in Bavaria). Also Switzerland has different languages. 

The main point is to learn at least some basic Thai  conversation. I travel often in areas where English is not understood. Even if my Thai is far from perfect I am always able to have basic conversations with locals. Of course in some areas it is more complicated but these cases are rare.

[Gottfrid]

2 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

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.

My god! And that you even mention ignorance level. 😂 Are you high or joking?

Why would they think or feel like that? If they know I understand and can speak, and they have something they don´t want me to listen in on. Then they will politely step away and talk or wait for a time I am not there. You know, I don´t have the problem with swimming in the mud at the low level where everything is about beer, girls and sex. I surround myself with people who respect themselves and others that also have a good manner.

[luicks]

22 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Yeah it does, but mainly about groups of animals.

flock of geese, murder of crows, herd of cows, pack of dogs, etc.

These are collective nouns, not classifiers. There's a difference.

[JackGats]

It's an unrewarding language to learn. The time you spend (waste) on learning Thai is time you could spend on lots on more rewarding things.

 

I still can't follow the news headlines in Thai or read a Thai newspaper unaided after learning Thai for 5 years. The reason is 1) I'm getting older and my memory is no longer what it was 2) Thais don't answer me back in Thai never mind how better my Thai is compared to their "English".

[DualSportBiker]

20 hours ago, Chris Daley said:

I have worked in English schools since they day I arrived.  I never need to speak Thai to anyone.

Really? You never go anywhere - just stay in the school? 

 

You know all those bigots back home who bitch about people not learning English, or French or wherever they go and "don't integrate"? You are feeding the same fire of pushback by Thais who see idiot tourists behaving badly, violent expats kicking doctors, Indians sleeping on beaches. They can spot expats who show sweet FA respect through not making the effort to learn any of their language. To a great extent I benefit from your slovenliness as I do speak Thai, and well enough that every Thai notices.

 

I have travelled all over Thailand for the 34 years I have been here. For the past 20 I almost always take the back roads and rarely stay in hotels that cater to tourists as a result of that. I get the occasional Thai who does not understand me, but that is usually because they are listening for English and is quickly resolved. When I travel with my Thai wife, nobody waits to talk to her in my stead. Once it is clear that talking to me is as easy as talking to another Thai, I get the inside line on all that I care about, where to stay, eat, drink, visit, scenic routes, temples of note. Thais absolutely love when people take an interest in their town, shop, food or even their life, but will not let themselves struggle to communicate. Once you can let them talk, they will. In that regard, they are no different from anyone and anywhere else.

 

Stay in your bubble, develop a negative opinion of the locals because you reject both the need to and the way to understand them. But don't be surprised when you are treated as an ATM or told, correctly, that you are clueless about Thailand. And don't bother to have an opinion on that which you can and will never understand. 

[DualSportBiker]

4 minutes ago, JackGats said:

It's an unrewarding language to learn. The time you spend (waste) on learning Thai is time you could spend on lots on more rewarding things.

 

I still can't follow the news headlines in Thai or read a Thai newspaper unaided after learning Thai for 5 years. The reason is 1) I'm getting older and my memory is no longer what it was 2) Thais don't answer me back in Thai never mind how better my Thai is compared to their "English".

Balderdash. I reap rewards daily from my knowledge of Thai, as do the others I know who also speak fair-to-middling quality Thai. Your statement might well be driven by peeve as you can't master it.

[Callmeishmael]

I can speak and read Thai fairly well.  One problem I have is all the regional dialects.  If I drive for two hours away from Bangkok everyone sounds like they are speaking an entirely different language.  My wife wants to move up north when I retire, but I'm not looking forward to having to learn Phasa Nua!

[DualSportBiker]

21 hours ago, atpeace said:

Just perused the link.  Amazed you found that simple.  I do think that learning how to read and write might be a better option while at the same time learning how to speak. A couple friends have done this and had success.  

We all learn differently. Personally I have given up on reading Thai several times, but my spoken Thai is really quite good. Or at least it is if I believe how Thais react to me. I only started to learn to read Thai after 20-odd years...

[DualSportBiker]

18 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. 

 

 

Utter twaddle. I was at dinner a few nights ago with three long-term friends. All have MBAs, work at Thai banks or telecom companies; head of credit, head of call centre ops. None of them speak workable English. They all travel widely - making 150K ++ helps them do that.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, FruitPudding said:

 

How do you know this? 

 

Ask a few Thais who have little contact with farang and aren't rally interested in meeting / mixing wih farang. 

 

I suggest you'll find plenty of Thais who respect other folks (all shapes / sizes / nationality / position etc.),  however they are very comfortable in their own community. 

[rumak]

23 hours ago, Harrisfan said:

What? Only if they can't speak it 

 

I speak Thai all over Thailand. They understand me.

 

 

 

Me too .   Like everything , lots of "reasons"  why many guys i meet speak hardly any Thai .   And they have been here for years in most cases.   

I learnt little by little, with some home vocab. study,  and best of all "dating"  .  Also talking and listening to Thais in every day simple chit chat.  (especially without a significant other Thai person around to hijack the conversation)

For me much more enjoyable .... 

I do make excuses, however when it comes to things like sewing . My go to one is " man... this is just as hard as learning Thai !  Forget it ! "

[rumak]

1 hour ago, Callmeishmael said:

I can speak and read Thai fairly well.  One problem I have is all the regional dialects.  If I drive for two hours away from Bangkok everyone sounds like they are speaking an entirely different language.  My wife wants to move up north when I retire, but I'm not looking forward to having to learn Phasa Nua!

 

except for the older folks...... central Thai is spoken to Farangs by almost everyone. 

If you speak that fairly well,  then no problems

 

[BritManToo]

Just now, rumak said:

except for the older folks...... central Thai is spoken to Farangs by almost everyone. 

If you speak that fairly well,  then no problems

 

I was only ever interested in listening to them chatting.

And they never chat in central Thai.

[rumak]

5 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

I was only ever interested in listening to them chatting.

And they never chat in central Thai.

 

locals talking to each other ,  that is true.   But when you are talking to them.... they will speak Central Thai  ( shop people, service people, etc) .

if you are talking and hearing Thai often... then I am sure you can understand a bit of the N Thai as many words are the same.... and simple ones that differ are easy to learn .    U gam muang bo jang !     just say that .    great for a laugh

[atpeace]

1 hour ago, DualSportBiker said:

We all learn differently. Personally I have given up on reading Thai several times, but my spoken Thai is really quite good. Or at least it is if I believe how Thais react to me. I only started to learn to read Thai after 20-odd years...

 

1 hour ago, DualSportBiker said:

We all learn differently. Personally I have given up on reading Thai several times, but my spoken Thai is really quite good. Or at least it is if I believe how Thais react to me. I only started to learn to read Thai after 20-odd years...

Have had some friends that get the same reaction.  Almost like a superpower 🙂  Your avatar hints at traveling often as I do or at least you to do.  I can organize my life where I'm at in a small tourist town that caters to Thais and rarely see a farang with my very limited Thai.  When I go on a road trip is where speaking more Thai would definitely improve upon experiences with the locals.

[gejohesch]

On 4/22/2025 at 6:33 AM, 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.

I did much to learn it, formally including reading and writing which helps tremendously to get the phonetics right. It took me 3-4 years to be comfortable to the point of reading without even having to think about the correct pronunciation. I have to say, not bragging about it, that I'm very good at languages (I'm very familiar to fluent with several).

 

With all that, I lost interest and motivation over the years because:

- as you say, most Thais we encounter speak a version of the language which is extremely different from the official Thai.

- most do not have anything interesting to contribute to any discussion which goes beyond the stage of "it's hot today" or "is the food too spicy?".

- in Isan (my wife's region), and certainly in the villages, many people understand Thai but can hardly speak it. I'm not kidding! My wife has to accompany her elder brother to the hospital, recently, because some doctors cannot speak the local "phasaa isaan", and he cannot speak proper Thai.

- I worked a few years in a Thai enterprise, with mid-high class Thais who spoke proper Thai. They hardly interacted with me socially, many quite obviously hated having a non-Thai colleague around.

 

With all that, I lost interest.

[BoganInParasite]

I'm just too lazy to apply myself to it. Lived here seven years now and have never failed to communicate my wants and needs when out and about in some manner. Always smiling, pleasant and thanking them for their assistance. Google translate and images are generally my go-to tools.

 

[simon43]

17 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

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

I get a good feeling when local people express surprise that I can speak (passable) Lao and Burmese.  They are happy that I've made an effort to learn some of their language. and I'm happy that I can converse with them 🙂

[Atlantic Cod]

Possibly for the same reason that you have not learnt English....

[Magictoad]

Can't be @rsed

[Magictoad]

3 hours ago, DualSportBiker said:

Really? You never go anywhere - just stay in the school? 

 

You know all those bigots back home who bitch about people not learning English, or French or wherever they go and "don't integrate"? You are feeding the same fire of pushback by Thais who see idiot tourists behaving badly, violent expats kicking doctors, Indians sleeping on beaches. They can spot expats who show sweet FA respect through not making the effort to learn any of their language. To a great extent I benefit from your slovenliness as I do speak Thai, and well enough that every Thai notices.

 

I have travelled all over Thailand for the 34 years I have been here. For the past 20 I almost always take the back roads and rarely stay in hotels that cater to tourists as a result of that. I get the occasional Thai who does not understand me, but that is usually because they are listening for English and is quickly resolved. When I travel with my Thai wife, nobody waits to talk to her in my stead. Once it is clear that talking to me is as easy as talking to another Thai, I get the inside line on all that I care about, where to stay, eat, drink, visit, scenic routes, temples of note. Thais absolutely love when people take an interest in their town, shop, food or even their life, but will not let themselves struggle to communicate. Once you can let them talk, they will. In that regard, they are no different from anyone and anywhere else.

 

Stay in your bubble, develop a negative opinion of the locals because you reject both the need to and the way to understand them. But don't be surprised when you are treated as an ATM or told, correctly, that you are clueless about Thailand. And don't bother to have an opinion on that which you can and will never understand. 

I don't think everyone is a clueless idiot just because they choose not to integrate with the native population of any given country. Supposing I lived in Germany for a 10 years or Russia? Why should I bother to integrate with either peoples? It would make me the novelty and possibly force me into loads of unwanted conversations.

[rumak]

53 minutes ago, gejohesch said:

most do not have anything interesting to contribute to any discussion which goes beyond the stage of "it's hot today" or "is the food too spicy?".

 

That is pretty much the case with the average Thai person.  Jing jing.

On the other hand ..... after many years I figured out that just following the norm was indeed the best way to have a peaceful life , without conflict. 

 

[Jack Hammer]

I never bothered, all the bar ladies, free lancers and massage ladies I deal with speak English

[Surasak]

On 4/22/2025 at 12:52 PM, Hellfire said:

For the most part, a new language is best learned out of necessity. That’s why many foreigners lack sufficient motivation to learn this language, which is quite difficult for any Westerner.

Thanks for that get out. I first came to Thailand well over 30 years ago, just for the fun on my holidays. Almost everyone I came in contact with spoke very reasonable English, so no real necessity to learn Thai. When I moved here on retirement, my wife and many of the family speak English. Where was my incentive to learn Thai? Most Thai eateries make it very easy to order food and drink, so I won't starve. If I should need to travel on my own, there are many Thai people willing to help should the need arise, and its a bit late in the day now, so I won't bother now.

[ignore it]

I married someone who interpretes for me.

After years of doing it  with  many many short timers and occasional long timers

who also provides language services,  I decided to give up sex and got married.

[J Branche]

I'm waiting for the Neural Implant with many languages to be created.

 

I'm to stupid to learn Thai.  Additionally I enjoy not understanding a lot of the nonsense that is spoken on a daily basis.  Keeps that little bit of hope for humanity alive.

[parallelman]

I remember that after being in Thailand for about 5 years I was helping a Thai friend who was a manager of a gym. He had several thousand leaflets printed advertising the gym. He gave me some so I could distribute them...but I immediately saw a glaring mistake... a word with a double vowel '...าา'. I thought 'this is not going to go down well'. Having showed him the mistake, First he thought it might be just one or two leaflets but each bundle was the same. He was furious. He sacked the two individuals who 'designed' the ad because they obviously hadn't checked finished examples. He told them who had found the mistake and as they left, well if looks could kill. I went to the print shop with him where there was a big argument because the shop claimed that the proof had been accepted. In all I found four mistakes, the others being words with missing vowels. The manager of the shop was not pleased with me because he said that I probably influenced my friend to demand corrections free of charge, which of course I hadn't. I think I learned about the value of Thai 'loss of face' on that day.

[Harrisfan]

6 hours ago, gejohesch said:

most do not have anything interesting to contribute to any discussion which goes beyond the stage of "it's hot today" or "is the food too spicy?".

Farang talk

 

How are you?

Yeah ok

What you been doing?

Not much

[Zakhar]

Since Thai is a high-context tonal language, it is hard for westerners to it speak fluently. Emphasizing on the context of the conversation  using specific words and phrases seems helpful to me.   

[Chris Daley]

I make it a point now to speak to anyone under 30 in English.

 

The little kids love it.  The teenagers just reply in perfect English.  The older ones feel proud.

 

Old people I speak Thai to them.  But usually just avoid them as they are racist and lazy.