Old people with zero English skills while the younger staff just watch and can speak English

[Chris Daley]

So you walk into a shop and there are younger staff or interns that speak perfect English but some old guy does the entire process.  Does this bother you?

 

I had to go through an entire eye check up at the opticians with some old crow.  She had zero English and at one point she just said "nevermind" in Thai.  Afterwards the assistant spoke to me in perfect English.

 

How about you?  Do you think we should fire the fossils and pay the young people with 2 degrees, 5 languages and masters more?

[it is what it is]

 

i guess you're living in thailand? how about a bit of respect, not to mention common sense, and take the time to learn thai instead of criticising and thai bashing?

 

[still kicking]

3 minutes ago, it is what it is said:

 

i guess you're living in thailand? how about a bit of respect, not to mention common sense, and take the time to learn thai instead of criticising and thai bashing?

 

Why is that Thai-bashing? All my Thai family speaks English, he might live in a holiday resort.

[NorthernRyland]

9 minutes ago, Chris Daley said:

So you walk into a shop and there are younger staff or interns that speak perfect English but some old guy does the entire process.  Does this bother you?

 

 

All of us foreigners have been foisted on them so what should they do now? Even going back 30 years none of these people would have ever dreamed on 40 million foreigners entering their country and they had no time to adapt when they were young enough to do so.

 

You should be grateful for their service and years of experience at an affordable price.

 

PS. Instead of be bothered by them take some action in your own life and learn Thai.

[NorthernRyland]

2 minutes ago, still kicking said:

Why is that Thai-bashing? All my Thai family speaks English, he might live in a holiday resort.

 

I don't get this. If anywhere people are speaking English it's a holiday resort. Most of Thailand speaks little to no English. It's the norm and should be expected.

[still kicking]

1 minute ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

I don't get this. If anywhere people are speaking English it's a holiday resort. Most of Thailand speaks little to no English. It's the norm and should be expected.

So you go to Spain for holidays, do you have to learn Spanish? 

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, Chris Daley said:

Do you think we should fire the fossils

heartless much? 

[MalcolmB]

31 minutes ago, Chris Daley said:

Do you think we should fire the fossils

I think you should pack your bags, call a taxi and find another country with people that speak English.

You are not needed or wanted here.

[JoseThailand]

I am shocked at so many clueless farangs in the comments

[JensenZ]

1 hour ago, Chris Daley said:

So you walk into a shop and there are younger staff or interns that speak perfect English but some old guy does the entire process.  Does this bother you?

 

I had to go through an entire eye check up at the opticians with some old crow.  She had zero English and at one point she just said "nevermind" in Thai.  Afterwards the assistant spoke to me in perfect English.

 

How about you?  Do you think we should fire the fossils and pay the young people with 2 degrees, 5 languages and masters more?

Stop living in the dark ages. I don't speak Thai, but I open my Buz App and translate to Thai and vice versa. It makes life easy if you put in just a little bit of effort, and they appreciate it too. Criticising older Thai people for not speaking English is the height of ignorance. Calling an older woman "an old crow" is beyond ignorant; The words I need to define that are banned on here.

 

Regarding optometrists, I could hook you up with one of the best in Pattaya, who speaks perfect English.

 

 

 

[spidermike007]

1 hour ago, MalcolmB said:

I think you should pack your bags, call a taxi and find another country with people that speak English.

You are not needed or wanted here.

Nearly every time I see someone complaining, or observing a shortfall within Thailand, some lame guy, who has not taken the time to think things through, nor to devote any focus or effort to a reasonable reply, says something like "Perhaps Thailand is not for you", or maybe you should leave, or the top prize, "if you do not like it here, go back to your own country". Hard to even respond to such inane statements. Why? Because I have some issues with the place? Sorry to inform you, but the nature of a discerning mind, is to have issues. 

 

Though absolute contentment must be a beautiful state of mind, it is not something most of us are blessed with, in case you have not noticed. The fact that I complain, does not mean I do not love Thailand, nor most of it's people. I do. I love my life here. I have a very good life here. But, I do have some complaints, and there are some things I would love to see improved. I should leave because of that? 

 

Please. Next time you make a post, try to devote at least two moments of thought to it.

[Tarteso]

1 hour ago, Chris Daley said:

old crow

 

1 hour ago, Chris Daley said:

we should fire the fossils

What a pearl of guy 🤔

[norsurin]

I learned to speak thai well.I never complained if someone couldn't speak English.I think u better learn to speak thai before u complain about elderly people.Ur thai family speak english u said Maybe its a reason they don't learn u to speak thai.Farang roo nak mai dee?

[cjinchiangrai]

My Thai is terrible but It is my job to facilitate communication. Phones and pictures help. Smiling and not yelling help more. Lunch  is easy, a 5mm socket head cap screw is harder.

[richard_smith237]

3 hours ago, Chris Daley said:

So you walk into a shop and there are younger staff or interns that speak perfect English but some old guy does the entire process.  Does this bother you?

 

I had to go through an entire eye check up at the opticians with some old crow.  She had zero English and at one point she just said "nevermind" in Thai.  Afterwards the assistant spoke to me in perfect English.

 

How about you?  Do you think we should fire the fossils and pay the young people with 2 degrees, 5 languages and masters more?

 

Does it matter if the process was carried out ???...     

 

... I mean... does it matter even in the slightest ??..   Op, you're complaining about nothing...

 

... you're complaining that there were people there who 'could have' helped if struggles evolved within your communication....

 

 

Its quite a pathetic complaint really - actually its an exceptionally pathetic complaint.

 

 

 

 

 

[richard_smith237]

1 hour ago, cjinchiangrai said:

My Thai is terrible but It is my job to facilitate communication. Phones and pictures help. Smiling and not yelling help more. Lunch  is easy, a 5mm socket head cap screw is harder.

 

Agreed..    I've stupidly bitten already...    but with better thought - this thread is nothing more than a 'bob smith' type troll....    

 

...  why are we even giving this oxygen ?...   I'm out.

[HappyExpat57]

My spoken Thai is 50/50, my listening ability dismal. Not for lack of trying, some brains aren't wired for it.

 

Enter Google Translate free app. A real life saver for general use.

[NorthernRyland]

13 hours ago, still kicking said:

So you go to Spain for holidays, do you have to learn Spanish? 

OK, sorry I get what you mean. Yes a holiday resort area catering to tourists should obviously be speaking English. I read the OPs post as an expat who was living in Thailand and became annoyed overtime.

[youreavinalaff]

13 hours ago, Chris Daley said:

So you walk into a shop and there are younger staff or interns that speak perfect English but some old guy does the entire process.  Does this bother you?

 

I had to go through an entire eye check up at the opticians with some old crow.  She had zero English and at one point she just said "nevermind" in Thai.  Afterwards the assistant spoke to me in perfect English.

 

How about you?  Do you think we should fire the fossils and pay the young people with 2 degrees, 5 languages and masters more?

Learn to speak Thai and stop complaining. 

 

It's strange you've met a local who speaks "perfect English". In previous posts you've commented that you never meet anyone who does and they are all thick.

 

That's the problem with lying. When you lie, you have to remember what you've said. Tell the truth. It's far easier.

[youreavinalaff]

13 hours ago, still kicking said:

Why is that Thai-bashing? All my Thai family speaks English, he might live in a holiday resort.

I guess you are not aware of his posting history.

[youreavinalaff]

13 hours ago, still kicking said:

So you go to Spain for holidays, do you have to learn Spanish? 

The OP lives here. He has done for many years. He's an English teacher. 

[newbee2022]

15 hours ago, Chris Daley said:

So you walk into a shop and there are younger staff or interns that speak perfect English but some old guy does the entire process.  Does this bother you?

 

I had to go through an entire eye check up at the opticians with some old crow.  She had zero English and at one point she just said "nevermind" in Thai.  Afterwards the assistant spoke to me in perfect English.

 

How about you?  Do you think we should fire the fossils and pay the young people with 2 degrees, 5 languages and masters more?

I would enter another optician shop. 

[Kat Hao]

As an american, I am often surprised by the number of people that can speak some level of english.  It sure makes my travels easier, but that's pretty much where it should stop -- I have no right to expect people to speak english, no right at all.  

Even more so when we visit countries that are considered 2nd or 3rd world -- whatever those silly labels mean.  Why should you expect to visit a country in SE Asia, that is one of only 3 countries never to have been colonized by anyone, and have some expectation that people should speak your language?  Should the hospitality workers also speak Russian? Chinese?  German? French? Spanish? 
OK, if you book at a resort that caters to your language, OK, good for you.  But if you traveled all the way to Thailand to hear your native language spoken, it begs the question of why you left home in the first place.  Try traveling for the cultural experience, less anger and hostility over a language choice. 

[fredwiggy]

15 hours ago, Chris Daley said:

So you walk into a shop and there are younger staff or interns that speak perfect English but some old guy does the entire process.  Does this bother you?

 

I had to go through an entire eye check up at the opticians with some old crow.  She had zero English and at one point she just said "nevermind" in Thai.  Afterwards the assistant spoke to me in perfect English.

 

How about you?  Do you think we should fire the fossils and pay the young people with 2 degrees, 5 languages and masters more?

If you're in a tourist area, you might expect that at least some of the staff speaks English, and it would be in their best interest to have them, especially seeing the amount of foreigners here. 

 

The old "crow' (disrespectful) that did your processing might be an expert in the trade, with the other employees not knowing it as well as her, and they could be the ones that check you out for payment. 

 

I would much rather have some communication problems with an expert than one who speaks fluent English but isn't as skilled in the job, especially concerning eyes. 

 

They have been doing their jobs with the Thais for years where English wasn't necessary, so when they have an English speaking customer, it just takes a phone to communicate if any of the staff isn't proficient in English. 

 

I'm thinking you're the English teacher. If so, you should understand full well that most Thai English teachers here aren't very good at teaching English, and that's where you fit in. English is only necessary here if you're only dealing with English speaking foreigners. It does help if a worker can speak decent English if they have  English speaking customers. Remember how many other languages are spoken here by tourists and those living here. You can't expect all the shops and businesses workers to be fluent in all languages. The "fossils" are the ones who taught the other workers the trade unless they went to school. Living here you have to adjust the best you can.

[edwardflory]

"""Yes a holiday resort area catering to tourists should obviously be speaking English"""

 

Why not CHINESE, Japanese, Spanish, German or another language.  Why just English?

 

.... The 2 most spoken languages in the world, and much business is conducted mostly in ENGLISH and  CHINESE ....

 

My landlord does NOT speak English ( landlord of 3 years and village headman ) hello GOOGLE TRANSLATE. Works for both of us.

 

[Magictoad]

16 hours ago, Chris Daley said:

So you walk into a shop and there are younger staff or interns that speak perfect English but some old guy does the entire process.  Does this bother you?

 

I had to go through an entire eye check up at the opticians with some old crow.  She had zero English and at one point she just said "nevermind" in Thai.  Afterwards the assistant spoke to me in perfect English.

 

How about you?  Do you think we should fire the fossils and pay the young people with 2 degrees, 5 languages and masters more?

No. It doesn't bother me in the slightest. But I'm amused it bothers you. LOL

[Expat68]

Having lived in a small thai city in North Eastern Issaan for 14 years (non touristy) I had to learn a certain amount of Thai but I was quite shocked when I moved to a more touristy place (same size) some months in that they speak less English 

[Photoguy21]

16 hours ago, Chris Daley said:

So you walk into a shop and there are younger staff or interns that speak perfect English but some old guy does the entire process.  Does this bother you?

 

I had to go through an entire eye check up at the opticians with some old crow.  She had zero English and at one point she just said "nevermind" in Thai.  Afterwards the assistant spoke to me in perfect English.

 

How about you?  Do you think we should fire the fossils and pay the young people with 2 degrees, 5 languages and masters more?

Why don't you do the unthinkable and try learning Thai, it is after all the national language.

[Tomtomtom69]

16 hours ago, still kicking said:

So you go to Spain for holidays, do you have to learn Spanish? 

Ideally, yes, but not if you're in a tourist area with lots of foreign visitors, such as beach resort areas near the French border or Barcelona, Madrid or Malaga. 

[Tomtomtom69]

9 minutes ago, Expat68 said:

Having lived in a small thai city in North Eastern Issaan for 14 years (non touristy) I had to learn a certain amount of Thai but I was quite shocked when I moved to a more touristy place (same size) some months in that they speak less English 

 

I'm not shocked. Went to a popular Thai restaurant with mostly foreign customers in Bangkok. Place is housed inside a traditional Thai style building. While waitstaff do speak English, it's rather basic. They liked it that I can speak Thai.