7 minutes ago, JimCM said:

Maybe you have, I assume your partner is not Thai, or speaks fluent English.

One thing, if you don’t learn the language of your new country, you’ll never understand the nuances of the culture.

There are so manny resources to learn Thai easily, apps, YouTube etc.

 

What a load of tosh............🤣

8 minutes ago, transam said:

What a load of tosh............🤣

Damn ....... you're making too much sense today ...... another thumbs up!

2 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Lanna mainly.

Had trouble at the petrol station this morning, "e-yee-seep, nung roy baht cap" ..... the guy starts pointing at various options, probably Burmese.

 

I was at the petrol station too, I had no such issue. I just said "Eeeeee Twenteeeeee" and gave him six fingers while mouthing "six hundred"..

 

He understood me right away. Looked Burmese too.

2 hours ago, JimCM said:

 

Right then, lads. I’ve been watching the usual chorus of moaning about Thais, Thai ways, and “how things were better back in Blighty.” And it got me thinking: is it really Thailand that’s the problem… or is it you?

You’ve been here 10, 20, 30 years. You’ve got a house, a wife, maybe even a soi dog or two. But somehow you’ve managed to go that whole time without learning more Thai than “chang beer, two glass.” Not a single Thai male mate to your name (bar the motorbike taxi guy who pretends to know your football team). And yet you bash the country daily like it’s your job.

Here’s the question: have you lost your cultural identity? Or are you desperately clinging to some Union Jack beach towel of the past, shouting about warm ale and “proper sausages” as if it keeps you anchored?

Because honestly, you’re living in Thailand, but some of you still behave like you’re on extended leave from the local Wetherspoons. You don’t speak the language, you don’t understand the humour, and you treat the locals like background extras in your own little expat soap opera.

So - cultural identity check:

Are you genuinely part of Thai society?

Or are you just squatting in it, confused and homesick, while insisting you’re “well integrated” because you can eat som tam without crying?

 

As someone who’s worked in psychology, I can tell you this behaviour looks like a classic case of Expatus Stagnaticus - the tragic condition of men stuck between “old Blighty nostalgia” and “new Thai reality,” unable to move forward.

What do you reckon - have you found your identity here, or are you still wandering the Tesco aisle in Pattaya muttering about how much better baked beans used to taste back home, how there would be no migrant issues if the Krays were still alive?

As a Brit I would request my English breakfast every day and also start with "God save the King" every morning  (it's even suitable in Thailand). I would drive a "Mini" and complain about too many migrants, even I am one of those.

Then I woke up being happy to be a Limerick man.

7 minutes ago, JimCM said:

You mean you speak Laoatian now ?

Did you not know that the ASEAN countries voted to use English as their communication tool.

You have not heard of 'press 9 for English', yet.....?..🤭

 

Or is it you just want to look cool in front of Thai folk, who are probably taking the p_ss out of your Thai lingo.......😋

7 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

I was at the petrol station too, I had no such issue. I just said "Eeeeee Twenteeeeee" and gave him six fingers while mouthing "six hundred"..

 

He understood me right away. Looked Burmese too.

I don’t believe you don’t know the Thai word for 20.

Sip sam?

 

Song sip?

 

 

On the 'language' side of the subject.

 

Without question, knowing the local language makes life infinitely easier. Yet, there are many levels to that knowledge - from simply getting by to being able to express yourself clearly, even eloquently.

 

Any foreigner who makes the effort deserves credit. Thai is not an easy language to learn, and to be fair, it’s of limited use outside Thailand. But for those of us who live here, it’s the foreign language we encounter most often, and it shapes much of our daily interaction.

 

What I can’t agree with are those who make no effort at all, none whatsoever. Even a small attempt goes a long way. A few words, a basic greeting, or a polite phrase can completely change the way people respond to you. It’s a gesture of respect, in my view - a way of showing that we’re not just living in Thailand, but living with Thais.

 

At the end of the day, fluency isn’t the point. It’s the willingness to try, to bridge the gap, to show you care enough to meet people halfway. That effort often speaks louder than the words themselves.

6 minutes ago, JimCM said:

14 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

I was at the petrol station too, I had no such issue. I just said "Eeeeee Twenteeeeee" and gave him six fingers while mouthing "six hundred"..

 

He understood me right away. Looked Burmese too.

I don’t believe you don’t know the Thai word for 20.

 

Are you really surprised, though? Given his posting history, it’s entirely believable that he still hasn’t mastered counting to twenty in Thai. It fits perfectly with the consistently underwhelming intellectual standards he’s displayed across the forum....  

 

A true funny story, a German bloke comes to my watering hole, thinks he's the nuts, keeps telling everyone he's German......🙄

 

He hails to the lady, "my beer", so they all look at him, he calls again, "my beer", the lady calls back "Pepsi".............🤣

 

Oh, and he still turns up calling the same thing....😂

 

Those who understand a bit of Thai will understand....😉

8 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Are you really surprised, though? Given his posting history, it’s entirely believable that he still hasn’t mastered counting to twenty in Thai. It fits perfectly with the consistently underwhelming intellectual standards he’s displayed across the forum....  

 

20, 'yeeseep' in Central, 'Sow' in Lanna

Mmmmmm proper sausages, geez I miss them.

6 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

20, 'yeeseep' in Central, 'Sow' in Lanna

Also sow in Laos.

Just now, JimCM said:

Also sow in Laos.

Well, done..................

2 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Homesick ... NO ... just part of the human race, and happen to have a USA passport, with no allegiance to, or desire to return.  Just one of Earth's wanderers, though never alone, who for now, happened to have settled in TH.

Brilliant! 

22 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Are you really surprised, though? Given his posting history, it’s entirely believable that he still hasn’t mastered counting to twenty in Thai. It fits perfectly with the consistently underwhelming intellectual standards he’s displayed across the forum....  

 

 

And that fits perfectly with your posting history, Richard, the most boring, tedious and yet nasty and aggressive poster we have the misfortune to see on these boards. As for "intellectual" you wouldn't know it if it farted in your face.

 

Now, as for interacting with Thais, as you can tell I have mastered this art perfectly. The secret is not to debase yourself by speaking Thai. Anyone who can't speak the Queen's English is not someone I'd be interested in talking to anyway. Just because we're in Thailand, that's no excuse not to speak English.

1 hour ago, KhunLA said:

As I noted, 25+ yrs, have house, kid, wife, dog, BEVs, solar, and didn't bother learning more Thai language than I need.   No longer drink alcohol.

 

Culturally confused ... NO

Part of Thai society ... NO, just part of wife's family

 

Homesick ... NO ... just part of the human race, and happen to have a USA passport, with no allegiance to, or desire to return.  Just one of Earth's wanderers, though never alone, who for now, happened to have settled in TH.

 

Don't need to bash TH, and accept it's a 3rd world country with many modern things, thank you China, for those.

 

 

 

 

 

Goodness! I fear the Apocalypse is upon us, as I find myself in agreement with KhunLA.

 

I'm a professional expat. Thailand is hardly my first foreign port of call. I can adapt anywhere, but feel no need to assimilate. I'm an individual among 8.5 billion. I have learned a number of languages along the way, but that was out of need. I do not necessarily need fluent Thai. Enough to get by has been adequate.

 

Every country has good points and every country has bad points. An expat relishes the good and endures the bad. It's not hard. An expat's life tends to be better than locals everywhere, save perhaps for Monaco and Lichtenstein, where it might be on par, if not still better. An expat's life is blessed. I acknowledge that reality.

 

What works anywhere and everywhere is "be nice". Be polite. Be respectful. Learn enough culture so you don't make a gaffe, which could be unintended.

 

Life is short and there are many interesting places in this world to visit or live. Thailand is one such place. Some folks come, fall in love, and choose to stay for the duration. Personally, I have wanderlust, and like to get my fill of a place until someplace new captures my attention and has me moving there. My good fortune has given me the chance to experience many major cultures and live in places where all the world's major faiths took turns being predominant, from Christianity to Buddhism to Judaism to Islam to Hinduism. Each of those belief systems has shaped its culture. That has been an interesting study and quite entertaining.

 

The only complaints I have relate to the country of my birth, because it should be a lot better than it currently is. It's supposed predominant faith is Christianity, but current leaderships promotes a sum total of zero of the teachings of the Christian prophet (love, empathy & service). Instead it's "ME" or "MINE FIRST". They are "Christian" in name only, but are the polar opposite of everything Christ supposedly taught. I'm not religious, but I know hypocrisy when I see it, which is why I permanently left my home country.

Some very negative people in this pub.

The people who are always going on about how much better it was / is in their home country should go back to their country. If it is better don't stay in Thailand and be miserable. Go home and make your fellow countrymen miserable.

1 hour ago, JimCM said:

There are so manny resources to learn Thai easily, apps, YouTube etc.

 

 

2 hours ago, JimCM said:

Well, you’ve clearly done ann undergraduate in armchair diagnostics. Congratulations, Dr. Google.

 

Some would do well to try and master English.

 

You bear a stunning resemblance to another poster, who mangles English when he gets excited .

4 hours ago, JimCM said:

 

Right then, lads. I’ve been watching the usual chorus of moaning about Thais, Thai ways, and “how things were better back in Blighty.” And it got me thinking: is it really Thailand that’s the problem… or is it you?

You’ve been here 10, 20, 30 years. You’ve got a house, a wife, maybe even a soi dog or two. But somehow you’ve managed to go that whole time without learning more Thai than “chang beer, two glass.” Not a single Thai male mate to your name (bar the motorbike taxi guy who pretends to know your football team). And yet you bash the country daily like it’s your job.

Here’s the question: have you lost your cultural identity? Or are you desperately clinging to some Union Jack beach towel of the past, shouting about warm ale and “proper sausages” as if it keeps you anchored?

Because honestly, you’re living in Thailand, but some of you still behave like you’re on extended leave from the local Wetherspoons. You don’t speak the language, you don’t understand the humour, and you treat the locals like background extras in your own little expat soap opera.

So - cultural identity check:

Are you genuinely part of Thai society?

Or are you just squatting in it, confused and homesick, while insisting you’re “well integrated” because you can eat som tam without crying?

 

As someone who’s worked in psychology, I can tell you this behaviour looks like a classic case of Expatus Stagnaticus - the tragic condition of men stuck between “old Blighty nostalgia” and “new Thai reality,” unable to move forward.

What do you reckon - have you found your identity here, or are you still wandering the Tesco aisle in Pattaya muttering about how much better baked beans used to taste back home, how there would be no migrant issues if the Krays were still alive?

Yeah, after reading this, I am really confused. However, I am going to let it pass.

By far some of the most poorly written AI drivel I’ve seen dumped on here yet. For someone who claims to be a professional in psychology, this is an insult to basic intelligence. You’d think anyone supposedly educated could manage to string together a few coherent paragraphs without leaning on an LLM and ending up sounding like a bargain-bin chatbot spewing clichés while pretending to be witty. Absolute joke.

3 hours ago, MalcolmB said:

Most do not.

Most Thais in the UK speak English.

 

Is Brits are a very negative lot, love complaining, and we bring this part of our culture to share with the Thais.

You are a classic example of that.

I speak Thai, not as fluently as a Thai person but can hold conversations with Thais

A falang speaking Thai is still a falang, no matter what some may try to convince themselves. 

 

It is more how you respect others in Thailand - be them locals or foreigners - that counts in Thai society. 

 

Be polite and respectful to all and this starts and shows with your own body language. 

 

For the spoken part of language, the online translators and forthcomming translations with Ai will be fine to navigate around Thailand and the rest of the world. 

 

Welcome to the XXIst century. 

Admittedly, been here 36 years, read and speak Thai but still don't get Thai jokes and comedians (except for "Nose" Udom Taephanich). I have one Thai joke I use when presenting in Thai on stage, that She Who Must be Obeyed hates,

 

"Excuse me in advance if my tones are a bit flat, but my wife comes from Suphanburi."

ขออภัยล่วงหน้าหากน้ำเสียงของฉันเรียบไปหน่อย แต่ภรรยาฉันมาจากสุพรรณบุรี

 

I don't find it funny in the least, but it seems to make Thai audiences giggle and laugh.

Count me out. I'm not British.

I've been an expat for over 40 years working contracts around the world, and noticed early that Brits complain about every country they are in. Even Britain when they are there. 

Just now, SpaceKadet said:

Count me out. I'm not British.

I've been an expat for over 40 years working contracts around the world, and noticed early that Brits complain about every country they are in. Even Britain when they are there. 

Australians are worse!

4 minutes ago, SpaceKadet said:

Count me out. I'm not British.

I've been an expat for over 40 years working contracts around the world, and noticed early that Brits complain about every country they are in. Even Britain when they are there. 

 

The best, I just saw a video of Brits in Paris complaining about foreign scammers and beating them up,. 

 

You somehow can't see French guys taking a camera to film scammers in London and kicking them to the ground.

 

Brits have cojones, you gotta hand it to them.

2 hours ago, Cameroni said:

Sip sam?

 

Song sip?

 

 

 

You didn't have even the wit to check a translation app?

 

With your majestic, arrogant, ignorant self confidence, you just went straight ahead and made a complete **** of yourself.......but you're good at that.

 

 

One handed you have proven the OP accurate.

 

Well done.

 

 

1 hour ago, Cameroni said:

And that fits perfectly with your posting history, Richard, the most boring, tedious and yet nasty and aggressive poster we have the misfortune to see on these boards. As for "intellectual" you wouldn't know it if it farted in your face.

 

Now, as for interacting with Thais, as you can tell I have mastered this art perfectly. The secret is not to debase yourself by speaking Thai. Anyone who can't speak the Queen's English is not someone I'd be interested in talking to anyway. Just because we're in Thailand, that's no excuse not to speak English.

 

You mention 'nasty' and in the same post mention anyone speaking Thai is debasing themselves - once again showing your true colours... 

 

Well done - you 'farted' in your own face - yet again !!!...   not even sharp enough to see it...