Forcing Thais To Accept English

[Felix Lynn]

On the next Thailand Today,

Forcing Thais to accept English. Is it really that important for Thais to learn the international business language?

The good, the bad and Pattaya City News, bringing you news no one else dares to.

When air planes attack and pilots abandon their passengers.

All that and your email on the next Thailand Today, each weekday at five pm, midnight and five am.

http://www.radiobangkok.net

[The_Moog]

Does anyone find it as strange as I do that in all the shopping malls, the signeage of the shops is in western lettering.

Imagine if in every London shopping mall, all the shop signs were in hieroglyphics.

[Felix Lynn]

Does anyone find it as strange as I do that in all the shopping malls, the signeage of the shops is in western lettering.

Imagine if in every London shopping mall, all the shop signs were in hieroglyphics.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hehe...It's a double edged sword. It was debated in another thread, which actually gave me the idea for this discussion. I think that kind of thing can help Thais and the foreigners. If they want to learn English it can help. It's their choice but I think what Chris said in the other thread was valid.

Imagine your government wanting you to learn hieroglyphics? That would be downer.

[The_Moog]

I asked Mrs Moog, who said that the Thais were used to the western signeage and didn't mind.

...Now, I think that shows they're an intelligent nation.

This 'kit mark mai dee, puat hua' ...thing, I think is a feint. They're actually cleverer than us.

[ovenman]

I asked Mrs Moog, who said that the Thais were used to the western signeage and didn't mind.

I think that by now, the English language business signs have just become a normal part of the background. My question is what percentage of Thais that view such signs can actually comprehend them?

[Sir Burr]

My question is what percentage of Thais that view such signs can actually comprehend them?

Not many, unless accompanied by a picture.

[Pink Mist]

They teach english in schools in LOS, the only trouble is there is no backup with the actual spoken as we hear it lingo, yes maybe the idea would be to leave the movies in english and put thai subtitles in

[Guest endure]

I've got a fairly poorly educated friend in CM who can sit and read me any article out of the Bangkok Post. He has no idea what it means though.

[udon]

Does anyone find it as strange as I do that in all the shopping malls, the signeage of the shops is in western lettering.

Imagine if in every London shopping mall, all the shop signs were in hieroglyphics.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If the exchange rate were reversed in favour of Thais..... Yes.

[Pink Mist]

and the satang was worth $1

[think_too_mut]

Thais are a mature nation. Not like Papua New Guinea, Tuvalu or others.

Thais have 100% national crew on their planes (unlike Mynamar where it's all up to expats).

When Thais have foreigners among the crew, it's for convenience, same as Qantas or BA having Thais on flights to BKK.

To accept English as a biz language? I think they are already in it. Tens of thousands English teachers work in Thailand.

We may think of the only country where you can not speak English - France.

After that, we can talk how bad Thailand is within the coorinates.

[TizMe]

I've got a fairly poorly educated friend in CM who can sit and read me any article out of the Bangkok Post. He has no idea what it means though.

An ex-girlfriend's uncle was like that, I could dictate a message to him in english, he would write it down without understanding a word of it and then my ex would be able to read it and understand it. Of course his spelling was terrible, but his phonetic transcribing was amazing.

[chownah]

I've got a fairly poorly educated friend in CM who can sit and read me any article out of the Bangkok Post. He has no idea what it means though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

An ex-girlfriend's uncle was like that, I could dictate a message to him in english, he would write it down without understanding a word of it and then my ex would be able to read it and understand it. Of course his spelling was terrible, but his phonetic transcribing was amazing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What a completely useless skill!!! The sad thing about this is that many Thais probably think this guy knows English because he can do this...or at least think that it is a notable accomplishment.

[Pink Mist]

I've got a fairly poorly educated friend in CM who can sit and read me any article out of the Bangkok Post. He has no idea what it means though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

An ex-girlfriend's uncle was like that, I could dictate a message to him in english, he would write it down without understanding a word of it and then my ex would be able to read it and understand it. Of course his spelling was terrible, but his phonetic transcribing was amazing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What a completely useless skill!!! The sad thing about this is that many Thais probably think this guy knows English because he can do this...or at least think that it is a notable accomplishment.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

you know it probably is, I wouldnt mind being able to recite something from a document written in Thai

[Guest endure]

What a completely useless skill!!!  The sad thing about this is that many Thais probably think this guy knows English because he can do this...or at least think that it is a notable accomplishment.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's a function of the lack of conversational English teaching in the Thai education system.

[britmaveric]

Looking fwd to the PCN news update from Felix. Should be entertaining.

[Guest endure]

Looking fwd to the PCN news update from Felix. Should be entertaining.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Do you know how often he updates the archives? They only seem to go up to the end of August at the moment.

[britmaveric]

listen radio bkk and catch live!!!

[Guest endure]

listen radio bkk and catch live!!! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm never near a computer at the right time

[Felix Lynn]

listen radio bkk and catch live!!! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm never near a computer at the right time

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sorry about not updating the archives more regularly. We've been having some server issues in the land of smiles. This should all be sorted out soon and a regular update of archives will commence forthwith. Thanks for the interest. Regarding the live and repeat broadcasts of Thailand Today, that will be adjusted after numerous calls and complaints about the current timetable.

We are a work in progress and evolving. All your comments are noted and appreciated.

Thanks for the continued support Britmaveric!

[astral]

If you ask for a customs declaration form at the post office, for a parcel,

you will find it is in French.

The counter clerk will tell you it is English because of the Latin alaphabet that is used.

[Lars]

I was walking the dog one evening,sat down outside a 7-11 with a beer(for me,not the dog),thai guy asks if I speak english,I said "yes" and then he asked me if I knew any english language schools nearby,he said he wanted to improve his english.

English isn't my native language but even I could tell that his english was far from perfect however easily understandable,so I asked him why he wanted to go to school.

He then told me that he worked as an english teacher and had been doing so for years..

Don't remember at what age his students were,believe he said somewhere 10-15 y o.

Maybe starting by educating the teachers a bit better would be a good way of improving thai's ability to speak english(I'm pretty sure there are a lot of good teachers around too though).

[Pink Mist]

my Niece is an English teacher near Sakhon Nakhon, she has a Degree, and her english is perfect, so the guy you met??

[otherstuff1957]

The younger English teachers often speak better English than the older ones. However, schools seem to have a hard time holding on to them. The three best Thai English teachers I've known were young women. Two have emigrated - one to the US & the other to Australia - and the third got a better paying job in some industry.