My Refusal To Learn Thai

[monochaser]

I read this forum all the time and hear so many people speak proudly of their Thai speaking prowess. I've been here 6 years and I flat out refuse to learn or speak this language. It is kind of funny too because I am an American very fluent in Spanish. But Thai, no way pal, I won't make any effort whatsoever and let me tell you why:

1. I live in a BKK tourist area and never ever travel to rural areas or have any desire to ever do so. I travel to Pattaya and Phuket and that is it. I never ever need any Thai in these places. I read about a guy bragging about speaking Thai to a currency exchange person in the airport to help a friend get out of a problem. How ridiculous is that? Like an airport worker in that job can't speak English? Of course they can.

2. Also, I feel strongly that Thais need to speak English one heck of a lot more than I need to speak Thai. How on earth is knowing Thai going to help someone in this world? Thailand is spoken in an area the size of Oklahoma and Texas. Why bother with it? My speaking English to Thais can only help them to better understand this world language that is essential to them.

3. Farangs speaking Thai sound stupid. I'm talking they sound really really Kwailike. There is nothing funnier than watching a dumb farang speaking or attempting to speak Thai to Thai persons who speak perfect English. This is very amusing. I recall watching a guy try to tell a girl to meet him at 9am in Thai and she had no clue what he was saying. LOL. That was funny; finally I stepped in and told the girl that he wanted to meet her at 9 in morning and she said, 'oh, ok sure". Just another example of a farang looking like a fool moron trying to speak the language as if he needed to in the situation.

4. I speak my English to Thais in a way that they can understand. Being around for years and hearing Thais speak English for years, I know how they speak words and I do same so they understand me often.

In conclusion, I can understand very few basic Thai words like numbers and food items but have no desire to expand on that. Maybe I'm a perfectionist. Farangs were not meant to speak the language and sound like Kwais doing so

[daleyboy]

There is only one reason for learning to speak Thai. You obviously dont know what that reason is, well let me spell it out for you in plain English

R E S P E C T

For the country which you have made your home. I think you are probably the sterotypical American arent you, Big, fat obnoxious loud moron that wears socks and sandals at the same time has thighs so fat that they meet at the knees and thinks everyone should be there just to serve them. Well grow up, nobody is going to show you any respect with an attitude like that.

[taxexile]

Farangs speaking Thai sound stupid.

but not half as stupid as people speaking .........

............. English to Thais in a way that they can understand.  I know how they speak words and I do same so they understand me often.

[Tyree D.]

your real reasons:

1. I'm white and I am God's gift to the world and everybody has to conform to ME.

2. I am a sex tourist who only goes to the red-light district and hookers can speak English.

3. I am just too stupid.

I already can say, "bia Heineken nuun khrap" and "puuying thraww ray" that's all I need to know.

ฟักยุ

Edited November 13, 2005 by Tyree D.

[Sir Burr]

I speak Thai, not great, but, I can just about hold a conversation. Can't read or write though. Actually, I should know a lot more considering the time I've spent in Thailand.

In my experience, people who choose to learn Thai go through different stages:-

Stage 1 - You're learning the basics and are shy to try it out on Thais because it's hard for them to understand your incorrect tones and mangled pronunciation.

Stage 2 - Your Thai improves and you want to speak it with everybody, thus improving you Thai more and your ear for the language (probably the stage at which the OP ridiculed a farang speaking Thai).

Stage 3 - Your Thai isn't bad and you still want to speak Thai to everybody, especially within earshot of Farangs that can't speak Thai. Showing off a bit.

Stage 4 - You reach a plateau where to learn a bit more takes a lot of effort (idioms and colloquillisms).

You now always find out if the Thai person you want to converse with can speak English. If they can, that's the language you speak. If their English isn't good enough for the passing of the information you need, you switch to Thai. This way everyone saves face.

Stage 5 - Same as above, but you try not to let on that you can speak Thai at all if you are amongst strangers.

Daleyboy is right. Respect is a large part of it, but, it's also highly practical as well. A very usable skill. One that isn't as hard as everyone makes out. You just need to put in the time and effort.

Wonder what the OPs views are on Hispanics not learning English, but residing in the USA?

[sbk]

There is only one reason for learning to speak Thai. You obviously dont know what that reason is, well let me spell it out for you in plain English

R E S P E C T

For the country which you have made your home. I think you are probably the sterotypical American arent you, Big, fat obnoxious loud moron that wears socks and sandals at the same time has thighs so fat that they meet at the knees and thinks everyone should be there just to serve them. Well grow up, nobody is going to show you any respect with an attitude like that.

OOOH not fair. I hate it when Americans come on here and give the rest of us decent ones a bad name.

Well said Daleyboy. I'll bet this bozo is one of the first to be complaining about all the foreigners that come to the US and can't even speak English!

[gbt71fa]

There is only one reason for learning to speak Thai. You obviously dont know what that reason is, well let me spell it out for you in plain English

R E S P E C T

For the country which you have made your home. I think you are probably the sterotypical American arent you, Big, fat obnoxious loud moron that wears socks and sandals at the same time has thighs so fat that they meet at the knees and thinks everyone should be there just to serve them. Well grow up, nobody is going to show you any respect with an attitude like that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lay off with the "sterotypical American" crap, buddy. No sandals here. 6'2", 240lbs and the wieght room is playroom. There are about 280 million of us now. Enlighten him instead of attacking him or he will just stereotype you. You already lost an arguement if you have to resort to attacking a particular group of people. I am trying to learn Thai by the way. Just as I expect people to learn english when they come to my country, the Thai people should expect the same from us

[daleyboy]

There is only one reason for learning to speak Thai. You obviously dont know what that reason is, well let me spell it out for you in plain English

R E S P E C T

For the country which you have made your home. I think you are probably the sterotypical American arent you, Big, fat obnoxious loud moron that wears socks and sandals at the same time has thighs so fat that they meet at the knees and thinks everyone should be there just to serve them. Well grow up, nobody is going to show you any respect with an attitude like that.

Lay off with the "sterotypical American" crap, buddy. No sandals here. 6'2", 240lbs and the wieght room is playroom. There are about 280 million of us now. Enlighten him instead of attacking him or he will just stereotype you. You already lost an arguement if you have to resort to attacking a particular group of people. I am trying to learn Thai by the way. Just as I expect people to learn english when they come to my country, the Thai people should expect the same from us

You obviousy didnt understand the English in my post. I not once mentioned that all Americans were like that, i just said HE was.

And who is attacking who here anyway?

I merely pointed out that unfortunately it is people like the op that give the stereotype to the rest of the perfectly decent Americans, so rather than having a pop at me why not say something to the person who is actually giving your country its bad name.

As for the fat comment unfortunatey it isnt just a comment it is fact, so i actually have a 20% chance of being spot on with that comment, and probably with the attitude the op shows i reckon he will be one of the 20%. Too lazy to learn the language what else is he too lazy to do?

Number of 'extremely obese' Americans at 4-million

By Associated Press

Published October 14, 2003

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHICAGO - Americans are not just getting fatter, they are ballooning to extremely obese proportions at an alarming rate.

The number of extremely obese American adults - those who are at least 100 pounds overweight - has quadrupled since the 1980s to about 4-million. That is about one in every 50 adults.

Extreme obesity once was thought to be a rare, distinct condition whose prevalence remained relatively steady over time. The new study contradicts that thinking and suggests it is at least partly because of the same kinds of behavior - overeating and underactivity - that have contributed to the epidemic number of Americans with less severe weight problems.

The findings by a RAND Corp. researcher show the number of extremely obese adults has surged twice as fast as the number of less severely obese adults.

On the scale of obesity, "as the whole population shifts to the right, the extreme categories grow the fastest," said RAND economist Roland Sturm. He added: "These people have the highest health care costs."

Sturm said health problems associated with obesity - including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and arthritis - probably affect the extremely obese disproportionately and at young ages.

Sturm analyzed annual telephone surveys conducted nationwide by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His report covers surveys from 1986 through 2000. The findings appeared in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine.

In 1986, one in 200 adults reported height and weight measurements reflecting extreme obesity, or a body-mass index of at least 40. By 2000 that had jumped to one in 50, Sturm found.

The prevalence of the most extreme obesity, people with a BMI of at least 50, grew from one in 2,000 to one in 400, Sturm said. By contrast, ordinary obesity - a BMI of 30 to 35 - doubled, from about one in 10 to one in 5, based on the same surveys.

Body-mass index is a ratio of height to weight.

Americans tend to understate their weight, and a recent study based on actual measurements found an obesity rate of nearly one in three, or almost 59-million people. Sturm said his findings probably understate the problem for the same reason.

The average man with a BMI of 40 in Sturm's study was 5 feet 10 and 300 pounds; the average woman was 5 feet 4, 250 pounds.

Dr. Mary Vernon, a trustee of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians, said the study reflects what doctors who specialize in treating obesity are seeing in their offices. Vernon said the number of her patients weighing 300 to 350 pounds or so has doubled in the past several years.

She said thinking has evolved from a generation ago, when many doctors believed extreme obesity was because of hormonal abnormalities or other distinct conditions. Now many believe it is a combination of lifestyle factors and genetics, as well as a propensity for some people's bodies to be hyperefficient at storing calories. This tendency would benefit people in societies where starvation is rampant, but is a problem in countries where food is plentiful and lifestyles are more sedentary, Vernon said.

Taken from

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/10/14/Worldand...xtremely_.shtml

So gbt dont see this as a personal attack on you, rather the person that is giving you country a bad name, just like the football hooligan gives my country a bad name, but rather than have a go at everyone that says all people from the uk are like that i will have a go at the peolpe that make others believe this. If that makes any sense

Edited November 13, 2005 by daleyboy

[taxexile]

uk said

  loud

usa said

Lay off with the "sterotypical American" crap, buddy.

uk said

  Big

usa said

6'2", 240lbs

uk said

thighs

usa said

the wieght room is playroom.

3 out of 3 daleyboy !!!!

got him !!! well done

[daleyboy]

uk said   

  loud

usa said

Lay off with the "sterotypical American" crap, buddy.

uk said

  Big

usa said

6'2", 240lbs

uk said

thighs

usa said

the wieght room is playroom.

3 out of 3 daleyboy !!!!

got him !!! well done

Excellent matey, very funny.

[sbk]

Actually, I tend to agree with what daleyboy said here, and I am American. He was pointing out that the OP, by being such an eogcentric self-centered arrogant person, was merely reinforcing an unfortunate stereotype of Americans that, although not necessarily true, is a widely held belief.

[daleyboy]

Actually, I tend to agree with what daleyboy said here, and I am American. He was pointing out that  the OP, by being such an eogcentric self-centered arrogant person, was merely reinforcing an unfortunate stereotype of Americans that, although not necessarily true, is a widely held belief.

Exactly what i was trying to say. Put far more succinctly than i could have posted.Thanks sbk

[DJ Pat]

I travel to Pattaya and Phuket and that is it. I never ever need any Thai in these places.

You don't belong on this forum, then.

[Auntie Dah]

Some people think it is fun to learn to do something difficult like speak thai, get to see the world a new way. Thai people usually have warm feeling for this, like watchiing a little kid talking to adults. We never think little kids are stupid to try to speak.

[chownah]

:cheesy:

[daleyboy]

At the end of the day, the way i see it is, if you make the effort you are shown far more respect than the person who thinks the louder they shout the easier they will be understood (that dosent work by the way)

I am happy to admit my Thai is terrible, but i try and i think thats what makes the difference. I will never be able to speak perfect Thai, but at least i try.

Even if i am seen with a phrase book because i dont speak fluent Thai, i am not embarressed by this, it just shows i am trying to communicate.

The Thais i try to speak Thai too laugh and we have fun together trying out each others languages.

[lomatopo]

There is only one reason for learning to speak Thai. You obviously dont know what that reason is, well let me spell it out for you in plain English

R E S P E C T

For the country which you have made your home. I think you are probably the sterotypical American arent you, Big, fat obnoxious loud moron that wears socks and sandals at the same time has thighs so fat that they meet at the knees and thinks everyone should be there just to serve them. Well grow up, nobody is going to show you any respect with an attitude like that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

daleyboy Honestly, you should have ended your post with the Aretha Franklin impersonation,

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Find out what it means to me

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Take care, TCB

and you would have made your point, brilliantly and succinctly. But no, you couldn’t resist that devilish urge to insult the OP with childish remarks (“Big, fat obnoxious loud moron”; was there a five-for-one sale today!), and yes you did insult all Americans with your stereotypical remarks. Twenty percent accuracy might be acceptable in some lines of work but it does fall short when trying to present a reasonable argument or point of view.

I’d suggest that it is you who should re-consider how respectful they are to others. I saw nothing but disrespect in your comments. Is that irony?

Main Entry: 2stereotype

Function: noun

Etymology: French stéréotype, from stéré- stere- + type

1 : a plate cast from a printing surface

2 : something conforming to a fixed or general pattern; especially : a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment

[daleyboy]

There is only one reason for learning to speak Thai. You obviously dont know what that reason is, well let me spell it out for you in plain English

R E S P E C T

For the country which you have made your home. I think you are probably the sterotypical American arent you, Big, fat obnoxious loud moron that wears socks and sandals at the same time has thighs so fat that they meet at the knees and thinks everyone should be there just to serve them. Well grow up, nobody is going to show you any respect with an attitude like that.

daleyboy Honestly, you should have ended your post with the Aretha Franklin impersonation,

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Find out what it means to me

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Take care, TCB

and you would have made your point, brilliantly and succinctly. But no, you couldn’t resist that devilish urge to insult the OP with childish remarks (“Big, fat obnoxious loud moron”; was there a five-for-one sale today!), and yes you did insult all Americans with your stereotypical remarks. Twenty percent accuracy might be acceptable in some lines of work but it does fall short when trying to present a reasonable argument or point of view.

I’d suggest that it is you who should re-consider how respectful they are to others. I saw nothing but disrespect in your comments. Is that irony?

Main Entry: 2stereotype

Function: noun

Etymology: French stéréotype, from stéré- stere- + type

1 : a plate cast from a printing surface

2 : something conforming to a fixed or general pattern; especially : a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment

I will only show respect to those that have either earned it or deserve it, the op dosent fit into either category.

Definition of irony

n 1: witty language used to convey insults or scorn; "he used sarcasm to upset his opponent"; "irony is wasted on the stupid";

taken from dictionary.com

So yes you are right it is rather ironic dont you think? I did in fact use language to both insult and scorn, and unfortunately it will be wasted on the stupid.

By the way quote your sources if you put them on a public forum, its bad manners not to. Thats Sarcasm by the way

[lomatopo]

I will only show respect to those that have either earned it or deserve it, the op dosent fit into either category.

OK, there are ~ 295 million Americans, and your comments showed disrespect for them as well, or maybe just 59 million applying your 20% factor. I understand that most of them are unable to earn your respect, but do they deserve it? Or did they all do something, other than being American, which causes them to be undeserving?

I do think it is ironic that you would be so disrespectful to the OP while imploring them to be respectful. Your comments came across as anything but witty. They sounded narrow, petty and infantile, but certainly not witty.

The lack of attribution on the use of the definition of ‘stereotype’ is a point well-taken. It was from www.m-w.com , and it was lazy of me not to have noticed it was missing.

[siamesekitty]

I agree that it's better to learn the language of the country you are living in, not only just the respect issue, but also for your own benefit. Wouldn't it be more advantageous to understand what people around you are saying, and to be literate?

However I don't believe we should make assumptions about people we don't know, especially ones that just drag in the common stereotypes, even if they could be true. Calling people names isn't irony or sarcasm. Witty comments made subtly but hit the bull's-eye are.

I'm sorry, I just don't think that "Big, fat obnoxious loud moron that wears socks and sandals at the same time has thighs so fat that they meet at the knees and thinks everyone should be there just to serve them." bit was imrpessively creative or classy.

It's also brought this discussion

[Jeff1]

There is only one reason for learning to speak Thai. You obviously dont know what that reason is, well let me spell it out for you in plain English

R E S P E C T

For the country which you have made your home. I think you are probably the sterotypical American arent you, Big, fat obnoxious loud moron that wears socks and sandals at the same time has thighs so fat that they meet at the knees and thinks everyone should be there just to serve them. Well grow up, nobody is going to show you any respect with an attitude like that.

I dont think that was called for DB , however the OP's post was a narrow minded and dumb thing to say .

[gburns57au]

Personally because I have bothered to learn Thai, I have been able to help guys with their ladies, many men find themselves with a girl who speaks little or no English, I have also helped guys here with translating letters and writing letters for them.

By learning to read and write Thai I have become a little more independant when in Thailand and dont have to rely on a Thai to get around.

It also means that I can talk to my partners family.

I find all these are good reasons for learning.

When I brought my ex here, a friend of mine asked her a question and I duly translated, He then said "let her speak for herself" when I explained that she couldnt speak English he asked " how can you have a relationship with someone you cant communicate with" ....... It took a while for it to sink in that I could communicate with her, just not in English.

[monochaser]

your real reasons:

1.  I'm white and I am God's gift to the world and everybody has to conform to ME.

2.  I am a sex tourist who only goes to the red-light district and hookers can speak English.

3.  I am just too stupid.

I already can say, "bia Heineken nuun khrap" and "puuying thraww ray"  that's all I need to know.

ฟักยุ

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

you're a real model tourist there Mr T, the one who boasts of "cracking a Thai virgin" and shagging multiple Thai girls for "free"

[OxfordWill]

I think taxexile also had it perfect in his first reply - nothing sounds more funny than a farang speaking what THEY think is 'the right kind of english' to a Thai.

[britmaveric]

Arrogant &lt;deleted&gt; comes to mind for some reason.

[gbt71fa]

There is only one reason for learning to speak Thai. You obviously dont know what that reason is, well let me spell it out for you in plain English

R E S P E C T

For the country which you have made your home. I think you are probably the sterotypical American arent you, Big, fat obnoxious loud moron that wears socks and sandals at the same time has thighs so fat that they meet at the knees and thinks everyone should be there just to serve them. Well grow up, nobody is going to show you any respect with an attitude like that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lay off with the "sterotypical American" crap, buddy. No sandals here. 6'2", 240lbs and the wieght room is playroom. There are about 280 million of us now. Enlighten him instead of attacking him or he will just stereotype you. You already lost an arguement if you have to resort to attacking a particular group of people. I am trying to learn Thai by the way. Just as I expect people to learn english when they come to my country, the Thai people should expect the same from us

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You obviousy didnt understand the English in my post. I not once mentioned that all Americans were like that, i just said HE was.

And who is attacking who here anyway?

I merely pointed out that unfortunately it is people like the op that give the stereotype to the rest of the perfectly decent Americans, so rather than having a pop at me why not say something to the person who is actually giving your country its bad name.

As for the fat comment unfortunatey it isnt just a comment it is fact, so i actually have a 20% chance of being spot on with that comment, and probably with the attitude the op shows i reckon he will be one of the 20%. Too lazy to learn the language what else is he too lazy to do?

Number of 'extremely obese' Americans at 4-million

By Associated Press

Published October 14, 2003

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHICAGO - Americans are not just getting fatter, they are ballooning to extremely obese proportions at an alarming rate.

The number of extremely obese American adults - those who are at least 100 pounds overweight - has quadrupled since the 1980s to about 4-million. That is about one in every 50 adults.

Extreme obesity once was thought to be a rare, distinct condition whose prevalence remained relatively steady over time. The new study contradicts that thinking and suggests it is at least partly because of the same kinds of behavior - overeating and underactivity - that have contributed to the epidemic number of Americans with less severe weight problems.

The findings by a RAND Corp. researcher show the number of extremely obese adults has surged twice as fast as the number of less severely obese adults.

On the scale of obesity, "as the whole population shifts to the right, the extreme categories grow the fastest," said RAND economist Roland Sturm. He added: "These people have the highest health care costs."

Sturm said health problems associated with obesity - including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and arthritis - probably affect the extremely obese disproportionately and at young ages.

Sturm analyzed annual telephone surveys conducted nationwide by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His report covers surveys from 1986 through 2000. The findings appeared in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine.

In 1986, one in 200 adults reported height and weight measurements reflecting extreme obesity, or a body-mass index of at least 40. By 2000 that had jumped to one in 50, Sturm found.

The prevalence of the most extreme obesity, people with a BMI of at least 50, grew from one in 2,000 to one in 400, Sturm said. By contrast, ordinary obesity - a BMI of 30 to 35 - doubled, from about one in 10 to one in 5, based on the same surveys.

Body-mass index is a ratio of height to weight.

Americans tend to understate their weight, and a recent study based on actual measurements found an obesity rate of nearly one in three, or almost 59-million people. Sturm said his findings probably understate the problem for the same reason.

The average man with a BMI of 40 in Sturm's study was 5 feet 10 and 300 pounds; the average woman was 5 feet 4, 250 pounds.

Dr. Mary Vernon, a trustee of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians, said the study reflects what doctors who specialize in treating obesity are seeing in their offices. Vernon said the number of her patients weighing 300 to 350 pounds or so has doubled in the past several years.

She said thinking has evolved from a generation ago, when many doctors believed extreme obesity was because of hormonal abnormalities or other distinct conditions. Now many believe it is a combination of lifestyle factors and genetics, as well as a propensity for some people's bodies to be hyperefficient at storing calories. This tendency would benefit people in societies where starvation is rampant, but is a problem in countries where food is plentiful and lifestyles are more sedentary, Vernon said.

Taken from

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/10/14/Worldand...xtremely_.shtml

So gbt dont see this as a personal attack on you, rather the person that is giving you country a bad name, just like the football hooligan gives my country a bad name, but rather than have a go at everyone that says all people from the uk are like that i will have a go at the peolpe that make others believe this. If that makes any sense

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If it wasn't for us fat Americans you would be speaking german and goose stepping up and down Trafalgar Square. We kicked your butt twice and had to save it twice...that was worth a couple hundred thousand lives...

[Glauka]

I read this forum all the time and hear so many people speak proudly of their Thai speaking prowess. I've been here 6 years and I flat out refuse to learn or speak this language. It is kind of funny too because I am an American very fluent in Spanish. But Thai, no way pal, I won't make any effort whatsoever and let me tell you why:

1. I live in a BKK tourist area and never ever travel to rural areas or have any desire to ever do so. I travel to Pattaya and Phuket and that is it. I never ever need any Thai in these places. I read about a guy bragging about speaking Thai to a currency exchange person in the airport to help a friend get out of a problem. How ridiculous is that? Like an airport worker in that job can't speak English? Of course they can.

2. Also, I feel strongly that Thais need to speak English one heck of a lot more than I need to speak Thai. How on earth is knowing Thai going to help someone in this world? Thailand is spoken in an area the size of Oklahoma and Texas. Why bother with it? My speaking English to Thais can only help them to better understand this world language that is essential to them.

3. Farangs speaking Thai sound stupid. I'm talking they sound really really Kwailike. There is nothing funnier than watching a dumb farang speaking or attempting to speak Thai to Thai persons who speak perfect English. This is very amusing. I recall watching a guy try to tell a girl to meet him at 9am in Thai and she had no clue what he was saying. LOL. That was funny; finally I stepped in and told the girl that he wanted to meet her at 9 in morning and she said, 'oh, ok sure". Just another example of a farang looking like a fool moron trying to speak the language as if he needed to in the situation.

4. I speak my English to Thais in a way that they can understand. Being around for years and hearing Thais speak English for years, I know how they speak words and I do same so they understand me often.

In conclusion, I can understand very few basic Thai words like numbers and food items but have no desire to expand on that. Maybe I'm a perfectionist. Farangs were not meant to speak the language and sound like Kwais doing so

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The first time a came to thailand it was just for a month...because of personal problems I thought " ok, glauka just go to that exotic country enjoy the beaches and relax..." what I did not know was how easy was to make friends with thai people.

One week later I knew a lot people of the place I was staying ( the ones that could speak english)...

However I used to eat Kuai ti ao every morning for breakfast. The woman at the little shop could not speak english either so at the beggining everything was by gestures...

The woman seem really nice but we could not comunicate...this lack of comunication was very annoying by the third day...I wanted to talk to that woman that seem so nice...I wanted to know her name, where she came from...and many other thinks... So that afternoon i bough a notepad and I started to learn thai...

When I left Thailand I knew her name, where she came from and I could ask for my food in Thai...

Also i met far more people because they found amusing my interest to learn their language...everybody one to teach me something...

People is what makes a country...if you cannot talk to them you are missing too much...

[Glauka]

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If it wasn't for us fat Americans you would be speaking german and goose stepping up and down Trafalgar Square. We kicked your butt twice and had to save it twice...that was worth a couple hundred thousand lives...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

do not start with those kind of post...I am Spanish...Think about what I could replay to you...I give you a clue...1492

I am not proud of that date but just think about it...

Edited November 13, 2005 by Glauka

[gbt71fa]

There is only one reason for learning to speak Thai. You obviously dont know what that reason is, well let me spell it out for you in plain English

R E S P E C T

For the country which you have made your home. I think you are probably the sterotypical American arent you, Big, fat obnoxious loud moron that wears socks and sandals at the same time has thighs so fat that they meet at the knees and thinks everyone should be there just to serve them. Well grow up, nobody is going to show you any respect with an attitude like that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lay off with the "sterotypical American" crap, buddy. No sandals here. 6'2", 240lbs and the wieght room is playroom. There are about 280 million of us now. Enlighten him instead of attacking him or he will just stereotype you. You already lost an arguement if you have to resort to attacking a particular group of people. I am trying to learn Thai by the way. Just as I expect people to learn english when they come to my country, the Thai people should expect the same from us

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You obviousy didnt understand the English in my post. I not once mentioned that all Americans were like that, i just said HE was.

And who is attacking who here anyway?

I merely pointed out that unfortunately it is people like the op that give the stereotype to the rest of the perfectly decent Americans, so rather than having a pop at me why not say something to the person who is actually giving your country its bad name.

As for the fat comment unfortunatey it isnt just a comment it is fact, so i actually have a 20% chance of being spot on with that comment, and probably with the attitude the op shows i reckon he will be one of the 20%. Too lazy to learn the language what else is he too lazy to do?

Number of 'extremely obese' Americans at 4-million

By Associated Press

Published October 14, 2003

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CHICAGO - Americans are not just getting fatter, they are ballooning to extremely obese proportions at an alarming rate.

The number of extremely obese American adults - those who are at least 100 pounds overweight - has quadrupled since the 1980s to about 4-million. That is about one in every 50 adults.

Extreme obesity once was thought to be a rare, distinct condition whose prevalence remained relatively steady over time. The new study contradicts that thinking and suggests it is at least partly because of the same kinds of behavior - overeating and underactivity - that have contributed to the epidemic number of Americans with less severe weight problems.

The findings by a RAND Corp. researcher show the number of extremely obese adults has surged twice as fast as the number of less severely obese adults.

On the scale of obesity, "as the whole population shifts to the right, the extreme categories grow the fastest," said RAND economist Roland Sturm. He added: "These people have the highest health care costs."

Sturm said health problems associated with obesity - including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and arthritis - probably affect the extremely obese disproportionately and at young ages.

Sturm analyzed annual telephone surveys conducted nationwide by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His report covers surveys from 1986 through 2000. The findings appeared in Monday's Archives of Internal Medicine.

In 1986, one in 200 adults reported height and weight measurements reflecting extreme obesity, or a body-mass index of at least 40. By 2000 that had jumped to one in 50, Sturm found.

The prevalence of the most extreme obesity, people with a BMI of at least 50, grew from one in 2,000 to one in 400, Sturm said. By contrast, ordinary obesity - a BMI of 30 to 35 - doubled, from about one in 10 to one in 5, based on the same surveys.

Body-mass index is a ratio of height to weight.

Americans tend to understate their weight, and a recent study based on actual measurements found an obesity rate of nearly one in three, or almost 59-million people. Sturm said his findings probably understate the problem for the same reason.

The average man with a BMI of 40 in Sturm's study was 5 feet 10 and 300 pounds; the average woman was 5 feet 4, 250 pounds.

Dr. Mary Vernon, a trustee of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians, said the study reflects what doctors who specialize in treating obesity are seeing in their offices. Vernon said the number of her patients weighing 300 to 350 pounds or so has doubled in the past several years.

She said thinking has evolved from a generation ago, when many doctors believed extreme obesity was because of hormonal abnormalities or other distinct conditions. Now many believe it is a combination of lifestyle factors and genetics, as well as a propensity for some people's bodies to be hyperefficient at storing calories. This tendency would benefit people in societies where starvation is rampant, but is a problem in countries where food is plentiful and lifestyles are more sedentary, Vernon said.

Taken from

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/10/14/Worldand...xtremely_.shtml

So gbt dont see this as a personal attack on you, rather the person that is giving you country a bad name, just like the football hooligan gives my country a bad name, but rather than have a go at everyone that says all people from the uk are like that i will have a go at the peolpe that make others believe this. If that makes any sense

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alright, you just got me riled up. I apologize. But really it is "soccer" hooligans. Football is an American sport where 330lb men can toss around minivans.

[gbt71fa]

I read this forum all the time and hear so many people speak proudly of their Thai speaking prowess. I've been here 6 years and I flat out refuse to learn or speak this language. It is kind of funny too because I am an American very fluent in Spanish. But Thai, no way pal, I won't make any effort whatsoever and let me tell you why:

1. I live in a BKK tourist area and never ever travel to rural areas or have any desire to ever do so. I travel to Pattaya and Phuket and that is it. I never ever need any Thai in these places. I read about a guy bragging about speaking Thai to a currency exchange person in the airport to help a friend get out of a problem. How ridiculous is that? Like an airport worker in that job can't speak English? Of course they can.

2. Also, I feel strongly that Thais need to speak English one heck of a lot more than I need to speak Thai. How on earth is knowing Thai going to help someone in this world? Thailand is spoken in an area the size of Oklahoma and Texas. Why bother with it? My speaking English to Thais can only help them to better understand this world language that is essential to them.

3. Farangs speaking Thai sound stupid. I'm talking they sound really really Kwailike. There is nothing funnier than watching a dumb farang speaking or attempting to speak Thai to Thai persons who speak perfect English. This is very amusing. I recall watching a guy try to tell a girl to meet him at 9am in Thai and she had no clue what he was saying. LOL. That was funny; finally I stepped in and told the girl that he wanted to meet her at 9 in morning and she said, 'oh, ok sure". Just another example of a farang looking like a fool moron trying to speak the language as if he needed to in the situation.

4. I speak my English to Thais in a way that they can understand. Being around for years and hearing Thais speak English for years, I know how they speak words and I do same so they understand me often.

In conclusion, I can understand very few basic Thai words like numbers and food items but have no desire to expand on that. Maybe I'm a perfectionist. Farangs were not meant to speak the language and sound like Kwais doing so

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You have just embarrassed the crap out of me, as an American. The good thing about America is that everybody has the god-given right to make a complete ass of themselves. I'm so glad I spent five years in the military crushing the enemies of my country just so you could go make more...in a land that bends over backwards to accomodate you...stop or please, change your citizenship to France!