So today I walk out to get lunch and I see in the central reservation of the road a small smoking fire. Lad prao rd, on the wood chip middle bit of the road. Most likely a cigarette butt smouldering away, but there was a small flame and looked like is was about to catch properly. So, on my walk home and about 20 mtr from the fire station, I thought I would pop in and let them know before it got out of hand. 10 minutes later I found someone

"Yes?"

"Fire!"

"Toilet?"

"No, mai chai, FIRE!"

"Toilet?"

shakes head "fire"

"Arrai?"

"FIRE.F-I -R -E Fire"

Fire man ignores.

I give a come hither gesture with finger. Slowly fireman responds and follows. I point.

"Ah, Fire!"

"yesssssssssssssssss Fire"

Not being funny, but I accept that maybe I should know the Thai for Fire, but I would have though that a farang walking into a fire station, saying Fire, might just have twigged something in the firemans head that there might be a fire somewhere.

Fy.

Well that is even worse then - with my accent saying Fy, and Fire would not sound that much different. Unless you are not saying Fire in Thai is Fy, but instead being very rude lol

Well that is even worse then - with my accent saying Fy, and Fire would not sound that much different. Unless you are not saying Fire in Thai is Fy, but instead being very rude lol

lol, no. one of those oddly similar words.

Did they do anything?

If you already knew how to say the BTS/electric train in Thai you already knew the word.

Anyway lucky you didn't walk into an army base.

Edit: or any train, electiricty, light.

The magic word would be "Fai Mai".

Now you only have to follow a course to pronounce it properly.

That's okay, the other day in a Bangkok restaurant I wanted some water with ice to go with my Padt Thai gai. I asked for "Nam Keng" The korean waitress took a little longer than expected and came back with a bowl of consome soup. I didn't question her interpretation for my request, but wondered how Thais would ask the same thing. Every time I've asked for Nam Keng in Chiang Mai the've brought me water and ice.

All you can do is smile... lost in translation.

Did they do anything?

Trundled along with a bucket of water after flicking his cigarette into, yes you guessed it, the central reservation a little down the line.

@Ian - where was this restaurant? lol

Did they do anything?

@Ian - where was this restaurant? lol

Down the road from the Great Residence hotel near Suvarnabuhmcrash. I've had great fun there in the past, but this year it was a bit dead.

LOL - I can see how easily this happens all over Thailand.

..... Hmmm there's a westerner walking towards me, what might he want?.... I know, he must need the bathroom.

FIRE !!!... doesn't sound like the word bathroom, I'll ask him, Toilet???.... Fire, hmmm doesn't sound like he said Toilet, I'll ask again..... this guy must be stupid, he's come in here wanting the bathroom and he can't even say 'Toilet' in English, or Hong Naam in Thai... I'll try again, TOILET?... No, Fire! come here... Oh, He wants to know if he can pee up against the wall or the station????... These foreigners are all crazy !!!!! ... Oh my word there is a Fire over there.. OK OK... The toilet is over there by the way !!!...

A few weeks ago at Dairy Home in saraburi (or near) i asked for orange juice, then confirmed orange juice when she clarified, well I waited for the orange juice, and it was only when other people asked 'who ordered the onion soup' that i realised we were not getting orange juice haha.

That's okay, the other day in a Bangkok restaurant I wanted some water with ice to go with my Padt Thai gai. I asked for "Nam Keng" The korean waitress took a little longer than expected and came back with a bowl of consome soup. I didn't question her interpretation for my request, but wondered how Thais would ask the same thing. Every time I've asked for Nam Keng in Chiang Mai the've brought me water and ice.

All you can do is smile... lost in translation.

Hmm..bizarre one. Wonder why? Is the soup pronounced similarly in anyway shape or form in Thai?

I do recall asking once for ข้าวสวย Khao Suay but obviously said it incorrectly because she thought i said ข้าวซอย Khao Soi. Thankfully she said they didnt have, and my surprised look caused her to ask me to repeat...or i wouldve got a bowl of khao soi for sure.. lol.

Pseudolus, are you from Barcelona?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DReJNvGlG70

That's okay, the other day in a Bangkok restaurant I wanted some water with ice to go with my Padt Thai gai. I asked for "Nam Keng" The korean waitress took a little longer than expected and came back with a bowl of consome soup. I didn't question her interpretation for my request, but wondered how Thais would ask the same thing. Every time I've asked for Nam Keng in Chiang Mai the've brought me water and ice.

All you can do is smile... lost in translation.

Hmm..bizarre one. Wonder why? Is the soup pronounced similarly in anyway shape or form in Thai?

I do recall asking once for ข้าวสวย Khao Suay but obviously said it incorrectly because she thought i said ข้าวซอย Khao Soi. Thankfully she said they didnt have, and my surprised look caused her to ask me to repeat...or i wouldve got a bowl of khao soi for sure.. lol.

Consomme soup is Nam Gaeng in Thai (น้ำแกง) so it does sound similar