IKEA Products Make Thai Shoppers Blush

[cardholder]

Groundsman at lords cricket ground was always michael (not mike) hunt when introduced on the tv coverage

It was also the name of an Anglia TV weatherman.

I always imagined the newsreaders link " And now, Mike Hunt with the weather"

or, at staff parties - "Has anyone seen Mike Hunt?"

[Thaddeus]

Don't forget Hugh Jass.

[Thaddeus]

And Ben Dover, and Ophelia Balls, and Violet Organ, and Mustapha We'll Leave That one There.

[7by7]

My Thai girlfriend's 6 year old son's Thai name sounds exactly like fuc_k, rather unfortunate I'm sure he gets away with it because we live in the backwoods of Issen but if he ever goes south he'll have to change it I think...

That's a rather common name (ฟัก) or nickname for young boys here, and in Thai, it means squash (pumpkin).

It was approaching the first halloween after my wife arrived in the UK to live and we were entering a well known supermarket who had a large display of pumpkins by the entrance. My wife says in a very loud voice "Oh, <deleted>.....!"

I went to school with a lad whose surname was Sprout, not common, but not that unusual, his parents were either as bright as a one watt bulb or had a very well honed sense of humour, they named him Russell.

There is a newsreader on BBC Radio 2 named Fenella Fudge. Some parents can be very cruel.

[Thaddeus]

My Thai girlfriend's 6 year old son's Thai name sounds exactly like fuc_k, rather unfortunate I'm sure he gets away with it because we live in the backwoods of Issen but if he ever goes south he'll have to change it I think...

That's a rather common name (ฟัก) or nickname for young boys here, and in Thai, it means squash (pumpkin).

It was approaching the first halloween after my wife arrived in the UK to live and we were entering a well known supermarket who had a large display of pumpkins by the entrance. My wife says in a very loud voice "Oh, <deleted>.....!"

I went to school with a lad whose surname was Sprout, not common, but not that unusual, his parents were either as bright as a one watt bulb or had a very well honed sense of humour, they named him Russell.

There is a newsreader on BBC Radio 2 named Fenella Fudge. Some parents can be very cruel.

I love Fenella Fudge, she has that silky smooth quality of voice that can not only tell you that you have been naughty, she can make you look forward to the punishment.

NURSE.

(Gawd, I'm stepping on Tutsi's toes now)

Edited June 7, 2012 by Thaddeus

[rubl]

In the Netherlands FIAT decided not to use the name 'rustica', probably same in the UK.

Still as urban legends go

"The story is that a female news anchor in Michigan asked a weather reporter on the air why it didn't snow as he had forecasted by asking him, "Where's that 8-inches you promised me last night.""

[jacnl2000]

It happens to the best of companies. Rolls Royce almost called one of their cars Silver Mist. Mist apparently translates in German as sh_t.

Sound like the Mazda Laputa, which I believe means 'whore' in Spanish

La puta - The Whore. Yep

No, no, no, no, no ....

Rapyuta (Japanese) - An Illusion (Dutch: luchtkasteel, German: Luftschloss, English: castle in the air, Spanish: castelo de areia, etc...).

[nurofiend]

In the Netherlands FIAT decided not to use the name 'rustica', probably same in the UK.

Still as urban legends go

"The story is that a female news anchor in Michigan asked a weather reporter on the air why it didn't snow as he had forecasted by asking him, "Where's that 8-inches you promised me last night.""

speaking of anchors, this clip is great... i love how it's not even a slip of the tongue, he just says it straight out and moves on like a boss

[media=]

[/media] Edited June 7, 2012 by nurofiend

[Skywalker69]

So how about the word "Porn" that I see everywhere in Thailand?

i think porn means something like blessed by Buddha

i heard that pinto (as in chevy pinto) means small dick in mexico

You mean like in Jatu(porn)?

[Skywalker69]

A bit off topic but it gave me a good chuckle today.

Coffee shop downstairs at the office has now some card to collect stamps for every coffee you buy. Ten stamps earn you a free coffee.

Coffee shop girl ask me... how you say sa-t䤤mp in English....

Sent from my Nexus S using Thaivisa Connect App

[Mosha]

My wife enjoys telling her friends what a Cow Pat is (Kao Phat) I magine my surprise the 1st time I was asked if I wanted Khao Pat.

[mca]

A bit off topic but it gave me a good chuckle today.

Coffee shop downstairs at the office has now some card to collect stamps for every coffee you buy. Ten stamps earn you a free coffee.

Coffee shop girl ask me... how you say sa-t䤤mp in English....

Sent from my Nexus S using Thaivisa Connect App

I had that once. A Thai girl asked me what the English word for chocolate was.

And, a few years ago, after watching a football match and ( without prompting) trying to crappily explain to my wife the meaning of "fluke" as in "fluke goal" being politely informed that Thais use "fluke" as well.

[draftvader]

The problem with the word "Ikea" sounding like an indecent word in Thai is down to pronounciation. I'm sure one of our Swedish contributors can correct me if I am wrong, but I dated a Swedish girl for a while in London and she told me that we all say it wrong. It is not:

Eye- Kea

but

Ic-kea

I'm not sure of the Thai word that it is an approximation of, but maybe knowing this pronounciation would help the Thais deal with this affront to their language? I'm sure somebody will let me know.

IKEA in Thailand uses/ promotes the original Swedish pronunciation (Ic-kea) as their name, rather than the British adaptation (Eye- Kea). However, some Thai people felt that “Ic-kea” just sounds too rude and suggested it should be called “Kuhn-kea” to be more polite...

Thank you for clearing that up. I have no idea about rude words in Thai. I make it my job to NOT learn them so I can't use them

[mca]

Many years ago when I used to smoke I was standing outside a convenience store having a quick drag and this semi- street guy looking geezer came past and indicated that he'd like one. Being a "generous" sort I gave him a couple and he walked off without a word of thanks muttering under his breath about "tight arsed westerners." I took it with a pinch of salt until he started mentioning my mother in less than savoury terms. I'm not having that from anybody so I stood up and said "What did you say you buffalo?"

He went absolutely ballistic.

We were at the side of a main road and much to the bemusement of the drivers waiting at the traffic lights the guy stood there shouting " I'm not a buffalo! I'm a human!"

Mad as the maddest man on mad day in mad land that one.

[chaoyang]

Then there the always popular Thai name:

Terdsak