Thai Prime Minister Speaking In English (Vid)

[sirineou]

As a side note, at first I laughed when she said climate change is the most urgent/critical issue facing her leadership.

However from a big-picture POV she may well be right, the importance of whether or not big brother returns certainly is unimportant in comparison.

Link to a relevant recent article

Related TED talk:

!

Nice to see a fellow TEDster aboard. a very chilling assessment presented in this TED talk

Yingluck was correct to think that global warming is and will be the biggest challenge that she and those following her would have to face.

It is sad that she understands that at this point the best she can do is manage the situation,

but as they say on the airplane, :when the oxygen masks come down, place the mask over your face before attempting to help some one else"

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Oh and there's no need to doubt my grasp of the English language. It's somewhat superior to yours as evidenced by my knowledge of correct comma placement

[sirineou]

HardenedSoul, on Today, 05:23 , said:The problem isn't her English; she has a decent enough vocabulary.

She understands the questions perfectly well; she just doesn't know the answers.

sirineou, on 28 minutes ago, said: Which questions did you think she did not know the answers to. and in your opinion what would you think would have being the correct answer?

HardenedSoul, , said: I didn't need to know the answers to realise she was winging it. Did you?

If she was " Winging it" then I think she did pretty good,

So I will ask the question again,

Which question did you think she was "Winging" and what in your opinion would have being a better answer?

and keep in mind that you , have a better command of the English language (we hope), already know the questions, and have time to think of answers, and have an edit button.

Ok. get set.... ready......

GO.

Oi ! Stop being a <Snip!>.

I'm neither an expert on Thailand nor the solutions to the challenges it faces so I don't know the answers to those questions.

I do, however, know when someone else doesn't know the answer either and waffles their way through.

Oh and there's no need to doubt my grasp of the English language. It's somewhat superior to yours as evidenced by my knowledge of correct comma placement

correct coma placements, but not the fact that realize is spelled with a "Z" and not as "S"

people who live in glass houses should not throw stones"

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Johnny, do you ever find anything not to defend about Thailand?

No idea what you think I was "defending"; did I say her English is good? In fact I seem to be one of the few that think the whole thing was scripted, which is being more critical than most, not less.

But more to the point, I was simply answering the question, someone asked "Why it is her English so bad?" and I gave what I thought was a reasonable answer. It's true I hadn't thought of wealthy Thais bringing along proxy students to write their papers and pass their exams, of course entirely possible I don't know, personally I don't think Kentucky University would require such efforts but. . .

I also happen to think high-level English skills are completely irrelevant to being an effective politician in Thailand.

Please don't interpret that to mean I think Yingluck is one either.

Common, brother.

What's that supposed to mean?

What about all the other millions of people who speak primarily their first language but who speak a second language, like English, far better than she can? And, these are people without "advanced" degrees attained in second languages...

What about them?

Yes her English sucks, her degree's a joke and what? I don't think we're disagreeing about anything.

I just don't happen to think any of what we're agreeing about is relevant to anything I care about.

Doesn't mean I'm "defending" or "apologizing" for anything, stop putting words in my mouth.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

correct coma placements, but not the fact that realize is spelled with a "Z" and not as "S"

people who live in glass houses should not throw stones"

FYI love

[Soutpeel]

HardenedSoul, on Today, 05:23 , said:The problem isn't her English; she has a decent enough vocabulary.

She understands the questions perfectly well; she just doesn't know the answers.

sirineou, on 28 minutes ago, said: Which questions did you think she did not know the answers to. and in your opinion what would you think would have being the correct answer?

HardenedSoul, , said: I didn't need to know the answers to realise she was winging it. Did you?

If she was " Winging it" then I think she did pretty good,

So I will ask the question again,

Which question did you think she was "Winging" and what in your opinion would have being a better answer?

and keep in mind that you , have a better command of the English language (we hope), already know the questions, and have time to think of answers, and have an edit button.

Ok. get set.... ready......

GO.

Oi ! Stop being a &lt;deleted&gt;.

I'm neither an expert on Thailand nor the solutions to the challenges it faces so I don't know the answers to those questions.

I do, however, know when someone else doesn't know the answer either and waffles their way through.

Oh and there's no need to doubt my grasp of the English language. It's somewhat superior to yours as evidenced by my knowledge of correct comma placement

correct coma placements, but not the fact that realize is spelled with a "Z" and not as "S"

people who live in glass houses should not throw stones"

Really....go an have a look at a proper English dictionary...I think you will find the "Z" version is an Americanism...therefore not proper English.....dont we feel rather silly now ?...

[kerryk]

Why is her English sooo bad?

It was probably a bit better when she was a studying for her advanced degrees in Kentucky, but since her return (been a while now?) I reckon she's been speaking 99.999% Thai and therefore her English skills have been slipping.

If you don't use it you lose it as my SOs keep telling me. . .

Why do you think she spoke English while in the US? You don't honestly think she wrote her own papers or did her own homework, do you? If you do, then I would like to offer to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge for very favorable price.

There are many, many wealthy Thais that go overseas for their education and can barely speak or write English at all. They hire someone to do their work for them, and classes are specifically selected that can be engineered to generate a passing grade with minimal language skills. I'm not saying you are wrong that it didn't get worse since then. I don't know one way or the other. But it would be presumptuous to assume the current PM's English was ever any better than today.

I take it you have never been to college. Do you think the previous PM did what you are suggesting in the UK at what was that school he went to?

Do you have any evidence to support what you are saying? Lets say you are in court and the judge asks you to support your accusations of cheating, wrongdoing and being generally without ethics or you go to jail. I think that would be appropriate but what would you tell the judge? Do you have any proof? Do you have any facts? What you are suggesting is utter nonsense. I had enough money in college to do it. If it would have been easy I would have done it. But no luck. I had to take my classes myself and write my own blue books in class. A blue book is..... well if you were educated you would know.

[HardenedSoul]

HardenedSoul, on Today, 05:23 , said:The problem isn't her English; she has a decent enough vocabulary.

She understands the questions perfectly well; she just doesn't know the answers.

sirineou, on 28 minutes ago, said: Which questions did you think she did not know the answers to. and in your opinion what would you think would have being the correct answer?

HardenedSoul, , said: I didn't need to know the answers to realise she was winging it. Did you?

If she was " Winging it" then I think she did pretty good,

So I will ask the question again,

Which question did you think she was "Winging" and what in your opinion would have being a better answer?

and keep in mind that you , have a better command of the English language (we hope), already know the questions, and have time to think of answers, and have an edit button.

Ok. get set.... ready......

GO.

Oi ! Stop being a <Snip!>.

I'm neither an expert on Thailand nor the solutions to the challenges it faces so I don't know the answers to those questions.

I do, however, know when someone else doesn't know the answer either and waffles their way through.

Oh and there's no need to doubt my grasp of the English language. It's somewhat superior to yours as evidenced by my knowledge of correct comma placement

correct coma placements, but not the fact that realize is spelled with a "Z" and not as "S"

people who live in glass houses should not throw stones"

Oh what a peasant!!

You're boxing way out of your division, chief.

I'll let someone with a little more patience explain the differences between American and British English to you.

[PaullyW]

Johnny, do you ever find anything not to defend about Thailand?

No idea what you think I was "defending"; did I say her English is good? In fact I seem to be one of the few that think the whole thing was scripted, which is being more critical than most, not less.

But more to the point, I was simply answering the question, someone asked "Why it is her English so bad?" and I gave what I thought was a reasonable answer. It's true I hadn't thought of wealthy Thais bringing along proxy students to write their papers and pass their exams, of course entirely possible I don't know, personally I don't think Kentucky University would require such efforts but. . .

I also happen to think high-level English skills are completely irrelevant to being an effective politician in Thailand.

Please don't interpret that to mean I think Yingluck is one either.

Common, brother.

What's that supposed to mean?

What about all the other millions of people who speak primarily their first language but who speak a second language, like English, far better than she can? And, these are people without "advanced" degrees attained in second languages...

What about them?

Yes her English sucks, her degree's a joke and what? I don't think we're disagreeing about anything.

I just don't happen to think any of what we're agreeing about is relevant to anything I care about.

Doesn't mean I'm "defending" or "apologizing" for anything, stop putting words in my mouth.

Well, I suppose you may have been guilty until proven innocent in this instance because of your reputation for defending the indefensible. I still think you meant to convey that her English would have likely been much better if she'd kept speaking it after her "advanced" degree (with the secondary assumption that her English was fantastic while on vacation in college in the US). Don't lie.

Edited June 25, 2012 by PaullyW

[Soutpeel]

Oh what a peasant!!

You're boxing way out of your division, chief.

I'll let someone with a little more patience explain the differences between American and British English to you.

Easy...Proper English speakers use the Oxford English....anything else is just not English old chap

[ARISTIDE]

In any case I personally think it's a shame that most Thai judge their fellow Thai people by their ability to speak English! Many highly educated Japanese or Europeans don't speak English because they refuse to!

Edited June 25, 2012 by ARISTIDE

[Soutpeel]

In any case I personally think it's a shame that most Thai judge their fellow Thai people by their ability to speak English! Many highly educated Japanese or Europeans don't speak English because they refuse to!

Ok...lets take English ability out the equation...Is dear Yingluck a competant Prime Minister ?, if she was allowed to do the interview in Thai, would she have clue about what she is talking about ?.....I think not....now ask her about the latest Burberry collection and i am sure you will find she will be very knowlegable on this subject....

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Well, I suppose you may have been guilty until proven innocent in this instance because of your reputation for defending the indefensible. I still think you meant to convey that her English would have likely been much better if she'd kept speaking it after her "advanced" degree (with the secondary assumption that her English was fantastic while on vacation in college in the US). Don't lie.

You keep having fun attacking that straw man you've constructed.

Sure I assumed her English was much better while she was studying, and yes I assumed she was studying. Call me naive.

Perfectly happy to be enlightened otherwise. Never assumed it was ever fantastic, but likely it would have been better if she'd kept practising. But maybe not. I really don't care one way or the other, don't have a pony in this particular race and have no idea why you want so badly to take a side when you don't either - or do you?

[PaullyW]

Well, I suppose you may have been guilty until proven innocent in this instance because of your reputation for defending the indefensible. I still think you meant to convey that her English would have likely been much better if she'd kept speaking it after her "advanced" degree (with the secondary assumption that her English was fantastic while on vacation in college in the US). Don't lie.

You keep having fun attacking that straw man you've constructed.

Sure I assumed her English was much better while she was studying, and yes I assumed she was studying. Call me naive.

Perfectly happy to be enlightened otherwise. Never assumed it was ever fantastic, but likely it would have been better if she'd kept practising. But maybe not. I really don't care one way or the other, don't have a pony in this particular race and have no idea why you want so badly to take a side when you don't either - or do you?

I do have a pony in the race, yes.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

My understanding is that the direction this thread is heading belongs over in News these days?

Pretty tiresome IMO, shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic would be more interesting.

[sirineou]

Really....go an have a look at a proper English dictionary...I think you will find the "Z" version is an Americanism...therefore not proper English.....dont we feel rather silly now ?...

No I don't feel silly at all.

if you spell realise with a "S" you will see spell check mark it as incorrect.

what is silly is not having any proper arguments to support your position, and attempting to divert attention from that fact, by criticizing some ones punctuation placement.

[sirineou]

In any case I personally think it's a shame that most Thai judge their fellow Thai people by their ability to speak English! Many highly educated Japanese or Europeans don't speak English because they refuse to!

Ok...lets take English ability out the equation...Is dear Yingluck a competant Prime Minister ?, if she was allowed to do the interview in Thai, would she have clue about what she is talking about ?.....I think not....now ask her about the latest Burberry collection and i am sure you will find she will be very knowlegable on this subject....

Again the question remains

what, was in the interview , that, she, did, not ,know, what, she, was, talking, about,

[BigJohnnyBKK]

if you spell realise with a "S" you will see spell check mark it as incorrect.

Only if your browser/word processor/operating system is set to Yankish English. With which I have no problem being septic myself.

I think any criticism of language details is ridiculous here as long as the meaning is clear.

Two wrongs don't make a right, especially if the second wrong is wrong in multiple senses.

Best to just ignore the petty personal pedantics and focus on the actual argument at hand.

Which in this case seems to be the climate change crisis am I write?

[Soutpeel]

Really....go an have a look at a proper English dictionary...I think you will find the "Z" version is an Americanism...therefore not proper English.....dont we feel rather silly now ?...

No I don't feel silly at all.

if you spell realise with a "S" you will see spell check mark it as incorrect.

what is silly is not having any proper arguments to support your position, and attempting to divert attention from that fact, by criticizing some ones punctuation placement.

and they would be because the dictionary you have loaded is an American dictionary me old fruit...not an English dictionary

I wasnt arguing with anyone...and who was diverting attention by criticising someones punctuation and spelling..me thinks that was you....BTW "criticising" has an "s" in it as well not a "Z"..before you try and correct me as well...

[BigJohnnyBKK]

what, was in the interview , that, she, did, not ,know, what, she, was, talking, about,

No. One. Cares.

Please realize that you can't force people to be rational. Haters gonna hate.

Personally I wish Hillary were as cute.

[PaullyW]

what, was in the interview , that, she, did, not ,know, what, she, was, talking, about,

No. One. Cares.

Please realize that you can't force people to be rational. Haters gonna hate.

Personally I wish Hillary were as cute.

As cute as whom? 'Cause Khun Bpoo has got a completely busted grill. And, what's up with that long, horse face-esque chin of hers. Hillary is certainly prettier, as is Sarah Palin, as is ASSK.

Edited June 25, 2012 by PaullyW

[Soutpeel]

what, was in the interview , that, she, did, not ,know, what, she, was, talking, about,

No. One. Cares.

Please realize that you can't force people to be rational. Haters gonna hate.

Personally I wish Hillary were as cute.

dont hate the dear lady at all, just of the opinion she appears to be as dumb as box rocks thats all

[HardenedSoul]

Really....go an have a look at a proper English dictionary...I think you will find the "Z" version is an Americanism...therefore not proper English.....dont we feel rather silly now ?...

No I don't feel silly at all.

if you spell realise with a "S" you will see spell check mark it as incorrect.

what is silly is not having any proper arguments to support your position, and attempting to divert attention from that fact, by criticizing some ones punctuation placement.

Really....go an have a look at a proper English dictionary...I think you will find the "Z" version is an Americanism...therefore not proper English.....dont we feel rather silly now ?...

No I don't feel silly at all.

if you spell realise with a "S" you will see spell check mark it as incorrect.

what is silly is not having any proper arguments to support your position, and attempting to divert attention from that fact, by criticizing some ones punctuation placement.

When you're in a hole, stop digging.

A spell-checker will only identify it as incorrect if 1) it's activated in the browser and 2) if one is using the American English-based version.

You questioned my English to begin with and it backfired so, as you're obviously out-classed and out-gunned on this issue, it might be better to be silent and only thought of as an idiot than to keep speaking and remove all doubt.

Edited June 25, 2012 by HardenedSoul

[vtjforyou]

As good English as her stupid brother !

[TommoPhysicist]

I would love to see a real reporter in the western style going to town on one of these guys and girls; a Thai Paxman, where the interviewer sits there and says "but you have been making various pledges and promises since you have been in power; have not followed upon any of them, certainly necver delivered upon any of your promises. So how do you expect the voting public to believe anything you ever pledge again?"

No western politician would ever make any election promise they later reneged on.

Edited June 25, 2012 by TommoPhysicist

[PaullyW]

I would love to see a real reporter in the western style going to town on one of these guys and girls; a Thai Paxman, where the interviewer sits there and says "but you have been making various pledges and promises since you have been in power; have not followed upon any of them, certainly necver delivered upon any of your promises. So how do you expect the voting public to believe anything you ever pledge again?"

No western politician would ever make any election promises they later reneged on.

And, certainly not ALL OF THE PROMISES. I agree.

[Soutpeel]

I would love to see a real reporter in the western style going to town on one of these guys and girls; a Thai Paxman, where the interviewer sits there and says "but you have been making various pledges and promises since you have been in power; have not followed upon any of them, certainly necver delivered upon any of your promises. So how do you expect the voting public to believe anything you ever pledge again?"

No western politician would ever make any election promises they later reneged on.

Actually...." Watch my lips No more tax increases"....?.....

[DP25]

You don't really have to speak English to graduate from a university in the US. A lot schools just look at foreign students as cash cows that subsidize local ones and have the added benefit of increasing diversity and prestige. When I was in college I personally knew a number of foreign students with really poor English that I know for a fact that would pay people to write their papers for them. I also knew American students that would provide this service. One of these foreign students even offered to have sex with me in exchange for writing her paper (I had to unfortunately turn this down as I was in the same class and had the same paper to turn in and I couldn't write both in time). Especially in a big public school where you are basically anonymous it is quite easy and rampant. So many students when I was in college could barely even hold a conversation in English, especially among foreign math, engineering, and science students. I met many who were even worse than Yingluck, and her English is horrible from what I've heard.

[waza]

So Yingluck thinks Global warming is a major issue, but not reducing emissions. I think she said we must watch and look at agriculture because, hmmm because its important, Oh dam what the hell did she say?

At least she parroted the Amsterdam line on her brother, "We listen to voters who give mandate" or something along those lines.

PS: Did she say ASEAN makes up half the worlds population?

At least she .......hmmm.... she spoke english, sort of.

Edited June 25, 2012 by waza

[geriatrickid]

Why is her English sooo bad?

It was probably a bit better when she was a studying for her advanced degrees in Kentucky, but since her return (been a while now?) I reckon she's been speaking 99.999% Thai and therefore her English skills have been slipping.

If you don't use it you lose it as my SOs keep telling me. . .

Why do you think she spoke English while in the US? You don't honestly think she wrote her own papers or did her own homework, do you? If you do, then I would like to offer to sell you the Brooklyn Bridge for very favorable price.

There are many, many wealthy Thais that go overseas for their education and can barely speak or write English at all. They hire someone to do their work for them, and classes are specifically selected that can be engineered to generate a passing grade with minimal language skills. I'm not saying you are wrong that it didn't get worse since then. I don't know one way or the other. But it would be presumptuous to assume the current PM's English was ever any better than today.

In the absence of any supporting evidence, your allegations are false. You make some strong claims, now back them up. I spent a decade in various universities in faculties filled with foreign students. I never once saw any evidence of your claims and I was a student, a teaching assistant and a marker.