Actually i am blaming thai people for being lazy to learn english, german and french language. They are so narrow minded.

Yes it's true to a certain extent. A lot of the frustrations and problems that many farang have could be reduced by learning even a small bit of basic Thai. It doesn't solve everything of course, but it is not a coincidence that the biggest complainers with the most problems are usually the people who can barely even order a plate of khao pad on their own.

If God had wanted us to speak foreign languages, he'd have not given us fingers to point with

SC

If you are not going to bother to learn the language, then you should at least learn to point with your lips instead of your finger

If God had wanted us to speak foreign languages, he'd have not given us fingers to point with

SC

If you are not going to bother to learn the language, then you should at least learn to point with your lips instead of your finger

I was taught to lead with my chin ... it's connected to my lips ... which, unfortunately isn't always connected to my brain ...

.

Edited July 5, 201214 yr by David48

If God had wanted us to speak foreign languages, he'd have not given us fingers to point with

SC

If you are not going to bother to learn the language, then you should at least learn to point with your lips instead of your finger

I was taught to lead with my chin ... it's connected to my lips ... which, unfortunately isn't always connected to my brain ...

.

I think that you are referring to the more complicated manouvre of pointing with just the lower lip that results in thrusting the chin forward. Once this method of pointing is mastered, you can add raising the eyebrows at the same time.

How does the limited Thai language skills of Farangs in Thailand cause floods, unbearable heat, traffic jams in Bangkok, institutional corruption, regular political crises, low health & safety standards and a sub-standard education system?

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

Pretty much my thoughts ...

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

How does the limited Thai language skills of Farangs in Thailand cause floods, unbearable heat, traffic jams in Bangkok, institutional corruption, regular political crises, low health & safety standards and a sub-standard education system?

Sent from iPhone; please forgive any typos or violations of forum rules

Pretty much my thoughts ...

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

Let's focus on the answers, rather than the questions

SC

How did this morph into yet another Thai-bashing thread?

Its easy any thread that tells a modicum of truth gets labelled "Thai Bashing"

People who don't know how to speak Thai bashing Thailand because they don't understand it. Pretty simple to me. The only Thai people who don't want Western people learning Thai are bar girls and not even all of them.

Understand or accept? I dont accept it.

Once you understand the language you can move from your stage (all Thai people the same) to the next stage of understanding Thai people as individuals. This is difficult to do if you can't understand their language. Sure some are the same. But the vast majority are now. There are still guys posting on Thai Visa who think Chinese/Thai people are different and that's really wacky.

Ahhhhh....a crowded market....I see mouths moving at rapid rates....yet the tranquillity of a dull hum in the background....much like the dull hum of a diesel engine in the distance.....is comforting.

Some of us do try to learn to speak and understand some Thai but not all of us at our higher ages have the ability to learn it well.

Also to me it is not the language problem alone that causes problems. Honest and friendly people will be honest and friendly wherever you are. Those that want to rob, scam or otherwise treat you badly will do so even if you do speak the local language.

It takes two to Tango.

I am jealous of those who pick up languages very easy. my wife hears an English word and it is near instantly a part of her vocabulary. She has no problems with pronunciation. It all just flows out. For myself, it is a very hard battle. I do not deny that I could try harder but really we all have our talents and short comings.

The big mistake many farang make is choice of partners and bringing lofty Western ideals to Thailand where it is more of dog eat dog world.

Edited July 6, 201214 yr by farang000999

All of that said. I still speak the global language. It is the sound of a wallet opening.

By the way, Akha or Lahu is probably much easier to learn than Thai. Not sure about Hmong, Yao or southern dialects though...

And you would know this how?

I've never read such a silly sentence in all my days.

Hani is a nightmare to learn, let alone Akha.

By the way, Akha or Lahu is probably much easier to learn than Thai. Not sure about Hmong, Yao or southern dialects though...

And you would know this how?

I've never read such a silly sentence in all my days.

Hani is a nightmare to learn, let alone Akha.

Oh, does that mean you know it?

Its easy any thread that tells a modicum of truth gets labelled "Thai Bashing"

People who don't know how to speak Thai bashing Thailand because they don't understand it. Pretty simple to me. The only Thai people who don't want Western people learning Thai are bar girls and not even all of them.

Understand or accept? I dont accept it.

Once you understand the language you can move from your stage (all Thai people the same) to the next stage of understanding Thai people as individuals. This is difficult to do if you can't understand their language. Sure some are the same. But the vast majority are now. There are still guys posting on Thai Visa who think Chinese/Thai people are different and that's really wacky.

So you think that once you can understand the language you dont think all Thai people are the same, but you also think that its wacky to think that Chinese/Thai people are different?

Once I learned the language I found out that Thai people are not all the same like you pointed out. Because some also speak chinese dialects which means that they are different to the ones that don't. Which is what you said, but you also find wacky.

Sounds to me like you have just contradicted yourself. However I very much look forward to you trying to explain that you meant something completely different.

Oh, does that mean you know it?

I wouldn't say I "know" it, but I've had to learn it...

Thai was a stroll in comparison.

That Gerry bloke is talking out of his arse

Oh, does that mean you know it?

I wouldn't say I "know" it, but I've had to learn it...

Thai was a stroll in comparison.

That Gerry bloke is talking out of his arse

Must be something about people whose names end in erry.

Oh, does that mean you know it?

I wouldn't say I "know" it, but I've had to learn it...

Thai was a stroll in comparison.

That Gerry bloke is talking out of his arse

Must be something about people whose names end in erry.

Why post when you can flame? Cause you have nothing to say!

Once you understand the language you can move from your stage (all Thai people the same) to the next stage of understanding Thai people as individuals. This is difficult to do if you can't understand their language. Sure some are the same. But the vast majority are now. There are still guys posting on Thai Visa who think Chinese/Thai people are different and that's really wacky.

In the context of your assertion above that Chinese/Thai people are no different to the rest of the Thai people (per se), please could you explain your earlier post in this thread where you said:

"If you had a poll asking those who speak Thai (not second hand knowledge of them) if they are problem free you would get 70% positive answers. Excluding those who are married to or know a lot of Chinese/Thai people of course."

I am confused (and others may be too) so it would be good if you could provide some clarification.

PS: I don't want to start a debate, I just want you to re-state the real point you are trying to make.

Edited July 6, 201214 yr by brit1984

Oh, does that mean you know it?

I wouldn't say I "know" it, but I've had to learn it...

Thai was a stroll in comparison.

That Gerry bloke is talking out of his arse

He said plenty in #104 I think Kerry laddie!

Oh, does that mean you know it?

I wouldn't say I "know" it, but I've had to learn it...

Thai was a stroll in comparison.

That Gerry bloke is talking out of his arse

Must be something about people whose names end in erry.

Why post when you can flame? Cause you have nothing to say!

Why not focus on my reply #104 instead. Cause you have nothing to say?

Once you understand the language you can move from your stage (all Thai people the same) to the next stage of understanding Thai people as individuals. This is difficult to do if you can't understand their language. Sure some are the same. But the vast majority are not. There are still guys posting on Thai Visa who think Chinese/Thai people are different and that's really wacky.

In the context of your assertion above that Chinese/Thai people are no different to the rest of the Thai people (per se), please could you explain your earlier post in this thread where you said:

"If you had a poll asking those who speak Thai (not second hand knowledge of them) if they are problem free you would get 70% positive answers. Excluding those who are married to or know a lot of Chinese/Thai people of course."

I am confused (and others may be too) so it would be good if you could provide some clarification.

Be more than happy to do so. People on Thai Visa who think they know or can identify Chinese/Thai people are prone to have problems. You can tell these people because they never identify Thai people without pointing out that the ones they know are not regular Thai people but Chinese/Thai people. It has been my experience that these people will have problems if they speak Thai or don't speak Thai. So I excluded them from my estimate of people having problems in Thailand.

Once you understand the language you can move from your stage (all Thai people the same) to the next stage of understanding Thai people as individuals. This is difficult to do if you can't understand their language. Sure some are the same. But the vast majority are not. There are still guys posting on Thai Visa who think Chinese/Thai people are different and that's really wacky.

In the context of your assertion above that Chinese/Thai people are no different to the rest of the Thai people (per se), please could you explain your earlier post in this thread where you said:

"If you had a poll asking those who speak Thai (not second hand knowledge of them) if they are problem free you would get 70% positive answers. Excluding those who are married to or know a lot of Chinese/Thai people of course."

I am confused (and others may be too) so it would be good if you could provide some clarification.

Be more than happy to do so. People on Thai Visa who think they know or can identify Chinese/Thai people are prone to have problems. You can tell these people because they never identify Thai people without pointing out that the ones they know are not regular Thai people but Chinese/Thai people. It has been my experience that these people will have problems if they speak Thai or don't speak Thai. So I excluded them from my estimate of people having problems in Thailand.

Kerry, you might wanna repeat that again... in ENGLISH.

Be more than happy to do so. People on Thai Visa who think they know or can identify Chinese/Thai people are prone to have problems

How so, old chap?

Maxme,

I think what Kerry is trying to say is that as he is unable to identify them, then no one can....

Why not focus on my reply #104 instead. Cause you have nothing to say?

This may be a bit deep, but normally people reply to the post they are reading and not another post.

As to why I didn't reply to post #104. I didn't read it. Now I will go read it.

This may be a bit deep, but normally people reply to the post they are reading and not another post.

...or you could read the whole thread...now there's an idea when looking at a forum...

Once you understand the language you can move from your stage (all Thai people the same) to the next stage of understanding Thai people as individuals. This is difficult to do if you can't understand their language. Sure some are the same. But the vast majority are not. There are still guys posting on Thai Visa who think Chinese/Thai people are different and that's really wacky.

In the context of your assertion above that Chinese/Thai people are no different to the rest of the Thai people (per se), please could you explain your earlier post in this thread where you said:

"If you had a poll asking those who speak Thai (not second hand knowledge of them) if they are problem free you would get 70% positive answers. Excluding those who are married to or know a lot of Chinese/Thai people of course."

I am confused (and others may be too) so it would be good if you could provide some clarification.

Be more than happy to do so. People on Thai Visa who think they know or can identify Chinese/Thai people are prone to have problems. You can tell these people because they never identify Thai people without pointing out that the ones they know are not regular Thai people but Chinese/Thai people. It has been my experience that these people will have problems if they speak Thai or don't speak Thai. So I excluded them from my estimate of people having problems in Thailand.

If someone is married to a Thai/Chinese woman, or has close friends or associates that are Thai/Chinese, they will know that they are really Thai/Chinese (e.g. if one or both parents are Chinese).

I guess what you are really trying to say is that people who makes assumptions about other people based purely on the colour of the skin are likely to be more prone to encountering problems. I agree with this.

Once you understand the language you can move from your stage (all Thai people the same) to the next stage of understanding Thai people as individuals. This is difficult to do if you can't understand their language. Sure some are the same. But the vast majority are not. There are still guys posting on Thai Visa who think Chinese/Thai people are different and that's really wacky.

In the context of your assertion above that Chinese/Thai people are no different to the rest of the Thai people (per se), please could you explain your earlier post in this thread where you said:

"If you had a poll asking those who speak Thai (not second hand knowledge of them) if they are problem free you would get 70% positive answers. Excluding those who are married to or know a lot of Chinese/Thai people of course."

I am confused (and others may be too) so it would be good if you could provide some clarification.

Be more than happy to do so. People on Thai Visa who think they know or can identify Chinese/Thai people are prone to have problems. You can tell these people because they never identify Thai people without pointing out that the ones they know are not regular Thai people but Chinese/Thai people. It has been my experience that these people will have problems if they speak Thai or don't speak Thai. So I excluded them from my estimate of people having problems in Thailand.

Whats the difference between a 'Chinese/Thai' person and a 'regular' Thai person? My grandmother was regular all her life and she was neither Thai or Chinese. Althigh she did like prunes which I believe are a staple of the Chinese diet.

In all seriousness though, I doubt that being able to spot the influence of North Asian genetics in a South East Asian population is going to make any difference to the problems that most people on this site face.

when i go to the village and start talking thai it is like a green light for them to annoy me. better to just play dumb.

Hold up a cup of water. Point to it. Say "Moo? Moo?". They usually get pissed off and leave you alone which in the end is really the goal isn't it?