I Believe

[diddums]

Thai will be a forgotten language in 30 years, only spoken in the back blocks in isolated areas.

So in reality not worth learning a language that will be near extinct by 2040.

[candypants]

and in the mean time?

the majority of the board will most certainly be dead.

[geriatrickid]

In the meantime, if you want to improve your life while living in Thailand, it would be advisable to learns some Thai.

If you want to live the next 27 years cut off from the society and people around you, so be it.

[mrtoad]

If you don't like it go home

[loong]

Wow!

I better instruct my 7 year old's teachers to discontinue instruction in Thai language.

[JurgenG]

In 30 years a number of us will probably be dead. Why not stop breathing now ?

[chrisinth]

What is going to replace Thai in 30 years? Chinese?

Sure as h_ell isn't going to be English.....................

What language would you recommend to start learning?

[Dancealot]

It is worth it because it is fun to learn. But if it is really true all the books ever written in Thai will be worthless..

[David48]

Oh ... I think the OP is having a wee pull of your pants leg gentlemen.

However, any language which refuses to grow and be adaptive does lose it relevancy over time.

Unless Thailand is invaded and their language wiped.

As happened with Ukraine ... Russian is the dominant language in the north and east.

How many Welsh can read and write their language fluently?

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

John Redwood was Secretary of State for Wales but didn't know the words of the Welsh National Anthem.

NAH ... as long as Thailand doesn't get invaded, the language is still taught in the Schools and is used in an official capacity ... and importantly on TV ... the Thai language will be here for a few years yet.

.

.

[rct99q]

There is a very good chance that in 30 years most English speaking countries will have some form of Arabic as their official language......so you SHOULD be learning Thai so that they don't confuse you as one of those Western People when they decide to take over.

[StreetCowboy]

Personally, it makes little difference whether Thai will be spoken in 30 years' time or not, as I very much doubt that I or my family will be living here. On the other hand, if I expected that we would, I think it would then become even more useful, as one would then get the "Welsh" price for everything, and your home would not get burnt down.

As Secretary of State for the British government in Wales, it was careless of John Redwood to allow himself to be drawn on the Welsh national anthem, if he did not know it. We never required our Governors to know the local dialects before they took up post, and we do not expect the MPs in Liverpool to be able to hotwire cars

SC

[rattler]

What language do computerprogrammers use?? theres your answer

[topt]

I am surprised no one has asked the OP why he "believes" it.

Looks like he has just thrown one out there (as david48 said) to see what reaction he will get.....

[Payboy]

What language do computerprogrammers use?? theres your answer

Hindi?

[StreetCowboy]

What language do computerprogrammers use?? theres your answer

Geek. Sometimes, Ancient Geek.

As someone else suggested: What language do your customers use?

One of the things that I found frustrating in Thailand was the number of businesses in tourist areas that gave you a business card with English only on it. No use whatsoever for getting there by taxi...

[PoorSucker]

[krisb]

Actually in back blocks in isolated areas as you put it op, they dont all speak Thai already. Issan, Chiang Mai and South Thai is not pure Thai language. In fact put a pure Bangkokian in our village and although its only 6 hours from BKK, they will have difficulty communicating.

[Dancealot]

There is a very good chance that in 30 years most English speaking countries will have some form of Arabic as their official language......so you SHOULD be learning Thai so that they don't confuse you as one of those Western People when they decide to take over.

Chinese is difficult as it is.. but Arabic ? I think it is more likely in 30 years we will be conversing with emoticons

[Ulysses G.]

Actually in back blocks in isolated areas as you put it op, they dont all speak Thai already.

Horse manure. They all understand central Thai, because that is what is on TV.

[Songhua]

You could have predicted the same thing for The Philippines 30 years ago. Never happened. There's probably less english spoken there than 20 years ago.

How long were the British in Hong Kong? .... but it still wasn't/isn't common to hear the Chinese speak english (not on the street anyway).

[Dancealot]

Actually in back blocks in isolated areas as you put it op, they dont all speak Thai already.

Horse manure. They all understand central Thai, because that is what is on TV.

Manure vs. Yankee

Click the pic

[StreetCowboy]

I suppose we all need our beliefs, but I would've thought something of a more religious or spiritual nature would serve the OP better.

At the moment, my spiritual beliefs are centred around melted down rupees, and, hopefully, a miracle later on this evening ...

[Semper]

Thai will be a forgotten language in 30 years, only spoken in the back blocks in isolated areas.

So in reality not worth learning a language that will be near extinct by 2040.

You could be right. So my recommendarion would be to learn the Chinese language.

• 
  

[rene123]

I almost wasn't born. when my parents were debating about having a family they were worried because the pundits were predicting a population of over a Billion people in the USA, and Canada was supposed to have a population of 300 million by the year 2000. Of course, that never happened. Then there was the AIDS scare that had the scientists saying it was going to kill 70% of the world's population.That didn't happen either. Now it is all about global warming. I view things with a jaundiced eye when I hear all these predictions. I don't think Thailand has much to worry about with losing their language.

[candypants]

Oh ... I think the OP is having a wee pull of your pants leg gentlemen.

ya reckon?

well, he certainly had me bamboozled.

[Chittychangchang]

Most of the North speaks a Thai/Laos language already.

The North East is nearly all Laos speaking.

Bangkok is Chinese/Thai.

The south is some muslim dialogue.

30 years???? I give it 20 at most then again my chosen language is jibberish!

[mahtin]

]Horse manure. They all understand central Thai, because that is what is on TV.

"Boinnggg"

[diddums]

Its already changing....notice the amount of English in roadside signs....not traffic signs, general advertising signs to the Thai general public.

30 years.

[Mosha]

Oh ... I think the OP is having a wee pull of your pants leg gentlemen.

However, any language which refuses to grow and be adaptive does lose it relevancy over time.

Unless Thailand is invaded and their language wiped.

As happened with Ukraine ... Russian is the dominant language in the north and east.

How many Welsh can read and write their language fluently?

John Redwood was Secretary of State for Wales but didn't know the words of the Welsh National Anthem.

NAH ... as long as Thailand doesn't get invaded, the language is still taught in the Schools and is used in an official capacity ... and importantly on TV ... the Thai language will be here for a few years yet.

.

.

He was born in Dover.

[whiteman]

[

I better instruct my 7 year old's teachers to discontinue instruction in Thai language.

and add Manderin