Should We Learn The Language?

[jay1980]

I have found the more Thai I can speak to everyday Thai people in general life, the more genuine smiles I have got.

Also when I look back at when first came to Thailand and spoke nothing, I was subject to low level rip off's for example taxi's not using the meter and overcharging me, since I have been able to speak and understand this kind of thing never happens anymore.

I am no expert and not fluent, when Thai's talk to each other I can only really pick up 20-30% of what they are saying but I am getting there.

I have recently started learning the letters to start to read, and this is also helping me make less mistakes with tones.

cheers

[thaicbr]

quite surprising is the assumption that medical staff in a proper hospital does not speak English and that it might save a life if one can explain in Thai "where it hurts".

Have you been to any rural Thai hospitals? I can assure you the level of English is woeful.

Which is strange as all doctors and nurses should have at least basic English to have graduated. Most doctors I have met have had OK English.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

[Keith67]

Try to look at it this way, how would you feel about foreigners coming to your home country and never learning to speak your language. More importantly how well would they fit in if they do not even attempt to learn the language. In my opinion, if you live in a foreign country, you need to learn as much of the native language as possible. Anything less is rude, disrespectful and will cause problems down the road.

Also I suspect that it will also turn you into one of the TV posters that always has a negative outlook, and many issues, but this is just an opinion.

Irrelevant arguments the post's about foreigners living in the UK, Europe, America and many other western countries and not speaking the language due to the fact, if a problem arises for foreigners in a western country an interpreter is brought in and usually at the tax payers’ expense, this includes benefit claims and many other legal instances, as there is no benefit system here and no real legal rights for expats Thais tend not to complain in the same way, if Thailand’s tax Baht was being used to subsidise your living in their country and not learning the language there would be a far greater number of Thais with the attitude of the westerners.

[thaicbr]

Thai is not among the easiest languages (French, Italian, Indonesian)

for Westerners but it is very far from being the most difficult

(Chinese, Japanese, Arabic)

no offence meant Khun Jayboy but i think you possess a wealth of no idea when

it concerns the languages you mentioned.

No offence taken because it's not my original thought.It's the view of many professional linguists including the astonishingly accomplished J.Marvin Brown whom many older hands will remember as the main developer of the AUA Thai Course.

A linguist by definition is some one accomplished in languages. Sometimes these same professionals have no idea how hard it is for others to learn languages. I personally have a difficult time with the tones. Also trying to find an accomplished teacher within the confines of my work schedule. The few Thai words and statements I know often hit a brick wall. Not solely due to pronunciation but also the inability of many Thais in hearing thai from a foreigner.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

[candypants]

During my stint of teaching English I was often obliged to say 'that's the way it is' I must admit that Thai is the most difficult language that I have come up against. I'll be content if I understand what is being discussed, I know where to go when I tank up the car, know enough to go to the male toilets,

Apart from that, everybody speaks Lao here. I don't feel capable of learning two languages in parallel at my age.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

them you were a lousy teacher who was afraid to say "i don't know, i will get back to you with the answer" then look it up.

I taught for 5 years about 15 years ago, and had some advanced students with some very tough questions.

they were all amazed the first time i said, i was not sure and that i would have to look it up.

there are plenty of excellent books on english usage, and I always found a satisfactory answer.

Having answered the first question, the questions came hard and fast after that and the lessons I taught always began with answering the usage issues that I could not definitively answer the previous class.

To be a native speaker is to understand the use of your mother tongue innately, without requiring recourse to rules of thumb. To be a native speaker is to speak the language a certain way, because that is the way it is.

To be a teacher, is to understand the mechanics at a different level and provide coherent explanations for any patterns or anomalies that native speakers understand simply as a matter of course.

[candypants]

The irony is that the OP is posting this all in English. If you want to speak Thai go ahead. If people don't want to then so be it. It's a decision they make, not based on what other people tell them they should do. And I have no concern whatsoever if people want to speak Spanish in the USA. Or Chinese or French or whatever. Why should it bother you what language other people speak? Do you also believe foreigner in Thailand should become a buddhist also??

that is not ironic, that is in line with the rules of an english language forum that deletes posts made in any other tongue, save for the the dedicated thai language forum in which this was not posted.

[jayboy]

Thai is not among the easiest languages (French, Italian, Indonesian)

for Westerners but it is very far from being the most difficult

(Chinese, Japanese, Arabic)

no offence meant Khun Jayboy but i think you possess a wealth of no idea when

it concerns the languages you mentioned.

No offence taken because it's not my original thought.It's the view of many professional linguists including the astonishingly accomplished J.Marvin Brown whom many older hands will remember as the main developer of the AUA Thai Course.

A linguist by definition is some one accomplished in languages. Sometimes these same professionals have no idea how hard it is for others to learn languages. I personally have a difficult time with the tones. Also trying to find an accomplished teacher within the confines of my work schedule. The few Thai words and statements I know often hit a brick wall. Not solely due to pronunciation but also the inability of many Thais in hearing thai from a foreigner.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

No, the example I gave (J.Marvin Brown) was a highly accomplished academic linguist but his career was distinguished by an expertise in training those who were not linguists, in fact complete beginners.Thousands of foreigners speaking good Thai can attest to his methods.He was very clear that in learning Thai the tonal system was a not a high hurdle.He also said that if one looked at the difficulties of learning a language for Westerners in a range of 1 to 10, French would be 2, Thai about 5 and Japanese/Arabic about 9 -10.

The comment you make about Thais being unable to understand Thai when spoken by foreigners is another well worn cliche that novices often come up with.The reality is that if Thais don't understand what you are saying you are probably speaking unclearly and inaccurately.

[Neeranam]

I always feel sorry for the guys who have to have their partner go with them to help them accomplish the simplest of tasks, I can't imagine not being able to go to the DIY store yo get what I need by myself. Also when in a social environment where people are jabbering away and joking anf you have to sit there like a dummy unable to join jn. But by far the most important thing for me is being able to react in an emergency. What if your wife ends up in hospital, can you understand whats going on, can you explain where it hurts if you are ill? Many bad things can happen where speaking and understanding could save a life.

i always feel sorry for the guys who have the impertinence of judging the way of life of people they don't know. i am also amused when a foreigner brags that he knows the Thai technical terms/names of parts he requires for a do-it-youself job whereas the salesman will give him a dumb look because he has not the faintest idea what the Foreigner is talking about.

quite surprising is the assumption that medical staff in a proper hospital does not speak English and that it might save a life if one can explain in Thai "where it hurts".

It must be a bondage having to take your wife everywhere. One must feel kinda stupid too standing at the garage while the wife asks the guy about maximizing the efficiency of the LPG.

Naam - this guy aint bragging. It's not hard to learn a few technical words. I'm amazed at the number of guys I meet and they say they're impressed because I do something that I don't think hard like buying a new fan-belt or whatever. You live in Pattaya don't you? You probablty meet tourists most of the time. There are many foreigners out there that are fluent in Thai. Talking about speaking Farsi is bragging but I understand why you learnt it as the language of the poetry is beautiful. I did an Urdu course once before travelling to India.

BTW, if you were getting mugged, would you know how to shout for help? Speaking Thai COULD save your life.

[Neeranam]

Thai is not among the easiest languages (French, Italian, Indonesian)

for Westerners but it is very far from being the most difficult

(Chinese, Japanese, Arabic)

no offence meant Khun Jayboy but i think you possess a wealth of no idea when

it concerns the languages you mentioned.

No offence taken because it's not my original thought.It's the view of many professional linguists including the astonishingly accomplished J.Marvin Brown whom many older hands will remember as the main developer of the AUA Thai Course.

A linguist by definition is some one accomplished in languages. Sometimes these same professionals have no idea how hard it is for others to learn languages. I personally have a difficult time with the tones. Also trying to find an accomplished teacher within the confines of my work schedule. The few Thai words and statements I know often hit a brick wall. Not solely due to pronunciation but also the inability of many Thais in hearing thai from a foreigner.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

I understand your problem with some Thais inability to even realize that the farang i speaking Thai.

I just downloaded a Thai reading application on my ipad for my 6 year old daughter and thought wow, if they had had this 20 years ago it would have saved me so much time. Great app with sound - learn all the different tones, letters etc.

[Time Traveller]

The irony is that the OP is posting this all in English. If you want to speak Thai go ahead. If people don't want to then so be it. It's a decision they make, not based on what other people tell them they should do. And I have no concern whatsoever if people want to speak Spanish in the USA. Or Chinese or French or whatever. Why should it bother you what language other people speak? Do you also believe foreigner in Thailand should become a buddhist also??

that is not ironic, that is in line with the rules of an english language forum that deletes posts made in any other tongue, save for the the dedicated thai language forum in which this was not posted.

So a forum about Thailand that only permits English language posting is not ironic?

Well this has now reached new levels of absurdity that make forced assimilation sound reasonable.

[rct99q]

I have posted this before and will add again. part of the joy for me in everyday life is reading a newspaper or a book, watching the odd TV show or Movie in Thai, reading a menu or a road sign or engaging in general conversation with the local people.

I personally enjoy these things. It is not a matter of necessity. I enjoyed these activities back in my home countries and many of the other countries I have lived in.

In Thailand we of course have several national English newspapers and if you so desire you can receive many TV channels in English. So it is certainly possible to avoid learning Thai to enjoy some of these activities. But it does, for me, provide a sense of freedom and enjoyment that is worth the effort to learn Thai.

Some how sending my wife a text asking how she is doing or that that I love her in HER native language makes me feel good.

[geriatrickid]

To those who assume that anyone from Issan is "low class" or a bar wench, you are very wrong. Issan comprises 1/3 the population of Thailand.

Issan people form the backbone of the service industry, the trades and the military. Considering that almost all of us will at some point require the services of these "low class" people, speaking some Issan dialect, even a few words, would serve one well. Many of my Thai friends are from Issan. They are not bar girls and have never been to Phuket or Pattaya, nor wish to have anything to do with those that go there. One of them is the guy that will most likely be sent in to defuse the bomb someone plants. (I reckon most of you didn't know that most of the bomb disposal personnel come from Issan.) You bet I want to be able to speak a few words to them. Next time there is a civil insurrection and you want to navigate through the army people, drop a few Issan words and you will get some help as most conscripts are Issan people. Those Issan people form the majority of the NCOs and junior officer corps as well.

Appreciably if one makes his home in the south, one of the southern dialects is appropriate. However, if one is living in Bangkok or in the north, Issan dialect comes in handy.

[wordchild]

i would not assume that Thais have a higher regard for farangs who speak Thai, I think for some the opposite maybe true; eg when i first came to work in Bangkok, i asked my then secretary (quite a hiso, middle aged, Thai lady) to book me some lessons in the office ; I thought i should try to have at least a basic knowlege of the language. Her reaction was why bother? everyone in the company spoke English and would prefer to speak to me in English, all the meetings were in English, anyone i would need to talk to outside the company would likely also speak English and anyone who didnt well, thats what she was for. None of her previous bosses had bothered to learn it and anyway she added "only low class foreigners speak Thai ." I ignored her advice and went ahead with the lessons though i suspect quite a few Thais would share her views, shocking though that maybe for some on this forum.

[KimoMax]

Anyone here longer than a Holiday toursit should attempt and begin to learn Central Bangkok Thai.

Most people speak and understand that dialect. The elders in the coutryside often have limited ability to speak BKK Thai, but just about all Thai TV is in Central Bangkok Thai. Most Thails from 0 - 50 something speak BKK Thai as well as the regional dialects.

Don't worry about the regional dialects. Maybe learn a few words here and there until you has been in that area for a while and are good at Central Bangkok Thai.

Thai is very "Tonal" similar to singing. The wrong Tones can have a totally different meaning.

I found it a good source to view and listen to some popular thai Kareoke Songs with Thai Subtitle words in ABC's.

Most Thai words are not long. It is just a matter of proper speaking grammer to get it right.

Learn a few phrases.

In our own Countries, we expect foreigners to at least make an attempt to speak some of our own language.

Thailand people feel no differantly than we do about foreigners trying to communicate in the Country's language.

Even if you haev a girlfriend, wife, secretary etc., They will not always be with you, and get tired if you consistantly expect them to translate for you.

But don't try to spek thai unless you are speaking it with the proper tones.

Edited April 23, 2013 by KimoMax

[kennedy]

Thai is not among the easiest languages (French, Italian, Indonesian)

for Westerners but it is very far from being the most difficult

(Chinese, Japanese, Arabic)

no offence meant Khun Jayboy but i think you possess a wealth of no idea when

it concerns the languages you mentioned.

No offence taken because it's not my original thought.It's the view of many professional linguists including the astonishingly accomplished J.Marvin Brown whom many older hands will remember as the main developer of the AUA Thai Course.

A linguist by definition is some one accomplished in languages. Sometimes these same professionals have no idea how hard it is for others to learn languages. I personally have a difficult time with the tones. Also trying to find an accomplished teacher within the confines of my work schedule. The few Thai words and statements I know often hit a brick wall. Not solely due to pronunciation but also the inability of many Thais in hearing thai from a foreigner.

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

I understand your problem with some Thais inability to even realize that the farang i speaking Thai.

I just downloaded a Thai reading application on my ipad for my 6 year old daughter and thought wow, if they had had this 20 years ago it would have saved me so much time. Great app with sound - learn all the different tones, letters etc.

No more so than what she could learn from a 6yr old thai girl, and probably have more fun doing it.

[SteeleJoe]

The comment you make about Thais being unable to understand Thai when spoken by foreigners is another well worn cliche that novices often come up with.The reality is that if Thais don't understand what you are saying you are probably speaking unclearly and inaccurately.

Fact.

[jayboy]

i would not assume that Thais have a higher regard for farangs who speak Thai, I think for some the opposite maybe true; eg when i first came to work in Bangkok, i asked my then secretary (quite a hiso, middle aged, Thai lady) to book me some lessons in the office ; I thought i should try to have at least a basic knowlege of the language. Her reaction was why bother? everyone in the company spoke English and would prefer to speak to me in English, all the meetings were in English, anyone i would need to talk to outside the company would likely also speak English and anyone who didnt well, thats what she was for. None of her previous bosses had bothered to learn it and anyway she added "only low class foreigners speak Thai ." I ignored her advice and went ahead with the lessons though i suspect quite a few Thais would share her views, shocking though that maybe for some on this forum.

I would tend to agree with this but adding a caveat it was a view much more prevalent in the 1960's and 1970's.At that time Bangkok had a much smaller and generally higher social status expatriate community, mostly employed by trading companies, embassies and the leading universities.Many - perhaps most- had girls or boys on the side and I expect these had a better grasp of basic Thai than the others.There was certainly no particular status attached to speaking Thai well though the capability would have been respected.I think you are right that the more patrician type of Thai would have been mildly puzzled at a foreigner speaking fluent Thai.Strangely enough I think there was more social mixing then than now between foreigners and well born Thais, but the language used would generally have been English.Now there are far more Thai speakers at a good level, notably the army of teachers which didn't really exist in the old days.In addition there was no army of expat residents who were in the country for no apparent reason than liking it .Some of these speak quite good polite Thai but most don't, not really surprising given the company they keep.

[rct99q]

To those who assume that anyone from Issan is "low class" or a bar wench, you are very wrong. Issan comprises 1/3 the population of Thailand.

Issan people form the backbone of the service industry, the trades and the military. Considering that almost all of us will at some point require the services of these "low class" people, speaking some Issan dialect, even a few words, would serve one well. Many of my Thai friends are from Issan. They are not bar girls and have never been to Phuket or Pattaya, nor wish to have anything to do with those that go there. One of them is the guy that will most likely be sent in to defuse the bomb someone plants. (I reckon most of you didn't know that most of the bomb disposal personnel come from Issan.) You bet I want to be able to speak a few words to them. Next time there is a civil insurrection and you want to navigate through the army people, drop a few Issan words and you will get some help as most conscripts are Issan people. Those Issan people form the majority of the NCOs and junior officer corps as well.

Appreciably if one makes his home in the south, one of the southern dialects is appropriate. However, if one is living in Bangkok or in the north, Issan dialect comes in handy.

I have yet to meet at least one taxi driver in Bangkok in my visits who was not from Isaan. It takes a few moments to realize they are from the North East and usually begins and ends in a pleasant ride.

[cooked]

During my stint of teaching English I was often obliged to say 'that's the way it is' I must admit that Thai is the most difficult language that I have come up against. I'll be content if I understand what is being discussed, I know where to go when I tank up the car, know enough to go to the male toilets,

Apart from that, everybody speaks Lao here. I don't feel capable of learning two languages in parallel at my age.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

them you were a lousy teacher who was afraid to say "i don't know, i will get back to you with the answer" then look it up.

I taught for 5 years about 15 years ago, and had some advanced students with some very tough questions.

they were all amazed the first time i said, i was not sure and that i would have to look it up.

there are plenty of excellent books on english usage, and I always found a satisfactory answer.

Having answered the first question, the questions came hard and fast after that and the lessons I taught always began with answering the usage issues that I could not definitively answer the previous class.

To be a native speaker is to understand the use of your mother tongue innately, without requiring recourse to rules of thumb. To be a native speaker is to speak the language a certain way, because that is the way it is.

To be a teacher, is to understand the mechanics at a different level and provide coherent explanations for any patterns or anomalies that native speakers understand simply as a matter of course.

Thanks for your frank and opencomments. There are so many exceptions to the rule, terms that are only used in connection to particular forms of speech. Take the word 'get'. Why does it have so many meanings and ways of being used? Answer: that's the way it is. You could go back to its origins in ancient Norse and then track the way that it diversified over the centuries and explain things to them that they won't comprehend and that most English people don't know. Or you can just shrug and say 'sorry, that's the way it is'. There are many more examples but I am wasting my time, I generally find teachers to be an arrogant bunch , t's part of the job, being convinced that you know everything better.

I

speak read and write three other languages than English by the way.

[rct99q]

During my stint of teaching English I was often obliged to say 'that's the way it is' I must admit that Thai is the most difficult language that I have come up against. I'll be content if I understand what is being discussed, I know where to go when I tank up the car, know enough to go to the male toilets,

Apart from that, everybody speaks Lao here. I don't feel capable of learning two languages in parallel at my age.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

them you were a lousy teacher who was afraid to say "i don't know, i will get back to you with the answer" then look it up.

I taught for 5 years about 15 years ago, and had some advanced students with some very tough questions.

they were all amazed the first time i said, i was not sure and that i would have to look it up.

there are plenty of excellent books on english usage, and I always found a satisfactory answer.

Having answered the first question, the questions came hard and fast after that and the lessons I taught always began with answering the usage issues that I could not definitively answer the previous class.

To be a native speaker is to understand the use of your mother tongue innately, without requiring recourse to rules of thumb. To be a native speaker is to speak the language a certain way, because that is the way it is.

To be a teacher, is to understand the mechanics at a different level and provide coherent explanations for any patterns or anomalies that native speakers understand simply as a matter of course.

Thanks for your frank and opencomments. There are so many exceptions to the rule, terms that are only used in connection to particular forms of speech. Take the word 'get'. Why does it have so many meanings and ways of being used? Answer: that's the way it is. You could go back to its origins in ancient Norse and then track the way that it diversified over the centuries and explain things to them that they won't comprehend and that most English people don't know. Or you can just shrug and say 'sorry, that's the way it is'. There are many more examples but I am wasting my time, I generally find teachers to be an arrogant bunch , it's part of the job, being convinced that you know everything better.

Wow bad example. Why does it have so many meanings? Answer - that's the way it is! You do not have to go back to Ancient Norse to know as parts of speech it (the word "get") can be used as a noun and a verb (transitive, intransitive and auxiliary) which is quite easy to explain to Thai children (I am a parent not a teacher but can do this).

[StreetCowboy]

Fluency is difficult, the tonal aspect of Thai ( and other Asian languages ) is effectively a cunning barrier against learning for we of a Western extract.

This issue has been the topic of conversation a few times in the last few days in my residence/hotel. My attitude is that it's retarded not to be able to count to 10 in Thai, not to know the words for left and right, not to be able to return a greeting in Thai.

Seriously, think about it........" I've lived here for three years and I can't count to 10 ".

Shocking and ignorant.......shame can be a good motivator to learn.

I lived in Scotland for a couple of years before I could count to ten in English, I think.

I speak and read/write Thai not fluently but it was not the first Asian language that I learned -- none fluently.

That said, learning a language is a proclivity like music, math, or some sports. And some could spend good money and long hours per week and never feel comfortable speaking even rudimentary Thai. So, that many who have lived here even long-term and still cannot speak more than a few words of Thai doesn't surprise me nor do I think it is necessary for their overall well-being.

you are totally wrong Khun Crab! any Farang who masters in Thai

"teelak, you make chow pad thai leo leo cause me hungly too mutt!"

will look down on you with sympathy because surely Thais have riped (sic!) you off many times.

Ripened. You've studied English - you've got no excuse.

[candypants]

During my stint of teaching English I was often obliged to say 'that's the way it is' I must admit that Thai is the most difficult language that I have come up against. I'll be content if I understand what is being discussed, I know where to go when I tank up the car, know enough to go to the male toilets,

Apart from that, everybody speaks Lao here. I don't feel capable of learning two languages in parallel at my age.

Sent from my iPhone using ThaiVisa app

them you were a lousy teacher who was afraid to say "i don't know, i will get back to you with the answer" then look it up.

I taught for 5 years about 15 years ago, and had some advanced students with some very tough questions.

they were all amazed the first time i said, i was not sure and that i would have to look it up.

there are plenty of excellent books on english usage, and I always found a satisfactory answer.

Having answered the first question, the questions came hard and fast after that and the lessons I taught always began with answering the usage issues that I could not definitively answer the previous class.

To be a native speaker is to understand the use of your mother tongue innately, without requiring recourse to rules of thumb. To be a native speaker is to speak the language a certain way, because that is the way it is.

To be a teacher, is to understand the mechanics at a different level and provide coherent explanations for any patterns or anomalies that native speakers understand simply as a matter of course.

Thanks for your frank and opencomments. There are so many exceptions to the rule, terms that are only used in connection to particular forms of speech. Take the word 'get'. Why does it have so many meanings and ways of being used? Answer: that's the way it is. You could go back to its origins in ancient Norse and then track the way that it diversified over the centuries and explain things to them that they won't comprehend and that most English people don't know. Or you can just shrug and say 'sorry, that's the way it is'. There are many more examples but I am wasting my time, I generally find teachers to be an arrogant bunch , it's part of the job, being convinced that you know everything better.

or you could do some simple research and provide them with a definitive response. rather than simply knowing better, provide concrete examples

http://www.edufind.com/english/grammar/get1.php

almost any question you are asked can be answered in this fashion.

https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&ie=UTF-8#safe=off&hl=en&sclient=psy-ab&q=get%20english%20usage&oq=&gs_l=&pbx=1&fp=a1f67034ec357cff&ion=1&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.45512109,d.bmk&biw=1600&bih=732

however, to give a nod to the actual topic, to me it is simply common sense that anyone willing to settle in thailand for an extended period of time would wish to become as autonomous as possible by learning at least rudimentary thai language.

if you dont plan to leavve the village, local dialect will suffice, if you are to be engaged in business or plan to travel extensively, or do not wish to be taken as a bumpkin, central is the way forward

Edited April 23, 2013 by candypants

[candypants]

The irony is that the OP is posting this all in English. If you want to speak Thai go ahead. If people don't want to then so be it. It's a decision they make, not based on what other people tell them they should do. And I have no concern whatsoever if people want to speak Spanish in the USA. Or Chinese or French or whatever. Why should it bother you what language other people speak? Do you also believe foreigner in Thailand should become a buddhist also??

that is not ironic, that is in line with the rules of an english language forum that deletes posts made in any other tongue, save for the the dedicated thai language forum in which this was not posted.

So a forum about Thailand that only permits English language posting is not ironic?

Well this has now reached new levels of absurdity that make forced assimilation sound reasonable.

perhaps if you were to leave off being obtuse you would see that an English language forum about Thailand for expats and travellers is in no way ironic.

As for forced assimilation, i had always believed that participation here was voluntary rather than compulsory

Edited April 23, 2013 by candypants

[KhunBENQ]

Wow., thats a hot topic.

Didn't find time to read through all the posts, just browsing.

Seen some wise and some ignorant stuff.

My native language is German BTW.

As I will probably (hopefully) live in this country for many years to come, it is absolutely clear to me, that I have to learn the language.

I am amazed to see pensioners living here for years not even being able to buy some stuff on the local market, but being dependent on selfservice supermarkets (just a very basic example of so many, they are totally dependent like a minor).

Of course: if you are here for a limited time as an expat worker in a project or so, you might find it a waste of time and your coworkers will assure you they all speak english (good joke BTW).

I have learned the alphabet and becoming better in reading and think that this is essential.

Could anyone believe he can learn a language (like Russian) without knowing the alphabet and be able to read?

And for Thai it is the only exact way of learning the right tone.

There are transcriptions which try to describe the right tone/length etc.

But why learn some strange transcription instead of learning the native script.

In Germany learning the language (incl. test) is now mandatory to get a residence permit (even for spouses).

The latter fact is still part of a legal battle, as it obviously violates the right to freely choose your partner.

"What kind of Thai"?

I think this question is handled quite disproportionate.

Even if the Isan taxi driver speaks his dialect, he will probably be able to understand your "central Thai",

Today almost all pupil go through 10/12 year of school which includes learning the "right" Thai language.

I am noty sure BTW what the right disctinctions are.

I see the nation sitting in front of their TV sets, watching drama, show and news (aired nationwide) and I think they understand quite well what is said?

Edited April 23, 2013 by KhunBENQ

[Thaddeus]

To those who assume that anyone from Issan is "low class" or a bar wench, you are very wrong. Issan comprises 1/3 the population of Thailand.

Issan people form the backbone of the service industry, the trades and the military. Considering that almost all of us will at some point require the services of these "low class" people, speaking some Issan dialect, even a few words, would serve one well.

Queueing to use the ATM a while back there was a little old lady directly in front of me, when it came to her turn she just looked at the machine in a state of bemusement, she turned around and saw me standing there.

She then thrust the plastic card in my direction and said "neung song sam see"

Well thought I, that's the PIN code then.

I took the card, put in the slot and typed 1 2 3 4 when asked.

"Tow rai baht khrap"

"Sam loi kha"

Pushed the right buttons, took the card, money, receipt and handed them to her.

She ...."kop khun mak mak kha"

Me ..... "eeeeee, boh pben yang dork"

The transformation on her face was amazing, one of the biggest and brightest smiles I've ever seen appeared, and she ran away with her arms in the air exclaiming to all in earshot "farang poot laos, farang poot laos!!!!"

One phrase but brownie points aplenty.

( I know this part of the forum is supposed to be English language only, but the point of this post wouldn't work purely in English)

[Morakot]

i think reading is optional but most important is speaking. since quite

some time i have the urge to discuss with our gardener the latest

technical publications on "increasing gas turbine efficiency". i would

be also very interested to hear his opinions whether "quantitative

easing in combination with the financial crisis in Cyprus will break up

the European Union".

that's why i have set my mind on learning

Thai, no matter how many decades it will take. after all, our gardener

is still a young man and most probably still alive once i master the

required level.

I really can't understand your need to show your financial standing in so many posts. It certainly doesn't impress me but might those in the Banking forum.

Your gardener is a human being and we all possess different qualities. Wouldn't you like to talk to him about how you want the rose bed around your summer house, or your maze hedge height? Or ask him about his family?

What you're really saying is that you are better educated, financially better off and better than these pesky Siamese. Why on earth should someone so elevated lower themselves to learning their language, as they have nothing to say.

This divide that you widen with your refusal or inability to learn Thai is just going to get wider and wider.

Why not simply say what you mean - that you/we shouldn't learn Thai as we are above them educationally, financially and culturally.

I feel exactly the same! When I talk to my gardener and he goes on on about how he won the Chelsea Flower Show and what not, I sometimes want to tell him that I'm much more interested in earthy topics such as how to revitalises a wormbin or how to make your own charcoal. I often have the impression when talking to him that we live in such different worlds; I try not to look down on him with all his fancy ideas.

Edited April 23, 2013 by Morakot

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Turn the question on its head. Do you expect foreigners who live in your home country as residents rather than as tourists to try and learn your language? Do you complain about those who won't?

That was addressed in the OP, yes i expect foreigners in my home country to speak the native language. It just seems many foreigners here in Thailand dont think the should learn the language and my question was to gauge that sentiment.

You have carefully avoided saying which language variant you think foreigners should learn.

It's like saying everyone that moves to Canada should learn English, not much use if you live in Quebec (they speak French).

Or everyone that moves to Belgium should learn French, not much use if you move to Flanders (they speak Flemish).

Even countries like Italy spoke 3 completely separate languages until the 1950s

(A situation very similar to modern day Thailand)

But everyone of those countries has a legal language and all the people speak and understand it. You seem to have a very limited knowledge of any place other than USA. And as for Thailand, even the hill tribe people speak and understand central Thai if you take the time to actually meet them rather than accepting your very wrong bias as truth. I speak from 45 years experience working and living around the world (much of that time in Thailand.) You also seem to only be able to associate with bar crowds, which can influence your thinking. Try a new crowd.

Just to let you know, I am Thai.

I'm betting you can't form, speak or understand any Thai sentences "from 45 years experience working much of that time in Thailand".

On what do I base that bet, well you don't participate in the Thai language forum, where most of the Thai speaking forum members can be found.

Edited April 23, 2013 by AnotherOneAmerican

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Even if the Isan taxi driver speaks his dialect, he will probably be able to understand your "central Thai",

Today almost all pupil go through 10/12 year of school which includes learning the "right" Thai language.

I am noty sure BTW what the right disctinctions are.

I see the nation sitting in front of their TV sets, watching drama, show and news (aired nationwide) and I think they understand quite well what is said?

Central Thai is only enforced in high school, less that 30% of Thais complete high school (about 40% never go), 10 years ago that was 5% completing.

If you watch Thai TV, you will see reports from the regions usually have central Thai subtitles, that's because most of the rest of the population can't understand that region.

A lot of regional people now understand central Thai, not so much people from the hill-tribes.

But they don't speak central Thai with each other, so if you learn central Thai, then live in a region, you won't understand what the people around you are saying.

Now one of the main reasons to learn a language, as given on TV, is so you can speak with your loved one.

But central Thai isn't her language, if you are going to speak together why would neither of you use your first language?

Central Thai isn't her first language, central Thai isn't your language. More useful to teach her English (or German, or Dutch, or Swedish, or French)

Then at least you will be speaking together in someone's first language.

Of course most TV members don't understand any flavour of Thai language, to them it all sounds the same, or they assume there is only a difference in accent.

Edited April 23, 2013 by AnotherOneAmerican

[farang000999]

Is it really possible for a physician to not speak English? Aren't all the medications written in English?

[SteeleJoe]

Is it really possible for a physician to not speak English? Aren't all the medications written in English?

Is it really possible for a physician to not speak English? Absolutely.

Aren't all the medications written in English? If you mean are the brand names written in English? Generally. If you mean is all the information about them written exclusively in English? No.

But being able to read English reasonably well does not mean you can speak it at a commensurate level or even close to it.