Prevalance Of English In Thailand

[P.W.R. III]

Hey guys and girls.

My girlfriend and I plan a roughly three month trip to Thailand in January, and we feel concerned about the language barrier. To what extent should we prioritize our learning of the language? I don't want to give the impression that we don't intend to try and learn it, but our resources limit themselves to Learn-From-CD's (as a side-question, does anyone know any good ones?). How prevalant will we find English speakers? Will we find ourselves totally screwed without a decent grasp of the language? Thanks a bunch in advance.

[Thaiquila]

Where do you plan to travel?

If you are staying on the beaten tourist track or even beaten Lonely Planet backpack track, you don't have anything to worry about.

Broken, pidgeon Thaiglish is spoken quite commonly, and body language communication games are taken with good humor.

[jdinasia]

ummm rosetta stone is good etc .... but frankly .. learning here is better .... Eng is not all that common ... but you will find peoplethat speak it with soome level of proficiency ....

[goodguy]

Hi I am sorry to say it, but forget it finding any useful Thai English speakers. I am afraid the only English you will encounter is in the Taxi when they try to overcharge you, and the service industries whcih are tuned to rip you off, apart from that, English in the broader population encompasses catch phrases and jingoistic anomalies.

Better try and learn some Thai.

At least they can speak their own language.

In some ways, they are a bit like the Native English. ie: equally narrow minded

[jdinasia]

hmmmm ... not a happy picture that "goodguy" paints ... I have friends that have lived here over a decade and don't speak Thai and get on well ...

(ps . in 2+ years living here I have only had taxis try to scam me 3 times<not counting one's not willing to turn on the meter ... and those I just don't ride in> that is about 15 taxis a week .. so maybe 1800 rides? ... though I know plenty of people that have had worse experiences)

Edited May 9, 2006 by jdinasia

[Momenthai]

In all of the tourist destinations such as Bkk, Ko Samui, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Ko Samet, Pattaya (never been but would expect it) the level of English is ok, if you go into bars, restaurants, travel agents etc you will be ok.

If you go further off the beaten track it won't be so good but if you can speak the basics like numbers, left, right, go straight, I would like, how much is this, can you discount etc and also have a phrase book that has the words in English and Thai so that you can point to words I think you will be fine

[jdinasia]

Actually I would say the general level of English is better in Pattaya Chewang, Koh Phangngan, Phuket etc ... than it is in BKK .... but there will be enough spoken to survive ... particularly along the skytrain routes

(silom/Suk ... and around KSR

[Ijustwannateach]

I've never found any place in Thailand, including the furthest reaches of the borderlands, where there wasn't *someone* who could figure out what you were trying to communicate *somehow*. Either by sign language, or very basic piecemeal Thai, or very basic piecemeal English, or any combination of these, or often even very good English. If the person you are speaking with is overwhelmed, they will often summon someone who has more experience or aptitude in communication, and you will eventually come to an understanding.

[Jack Jones]

Don't bother, stay ignorant, you'll have a better time

Seriously, you can get by with English and it may be difficult for you to learn Thai wihout actually hearing the language first hand. However, if you do make the effort most decent Thai folk will appreicate it and will be more than happy to correct when you go wrong. Perhaps try basic words/phrases, please and thank-you go a long way in most countries.

[skylar]

Point and grunt works quite well in most places.