Living In Thailand

[ampursong]

Jan. 2007 my wife and i wil be moving back to thailand...She is thai...Im from the US.....Its been a real pain for me to try and learn thai so i can atleast have a half way decent conversation with members of her family....I hate having to have her close by so she can translate certain things...i was just wondering if any of you guys living over there are having any prblems not being able to communicate the way you would like to......I know living near a big city where there are lots of farangs most thais understand some english....but where I,ll be living up north I,m out in the boondocks...

Would just like to hear from expats on how your coping wih the laguage barrier....

thanks

[phuketsiam]

if you make the effort you will pick up, don't be disheartened, at times it feel very difficult but stick at it and you will be fine, once your sourrounded by native speakers you learn the language much more quickly, good luck

[qualtrough]

One of the first things I did here years ago was to study Thai. I first bought the Campbell (?) Black book and read through that. That was a good book because it started you on the alphabet right away. After that I enrolled in a school and studied for the Pratom 4 test. That was the standard for foreigners at the time, but I think it is Pratom 6 now. I would really suggest learning to read at the same time. Why? Well aside from the convenience of being able to read, reading allows you to know how Thai words should be pronounced as well as their tone. There is no way you can determine this from most English transliterations. If you apply yourself you can get up to speed fairly quickly. It is tough at first, but not as tough as a lot of people make it out to be. Having a wife gives you a great advantage if she is willing to help you out. If you can't speak and understand Thai life will be pretty boring in the boonies, and you will always be dependent on your wife to do just about anything. Some people don't mind that--I would.

[Tywais]

When I first came here many years ago I used to carry a pocket dictionary (Robertson's Practical English-Thai Dictionary) and seem to pop it out every few minutes. The Thais seemed to enjoy my efforts and would even grab my dictionary and help me through some meanings and pronunciations. Wore two of them out before I was comfortable enough without it. Nice thing about this dictionary it shows the tonal marks through simple symbols such as (h)roht! meh, where (h) is high tone and ! means a short sound.

[Jockstar]

I can get by. Just! Conversation. No! But i know enough to get by. I do rely on the wife when we visit the family. I can understand more than i can speak though.

[Mr_Dave]

I would really suggest learning to read at the same time. Why? Well aside from the convenience of being able to read, reading allows you to know how Thai words should be pronounced as well as their tone. There is no way you can determine this from most English transliterations.

I second that good advice from "qualtrough".

To speak and understand conversational Thai, it is essential to know how to read.

If you try to learn a transliteration method, might as well go a bit further and learn Thai alphabet and tone rules.

I've been studying Thai for almost two years now - here in Thailand.

I started at one of the schools that offer Thai language to foreigners.

The basic program uses English transliteration.

Learning with transliteration is possible, but a struggle, because tones and vowel lengths for every word must be memorized one at a time.

I gave up on the school and started over from scratch, learning alphabet and associated tone rules with a tutor.

Only then did I see (and hear) significant progress.

So, I'd say, for a foreigner to speak and understand Thai at a conversational level, you must learn to read the language.

.

Edited May 26, 2006 by Mr_Dave

[ThaiPauly]

I have found that as far as families are concerned its best to keep a safe distance and in my book that means understanding as little Thai as possible..then the family cannot ask you directly for money.

I can speak and understand more than I let on.....My Wife's family are not poor..not rich either. but we recently went to her eldest Brother's housewarming.. BIG HOUSE..NEW CAR in the driveway... then the Brother's Wife tries to hit my wife up for cash.

Fur coat..no knickers..its all for show and face..but all in hock..

So.. you DO NOT need to learn Thai to communicate with the "Family" Learn Thai by all means to communicate with other Thais but don't let on to "The Family" that you speak it.. could be costly

TP

[ColPyat]

So, I'd say, for a foreigner to speak and understand Thai at a conversational level, you must learn to read the language.

.

Nops.

I can comfortably converse on almost all topics in colloqial Thai without going in my head over possible translations, never learned to read and write. I am comfortable in phoning in Thai, i regularly dream in Thai (and in two other languages), and when speaking in Thai i also think in Thai.

At home with the wife we only speak Thai (no Thinglish...that is one of my issues - Thinglish makes me cringe!), i have lots of Thai friends with whom i only speak Thai.

I won't be able to hold a public lecture in Thai yet, but i hate doing that in any other language as well.

It is absolutely possibly to be on a conversational level in Thai without being literate.

Edited May 26, 2006 by ColPyat

[ColPyat]

I have found that as far as families are concerned its best to keep a safe distance and in my book that means understanding as little Thai as possible..then the family cannot ask you directly for money.

???

Well, your family sounds not very nice.

Whatever, i would see it from a different perspective. In case of encountering such people, if you speak Thai you can give them first a nice explanation why you are not a walking ATM, and if they persist, than you can give them a nice sarcy comment that makes them lose face so badly that they will think twice before ever asking again.

[Ulysses G.]

Fur coat..no knickers..

My Thai is OK and never learned to read and write, however, I am a lot more interested in the bold statement above!

[Mobi]

I can get by pretty well with my Thai - I'm sure its not up to ColPyat's impressive standards, and I wouldn't like to have a deep philosophical discussion, but I certainly don't need a translator when I go up country and I often act as a translator for farangs who have problems. I can't read or write, have never had Thai lessons and never really made a huge effort to learn.

Apart from being exposed to the language for quite few years when my spoken Thai was limited, I made huge leaps and jumps when I started living with ladies whose English was much worse than my Thai, so by default Thai became the language of communication. Sure I kept a dictionary, but it wasn't much use in helping me to pronouce words, and I have never have to think about tones. I just speak the language intuitively, and virtually every Thai tells me how clear my Thai is. I always 'blush" at the very idea, but they all insist that it is very clear. My wife says it is extremely clear, but that a farang friend I have in Bangkok speaks even better and clearer - and he doesn't read or write either. He's just been here about 30 + years.

So I'm not knocking those who say you need to learn to read as well as speak, but IMHO, If you want to really speak Thai quickly, you have to be amonst Thais who don't speak English - its the only way - your brain leaps a few gears without you ever realising it.

[ThaiPauly]

Fur coat..no knickers..

My Thai is OK and never learned to read and write, however, I am a lot more interested in the bold statement above!

it is a common statement in the UK that refers to those that buy a FUR COAT...but cannot afford any KNICKERS..pretty self explanatory Georgie

[ThaiPauly]

I have found that as far as families are concerned its best to keep a safe distance and in my book that means understanding as little Thai as possible..then the family cannot ask you directly for money.

???

Well, your family sounds not very nice.

Whatever, i would see it from a different perspective. In case of encountering such people, if you speak Thai you can give them first a nice explanation why you are not a walking ATM, and if they persist, than you can give them a nice sarcy comment that makes them lose face so badly that they will think twice before ever asking again.

why should I BOTHER myself over it...it is not my "Problem".. My Wife just says she has no money.. which is true..they can't ask me DIRECTLY as ...I can't understand them

TIT...woks in my favour (this time)

[tutsiwarrior]

to reply to the OP, if you know that you will be staying in Thailand long term, what's it cost to do a course in order to get a handle on the basics? Plenty of short term (6 week) courses available in BKK and you won't break the bank by payin' 6 weeks rent and course fees for the benefit that you would get...

I was in Thailand in Suphanburi for 18 months unemployed and waitin' for a job to materialise so I didn't make an effort. If I knew then that I would be idle for that duration I would have certainly used the time to pick up language skills. Given the difficulty of learning the language I'd say that you would need the discipline of a 4 hr per day, 5 day per week structure to obtain any benefit.

If the above sounds too rigorous get a copy of Benjawan Poomsan Becker's 'Thai for beginners' (available at any Asia Books in BKK) and the audio media for a first stab...

upward and onward...

Edited May 26, 2006 by tutsiwarrior

[Sing_Sling]

TIT...woks in my favour (this time)

[mrbojangles]

So, I'd say, for a foreigner to speak and understand Thai at a conversational level, you must learn to read the language.

.

Nops.

I can comfortably converse on almost all topics in colloqial Thai without going in my head over possible translations, never learned to read and write. I am comfortable in phoning in Thai, i regularly dream in Thai (and in two other languages), and when speaking in Thai i also think in Thai.

At home with the wife we only speak Thai (no Thinglish...that is one of my issues - Thinglish makes me cringe!), i have lots of Thai friends with whom i only speak Thai.

I won't be able to hold a public lecture in Thai yet, but i hate doing that in any other language as well.

It is absolutely possibly to be on a conversational level in Thai without being literate.

I agree you DON'T have to learn to read and write but i have found it a great advantage. If i don't quite understand something someone has said, i ask them to spell it. Also, i find it helps in learning tones etc.

Just my experience

[GuestHouse]

I speak, read and write Thai, I started learning in my first week in Thailand and while it took a lot of effort, learning Thai has paid huge bennefits in terms of my life in Thailand.

I would urge anyone who wants to live in Thailand to learn the language.

[Patex]

I would really suggest learning to read at the same time. Why? Well aside from the convenience of being able to read, reading allows you to know how Thai words should be pronounced as well as their tone. There is no way you can determine this from most English transliterations.

I second that good advice from "qualtrough".

To speak and understand conversational Thai, it is essential to know how to read.

Same same here

Only if you have a musical ear you can learn Thai properly just by listening. But then, even good musicans still use notes .

It's really no big deal, while learning think about arabic or chinese letters...

[seonai]

I learned Thai by learning to write it at the same time with random strangers and monks. It always stuck in my mind after that. And then just getting out there and not being afraid to speak. I was in tears often back in 1992 when I was trying to order vegetarian food. All the girls laughed their heads off when i tried to order in badly pronouced Thai. But, no school, no teacher, I speak fairly fluent BKK Thai now - the place I now live speak a completely different dialect but never mind.

[Mr_Dave]

I agree you DON'T have to learn to read and write but i have found it a great advantage. If i don't quite understand something someone has said, i ask them to spell it. Also, i find it helps in learning tones etc.

Thank you, Mr. Bojangles. I wish I'd said that.

All my experience confirms your advice about asking for the spelling of words.

It helps a lot.

If someone is speaking quickly, or in a thick Isaan dialect, simply ask, "sa-got-yang-aiy" ... How to spell that?

From the spelling, can make out the correct tones and vowel sounds ... if you know how to read the language.

Some on this thread claim to be fluent in spoken Thai without being able to read/write.

Frankly, I don't believe them.

Perhaps their families and neighbors understand enough to bring another bottle of Singha, or to buy a kilo of mangosteen, but I doubt their conversations go much beyond a simple level.

In addition, I'd wager that most who make such claims have picked up bits of language from wives and girl friends.

Women speak a different style than men: different pitch and duration to the vowel sounds, much wider tone amplitude.

It's entertaining for me whilst, say, at Tesco/Lotus, to hear a resident farang with his Thai woman.

And he is speaking in women's mode!

I've even heard some farang men using, "kah".

So I'll push this discussion along by saying that any farang man who wants to be fluent should learn the language from a Thai man.

There is a very different tone range and timbre to the sound of a man speaking, than a woman.

Plus, Thai men speak to women in different manner than they speak to other men of similar status.

Some of this is body language, some is word tone and pace.

A man who tries to learn the language from a woman, will not learn those elements.

At the beginning, I started by studying Thai language at a school with women teachers.

When I'd try to speak to ordinary Thai people outside of the school -- say, a waitress -- she'd smile and giggle and respond with, "Oh, you speak Thai very gooood." ... in ENGLISH!

But now, with a man teacher, and picking up a man's style of speaking from him, when I speak to the same waitress in the same restaurant, she does the little dip in the knees, says a short, "ka", and scurries off to bring what I've ordered.

Quite a difference.

.

[KhunMarco]

I agree you DON'T have to learn to read and write but i have found it a great advantage. If i don't quite understand something someone has said, i ask them to spell it. Also, i find it helps in learning tones etc.

Thank you, Mr. Bojangles. I wish I'd said that.

All my experience confirms your advice about asking for the spelling of words.

It helps a lot.

If someone is speaking quickly, or in a thick Isaan dialect, simply ask, "sa-got-yang-aiy" ... How to spell that?

From the spelling, can make out the correct tones and vowel sounds ... if you know how to read the language.

Some on this thread claim to be fluent in spoken Thai without being able to read/write.

Frankly, I don't believe them.

Perhaps their families and neighbors understand enough to bring another bottle of Singha, or to buy a kilo of mangosteen, but I doubt their conversations go much beyond a simple level.

In addition, I'd wager that most who make such claims have picked up bits of language from wives and girl friends.

Women speak a different style than men: different pitch and duration to the vowel sounds, much wider tone amplitude.

It's entertaining for me whilst, say, at Tesco/Lotus, to hear a resident farang with his Thai woman.

And he is speaking in women's mode!

I've even heard some farang men using, "kah".

So I'll push this discussion along by saying that any farang man who wants to be fluent should learn the language from a Thai man.

There is a very different tone range and timbre to the sound of a man speaking, than a woman.

Plus, Thai men speak to women in different manner than they speak to other men of similar status.

Some of this is body language, some is word tone and pace.

A man who tries to learn the language from a woman, will not learn those elements.

At the beginning, I started by studying Thai language at a school with women teachers.

When I'd try to speak to ordinary Thai people outside of the school -- say, a waitress -- she'd smile and giggle and respond with, "Oh, you speak Thai very gooood." ... in ENGLISH!

But now, with a man teacher, and picking up a man's style of speaking from him, when I speak to the same waitress in the same restaurant, she does the little dip in the knees, says a short, "ka", and scurries off to bring what I've ordered.

Quite a difference.

.

Well I show them the money and they all understand me in a nanosec. no plomplem

[ColPyat]

Some on this thread claim to be fluent in spoken Thai without being able to read/write.

Frankly, I don't believe them.

Perhaps their families and neighbors understand enough to bring another bottle of Singha, or to buy a kilo of mangosteen, but I doubt their conversations go much beyond a simple level.

In addition, I'd wager that most who make such claims have picked up bits of language from wives and girl friends.

Women speak a different style than men: different pitch and duration to the vowel sounds, much wider tone amplitude.

It's entertaining for me whilst, say, at Tesco/Lotus, to hear a resident farang with his Thai woman.

And he is speaking in women's mode!

I've even heard some farang men using, "kah".

Believe what you want, but if you have a bit of a musical ear (as someone here already stated), colloquial Thai is not that difficult for someone who is used to learn foreign languages. Thai has very primitive grammar compared to French, Latin, English or German, and the vocaublary comes along by itself. The tones don't pose too much difficulty if you speak in full sentences or phrases, and not single words.

It is just different learning methods. Nothing else.

I do know many people who read and write Thai very well, but their spoken Thai is atrocious. They have no feel for the language, they mull over every correct translation, and are not able to pronounce the vowels properly. But yes, they can read and write.

And as to just learning from wifes or girlfriends, yes, there are many people like that around, and yes, mostly their Thai is not very well. But if you have Thai friends, move with them in Thai only environments then your Thai language skills will improve dramatically.

People always make it up as if languages are difficult to learn, that one has to go through all sorts of complex lessons before being able to speak. This is rubbish. Languages are only tools for communication, and as long as you force yourself to communicate they will come to you without much effort.

Just as an experiment you should spend a few weeks in an isolated area where nobody speaks any language that you recognise. I bet that within those few weeks you will have basic survival skills in that language.

I am not saying that reading and writing is not extremely useful, but not being able to get beyond survival Thai without reading and writing - that is <deleted>.

[Mobi]

Believe what you want, but if you have a bit of a musical ear (as someone here already stated), colloquial Thai is not that difficult for someone who is used to learn foreign languages. Thai has very primitive grammar compared to French, Latin, English or German, and the vocaublary comes along by itself. The tones don't pose too much difficulty if you speak in full sentences or phrases, and not single words.

It is just different learning methods. Nothing else.

I do know many people who read and write Thai very well, but their spoken Thai is atrocious. They have no feel for the language, they mull over every correct translation, and are not able to pronounce the vowels properly. But yes, they can read and write.

And as to just learning from wifes or girlfriends, yes, there are many people like that around, and yes, mostly their Thai is not very well. But if you have Thai friends, move with them in Thai only environments then your Thai language skills will improve dramatically.

People always make it up as if languages are difficult to learn, that one has to go through all sorts of complex lessons before being able to speak. This is rubbish. Languages are only tools for communication, and as long as you force yourself to communicate they will come to you without much effort.

Just as an experiment you should spend a few weeks in an isolated area where nobody speaks any language that you recognise. I bet that within those few weeks you will have basic survival skills in that language.

I am not saying that reading and writing is not extremely useful, but not being able to get beyond survival Thai without reading and writing - that is <deleted>.

Thank you Col. For a gentleman who is not always too easy to agree with , I agree with you 100% on this one. Good Post.

I have never heard a Thai say to me: "Oh your Thai is so English" or "Oh you speak like a lady" What kind of idiot farang would claim he could speak Thai and use Kah instaed of Krap- I ask you?

As I said in my previous post, almost every stranger (Thai) I meet compliments me on my clear Thai, or tells my wife, or another Thai who may be with me, how clear it is - I'm not imagining it - it's a fact!

As it happens I do have an ear for music and am very musical, so maybe this has something to do with it - and also, like Col. says, always try to string words togther in a sentence rather than spend time wondering if I'm using the right words in the right manner. I'm always understood, and if I get it a bit wrong, I am corrected instinctively by the Thais, and next time I remember, which all helps in my efforts to speak Thai better.

I reapeat ; It's great if you can learn to read and write - I wish I could - it would be very useful - but in itself its not an impedement to speaking Thai. There must be thousands of farangs in Thailand who speak fluent Thai, without being able to read and write.

[warriors]

I am going to the AUA school in Bangkok, they just speak to you in Thai no English spoken. Teachers are mainly Thai men. Seems to be working for me and it will not break your bank account. Like all things it just takes time and effort.

[ColPyat]

As it happens I do have an ear for music and am very musical, so maybe this has something to do with it - and also, like Col. says, always try to string words togther in a sentence rather than spend time wondering if I'm using the right words in the right manner. I'm always understood, and if I get it a bit wrong, I am corrected instinctively by the Thais, and next time I remember, which all helps in my efforts to speak Thai better.

That is exactly the way how i learned (and still learn Thai).

When i do not know, or understand a word, i ask in Thai for it's meaning. That has the added advantage that i will then understand this particular word in its whole context, can memorize it easier in how and when it is used in Thai without having to switch my brain over into another language mode.

In many cases direct translations will not express the entire meaning, especially the different word combinations for emotional conditions (the 'jai' and 'na' expressions), which simply are not in that way existing in a western language. Thai is a language with very subtle nuances where sublime complex thoughts are often only hinted at.

Language is not just made out of letters, words and grammar - language expresses a way of life and thinking. To experience this one has to communicate with as many people from as wide backgrounds as possible.

[Cassandra]

Believe what you want, but if you have a bit of a musical ear (as someone here already stated), colloquial Thai is not that difficult for someone who is used to learn foreign languages. Thai has very primitive grammar compared to French, Latin, English or German, and the vocaublary comes along by itself. The tones don't pose too much difficulty if you speak in full sentences or phrases, and not single words.

It is just different learning methods. Nothing else.

I do know many people who read and write Thai very well, but their spoken Thai is atrocious. They have no feel for the language, they mull over every correct translation, and are not able to pronounce the vowels properly. But yes, they can read and write.

And as to just learning from wifes or girlfriends, yes, there are many people like that around, and yes, mostly their Thai is not very well. But if you have Thai friends, move with them in Thai only environments then your Thai language skills will improve dramatically.

People always make it up as if languages are difficult to learn, that one has to go through all sorts of complex lessons before being able to speak. This is rubbish. Languages are only tools for communication, and as long as you force yourself to communicate they will come to you without much effort.

Just as an experiment you should spend a few weeks in an isolated area where nobody speaks any language that you recognise. I bet that within those few weeks you will have basic survival skills in that language.

I am not saying that reading and writing is not extremely useful, but not being able to get beyond survival Thai without reading and writing - that is <deleted>.

Thank you Col. For a gentleman who is not always too easy to agree with , I agree with you 100% on this one. Good Post.

I have never heard a Thai say to me: "Oh your Thai is so English" or "Oh you speak like a lady" What kind of idiot farang would claim he could speak Thai and use Kah instaed of Krap- I ask you?

As I said in my previous post, almost every stranger (Thai) I meet compliments me on my clear Thai, or tells my wife, or another Thai who may be with me, how clear it is - I'm not imagining it - it's a fact!

As it happens I do have an ear for music and am very musical, so maybe this has something to do with it - and also, like Col. says, always try to string words togther in a sentence rather than spend time wondering if I'm using the right words in the right manner. I'm always understood, and if I get it a bit wrong, I am corrected instinctively by the Thais, and next time I remember, which all helps in my efforts to speak Thai better.

I reapeat ; It's great if you can learn to read and write - I wish I could - it would be very useful - but in itself its not an impedement to speaking Thai. There must be thousands of farangs in Thailand who speak fluent Thai, without being able to read and write.

It is a very common belief that musicality assists when learning a tonal language like Thai.However it is a complete delusion as any serious linguist can confirm.The late Mary Haas who was one of the most distinguished American experts on the Thai language and author of the famous dictionary pointed out this canard on several occasions.Nevertheless a talent for imitation or mimickry can be a help in learning any language at least in the early stages.

The poster above (Mobi) bragging of Thais complimenting him on his "clear Thai" is a rather comical example of a deluded farang with a high opinion of his linguistic ability.If I had a dollar for every semi educated visa runner who thinks he speaks "clear Thai" -a contention backed up by his tubby little ex-bargirl "wife" and her friends--I would be a rich man.

[Tywais]

The poster above (Mobi) bragging of Thais complimenting him on his "clear Thai" is a rather comical example of a deluded farang with a high opinion of his linguistic ability.If I had a dollar for every semi educated visa runner who thinks he speaks "clear Thai" -a contention backed up by his tubby little ex-bargirl "wife" and her friends--I would be a rich man.

Seems your sole purpose on TV is to bust balls Cassandra. I remember very clearly the day when Thais stopped saying that I speak Thai well (poot gahng) to I speak Thai clearly (poot chat). The former they will tell you even if all you can say is sawatdee khrup.

[Mobi]

Believe what you want, but if you have a bit of a musical ear (as someone here already stated), colloquial Thai is not that difficult for someone who is used to learn foreign languages. Thai has very primitive grammar compared to French, Latin, English or German, and the vocaublary comes along by itself. The tones don't pose too much difficulty if you speak in full sentences or phrases, and not single words.

It is just different learning methods. Nothing else.

I do know many people who read and write Thai very well, but their spoken Thai is atrocious. They have no feel for the language, they mull over every correct translation, and are not able to pronounce the vowels properly. But yes, they can read and write.

And as to just learning from wifes or girlfriends, yes, there are many people like that around, and yes, mostly their Thai is not very well. But if you have Thai friends, move with them in Thai only environments then your Thai language skills will improve dramatically.

People always make it up as if languages are difficult to learn, that one has to go through all sorts of complex lessons before being able to speak. This is rubbish. Languages are only tools for communication, and as long as you force yourself to communicate they will come to you without much effort.

Just as an experiment you should spend a few weeks in an isolated area where nobody speaks any language that you recognise. I bet that within those few weeks you will have basic survival skills in that language.

I am not saying that reading and writing is not extremely useful, but not being able to get beyond survival Thai without reading and writing - that is <deleted>.

Thank you Col. For a gentleman who is not always too easy to agree with , I agree with you 100% on this one. Good Post.

I have never heard a Thai say to me: "Oh your Thai is so English" or "Oh you speak like a lady" What kind of idiot farang would claim he could speak Thai and use Kah instaed of Krap- I ask you?

As I said in my previous post, almost every stranger (Thai) I meet compliments me on my clear Thai, or tells my wife, or another Thai who may be with me, how clear it is - I'm not imagining it - it's a fact!

As it happens I do have an ear for music and am very musical, so maybe this has something to do with it - and also, like Col. says, always try to string words togther in a sentence rather than spend time wondering if I'm using the right words in the right manner. I'm always understood, and if I get it a bit wrong, I am corrected instinctively by the Thais, and next time I remember, which all helps in my efforts to speak Thai better.

I reapeat ; It's great if you can learn to read and write - I wish I could - it would be very useful - but in itself its not an impedement to speaking Thai. There must be thousands of farangs in Thailand who speak fluent Thai, without being able to read and write.

It is a very common belief that musicality assists when learning a tonal language like Thai.However it is a complete delusion as any serious linguist can confirm.The late Mary Haas who was one of the most distinguished American experts on the Thai language and author of the famous dictionary pointed out this canard on several occasions.Nevertheless a talent for imitation or mimickry can be a help in learning any language at least in the early stages.

The poster above (Mobi) bragging of Thais complimenting him on his "clear Thai" is a rather comical example of a deluded farang with a high opinion of his linguistic ability.If I had a dollar for every semi educated visa runner who thinks he speaks "clear Thai" -a contention backed up by his tubby little ex-bargirl "wife" and her friends--I would be a rich man.

You really are a rude, insulting, patronising, jumped up little shit aren't you?

What's the matter? Still smarting from our last encounter? You hate Thailand, hate Thais, and get cheap thrills from making totally innacurate snide remarks to farangs who you have never met and of whom you have no knowledge of their backgrounds.

get a f..cking life and stop turning every thread you put your miserable, vitriolic spiteful posts into a pissing contest which ultimately causes closure.

[ColPyat]

I remember very clearly the day when Thais stopped saying that I speak Thai well (poot gahng) to I speak Thai clearly (poot chat). The former they will tell you even if all you can say is sawatdee khrup.

On my good days i get the "Tammai poot muean khon Thai?"

Funny part is, that whenever i have a cold, folks say that i speak Thai with a strong Suphanburi accent, but like a Thai who has spend too long in a foreign country and whose tones started slipping a bit.

[astral]

If you don't learn Thai you will be missiing out on part of the Thai experience.

However it is not the easiest of languages. True there is little grammar, which is a real blessing for a westerner, but the tones are the real

minefield. IMHO a musical ear helps a lot. Also reading will help you understand the finer nuances; that the spoken Thai glosses over leaving

your to apply context to work out what is meant.

Make and effort.

Even have lessons with a native Thai teacher.

Then listen and learn, just like you did at your mother's knee.

I often hear things and understand, thinking, "I would not have used that sentence construction".