How long did it take to communicate effectively with your Thai partner?

[godden]

Not spoken to the wife for two years, since she told me never to interrupt her.

[Spoonman]

I slap my missus on the forehead with my penis every time she does not understand me.

Her English skills are improving.

Vile. Not only is it not funny, but it expresses violence. Anyone who slaps their wife or gf is NOT a man. Anyone who beats their gf or wife sexually, is a pervert and NOT a man.

lol.

[onni4me]

Hmm...how long it took...er...let's say that after 8+ years we are still sometimes struggling with understanding each others point of view. This is somewhat and not a question of language and culture too. As someone above said, Thais tend to think that if one wants to talk about problem, it means that they are blamed for it. It took quite awhile to get through and explain that in the West we talk and share and try to solve things TOGETHER. First it seemed to me that Thais are not very good talking about things that are problems or bother them.

I find that in some cases Thais are very isolated. They tend to keep problems to themselves and rarely talk about them. Maybe something to do with the fear of loosing face?

Another thing they seem to hate is sarcasm. Looking at Thai language, it is very straight forward like do this, do that, I go, you go, we go...so what I mean they are not used to questions like 'Would you like to do this thing?' or 'What do you prefer?'. It seems like they expect you to know what you want and go ahead with it. Something to do with being the head of the family, perhaps? Many Thais just do whatever they seem appropriate, never asking what others might think of that. I suppose it is how they were brought up. Together but at the same time isolated to themselves?

Things do improve but even my partner speaks very good level of English, that doesn't mean that he would always understand me without taking time to explain it. Also, I find that when it gets to speaking about feelings he sometimes struggles to explain himself. Often he says that he doesn't know how to explain me what he feels.

Well, we are rather happy together anyway. I suppose if there is a will, there is a way.

[sirchai]

How long how long, how long? Always your weird threads.Biggest problem to communicate with is your wife, as you've taught her baby Germish.

Edited March 29, 2014 by sirchai

[nottocus]

I slap my missus on the forehead with my penis every time she does not understand me.

Her English skills are improving.

Vile. Not only is it not funny, but it expresses violence. Anyone who slaps their wife or gf is NOT a man. Anyone who beats their gf or wife sexually, is a pervert and NOT a man.

lol.

That's funny.

The reaction from the person who took it so seriously is almost funnier.

[sirchai]

Not spoken to the wife for two years, since she told me never to interrupt her.

That's why they live together now. I mean your wife and my wife.

[Estrada]

We had a power cut at my place this morning and my PC, laptop, TV, DVD, iPad and my new surround sound music system were all shut down. Then I discovered that my iPhone battery was flat and to top it off it was raining outside, so I couldn't play golf. I went into the kitchen to make coffee and then I remembered that this also needs power, so I talked with my wife for a few hours.

She seems like a nice person.

[AhFarangJa]

After 11 years it is very easy, "Dahling wear ur wallet?" purfect Engrit.

[laislica]

Hmm...how long it took...er...let's say that after 8+ years we are still sometimes struggling with understanding each others point of view. This is somewhat and not a question of language and culture too. As someone above said, Thais tend to think that if one wants to talk about problem, it means that they are blamed for it. It took quite awhile to get through and explain that in the West we talk and share and try to solve things TOGETHER. First it seemed to me that Thais are not very good talking about things that are problems or bother them.

I find that in some cases Thais are very isolated. They tend to keep problems to themselves and rarely talk about them. Maybe something to do with the fear of loosing face?

Another thing they seem to hate is sarcasm. Looking at Thai language, it is very straight forward like do this, do that, I go, you go, we go...so what I mean they are not used to questions like 'Would you like to do this thing?' or 'What do you prefer?'. It seems like they expect you to know what you want and go ahead with it. Something to do with being the head of the family, perhaps? Many Thais just do whatever they seem appropriate, never asking what others might think of that. I suppose it is how they were brought up. Together but at the same time isolated to themselves?

Things do improve but even my partner speaks very good level of English, that doesn't mean that he would always understand me without taking time to explain it. Also, I find that when it gets to speaking about feelings he sometimes struggles to explain himself. Often he says that he doesn't know how to explain me what he feels.

Well, we are rather happy together anyway. I suppose if there is a will, there is a way.

Great to hear that you are both happy, I think that is what everyone wants, happiness.

Keeping problems to themselves is also a man thing, see Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus.

Men, generally also have difficulty expressing feelings.

Perhaps because they are less sensitive than women.

Women have a great connection with their bodies on a monthly basis, men do not.

I recently saw an on-line quiz that asked you to write down your feelings if you looked at the sea

or if you were lost in a fog, questions like that.

I had no idea how to answer that - maybe I don't have feelings?

I think that men rather tend to look for a solution and we may see things as problems needing solutions rather than what they are. In a previous marriage, I usually made that mistake and when my wife told me things about her day, I tended to see problems that I was required to fix.....

(I don't do that any more and I am sure that wife No.2 is happy about that)

My point is that the men and feelings thing is very common and should not be considered a problem as such for an individual man.

[Tchooptip]

I slap my missus on the forehead with my penis every time she does not understand me.

Her English skills are improving.

Vile. Not only is it not funny, but it expresses violence. Anyone who slaps their wife or gf is NOT a man. Anyone who beats their gf or wife sexually, is a pervert and NOT a man.

lol.

That's funny.

The reaction from the person who took it so seriously is almost funnier.

Yes it was funnier, so IMHO not sure at all it was taken seriously.

[yermanee]

It seems that the often described stupid Thai's here on TV are better at learning English than the superior educated westerners are at learning Thai.

Does make one wonder.

Yermanee

[laislica]

I slap my missus on the forehead with my penis every time she does not understand me.

Her English skills are improving.

Vile. Not only is it not funny, but it expresses violence. Anyone who slaps their wife or gf is NOT a man. Anyone who beats their gf or wife sexually, is a pervert and NOT a man.

lol.

That's funny.

The reaction from the person who took it so seriously is almost funnier.

Yes, I can now see the value in posts like these.

Add the posters to the blocked list - thanks.

Oh, there are some great joke threads on TV should you feel the need add to our entertainment.

[HooHaa]

if i could not have communicated effectively/naturally with her from the outset she never would have become my partner.

how can you become attached to someone you cannot have an actual conversation with. why would you want to?

Edited March 29, 2014 by HooHaa

[Tchooptip]

We had a power cut at my place this morning and my PC, laptop, TV, DVD, iPad and my new surround sound music system were all shut down. Then I discovered that my iPhone battery was flat and to top it off it was raining outside, so I couldn't play golf. I went into the kitchen to make coffee and then I remembered that this also needs power, so I talked with my wife for a few hours.

She seems like a nice person.

Who knows... with TV members it could be true

[sam sen]

about 5 seconds.

i wouldn't date someone i couldn't effectively communicate with. it's boring and pointless IMHO.

if your partner doesn't have a good grasp of english adapt your language to help them. speak SIMPLE and CORRECT english and speak SLOWLY and CLEARLY.

hearing the muppet native speakers mimicking the pidgin english spoken by their thai partners is embarrassing.

and seeing the native speakers banging on and on in english that their partner clearly doesn't understand but is smiling away out of politeness (or desire for their money) is hilarious.

[ppmacready]

I slap my missus on the forehead with my penis every time she does not understand me.

Her English skills are improving.

Vile. Not only is it not funny, but it expresses violence. Anyone who slaps their wife or gf is NOT a man. Anyone who beats their gf or wife sexually, is a pervert and NOT a man.

I never know if this type of answer is serious or a joke!

[sam sen]

 

I slap my missus on the forehead with my penis every time she does not understand me.

Her English skills are improving.

Vile. Not only is it not funny, but it expresses violence. Anyone who slaps their wife or gf is NOT a man. Anyone who beats their gf or wife sexually, is a pervert and NOT a man.

I never know if this type of answer is serious or a joke!

 

of course her english skills are improving, she'd do anything to get away from your penis

[laislica]

I slap my missus on the forehead with my penis every time she does not understand me.

Her English skills are improving.

Vile. Not only is it not funny, but it expresses violence. Anyone who slaps their wife or gf is NOT a man. Anyone who beats their gf or wife sexually, is a pervert and NOT a man.

I never know if this type of answer is serious or a joke!

IMHO it is always a joke - not the slightest bit clever and also in very bad taste, on the wrong thread, disrespectful, rude or worse!

There are joke threads where responses like this are great.

Personally, I prefer to ignore such comments but occasionally they make me feel sad for the OP and then I respond to try to give support for the OP.

[sirchai]

You are wrong!. 99% of Thai's DO speak English. It's the so-called English speakers that always seem to have a problem with the language.

This is a new one for me.....99%.

99% is hard to top. My Canadian friend does it right. He always goes Bangcock. Not to Bangcock.Is he one of the 1 % guys?

Edited March 29, 2014 by sirchai

[sirchai]

It seems that the often described stupid Thai's here on TV are better at learning English than the superior educated westerners are at learning Thai.

Does make one wonder.

Yermanee

Gotta agree to 99.8% on that one. Sad but true that many foreigners here can't even order a soup at a restaurant.

Nor do they understand basic questions and are not able to respond. Even after 15 years living here.

I can speak it fairly well, but stopped writing when our son went to Anuban, as it gave me such a headache.

[bbbbooboo]

Lol.....communication seems to deteriorate whenever I try to set boundaries with her

[bbbbooboo]

Particularly with money

[rotary]

We commincate ok but most of the time I prefer not too.

[spidermike007]

Basic communication is one thing, learning how to discuss issues, and break down problems and find solutions is quite another. Most Thai people will be ANYTHING to avoid looking inside. Introspection is simply not part of their culture. It may force them to take responsibility, say they are sorry, or even worse, admit they are part of the problem! So, within a year or so, I simply told her if she wanted to continue avoiding communication about real issues, I was going to leave. The relationship was not going to work if we could not solve our problems like adults do. She was motivated enough, and as painful as it was, she began to respond to my need to communicate on a deeper level. So, far it has worked. But, you have to make them aware that this is a make or break kind of area of the relationship. Most will avoid confrontation, deeper communication, or accepting blame for problems or issues. The whole concept of "face" is a tremendous form of cultural weakness, and cowardice, that allows them to avoid any introspection. It is a boil on the face of Asia, and prevents personal and spiritual growth.

[Sirbergan]

You are wrong!. 99% of Thai's DO speak English. It's the so-called English speakers that always seem to have a problem with the language.

This is a new one for me.....99%.

99% is hard to top. My Canadian friend does it right. He always goes Bangcock. Not to Bangcock.Is he one of the 1 % guys?

99% of Thai people can speak English? I assume you were trying to be funny, but it's even funnier if you weren't.

I wonder where these 99% are hiding out!

[lucjoker]

this was the question:

How long did it take to communicate effectively with your Thai partner?

It took me 1 hour to "communicate"her in my bed.

Could have been 5 minutes less or more.

What a man! You ARE da man. I wish I could be as manly and handsome as you, and pull a new one every night.

Everyone's a hansum man here and you don't need to 'pull one' every night, they'll pull you.

Thanks Sea-"stallion " ,for answering the stupid question of the jealous-moron .

He forgot what joking is ,probably too much cheap charly Chang beer ?

[Loles]

Not how long did it take,.... BUT how long does it take ! A life long, not more.

[Sirbergan]

It seems that the often described stupid Thai's here on TV are better at learning English than the superior educated westerners are at learning Thai.

Does make one wonder.

Yermanee

Gotta agree to 99.8% on that one. Sad but true that many foreigners here can't even order a soup at a restaurant.

Nor do they understand basic questions and are not able to respond. Even after 15 years living here.

I can speak it fairly well, but stopped writing when our son went to Anuban, as it gave me such a headache.

The first priority for anyone living permanently in another country should be to learn the language. It's more difficult for some than for others, of course, but learning just enough to get by isn't really that hard if you actually try.

Speaking for myself, I can definitely say that learning the language has lead to a significantly increased life quality, more understanding of Thais and the culture, less arguments and a better social life – and, of course, a better relationship with my wife.

[Krataiboy]

How long did it take to communicate effectively with your Thai partner?

Twelve years so far and it doesn't get any easier.

[sirchai]

It seems that the often described stupid Thai's here on TV are better at learning English than the superior educated westerners are at learning Thai.

Does make one wonder.

Yermanee

Gotta agree to 99.8% on that one. Sad but true that many foreigners here can't even order a soup at a restaurant.

Nor do they understand basic questions and are not able to respond. Even after 15 years living here.

I can speak it fairly well, but stopped writing when our son went to Anuban, as it gave me such a headache.

The first priority for anyone living permanently in another country should be to learn the language. It's more difficult for some than for others, of course, but learning just enough to get by isn't really that hard if you actually try.

Speaking for myself, I can definitely say that learning the language has lead to a significantly increased life quality, more understanding of Thais and the culture, less arguments and a better social life – and, of course, a better relationship with my wife.

A good view, indeed. But I disagree with your last part. The relationship with my wife has gotten worse as I'm able to flirt with all the good looking girls now in their own slang. That is worth to learn Thai/Isaan.