How wary are thais of Foreigners who can speak the language?

[rondii]

I can imagine this OP draws derision and the worst reactions from people anywhere that they go; what with that giant chip on their shoulder and their obvious contempt for locals.

99%+ of Thais love that you can speak (or try to speak ) Thai, and will engage in friendly conversation.

[Seastallion]

2 scenarios:

- In my village they know I understand some basic Thai. Result: By entering a restaurant or store, the conversation among Thais stops or turns to "let's talk about the weather".

- In Pattaya they don't know that I understand some basic Thai. Result: This is usually the time, I deeply regret ever having made the effort to learn some basic Thai.

Alas, but this is how one learns what they really think of us. Devastating !

Cheers.

Incorrect interpretation of the data.

In your hometown, they know how you react to some things, so they stop their gossip. In Pattaya...well, it's Pattaya. Don't assume your village is the same.

[ezzra]

It goes like this... when you speak/reply in Thai, first you see this hesitant, kinda lost look on their faces:

what just did this farang said? was that Thai he was speaking to me? and after 2-3 seconds... yes, it

was Thai he was speaking to me, now.. what did he said ? yeah, I can actually understand what he

said to me, WOW, this farang can speak Thai.... and just like that, with shock and awe look on their

faces they proceed to reply to you.... still marveling at our ability to master their language...

[MobileContent]

I live in Pattaya. I know. From the way locals talk it seems to me that they really HATE it when foreigners can speak Thai.

For those that don't like farangs speaking Thai you have to speak to them in Isaan

[silomplaya]

I live in Pattaya. I know. From the way locals talk it seems to me that they really HATE it when foreigners can speak Thai.

See post above yours........

was in patts with a fluent isann speaking foreigner and the thais didnt want him around , they prefer newer dumb dumb types with a full wallet.

[Gringogazzer]

Most Thais that I have met like it, especially market stall holders, contractors and people that work in shops.

You can see when you approach that they are worried that they will have to try and use what English they know, or, struggle with sign language.

When they realise that communication is possible in their native language, they are usually very, very happy.

The only people I have seen that don't like foreigners speaking Thai are some bar-girls, usually the hardened type. Most bar-girls, especially the ones newer to the trade, also like it.

The Thai people (markets, restaurants etc) who struggle with English, not so many in the south, may be relieved but a lot who have a grasp of English will reject your Thai & keep speaking in English or mainly ignore you & speak to your wife.

When I ordered a hot coffee a couple of months ago, simple request in Thai, the girl gave me a look of death, changed the Thai dialect to Issan & only spoke to my wife.

Always a pleasant experience.

[dao16]

Only people with bad intentions don't like it.

This is your answer....people with ulterior motives don't like it because it makes it much, much more difficult for them to fool you or take advantage of you. The VAST majority of people here, though, are thrilled to the gills by a foreigner who can have a stable conversation.

It's easy to dwell on the negative experiences we have (I could give you an earful with those), but generally, people are really excited to be able to converse with someone from abroad, either to ask about where they are from or how they see things in Thailand. Most of my experiences are in the positive column. The people up to no good don't interact with me or know to keep their thoughts to themselves until I am gone (which is just fine by me).

[sfokevin]

Only people with bad intentions don't like it.

The only ones that frown at me are the TukTuk and cab drivers...

[WitawatWatawit]

It goes like this... when you speak/reply in Thai, first you see this hesitant, kinda lost look on their faces:

what just did this farang said? was that Thai he was speaking to me? and after 2-3 seconds... yes, it

was Thai he was speaking to me, now.. what did he said ? yeah, I can actually understand what he

said to me, WOW, this farang can speak Thai.... and just like that, with shock and awe look on their

faces they proceed to reply to you.... still marveling at our ability to master their language...

But they reply to you in English. So you answer back in Thai, then they come back at you a second time in English ... and so on. Back and forth. I encourage it - it's deliciously wicked when you observe other people listening in. They get a bemused look on their faces and don't know what the heck is going on.

[Gringogazzer]

Only people with bad intentions don't like it.

The only ones that frown at me are the TukTuk and cab drivers...

Cab drivers???

They'll bend your ear all day if your alone & show you can understand them.

[Thongkorn]

I have heard a few three week millionaires in Pattaya talking Bar girl Thai. Maybe that does not impress Thai people.

[dao16]

They like even the most babbling attempt at Thai. Don't forget that most Thais speak Thai Plus their own local dialect; whether it be Isan, Southern....

If they don't want us to understand what they are saying for whatever reason, they just switch. My wife still does that with her family and friends after 12 years. I love it.

Next step--learn the local dialect. I found Laos (Issan) relatively easy to figure out once I had a grasp of Thai. Was useful during the many trips I took to Laos, as well. It still isn't up to the level my Thai is at, but I can switch pretty easily between the two, especially when listening....speaking, I can put together sentences in it--enough to let people know I know what is going on in both languages, generally.

I am a language nut, though, so I enjoy learning that kind of thing.

[Suradit69]

from personal experiences....do you find that in many cases, Thai people aren't impressed when foreigners understand Thai as much as they are intimidated? Of course it's harder to pull the wool so to speak when a falang even has a minimal grasp of the language

Do you really go about thinking all Thais are trying to pull the wool over your eyes? Quite the world traveller, eh? Consider yourself a victim ready for the picking?

I am not fluent in Thai, but people I encounter are pleased to see I've made the effort to learn some Thai. Since I don't spend any time in gogo bars, with casual sex workers or other places where clueless farang tend to congregate, I rarely feel the need to brace myself against exploiting. Besides I'm almost always with a Thai friend who filters out anything strange coming my way.

Thai people aren't impressed when foreigners understand Thai as much as they are intimidated?

That's hilarious. Intimidated. Impressed. Someone's got a bloated sense of self, hmm?

Edited September 21, 2014 by Suradit69

[i claudius]

tourist rip offs, prostitutes, etc.

Normal Thais are delighted to see Farangs speaking Thai....even barely understandable lo-so Thai is applauded at.

My experience too.

and mine.

[CaitlinHappyMeal]

i learned to read and write thai last year, my speech and listening skills still need to be honed as i only winter in thailand so therefore there are long periods of time when i am not there and although i practice reading and writing everyday i don't have a native speaker to speak with, i wouldn't even call myself intermediate but i'm getting there. But when i have tried my relatively small amount of language skills with thai people i have found that instantly their eyes light up, they tell me they are proud that i have bothered to learn some of their language, my thai friends are really chuffed too and say "at last!" and that i should have learned it years ago. there are many times when i start a thai conversation and with seconds i am completely lost but between us we seem to be able to communicate, like a previous poster said the look an some thais faces in shops or markets when they think they are going to have to use their limited knowledge of english, but a little bit of Thai goes a long way and before you know it you have just made it so much easier for them to understand what you want or need, the conversation might slip back and forth between thai and english but who cares. the only people i have come across that literally look like they would rather stab you are bar girls and another poster has highlighted this already.......i will never let it put me off trying even if i get a negative reaction once in a while because the majority of thais like it and it's completely arrogant to live in a country and not make some kind of effort however bad at it you may be.

regards

[samran]

I think this post should be retitled:

"Unpleasant people discover they are still unpleasant in Thailand".

[Phillip Sell]

I know "nit Noi" Thai, so I read facial features and body language....at least for now. The language is very difficult for us "Farang", especially with the intonations meaning different things when we try to learn. Whether someone is overcharging me or speaking derogatory things, I really don't care,especially if I don't understand them.

I love the people and the country, and this is my adventure and my home.

[1FinickyOne]

I live in the countryside and it is not unusual that strangers will ask me if I speak Thai and be very pleased that we can converse. Only once in 15 years, did a taxi driver [and that was in bkk ] say "ru mahk" so, I know it can happen.

[mok199]

after studying thai for 12 years here is what i know,now one really helps you unless they are close to you,rather,thais love to correct you.i am tired of ''compensating'' for thier poor english skills as we always do...they never pronounce anything right...little becomes ''litten'' oil becomes ''oin''.problem becomes''pompem''..so now what i do is correct them or say ''mai kow jai''until they either ,say it correctly or go away...a taste of thier own medicen..

[arthurwait]

Most Thais that I have met like it, especially market stall holders, contractors and people that work in shops.

You can see when you approach that they are worried that they will have to try and use what English they know, or, struggle with sign language.

When they realise that communication is possible in their native language, they are usually very, very happy.

The only people I have seen that don't like foreigners speaking Thai are some bar-girls, usually the hardened type. Most bar-girls, especially the ones newer to the trade, also like it.

What he said.^^^^

Just to add gold diggers, con artists, racists and some Thai men acting the big man infront of their mates.

[bangon04]

Only people with bad intentions don't like it.

The only ones that frown at me are the TukTuk and cab drivers...

When I get into a taxi at the airport, I use my well-practised Thai phrases and a few sentences to say where I want to go and which route I want to take at this time of day, avoiding this or that traffic hotspot...

The driver then interrogates me in Thai about wife, how well I know Thailand, country of origin, children, do I have a mia noi etc etc in increasingly difficult and faster Thai until he finds the point where I can no longer keep up, then he switches to pidgin English.

[Keesters]

Why would they resent you for a few words you do know? You sound like you talking from soi naughty in tourist pattaya,where they must make a living off the silly farang!!

If they wanted to pull one over you im sure they would have any dozen of ways of saying the same thing which you and nearly all farangs wouldnt have a clue.

if you live in suburban BKK and deal with people in the real business it is a novelty thing. They all want to hear how you speak and what words you know.

You will know when you are improoving your ability when they repeat any unusual words you do say.. probably thinking wow i can actually understand the ting tong farang.haha

Why would they resent you for a few words you do know? You sound like you talking from soi naughty in tourist bangkok,where they must make a living off the silly farang!!

If they wanted to pull one over you im sure they would have any dozen of ways of saying the same thing which you and nearly all farangs wouldnt have a clue.

if you live in suburban PTY and deal with people in the real business it is a novelty thing. They all want to hear how you speak and what words you know.

You will know when you are improoving your ability when they repeat any unusual words you do say.. probably thinking wow i can actually understand the ting tong farang.haha

[Keesters]

I live in Pattaya. I know. From the way locals talk it seems to me that they really HATE it when foreigners can speak Thai.

I too live in Pattaya. My experience is exactly the opposite. Must be something to do with the different Thai people we meet.

[charliebadenhop]

This thread got VERY long very quickly, so I might have missed an explanation, but

What does "kee nook" mean in regard to farang?

[Thongkorn]

I live in Pattaya. I know. From the way locals talk it seems to me that they really HATE it when foreigners can speak Thai.

I too live in Pattaya. My experience is exactly the opposite. Must be something to do with the different Thai people we meet.

Maybe Pattaya is not the real Thailand

[jarrcbb]

I get basically a nearly 100% positive reaction from everyone and usually encouragement. As long as you're polite etc it's always a positive. There are some English learners who might be a bit upset by it though. I suspect most people's problems with locals not liking they speak Thai is more due to thinking you can speak like a westerner in Thai.

[NCFC]

I live in Pattaya. I know. From the way locals talk it seems to me that they really HATE it when foreigners can speak Thai.

Of course they do. By understanding some Thai, you indicate that you also have some knowledge as to how Thai's and Thailand "ticks. This means, that you are less likely to fall victim to any of their schemes, unlike a "greenhorn" just off the boat.

Cheers.

So true. Once I was exiting a tourist spot and had to get past the gaggle of taxi drivers parked up looking for non-metered fares.

"Taxi, sir?"

I replied in Thai politely and with a big smile that no-thanks I was looking for a metered taxi.

So they immediately knew that I knew what they knew and they dropped the hustle. One of the gang went out into the road to stop a metered taxi for me and whilst waiting I shared some friendly chit chat with the guys.

Yep they were ripoff merchants out to do the unwary but even their attitude changed for the better by my speaking Thai in an appropriate manner.

[Keesters]

I live in Pattaya. I know. From the way locals talk it seems to me that they really HATE it when foreigners can speak Thai.

I too live in Pattaya. My experience is exactly the opposite. Must be something to do with the different Thai people we meet.

Maybe Pattaya is not the real Thailand

Seems real enough to me. Walk down the street and you see Thai people speaking Thai. I drink Thai beer and eat Thai food. Signs are written in Thai. Schools, except the international ones, teach in Thai. I visit Thai immigration every 90 days, At the Thai land department I pay my Thai road tax. Electric and water bills are all in Thai. I travel on State Railways of Thailand trains.The airline I traveled here on didn't ask which Thailand I was going to.

Do you know of a different one?

[loong]

This thread got VERY long very quickly, so I might have missed an explanation, but

What does "kee nook" mean in regard to farang?

Kee nok means a person of low social standing that tries to appear a lot better than he actually is

Farang kee nok is actually a Guava that looks good, but doesn't taste so great.

So when a Thai is called a Farang kee nok, it means that they are trying to give the impression that they are HiSo, when they are in fact LoSo. Putting on airs and graces.

When a foreigner is called Farang kee nok, it means that they are low class, but often the real reason is that they are not prepared to throw money around like a grinning moron as so many farangs do!

[Gringogazzer]

after studying thai for 12 years here is what i know,now one really helps you unless they are close to you,rather,thais love to correct you.i am tired of ''compensating'' for thier poor english skills as we always do...they never pronounce anything right...little becomes ''litten'' oil becomes ''oin''.problem becomes''pompem''..so now what i do is correct them or say ''mai kow jai''until they either ,say it correctly or go away...a taste of thier own medicen..

It used to infuriate my Thai teacher when I would have to confirm with her that I was prouncing something correctly because I would get a puzzled look with a mai khao jai.

My accent is oviously off but still understandable.

I wanted to go down your root & refuse any English that wasn't grade A with frustration but had neither the patients nor the heart.