Is it really better to learn Thai rather than staying "clueless"?

[searcher22]

Within a few short years, we'll have an ap that will be able to do real-time voice translation. That should be good enough for 95% of us.

[Emster23]

Knowledge is power, after a fashion.... Can't sleep forever: have to get for trip to loo from time to time.

My Thai level is decent, and understand most of what is said. I have noticed when with girlfriend at store etc I will ask for something, they look at her, she says exactly same thing, and they respond (I don't think that is due to poor pronunciation either). In Japan often referred to as "Gaijin fever": they can't believe a Westerner could be speaking their lingo.

[sixlegs]

Stay clueless, so at least some small portion of the magic that you came here for remains.

To be honest, after I started to understand them I really lost all of my motivation for learning the language and regret wasting all that time and money.

I still love the country and what its nature offers because all is beautiful but to enjoy that I really don't feel the need anymore to chat with the people who happen to live here by some historical reason.

I guess it depends on what kind of person you are and how important human interactions are for you. Neither variations are better or worse.

Edited June 30, 2015 by sixlegs

[gandalf12]

Obviously it makes life a lot easier if you understand Thai even if not fluent. It also helps people to be more helpful I have found.

To get the best out of any country, and Thailand is no exception, even a few words in the local language gos a long way to having a more enjoyable experience

[dao16]

In the end, it's up to you. I would be bored as %$^@ if I couldn't speak Thai. Of course, before I could, there were many things I didn't have to pay attention to, but once I could speak, I could deal with things more effectively.

I enjoy chatting with people and knowing what is going on around me. As people have mentioned, when people are out of line and being jerks, you will know. This can lead you down some bad paths if you overreact, but I find that simply speaking Thai at a certain level gets people back in line immediately without having to say anything. As a quick example: I have heard people casually discussing how much $ they can get out of me for an interaction. The second I utter a complete sentence in Thai, usually something like "really, you don't know the price for this product?," they come clean and give me the correct price.

SO, I don't know. I guess you could have fun here being a hear no evil/speak no evil monkey, but it doesn't seem like a very interesting, engaged life.

[DLang]

For me, one of the joys of living in Thailand is meeting Thai women who speak no English and have maybe never before even met a farang.

So to those who prefer not to learn the language, that's just fine by me.

Agree. I prefer Thai women who cannot speak English. These "normal" Thai women--who represent the majority by the way--are much less likely to be "in the business" and don't have "fleece the farang" as their number one goal in life. Yes, there are some English-speaking Thai women who are not on the take. But I'd rather take my chances with the non-English speaking ones. There's also many more attractive ones to choose from.

Sorry, but this is a loony argument....

Absolutely.

Shacking up with uneducated, unworldly, peasants, because if they are educated and worldly they might fleece him.... Says it all about the man, really.

[JLCrab]

There are university educated Thai women who do not speak English especially when you are outside of Bangkok -- and even in Isaan, there are pockets of extreme wealth.

[Gecko123]

For me, one of the joys of living in Thailand is meeting Thai women who speak no English and have maybe never before even met a farang.

So to those who prefer not to learn the language, that's just fine by me.

Agree. I prefer Thai women who cannot speak English. These "normal" Thai women--who represent the majority by the way--are much less likely to be "in the business" and don't have "fleece the farang" as their number one goal in life. Yes, there are some English-speaking Thai women who are not on the take. But I'd rather take my chances with the non-English speaking ones. There's also many more attractive ones to choose from.

Sorry, but this is a loony argument....

Absolutely.

Shacking up with uneducated, unworldly, peasants, because if they are educated and worldly they might fleece him.... Says it all about the man, really.

Despite the howls of protest this comment will no doubt elicit, the truth is that for the vast majority of farangs, the English speaking Thai women they meet learned their broken English in a brothel.

Again, this definitely is not always the case, but make no mistake about it, it IS often the case. Just sayin'.

[elgordo38]

Learning a language is in some ways like math, or music, or some sports. For some it comes easy; for others, they can try diligently and it never works. So can someone make a life for themselves in Thailand and never learn the language? I guess so. Is there any great advantage to NOT learning the language? I din't think so.

If your young enough and language adaptable go for it. Taking lessons would give you something to fill your time with and Thai ladies just love a farang that has some command of the language. I speak English, some Pennsylvania Dutch, some Spanish, some French mostly learned during my younger years. Now I have friends that speak passable Thai and I envy them but sadly I am to old to learn. Pronunceation seems the hardest part. Beside teaching and improving my g/fs' English is a full time job.

[nithisa78]

I know plenty out of towners, they are very good with Thai language. Still clueless.

If that was all there was to it, why the question? No disrespect intended.

[SoiBiker]

For those who thinks it's best to remain ignorant of the local language - a question.

Would it be ok if a foreigner choosing to live in your home country made the same choice?

[MaeJoMTB]

For those who thinks it's best to remain ignorant of the local language - a question.

Would it be ok if a foreigner choosing to live in your home country made the same choice?

If he were a tourist (or non-immigrant) yes.

If he wanted (and expected) citizenship, no.

99.99% of us are in the 'tourist/non-immigrant' class.

Edited June 30, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[SoiBiker]

Note where I said 'choosing to live in'.

[MaeJoMTB]

Note where I said 'choosing to live in'.

Note where I said 'expected citizenship'.

[Berkshire]

For me, one of the joys of living in Thailand is meeting Thai women who speak no English and have maybe never before even met a farang.

So to those who prefer not to learn the language, that's just fine by me.

Agree. I prefer Thai women who cannot speak English. These "normal" Thai women--who represent the majority by the way--are much less likely to be "in the business" and don't have "fleece the farang" as their number one goal in life. Yes, there are some English-speaking Thai women who are not on the take. But I'd rather take my chances with the non-English speaking ones. There's also many more attractive ones to choose from.

Sorry, but this is a loony argument....

Absolutely.

Shacking up with uneducated, unworldly, peasants, because if they are educated and worldly they might fleece him.... Says it all about the man, really.

What are you talking about? I'm saying that in Thailand, the "uneducated, unworldly, peasants" are often better English speakers than the educated ones. Do I need to write it down for you?

[Berkshire]

There are university educated Thai women who do not speak English especially when you are outside of Bangkok -- and even in Isaan, there are pockets of extreme wealth.

Exactly. Some farangs just can't seem to get this through their thick skulls.

[ozzieovaseas]

The argument you describe.."better not to know" is routinely used by those who cant be ar$ed learning the language.

Simply because they haven't got the ability, or think it is below them to have to learn something.

In the cases of some of US..they think they know everything already, so its a bit hard to swallow the pill of being a lowly student.

Also in the case of English teachers. Cant count the amount of times ive heard this...

" I don't speak Thai, or allow Thai to be spoken in the classroom, because...."

Then further on in conversation it becomes clear they cannot speak one word of Thai, yet when hearing Thais speak nod their

head and pretend to know.

Its just one of the reasons i no longer work at schools that have these <deleted>$ working.

[SoiBiker]

Note where I said 'choosing to live in'.

Note where I said 'expected citizenship'.

I purposely avoided the word immigrant because I didn't want to get sidetracked into the usual pedantic stuff about visa types and citizenship. The intent of my question is clear - is it ok for foreigners to choose to live in your home country and make no effort to learn the language?

[MaeJoMTB]

The argument you describe.."better not to know" is routinely used by those who cant be ar$ed learning the language.

I did bother to learn the language,

and quickly worked out that every white guy I knew (bar one) was married/dating a former sex worker who was fleecing him for everything she could.

While a Thai husband waited in the sidelines to collect the 'take'. The white guys wouldn't listen, and I gave up warning them.

PS

I've just found out the 'good one' has just stolen over 2Mbht from his bank account.

Totally gutted, I thought I had found one that was different.

[MaeJoMTB]

Note where I said 'choosing to live in'.

Note where I said 'expected citizenship'.

I purposely avoided the word immigrant because I didn't want to get sidetracked into the usual pedantic stuff about visa types and citizenship. The intent of my question is clear - is it ok for foreigners to choose to live in your home country and make no effort to learn the language?

And I deliberately introduced it into the discussion, because we are all here on a temporary basis, and it's completely pointless to waste your time on such a minority language as Thai, when every white foreigner might be chucked out tomorrow (like they did in Cambodia, India, Uganda, Rhodesia, etc.). Better to learn Mandarin or Spanish, or ..........

Not to mention you were trying to compare us to Indians et al, moving to our home countries and receiving citizenship, where it is entirely appropriate for them to learn the language of said country.

So your comparison was completely fallacious as expected from a missionary apologist, who doesn't even sleep with the locals.

Edited June 30, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[SoiBiker]

A 'missionary apologist'?

Sorry, but what on earth is that supposed to mean?

[MaeJoMTB]

A 'missionary apologist'?

Sorry, but what on earth is that supposed to mean?

Well you're not here for the women, and you never specify why you are here ..... so one can only assume you are hiding something.

Missionary .... would be one of the obvious things to hide.

Low level TEFL teacher would be another obvious choice.

Everything you post appears to be a oneupmanship game on the rest of the forum posters.

Edited June 30, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[SoiBiker]

A 'missionary apologist'?

Sorry, but what on earth is that supposed to mean?

Well you're not here for the women, and you never specify why you are here ..... so one can only assume you are hiding something.

Missionary .... would be one of the obvious things to hide.

What a bizarre conclusion to reach from the fact that I don't use prostitutes. Your worldview must be quite strange indeed.

I live in Thailand because I like it there - I didn't realise I had to justify that fact.

Are we done with this little off-topic diversion now? How about we get back to the question?

If you're insisting on your pedantic point about visitors versus permanent citizens - how long would you say a foreigner could live in your home country without attempting to learn the language?

[SoiBiker]

I'm not a teacher either, by the way.

If you're that fascinated by me, start a thread about me. This one is about something else.

[MaeJoMTB]

If you're insisting on your pedantic point about visitors versus permanent citizens - how long would you say a foreigner could live in your home country without attempting to learn the language?

For as long as he/she has no expectation of citizenship.

(Although this isn't an entirely fair comparison as my home country, England, has a language that is useful worldwide whereas Thai is completely pointless outside of Thailand)

Edited June 30, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[SoiBiker]

So if, say, a Thai person spent ten years living in the UK, without bothering to learn a word of English - you'd be ok with that?

(And please, try not to make this about the technicalities of visas etc)

[Tom Parkinson]

For me, one of the joys of living in Thailand is meeting Thai women who speak no English and have maybe never before even met a farang.

So to those who prefer not to learn the language, that's just fine by me.

Agree. I prefer Thai women who cannot speak English. These "normal" Thai women--who represent the majority by the way--are much less likely to be "in the business" and don't have "fleece the farang" as their number one goal in life. Yes, there are some English-speaking Thai women who are not on the take. But I'd rather take my chances with the non-English speaking ones. There's also many more attractive ones to choose from.

[MaeJoMTB]

So if, say, a Thai person spent ten years living in the UK, without bothering to learn a word of English - you'd be ok with that?

(And please, try not to make this about the technicalities of visas etc)

After 10 years they would be a citizen, so they should learn English.

(nothing I have posted has been about VISAs, it's about citizenship and being expected to learn the language of a nothing country with a nothing language where you can never belong is the height of absurdity)

Can you speak, read and write Thai (and if so what variety)?

I suspect not.

Edited June 30, 2015 by MaeJoMTB

[SoiBiker]

I give up.

Is anybody else interested in giving a genuine answer to my question, rather than burying it in an avalanche of pedantic obfuscation and off-topic speculation about my personal life?

[SoiBiker]

Yes, I can speak, read, and write Thai. Not to an expert level, but I do my best.