English In Thailand

[britmaveric]

Reverse the situation- expect all UK people speak Thai for a Thai visitor to UK. It annoys me that visitors always expect the natives to bend to their ways. Frankly its the other way around- u are the guest so learn a little Thai and try. (does wonders and you won't be percieved as an ugly tourist)

[Bluecat]

For penzman

madsere Posted: Fri 2004-04-16, 16:39:20  

Senior Member

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QUOTE (dr_Pat_Pong @ Thu 2004-04-15, 21:39:49)

QUOTE (madsere @ Thu 2004-04-15, 11:00:43)

Patpong,

Just like not all asians are Chinese, not all farangs are British or American. I'm not, so what's USA and UK have to do with my visa in Thailand? 

Getting a visa in my country was a matter of routine for my wife, no financial guarantees required, no degrading interviews, nothing like the horror stories from the UK/US embassies.

In any other country I would complain - usually with success - at the appropriate authority ... but as we all know that would be counter productive here, so allow us at least to use this forum to vent our frustration without starting to call us racists! 

Is your nationality a secret ? Share with us. We all want to know about your visa generous country. And I was talking about de facto residence in Thailand by using back to back tourist visa's. Does your country permit that too ?

Patpong,

I prefer not disclosing my nationality on this forum. In western countries I have the freedom to say what I like without having to fear retribution, but you know well that is not the case here. Suffice to say I am from continental Western Europe.

[Boon Mee]

if a person is resident here then they should make every effort to speak the language. . However, if a person wants any sort of independence and self-respect then they need to learn Thai.

Not only to speak it but to be able to do a little deciphering as well. To be able to read Thai requires diligence and it will take considerable study to be able to read, say, the newspaper because of all the slang.

These arrogant pinheads who think everyone should speak English and now have signs in Thailand in English should stay home.

and every tourist to LOS should spend 10 years preparing themselves for their visit, bloody pin heads who do they think they are.

You got that right!

[Phil Conners]

I'm not a native English speaker and had to spend a considerable amount of time learning English, German, French, Italian as well as bits of quite a few other languages such as Portuguese and Thai on top of my mother tongue - I think I've done my part. We can't all spend all of our lives learning all the languages of the world.

Why didn't you want to tell Dr.PP you were Spanish, Madsere?

Something wrong about that?

Because .. well maybe I'm not. Gosh, it must be terrible to be so nosey^h^h^h^h^hcurious.

[Bluecat]

Because .. well maybe I'm not. Gosh, it must be terrible to be so nosey^h^h^h^h^hcurious.

Don't worry, Madsere. There are at least two of you.

Judging by Penzman's reaction,...

[Wolfie]

In the tourist areas, most of the thais do speak rudimentry english, and the more they use it the more proficent they become with it. When i am a tourist, i try to learn at least a few words of whatever the local language is, even if its just please, thank you and a few other choice phrases (like buying a beer, for instance )

Away from the tourist areas, a some thais dont speak english, for whatever reason... should they speak english, not thai their native languge? Not really...

It would help some people to learn a bit of english with a more global marketplace opening up (the internet for one) but it shouldnt be expected, its quite possible that knowing the lingo could lead to new opportunities, that a non english speaking person wouldnt have... but its upto them.

The non-thai people who live here should at least make an attempt to speak some thai, rudimentry stuff at the very least, its polite, it helps (sometimes) After all, if you dont make an effort, why should anyone else?

[mbkudu]

The day that the whole world speaks nothing but English is the day that culture worldwide will be dead.

[Phil Conners]

No need to be so negative. Nobody suggested nothing but English. Just one common language in addition to your native language. Is that so much to ask?

[D80]

Hmm... interesting discussions...

Most Thais I've come across around tourist areas speak English pretty well. My hubby and I went on a boat trip around Phuket once and the Thai guys on the boat spoke amazing English. They also spoke Italian, French, Japanese and German. When they knew I am Thai, they asked me to explain certain English words to them in Thai so that they could learn more.

I think many Thais are keen to learn languages but never really have the opportunity. Those guys on the boat trip meet foreigners every day. So, the opportunity to learn was plenty. They tried to take classes whenever they can as well. They told me their company sometimes sponsor them to. They showed me small notebooks they carried around to write words/phrases in when they learned something new.

In my experience, I found that most of the time, it had been the non-Thai speaker who got frustrated and lashed out rather than the other way around. This had just been from my experience only (perhaps because I am Thai, so I don't get to see it from the tourist's point of view).

When i was a kid and was just learning English. I went out with my aunty one day when a tourist stopped us to ask for direction. My aunty speaks English but not very well (and when you don't use the language every day, it's difficult to just switch from Thai to English immediately). So, she treid her best to help this tourist out. But the woman probably wasn't satisfied with her inability to answer everything in fluent English immeidately, she just stormed off, saying 'stupid f***ing Thais!'.

My aunty got really pissed off about that! Surprise! Surprise!

I think there should be a reform in the way they teach English at school in Thailand. I went to a Catholic school where the way languages were taught was excellent. I didn't even remember my first ABC. I have compared this with what some of my friends who went to state schools had gone through. The way things are taught in a standard state school is just unacceptable. I moved to a state school when I was in my early teen and the language teaching was so crap I had to go to private classes outside school.

I was just lucky that I had a chance to study languages as much as I want (even with such opportunity, my English is still not perfect). My grandad learned English from a 'teach-yourself' book years and years ago, just because he wanted to. It was still difficult for him to speak to my (now) hubby due to lack of practice. I can imagine how hard it must be for many Thais to learn English properly, especially if they don't have the means to do so.

Just a thought that comes to my head: most of my English friends don't speak any other languages at all apart from their own, even though they had good teaching at school. I asked them about this before and they said most people in the world speak English and they just don't have much incentive to learn. They did say, however, that they wish they had learned an additional language now.

[Darkling]

Ar conna speak very good English mesen.

[sbk]

I think many Thais are keen to learn languages but never really have the opportunity. Those guys on the boat trip meet foreigners every day. So, the opportunity to learn was plenty. They tried to take classes whenever they can as well. They told me their company sometimes sponsor them to. They showed me small notebooks they carried around to write words/phrases in when they learned something new.

In my experience, I found that most of the time, it had been the non-Thai speaker who got frustrated and lashed out rather than the other way around. This had just been from my experience only (perhaps because I am Thai, so I don't get to see it from the tourist's point of view).

-------------------------------------------------------

I think there should be a reform in the way they teach English at school in Thailand. I went to a Catholic school where the way languages were taught was excellent. I didn't even remember my first ABC. I have compared this with what some of my friends who went to state schools had gone through. The way things are taught in a standard state school is just unacceptable. I moved to a state school when I was in my early teen and the language teaching was so crap I had to go to private classes outside school.

I was just lucky that I had a chance to study languages as much as I want (even with such opportunity, my English is still not perfect). My grandad learned English from a 'teach-yourself' book years and years ago, just because he wanted to. It was still difficult for him to speak to my (now) hubby due to lack of practice. I can imagine how hard it must be for many Thais to learn English properly, especially if they don't have the means to do so.

Just a thought that comes to my head: most of my English friends don't speak any other languages at all apart from their own, even though they had good teaching at school. I asked them about this before and they said most people in the world speak English and they just don't have much incentive to learn. They did say, however, that they wish they had learned an additional language now.

Many good points D80, the only two problems I have ever had with Thai people not understanding my Thai are people who can't figure out what I mean if I don't use the exact right word (my mother-in-law! makes for interesting conversation ). And people who cannot believe I am able to speak Thai so therefor refuse to listen-- we've all had this, you ask for something simple and the waitress/waiter/shopgirl/taxi driver (etc the list goes on) absolutely cannot understand you simply because the person believes that they cannot understand you; get a more open minded person and the communication problem disappears.

As for state schools, you just proved the point I have always found to be true, the standard of English teaching by Thai teachers is generally abysmal. My husband's nephew is just starting to study English in school and comes home with the most amazing homework. Usually I cannot make head nor tails of it!

And D80, just to prove you wrong ... I have studied French and Mandarin Chinese and am fairly able with my Thai too.. and I don't consider myself to be a linguistic genius, just a hard worker.

[jjrbus]

I find myself amazed at the amount of english the average thai speaks. I feel for those trying to learn what we call the english language. I'm an American and I have trouble trying to understand some British people, then when I get in a conversation with an Austrailian, it's like two different languages, Then try to talk to someone whose english is thier second language, it's amazing we can communicate at all.

I was impressed when I went to Cambodia, that country is really into learning english!

[KevinN]

sbk says,

Also, Thailand promotes itself as a major tourist destination. Shouldn't it then require it's schools to teach a reasonable level of English (that can be spoken I might add) to it's pupils? Scandanavian countries certainly do not seem to have the same problems with English that Asian countries do.

English is a required subject all the way thru school in Thailand.

My wife has been teaching English in school for 20 years and when we met 3 yrs. ago her English was very hard to understand,her daughter at 13 has had all her years of instruction and my only speaking English at home and she still can't speak English. She can read it and write it perfectly,but can not speak it.

The reason being is she can't understand me when I speak, and my wife has trouble hearing English,same as when we hear Thai,we can not distinguish the words, I some times go to the school with my wife and the students try to talk to me in English and want me to talk to the class,even if it is just to read a book to them,,advanced students that know my wife or are relatives come to our home in the evening after they get out of class's at the university to have me read things,answer questions into tape recorders so they have the actual spoken English to listen to.

I am also with the few that thinks that Thai should put English on the roadsigns and other places to,English is the business language and all airlines pilots that fly international and all air traffic controllers have to speak English,and I also have trouble understanding Brits,Aussies,Kiwis,and any others even if they speak English as a first language.In fact I have a hard time talking to blacks in the south USA and coon asses and even whites from rural south.

It is a lot easier to learn to speak a language if it is written in the same script as we use,I have never had a problem with such languages,but do have trouble with other script languages,and now I am to ###### old to learn another language,and old enough to do as I ###### well please,,and I have less trouble going to town to buy a certain thing than my wife,Who by the way is a native Thai speaker.

so as far as I can see,you just have to have patients and you don't need to speak Thai.

[Phil Conners]

Maybe getting slightly off topic but have anyone tried picking up a Thai magazine recently? They all come with English all over the frontpage. The same goes with a lot of books. Only when you open it do you see the Thai script. I almost bought a couple of computer and car magazines before I realized

[mbkudu]

I am getting ready to go to El Salvador in August, it is April now. I have bought come discs to learn some elementary Spanish before I go. That's about 3 months; it's amazing what you can learn in 3 months to make a trip more fun and less troublesome. It's really not such a big deal. Just takes some work.

[shopgurl]

Se comprende senor mbkudu - it just takes a bit of effort and a lot of patience!!!

[KevinN]

mbk,No problemo senior,,espaniol muy facile,gotta be easy if the central and south americans can speak it.

uncivilized heathens. Just be careful what you eat or who you sleep with.

[D80]

I have studied French and Mandarin Chinese and am fairly able with my Thai too.. and I don't consider myself to be a linguistic genius, just a hard worker.

That's refreshing to hear, sbk!! I like studying languages too. I did French for a long time but can only read, write and understand to an extent now since I don't have much chance to practice. I can't really speak French anymore. Language skill just goes so quickly if you don't keep up the work. I did a bit of Spanish and Japanese too but didn't really get anywhere... hehehe So many things to do, so little time, eh?

[englishoak]

In a restaraunt in bangkok A tourist orders from the menu in English. The wrong food arrives. He says "no you stupid Chink I ordered blah blah" the Waiter/owner replies in perfect English " I'm sorry sir my mistake but I do have 2 degree's and I believe you should take your bad breath and language somewhere else, goodbye"

[D80]

Wow, englishoak, is that a true story!?

Where did that happen?

[mbkudu]

mbk,No problemo senior,,espaniol muy facile,gotta be easy if the central and south americans can speak it.

uncivilized heathens. Just be careful what you eat or who you sleep with.

Thanks for the warning KevinN, but it's all for the love of adventure and something different. 'Difference' is what makes the world more interesting. Imagine how utterly boring the world would be if everyone spoke one language;

no thanks.

[gisele]

I have studied French and Mandarin Chinese and am fairly able with my Thai too.. and I don't consider myself to be a linguistic genius, just a hard worker.

That's refreshing to hear, sbk!! I like studying languages too. I did French for a long time but can only read, write and understand to an extent now since I don't have much chance to practice. I can't really speak French anymore. Language skill just goes so quickly if you don't keep up the work. I did a bit of Spanish and Japanese too but didn't really get anywhere... hehehe So many things to do, so little time, eh?

Absolutely right about the practice. I teach French in an International School in Beijing so daily I speak French, English and Chinese but I am rusty with my Spanish and have all but forgotten German since I rarely have an occasion to use them.

In China, it is the same situation, many can read and write but speaking is another matter. Lucky are those who have native speakers as teachers.

[Simbo]

If English is not the 2nd language in Thailand, what is?

Why put English on the road signs? I seem to have read somewhere, that it is the 2nd language.

[KevinN]

I really don't know,But most countrys on the international hyway system use the language of the country and also english,it seems to be the international language of choice when a language must be spoken that is not the host countrys own,such as airports , air traffic control,airline pilots ,ships captains and radio operators,just to name a few.also the Thai drivers test is in english and Thai..

[simon43]

I think many Thais CAN understand the 'right' sort of English

Next time you are chatting up a bar-girl, try these English phrases on her and see which she understands:

1 - I'm not going to pay you any money (blank stare..)

2 - I like you and I will pay you lots of money (happy smile and 'you sexy guy, only look 25 years old')

3 - I don't understand Thai baht, you take the correct money from my wallet (.. er yes she understands this ok)

4 - Can you please **** my *** whilst I *** your ***? (You need to pay for her language classes before she will agree to understand this )

5 - So how ill is your buffalo? (yep, no problems to understand this one)

6 - Have I got your bank account details correct? (and again..)

[brownsugar]

From my expirience, most thais in tourist related businesses have enough english to make the transaction.

My thai is very basic , but i can understand enough to follow what someone is talking about. Its amazing having people talking about you, assuming you dont understand.

[mbkudu]

From my expirience, most thais in tourist related businesses have enough english to make the transaction.

My thai is very basic , but i can understand enough to follow what someone is talking about. Its amazing having people talking about you, assuming you dont understand.

This is one of the key edges that the foreigner who understands Thai has. I'm not saying it to mean something cunning or shrewd, just helps protect yourself a bit and maybe feel somewhat included in a conversation. Sometimes I feel like a piece of furniture amost chattering Thais and then I might add something to the conversation and suddenly things change.

[jjrbus]

For those of you whose spanish is getting rusty, you might want to try a trip to Miami Florida, very little english spoken there

[Rhys]

Do agree with the English use in China, as I have been involded in that area.. What a pleasure to read a "perfect sentence," and to have it written clearly.

Hmm not much else to say, but the Lingual Franca is a key point in English learning in Thailand or unless a supermotivated Thai students want to go for a scholarship and study abroad.

Mix and Match with THAI Nationals as English teachers... Some are truly gifted educators,and then the others have been "assigned to teach"the class.

But again here.. the money talk and the BS walks.

Yet in the end, a smile and a few words in Thai to Thai Nationals make it easy..They know you are trying, the meta communication comes across, unless you're DH. "We have seen the UGLY American"..and others...

I'm an Asian American born in CA..but living in Thailand people mistake me for a Look Krueng... I have had this conversation in Thai many times.. and even from westerners on the sky train.. Your English is very good, where did you study? Your accent is excellent... <deleted>... Then I smile.

From the days of the dirt floor classroom to the shinny and clean classroom floors of KKU, and CMU, ...hard to believe it.. but the Ministry of Education, has actually made progress.. in English teaching, contrary to what we read, and hear. Ff they could keep the dudes out of the way, and let the women do the job... But...

Insightful curricululm planning, interactive approaches, and a native teacher or non-native teachers with excellence pronunciation will do it.

SORRY...the English Teachers with the rolling "r"s an "b" or "p" don't help. Take them out coach. The medium is the message.... Go do.

[gisele]

For those of you whose spanish is getting rusty, you might want to try a trip to Miami Florida, very little english spoken there