I don't want to learn local language

[faraday]

Quite agree with you op, & when 'they' don't understand english, just shout at them.

[redwinecheese]

1 minute ago, kenk24 said:

then you can converse about the topics that you find important... they don't just speak about toenails.

I am sorry but I am not god father of everything

[redwinecheese]

2 minutes ago, faraday said:

Quite agree with you op, & when 'they' don't understand english, just shout at them.

I used to shout at them but not any more after one of them pulled the knife in my face

[redwinecheese]

1 hour ago, kenk24 said:

you can direct the conversation to things that you are curious about. 

only direct the conversation but not change the way they think and talk about!

[dotpoom]

I would be more concerned about the type of gals I was dating if when they cut my nails they make it a "talking point" amoungst their friends.

Edited February 14, 2017 by dotpoom

[JingerBen]

23 minutes ago, kenk24 said:

 

If you do not like some of the things they talk about, being able to speak the language will enable you to sometimes direct a conversation to some of the things you are interested in... conversation does not always have to be trivial. 

 

And Thai3 - that is not true for everyone. Some people can learn to speak so they can be understood by most. It takes time and effort and desire, which you can easily brush off with silly excuses/comments about subject matter. I find most Thai very genuine and quite willing to confide their concerns in life. They can also be quite funny and light hearted. 

 

Not being able to speak, I think you miss out on many of the joys of living here. It does take time and effort to learn. If you don't want to make that effort, that is fine, but don't blame your inability to learn a language on an excuse that you think Thai people are shallow and have nothing to say when you can't even talk with them and confirm that... 

Excellent post that sums up the topic very well.

[Ulysses G.]

Learning Thai is one of the most useful things that I have ever done in my life and I did not put a lot of effort in it - my Thai is far from great. However, beggars AND parasites completely leave me alone after a few words. I get charged reasonable prices most of the time without much bargaining and young beautiful girls don't seem to mind spending time with me as we can chit-chat. If you don't want to learn Thai, that is up to you, but you are really missing out on a lot.

[sandemara]

Even in his English language OP I find Redwinecheese's use of language a little obscure. I shiver at the thought  of what his attempts at Thai might be like. I pick up European languages easily, but Thai has beaten me into reliance on body language.

[siam2007]

6 minutes ago, Ulysses G. said:

Learning Thai is one of the most useful things that I have ever done in my life and I did not put a lot of effort in it - my Thai is far from great. However, beggars AND parasites completely leave me alone after a few words. I get charged reasonable prices most of the time without much bargaining and young beautiful girls don't seem to mind spending time with me as we can chit-chat. If you don't want to learn Thai, that is up to you, but you are really missing out on a lot.

 

 

couldn't agree more.

This rule has to be applied at any other country of touristic relevance.

And in most cases, the lingo is not difficult to learn. Look like a Gringo in South America? Some Spanish certainly helps to keep the scum at bay (maybe not if they produce firearms, though). Speaking some Indonesian in Bali? OFF the beggars go.....

[1FinickyOne]

21 minutes ago, redwinecheese said:

only direct the conversation but not change the way they think and talk about!

here is a novel thought for you... maybe there is something you can learn from them, beyond language of course...

 

when I meet people, such as poor Thai and find them happier than most middle class and even upper middle class people back home. I figure there is a lesson there to be learned... 

 

unless of course you know everything already... 

 

 

 

 

[Mansell]

1 hour ago, oxo1947 said:

I think in most cases--saying you do not want to speak it is really an inability to learn it.

.

I put myself squarely in that category. 

 

Lived in S/America for a short while--spoke passable Spanish, worked on German/Swedish ships 2 years, got by OK. Thai has been a hill just to steep to climb for me---maybe the age...70 ..or maybe I am thicker than I thought, but try as I may I find the tones just to hard to master, I certainly don't have the energy to keep trying lessons any more.. Would I want to speak it fluently if someone said for a million Baht you can just flip this switch...sure, even more so since I moved up country...to Bahn Nok. When you leave the tourist belt you really find how nice it would be to communicate.

.

Its a bit of a put down to say that Thai People only talk about rubbish--I have some  bilingual Thai friends, & its nice that they converse & take the time to explain things to me.

You say flip a switch. There is a language device out there that translates out loud when you speak into it. Right now it is for Chines and French, but eventually it will do Thai.

[BKKBodhisattva]

Unbelievably stupid reasons for not learning the local lingo.

If, as far as you're concerned, the only things Thais talk about are somtam, lakhorn and gossip, then you're showing precisely what kind of Thais you're hanging with.

Trade up to Thais who don't work in bars, restaurants or massage parlours and you should find the breadth of topics discussed much increased.

 

[BKKBodhisattva]

1 hour ago, kenk24 said:

 

If you do not like some of the things they talk about, being able to speak the language will enable you to sometimes direct a conversation to some of the things you are interested in... conversation does not always have to be trivial. 

 

And Thai3 - that is not true for everyone. Some people can learn to speak so they can be understood by most. It takes time and effort and desire, which you can easily brush off with silly excuses/comments about subject matter. I find most Thai very genuine and quite willing to confide their concerns in life. They can also be quite funny and light hearted. 

 

Not being able to speak, I think you miss out on many of the joys of living here. It does take time and effort to learn. If you don't want to make that effort, that is fine, but don't blame your inability to learn a language on an excuse that you think Thai people are shallow and have nothing to say when you can't even talk with them and confirm that... 

[anotheruser]

2 hours ago, ghworker2010 said:

I totally agree with this opinion. The less trivial conversations that I have to partake in the better for me. 

 

You mean trivial discussions such as this one?

[ThaiWai]

9 hours ago, berybert said:

If you don't speak the language how do you know your finger nails are the main topic of conversation ?

Exactly. I knew a guy married to a thai outide his league. She insists he not learn Thai. Now why you suppose that is???

[ThaiWai]

I overhear numerous comments that if they knew I spoke thier language they would keep to themselves. I love to see those pretty little jaws hit the floor when after 2 hours of silence I say aloud in Thai "you think I dont have ears?"

[anotheruser]

9 minutes ago, ThaiWai said:

I overhear numerous comments that if they knew I spoke thier language they would keep to themselves. I love to see those pretty little jaws hit the floor when after 2 hours of silence I say aloud in Thai "you think I dont have ears?"

 

You could just learn that single phrase to amuse yourself.

[DSJPC]

YOU ARE JUST A LAZY IDIOT!!!

[redwinecheese]

2 minutes ago, DSJPC said:

YOU ARE JUST A LAZY IDIOT!!!

and you are a miserable old fart

[SaintLouisBlues]

5 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

"instance in Thailand, people over here talk about everything"

unlike in every other country

That is why I never bother with learning Thai - if their conversations are even half as inane as the ones I can overhear in English back home I don't think I'll bother

[swissbie]

56 minutes ago, ThaiWai said:

I overhear numerous comments that if they knew I spoke thier language they would keep to themselves. I love to see those pretty little jaws hit the floor when after 2 hours of silence I say aloud in Thai "you think I dont have ears?"

If you really understand Thai, that's exactly what you don't do. I don't know a single Thai who likes to loose his face.

[hyperHowie]

3 hours ago, redwinecheese said:

I'll be glad to punch you in the face

It's sad that you don't seem to want to even attempt the language. I'm not moving to Chiangmai until Jan 2018, so I have no right to judge others. I also realize I'll be 70 then too, but so what? I'll try ... even though with six years of middle school, high school and college French, I'm still nonfluent (though I can get the general idea when reading the language.) However, when talking to the diverse international population in my city of Wash., DC, I have found that speaking bits of words and phrases in French, Tagalog, Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Amharic (Ethiopian), Spanish, Serbian-Croatian, Vietnamese, German, Greek, even Thai & some sign language, I've got pleasant responses and generated goodwill from those I meet, even if I've butchered the pronunciation. Most of the time it's just greetings or a few words. However, they appreciate my trying. Maybe the Thais won't and will quickly reply in English, if they can. But like an acquaintance who only wanted to eat western style food when he traveled, I think he loses something by not attempting to at least TRY it. After all, its NOT cheap living or easy sex why I'm going to Thailand, I want to experience as much of the culture I can as well as the sights, sounds, tastes, touch and even smells of a culture that intrigue me. Else, why -- in my case -- should i travel.

Edited February 14, 2017 by hyperHowie
Typos

[georgemandm]

3 hours ago, bermannor said:

tones are not too important for semi intelligent Thais as long as you add a correct classifier for a word

You are so wrong you need the tones ok 

and yes you can get pass as you say but , most Thais will not understand you if you not give them the right tone .

Been trying to lean thai for 7 years off and on and it is very hard .

Just started back at thai school last Sunday and it was great to get back in to it .

I for one love talking thai and if I am in a  foreign country I think you most lean there  language .

[elgordo38]

10 hours ago, redwinecheese said:

 When I date some girls some do really personaol things  like cutting my finger nails,

????? suck it up buttercup and a good scrub down as well to go with it. Don't look a gift gal in the mouth. What other personal things are you complaining about. Forget it I will just let my vivid imagination run wild. 

[redwinecheese]

31 minutes ago, hyperHowie said:

should i travel.

You must come to Thailand and so does everybody, because words cannot describe the people over here.

Edited February 14, 2017 by redwinecheese
add

[wildewillie89]

3 hours ago, Ulysses G. said:

Learning Thai is one of the most useful things that I have ever done in my life and I did not put a lot of effort in it - my Thai is far from great. However, beggars AND parasites completely leave me alone after a few words. I get charged reasonable prices most of the time without much bargaining and young beautiful girls don't seem to mind spending time with me as we can chit-chat. If you don't want to learn Thai, that is up to you, but you are really missing out on a lot.

All of those things are just as easily achieved if you don't speak Thai also...as long as you're half decent looking and not too rude. 

[redwinecheese]

2 minutes ago, wildewillie89 said:

not too rude.

can you explain more please

[wildewillie89]

1 minute ago, redwinecheese said:

can you explain more please

Just a general comment...people will talk to you if you're a polite and friendly person when it matters. Whatever the culture. The comment was more in relation to the fact the poster seemed to think you had to speak a language to get by here. Usually, in Thailand, to get by you need one of two things...money or contacts. If you have money then the language is irrelevant. If you have contacts then it is because you have moved into a professional circle. Meaning someone probably speaks English, and then they and their circles bother to hang out with you if you're not rude lol. 

[FritsSikkink]

1 hour ago, SaintLouisBlues said:

That is why I never bother with learning Thai - if their conversations are even half as inane as the ones I can overhear in English back home I don't think I'll bother

Depends what sort of people you are talking too, uneducated hookers or people who went to a proper school makes a difference.

[SaintLouisBlues]

10 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Depends what sort of people you are talking too, uneducated hookers or people who went to a proper school makes a difference.

There are highly educated people in my office in California and believe me I hear inane, banal and ignorant comments all the time. I certainly don't need to understand similar trivia in another language