Hua Hin students wowing tourists as they act as interpreters for the police

[BusyB]

4 hours ago, biplanebluey said:

You guys can never see anything right with anything anyone does in thailand---UGH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I've just signed in especially to like this post.

 

Honestly, it's so disGUSting.

[scorecard]

31 minutes ago, ujayujay said:

....you have no Idea about Thailand and the lose Face theme.

 

How's that?

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, free123 said:

to all the farangs who are long term semi residents....learn thai dont complain...i met some guys around ten years here and not to be able to order food....i know its not easy but if u make ur life plans ( house car retirement ) in los at least u should aquire decent communication skills...

 

What's that got to do with this specific thread?

[elgenon]

2 hours ago, novo58 said:

I think this is a great idea. And just perhaps the Thai schoolkids will learn from the farang NOT to just accept what they are told just because someone is of a higher status than themselves. maybe they will learn to ask more questions if the first answer does not solve the problem...maybe the kids will learn to THINK for themselves...When the farang is not happy with what they are first told and pose further questions that the kids then have to ask in Thai of the police officer....maybe the kids will start to learn to NOT fear asking questions/seeking more information from an older person of higher station in life than themselves >>>>>>>>>. Just maybe . 

I agree. The Thais have it all wrong. That's why we are here. To tell them their culture is wrong and that we know the right way for them.

But then again, the fact that they respect their elders kinda sounds good to this elder.

The foreigners who live in Thailand and make no effort to learn Thai, but criticize Thais' English, have it figured out.

[kentrot]

Wow - what a pleasant change of pace to read so many positive comments on a post. Indeed there are a select group of squeaky wheels who never stop grumbling. I know quite a few  married farangs with Thai wives who are happy but never post - so you only get a lot of  the negative side in these posts which is not a true indication of life here.

 

As a retired (Bangkok) International School teacher , I have to say that the students in government schools who I have had the pleasure of meeting,  do not get the best English  instruction. But there is never a problem in understanding between us. The sincere effort comes through. And always with a smile.

 

To the complainers , I suggest that you watch this short video called "Shut the Full Cup":

 

[metisdead]

Nonsense posts and replies have been removed. 

[Grumpy Duck]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

3 hours ago, free123 said:

to all the farangs who are long term semi residents....learn thai dont complain...i met some guys around ten years here and not to be able to order food....i know its not easy but if u make ur life plans ( house car retirement ) in los at least u should aquire decent communication skills...

 

I will speak for myself. I have been here over 2 years and it is extremely difficult for me to learn even useful words and phrases. Probably an age thing. When I was 18 & 19 I was stationed in Korea took a basic class and found it easy to have a simple conversation. Since high school in so calif I could pick up spanish easily. I have always been complimented on my accents however, Vietnamese & Thai do not stick. Maybe as most Thais around me tend to prefer English (probably as my Thai is unintelligible). 

[hotchilli]

6 hours ago, HOOD Robin said:

95% of Thai students can hardly speak ENGLISH
Really want to be a fly around in that police station to see how they deal with the other languages......

 

At the other hand, they should oblige every cop who deals with tourists at least speaking some

decent English since tourism is a major income stream in TH !  Too much SHIT happens in LOS

between cops and tourists as they dont understand each other...

While the other 5% are offering a good service !!

[Pigdog747]

6 hours ago, HOOD Robin said:

95% of Thai students can hardly speak ENGLISH
Really want to be a fly around in that police station to see how they deal with the other languages......

 

At the other hand, they should oblige every cop who deals with tourists at least speaking some

decent English since tourism is a major income stream in TH !  Too much SHIT happens in LOS

between cops and tourists as they dont understand each other...

Maybe your right, 95% has a hard time speaking English. Lets give the kids credit for trying to help out and by the way, my (Thai) niece speaks better English than I do. I for one would like to thank these young students for helping out. Their parents must be proud of them, I know I would be

[Tom Cahill]

6 hours ago, novo58 said:

I think this is a great idea. And just perhaps the Thai schoolkids will learn from the farang NOT to just accept what they are told just because someone is of a higher status than themselves. maybe they will learn to ask more questions if the first answer does not solve the problem...maybe the kids will learn to THINK for themselves...When the farang is not happy with what they are first told and pose further questions that the kids then have to ask in Thai of the police officer....maybe the kids will start to learn to NOT fear asking questions/seeking more information from an older person of higher station in life than themselves >>>>>>>>>. Just maybe . 

Aisde the inevitable not actually translating anything and being able to claim to have had a translation,  I see a lose-lose situation here.
Either:
1.  the children will preclude the ability to bribe the police to let you go from whatever scam they're pulling;  or,
2.  the children will be inveigled into the criminal culture before even leaving school,  as happens when young people are at the beckon call of senior criminals,  like happened when I worked in Malaysia for a spell for Balfour Beatty,  and the morons from Loughborough University were all getting paid $1 per hour and thinking this was the way to do things,  whilst complicit in serious indictable crimes that will hang over them for the rest of their lives.

[observer90210]

Do our homelands have on site translators who are present in police stations?

 

Not in my town in Europe anyhow....only convicts get translators and not the general public coming over for routine paperwork!

 

Full credit and thank you Thailand and the students for trying to help out the grumpy farangs!

[wvavin]

Really hope these students can improve their English proficiency by having conversations with the English speakers.

[Happyman58]

53 minutes ago, wvavin said:

Really hope these students can improve their English proficiency by having conversations with the English speakers.

These students would have a chance at learning English real well but the education system lets them down so bad They are taught here not to question anything and not to think of their own ideas

[JeffreyO]

10 hours ago, HOOD Robin said:

95% of Thai students can hardly speak ENGLISH
Really want to be a fly around in that police station to see how they deal with the other languages......

 

At the other hand, they should oblige every cop who deals with tourists at least speaking some

decent English since tourism is a major income stream in TH !  Too much SHIT happens in LOS

between cops and tourists as they dont understand each other...

"On the other hand"
If you're going to insult others English, at least speak it properly.

[Phuketboy]

17 hours ago, HOOD Robin said:

95% of Thai students can hardly speak ENGLISH
Really want to be a fly around in that police station to see how they deal with the other languages......

 

At the other hand, they should oblige every cop who deals with tourists at least speaking some

decent English since tourism is a major income stream in TH !  Too much SHIT happens in LOS

between cops and tourists as they dont understand each other...

My 9 year old daughter and all her friends can speak very good English.  In fact most can speak 2, 3 or 4 languages fluently which is probably a lot more than most people in this forum.  It depends on the student, the school they attend and the program they operate.  Students who attend a "good" international school will all have a great understanding of the English language.  

[Essaybloke]

15 hours ago, nabbie said:

Cant say it is good idea because these are  the police matters.

I'm tipping the students are involved only in routine, 'non-controversial' matters. Anything serious (I would like to think) would be handed over to professional translators or English speaking staff.

[Sydebolle]

While it is a great idea for the kids to interact with native XXXX-language speakers it remains unclear, how qualified the translation output is. There is nobody to verify the true, correct and complete translation. So everything above small talk, i.e. binding details or information (and that's what i.e. a police station might be about) ................. 

Those who can read Thai must have seen hilarious subtitles "deviations" on soundtracked movies. One case I vividly remember is when a couple bid their farewell "Bye Bye" the Thai translation came up with "ซื้อซื้อ" (translates back into English as "Shop Shop"). Another pristine example of subtitled translation from English to Thai remains "The Da Vinci Code" with Tom Hanks. 

[Happyman58]

4 hours ago, Phuketboy said:

My 9 year old daughter and all her friends can speak very good English.  In fact most can speak 2, 3 or 4 languages fluently which is probably a lot more than most people in this forum.  It depends on the student, the school they attend and the program they operate.  Students who attend a "good" international school will all have a great understanding of the English language.  

You are lucky u can afford to send your kids to an English Language school Most kids i know go to government schools where teaching english is not important My step daughter who is 17 cannot speak English and she goes to a government school They have the problem that the teachers who are supposed to teach English cannot speak english themselves Then again i must be fair and say my step daughter is not the sharpest tool in the shed I am afraid if i say to my wife that i think she should leave school it be world war 3 so yeah she is  wasting her mums time and money I am sure i am not the only one coming across this situation

[Sooo Upto Me]

On 03/07/2017 at 3:26 PM, spetersen said:

Miserable Farang's always complaining , go back home to your own countries and look yourself in the mirror , maybe it's not that perfect at home. I think you should give both the kids ant Police credit and you can't change everything overnight . A very good initiative... 

Exactly, could u stand in front of a guy with man Tits trying to explain something to him without cracking up? ?? 

[Naroge]

A real win-win-win. Good for everyone, tourists/students/police. Smart move.

 

[pennine]

I was in that large tile and bathroom store in Maenam, Samui a couple of years ago and the salesman had very little English. A group of 5 or 6 Thai schoolgirls were in the store and all spoke good English and helped out the salesman. I was impressed.

[joecoolfrog]

On Monday, July 03, 2017 at 10:11 AM, goonnerone said:

Was thinking the same thing, its because there live are so sad, they sit in the bar all day long and have nothing better to do than pick faults out of everything

Oh I think the expats who cant afford to sit in a bar all day are the really bitter ones.

[mindfulness]

On 03/07/2017 at 1:35 PM, Regyai said:

Surely this wont replace gumps in quasi-paramilitary fancy dress with "me pay bar you" linguistic levels?

... could that be classed as human trafficking? 

[geriatrickid]

On 7/3/2017 at 2:13 AM, biplanebluey said:

You guys can never see anything right with anything anyone does in thailand---UGH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No, your knee jerk reaction is wrong.

On the contrary, the use of unqualified minors to assist with legal matters, is  inappropriate.

Hua Hin is a major foreign tourist destination. It is the duty and obligation of the   judicial and police system to have the capability of caring for and servicing  invitees. Don't bring in foreign visitors if you cannot take care of them properly.

 

Understanding the ethical obligation and the need to be able to service the visitors  does not mean that one does not appreciate the kind gesture of these children.  The burden of care should not fall to kindly kids. Rather, the bloated civil authorities and police unit should  have the capability to communicate with the tourists who keep the tourist town's economy afloat.  This isn't inland Issan or P,attani. Hua Hin is promoted as an international quality tourist destination.

 

[geriatrickid]

On 7/4/2017 at 6:11 PM, Naroge said:

A real win-win-win. Good for everyone, tourists/students/police. Smart move.

 

No it is not. Children should not be burdened with this. What recourse  does the foreigner have if the translation is wrong? This is why the courts in the developed nations where the rule of law is respected require the use of qualified translators.

[colinneil]

On 7/3/2017 at 7:45 PM, hotchilli said:

While the other 5% are offering a good service !!

What a stupid comment, children should never have to have a responsibilty like that.

The Thai courts only use recognised translators, so should the police.

[gk10002000]

sounds like a decent idea that could benefit all parties.  I hope the students get some sort of credit practicum, etc

[Happyman58]

31 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

sounds like a decent idea that could benefit all parties.  I hope the students get some sort of credit practicum, etc

Thai kids in general are good kids  Its is just the system that lets them down  They are modern kids living with a government that is living 30 years in the past Gov thinks more on buying old subs helicopters armoured personal carriers where they should be investing in these kids so Thailand can become modern country one day  

[Happyman58]

23 hours ago, colinneil said:

What a stupid comment, children should never have to have a responsibilty like that.

The Thai courts only use recognised translators, so should the police.

Yeah imagine col You go to court and have to use the kids advice in court 

[Happyman58]

23 hours ago, geriatrickid said:

No it is not. Children should not be burdened with this. What recourse  does the foreigner have if the translation is wrong? This is why the courts in the developed nations where the rule of law is respected require the use of qualified translators.

You are spot on mate