Share Experiences when speaking their Local Language

[GiddlyGook]

Originally Posted by ruhua

He never improve his Thai because he don't date WL.

Dude, nothing could be further from the truth

Actually, maybe I was understating my Thai proficiency a little bit - I'm good enough that the "cheer kheks" speak to me in Thai (although for sure they know I'm not Khon Thai) - I understand quite a bit but speaking it is more difficult - a very tonal language like SC has pointed out and very easy to make mistakes. What I meant by not good enough is that damn, I've been coming here for the last 5-6 years and my Thai should be a goddamned sight better. Look at SC - 6 months here and he was already a pro. That guy is gifted.

All I was saying is it doesn't matter if you don't speak Thai well - just some basic Thai (counting, directions and what, when why, who etc) and a lot of "good attitude" makes English more than enough. You'd be surprised how many WLs speak other languages besides Thai.

In the working world, especially among the Fortune 500 international companies based in BKK, everyone speaks very good English. So in their social circle, everyone also speaks English very well - lots of people have studied abroad - so it is never a problem. There are TONS of international schools in BKK - all of them produce a lot of good English speakers. And if you live in Sukhumvit, you never need to speak a lick of Thai.

[free]

Originally Posted by GiddlyGook

Thai is nice but strictly not essential. Not in business and not in social situations. Only essential if you're dating a WL.

I've been coming to Thailand every other month for quite some time now and although I'm ashamed to say I speak very poor Thai, I get around with 0 problems. At least I'm much better than some of my colleagues who speak absolutely zero Thai. And they have a wonderful and successful time. It's the same with any other non-native-English speaking city (and I've been to quite a few too on a regular basis): you will get by with English and when that doesn't work, miming will do. Everybody understands I am a foreigner and everybody is accomodating if you are polite.

Lastly, lots of people in BKK speak excellent English.

Exseecusee Mua. U mean to say only WLs dun speak Angrit? Do u know there are thais who can't even speak Thai! Only their dialects. For heaven's sake, do take a bigger world view than that. And BKK is but a small part of Thailand!

If all you do is tour thailand and have normal biz meetings there, with ppl to interprete when needed, u dun need to know thai alright. That was where I was at from 1989-2002. Did all those std thingy we read about in SB today too, haha. Things a lot more open then. Also got many houses one can go and openly pick young gals. Tora-tora - now we just call aap naam. But when I got interested in life in thailand itself and later met my ex, a Uni student. Her English is ok, but most of her friends (Uni-mates) and her parents cannot speak English. So how to communicate w/o speaking thai?

If one plans to live there, do biz there (hiring and selling to locals as well), have a family there (not something u do regularly with a WL, unless of course u belong to the 101% mentioned by SC - SC, borrow ok mai?), it is near impossbile to do it w/o knowledge of spoken thai (if not written thai as well). For me, I made a decision to progress to reading and writing and my life has become richer cos of it. Got to a place playing karaoke w/o english words (plenty even in GM here), I can follow and enjoy as I can read a fair amount of the lyrics now. Go to a place meant for locals where only got thai writing, at least not totally lost. And it gets worse as one moves further away from BKK in general. The r/s I have with my tirak today would be simply impossible if I dun speak, read or write thai. Cos we express everyday issues from simple to complex, all in spoken and written thai (usually sms, sometimes written notes). Not just whisper and sms sweet nothings all the time, cos this cannot a r/s make.

Yes, lot's of ppl in BKK speak excellent english, but then a significantly bigger proportion of ppl there dun

[ruhua]

Originally Posted by GiddlyGook

Dude, nothing could be further from the truth

Actually, maybe I was understating my Thai proficiency a little bit - I'm good enough that the "cheer kheks" speak to me in Thai (although for sure they know I'm not Khon Thai) - I understand quite a bit but speaking it is more difficult - a very tonal language like SC has pointed out and very easy to make mistakes. What I meant by not good enough is that damn, I've been coming here for the last 5-6 years and my Thai should be a goddamned sight better. Look at SC - 6 months here and he was already a pro. That guy is gifted.

All I was saying is it doesn't matter if you don't speak Thai well - just some basic Thai (counting, directions and what, when why, who etc) and a lot of "good attitude" makes English more than enough. You'd be surprised how many WLs speak other languages besides Thai.

In the working world, especially among the Fortune 500 international companies based in BKK, everyone speaks very good English. So in their social circle, everyone also speaks English very well - lots of people have studied abroad - so it is never a problem. There are TONS of international schools in BKK - all of them produce a lot of good English speakers. And if you live in Sukhumvit, you never need to speak a lick of Thai.

Knowing how to speak a little certainly helps. Also it depends on the nature of your work and the 'class' of people you're mixing around with.
http://forum.sammyboy.com/showthread.php?p=920150

My Thai friend was impressed that I can speak Thai quite well but I told him I'm not that good as he thinks. I would classify him as the Upper Middle Class. The young and educated Thais that I come across through work or socialising can certainly speak and write English. Keyword here is which 'class' background they belong to.

[GiddlyGook]

Originally Posted by free

Exseecusee Mua. U mean to say only WLs dun speak Angrit? Do u know there are thais who can't even speak Thai! Only their dialects. For heaven's sake, do take a bigger world view than that. And BKK is but a small part of Thailand!

If all you do is tour thailand and have normal biz meetings there, with ppl to interprete when needed, u dun need to know thai alright.

No need to get your knickers in a twist. I was speaking from the perspective of someone who spends most of his time in BKK. And from my business' point of view, BKK is Thailand. I'm sure the "rest" of Thailand is an extremely nice place (hey, I've been around) but as far as big business goes it's all in 2 places: BKK and to a lesser extent, Chiang Mai. I'm glad you enjoy exploring other aspects of Thai culture but the question was, as I recall, can you have fun ("commercial" or otherwise) without speaking Thai? The answer of course is yes.

And as to taking a bigger "world view", you might want to think twice about waxing lyrical about all things Thai: like all cultures, there's good and bad. The good is quite good and the bad is very bad. So you speak excellent Thai - kudos to you. But please, try not to trumpet this in every other post you make. Like I said, I speak bad Thai - I'm ashamed, I'm contrite, I'm trying to improve but some things are harder for people like me then say, for you. Unlike you, I have absolutely no desire to start a company, hire people, to start a family here or to live here. I'm just a nobody that was sent here by an anonymous corporation: I like BKK, I miss home, and when here, I try to enjoy myself. Simple really. Nobody has asked me to learn Thai and not knowing it impacts my work 0%. Would my life be "richer" by learning Thai - no doubt. But so would it be by learning Latin. Or sewing. All these 3 things I sadly have no time for.

hi hi, hee hee i think we also need to create another thread Philippine Tagalo dictionary hee hee

[free]

Originally Posted by GiddlyGook

No need to get your knickers in a twist. I was speaking from the perspective of someone who spends most of his time in BKK. And from my business' point of view, BKK is Thailand. I'm sure the "rest" of Thailand is an extremely nice place (hey, I've been around) but as far as big business goes it's all in 2 places: BKK and to a lesser extent, Chiang Mai. I'm glad you enjoy exploring other aspects of Thai culture but the question was, as I recall, can you have fun ("commercial" or otherwise) without speaking Thai? The answer of course is yes.

And as to taking a bigger "world view", you might want to think twice about waxing lyrical about all things Thai: like all cultures, there's good and bad. The good is quite good and the bad is very bad. So you speak excellent Thai - kudos to you. But please, try not to trumpet this in every other post you make. Like I said, I speak bad Thai - I'm ashamed, I'm contrite, I'm trying to improve but some things are harder for people like me then say, for you. Unlike you, I have absolutely no desire to start a company, hire people, to start a family here or to live here. I'm just a nobody that was sent here by an anonymous corporation:

Ok, seen your pt. I misunderstood you and I apologise unreservedly. Also I am not saying one cannot enjoy LOS w/o speaking thai, but one can certainly enjoy it more if one can.

And there is no shame not to be able to speak thai well if there is no need for you to do so, whereas I do have a need cos of my circumstances.

And there is nothing wrong if you are sent there by yr company. Consider yourself lucky - many including myself would like to be in yr position. It is small timers like us that have to find ways and means to do our own small biz and probably operate outside BKK due to the nature of the industries, and costs. Wouldn't be able to find the ppl with the right skillsets in BKK. Relocating ppl will be too expensive and stupid as well. Even many MNCs locate their factories upcountry. For ppl like us, it as to be a location outside of BKK, usually a province near to it.

And I too agree with you that the thai culture has its good and bad points, and I can see it. Different strokes for different folks here. In my case, after living in my homeland for so many years, I have never been truly comfortable. The paternalistic govt culture simply rubs me the wrong way, and I already felt that since Primary Two, when I had my clashes with my teacher! But its probably great for others. Like all countries SG has its good and bad points too.

[Ah joe]

Originally Posted by GiddlyGook

I'll take the contrarian view: speaking Thai is nice but strictly not essential. Not in business and not in social situations. Only essential if you're dating a WL.

Sorry, but.... but ...why do we need to Speak Thai to date a WL?

Somehow I must agree that most Thai executives, managers and business owners speak good English.

[ciakpachineng]

Originally Posted by delifrance

I've noticed that the type of ladies (WL and non-WL) do play a part in determing their reactions to a foreigner (man) speaking their local language.

Generally, in those Sukhumvit bars, if U speak Thai and dress in Thai attire, service levels of WL drop and they are not as attentive....
If U speak broken Thai or English, their eyes light up and immediately 1st Q they ask is where R U from...Then their enthusiasm level varies and they love the Japs the most...In Ratchada and more Thai places, WL do not differentiate as much and they still love the Japs the most...Not surprisingly for a country that was not treated badly by Japs during WWII
For non-WL, they are more cordial if U speak Thai...
but whether WL or non-WL, past the initial part, language competence is less important

[ruhua]

Originally Posted by Ah joe

Sorry, but.... but ...why do we need to Speak Thai to date a WL?

Somehow I must agree that most Thai executives, managers and business owners speak good English.

Haha well said. Some want to develope relationships with WLs that's why must know how to speak Thai.

If Thai executives, managers and business owners couldn't speak good English. How are they going to do international businesses?

[siamcutey]

Originally Posted by GiddlyGook

Look at SC - 6 months here and he was already a pro. That guy is gifted.

Gifted? nope. I still can't read and write a single thai word. kekeke
I use Thai only when I feel it is to my advantage rather than to my disadvantage. Example if i go to a 7-11 and want something, I want to get it fast and just pay my goods and leave the shop. If I don't know thai, I would probably spend a couple of minutes. Same for taxis. When I take taxis, I definitely use thai cos when I started taking taxis using English and the taxi drivers see that I am not good in thai, they tend to go the longer way.

As for going MPs and Massage Shops, I see first. If I want to "play play" with the girls, I will speak English and pretend don't know thai. Then can "play" and make session more fun.

SC

[siamcutey]

Actually learning how to speak an extra language wouldn't harm.

How about those learning Korean, French etc? Don't tell me those guys want to date Korean WLs, French WLs?

I would say learning one more language will be a gift rather than a disability.

SC