Do thai girls want us to speak thai ?

[raymond2020]

P.S There is a fantastic site on the web called Learning Thai The Easy Way, it is totally free and starts off with basic words and phrases, greetings,telling the time,food and drink, numbers etc right up to advanced speech and reading and writing, but the BEST thing is that it allows you to click on the word or phrase and you can hear the correct pronounciation in your headphones.

what is the web address. thanks .raymond

[libbz15]

This really shouldn't even be a question. Anyone not trying to take advantage of you would love for you to speak their language. Thai's are more comfortable in their mother tongue and express themselves much better. When you venture outside the bars, 99%+ of the Thai population will be eager to speak Thai with you. They are very accommodating to us Farang who speak like 5-year-olds it's been an odd pleasure to struggle through their language and learn some new things about the people surrounding us while we chill on their land.

Edited May 28, 2011 by libbz15

[Crem73]

IME most bar-girls don't like falangs speaking 'too much' Thai as they do want to take advantage. Being your translator gives them another use to you, meaning the more dependant you are on them, the less likely you are to get rid.

[Dr.Winston]

IME most bar-girls don't like falangs speaking 'too much' Thai as they do want to take advantage. Being your translator gives them another use to you, meaning the more dependant you are on them, the less likely you are to get rid.

Yes, speaking Thai with bar girls is a great way to filter out those would rather your were kept in the dark and dependent on them.

[timbota]

Thai BG's want us to understand Thai just enough for it to be convenient & entertaining for them, but do not want us to understand Thai well enough to understand them when they don't want us to.

[Dr.Winston]

Thai BG's want us to understand Thai just enough for it to be convenient & entertaining for them, but do not want us to understand Thai well enough to understand them when they don't want us to.

Sellective ignorance is not restricted to bar girls!

[pubstud]

Sellective ignorance is not restricted to bar girls!

 

Yes indeed. In my observations it's not just bargals but Thais across the board who dislike hearing farang speak Thai. You'll read in the guidebooks that Thais love it if you take the time to learn a few words. Well that's bollocks, and the key words there are "a few words" - Yes, Thais love it when they hear a farang speak a handful of basic words with incorrect tones because that tells them you know fuck all. Thais just adore stupid farang who haven't a clue what's going on.

[Dr.Winston]

Yes indeed. In my observations it's not just bargals but Thais across the board who dislike hearing farang speak Thai. You'll read in the guidebooks that Thais love it if you take the time to learn a few words. Well that's bollocks, and the key words there are "a few words" - Yes, Thais love it when they hear a farang speak a handful of basic words with incorrect tones because that tells them you know fuck all. Thais just adore stupid farang who haven't a clue what's going on.

Well we'll just have to accept that our observations differ. I nearly always find that when I speak Thai with Thais it goes down well, I don't often just jump straight into Thai but that's more to do with not wanting to jar their expectations too quickly . If your experience is that when you speak Thai with Thais it doesn't go down well then naturally that's what you'll draw your opinions from.

[GorGuy RIP]

I nearly always find that when I speak Thai with Thais it goes down well, I don't often just jump straight into Thai but that's more to do with not wanting to jar their expectations too quickly .

 

I find myself agreeing with you again.

 

I will always speak English first.

In a new bar, I will often stick to English.

 

In a regular bar, the mamasan, or the girls will often send the new girl over to me, so she can relax and speak her own language. I buy her a drink and chat to her in Thai and I then have a girl who will always remember me. Someone who made her comfortable in her first few days/weeks, is someone she will go out of her way to please later. It pays back many times.

[Dr.Winston]

I find myself agreeing with you again.

 

I will always speak English first.

In a new bar, I will often stick to English.

 

In a regular bar, the mamasan, or the girls will often send the new girl over to me, so she can relax and speak her own language. I buy her a drink and chat to her in Thai and I then have a girl who will always remember me. Someone who made her comfortable in her first few days/weeks, is someone she will go out of her way to please later. It pays back many times.

I think some of it is down to preconceived notions about Thai speaking Farangs that are passed on by other bar girls to the new bar girls as well as the 'shock' factor I mentioned earlier. By acting like a typical non Thai speaking tourist they don't put up their defences and will judge you by the same criteria they judge other customers. Once they relax with you they will then react to you speaking Thai differently to if you had started off by speaking Thai with them straight off the block. At least that's my experience.

 

Yes, I find the 'farm fresh' girls love it when you speak Thai with them. It must be so scary for them trying to interact with Farangs when they have no means of speaking with them. If you show an understanding and empathy with their situation and can communicate it to them it must be a relief.

[THAJEC]

Some ladies like some do not like. I think when farangs speak little bit is it o.k. When understand everything can be problem for girl. They want speak sometimes together and no want farangs know everything.I agree young girls like for joking.

[GorGuy RIP]

I have seen it from both sides.

 

A mate of mine would go into a bar and speak Thai (badly) and it did not go down well.

 

I would go with him in the same bar and speak only English, and got a better reaction.

If the girl did not understand me, I would talk Thai, and also got a good reaction.

 

So I act dumb and speak English, but if the person does not understand English, I will speak Thai.

 

With taxi motorbike or baht bus I will speak Thai.

 

SMS to regular girls are done in Thai.

[Dr.Winston]

Yes, the bad Thai your friend used with must be as annoying to listen to as bad English is to us. I think the turning point is when your Thai is better than their English, then your Thai is making communication easier rather than harder.

I have seen it from both sides.

 

A mate of mine would go into a bar and speak Thai (badly) and it did not go down well.

 

I would go with him in the same bar and speak only English, and got a better reaction.

If the girl did not understand me, I would talk Thai, and also got a good reaction.

 

So I act dumb and speak English, but if the person does not understand English, I will speak Thai.

 

With taxi motorbike or baht bus I will speak Thai.

 

SMS to regular girls are done in Thai.

[OleKingCole]

Yes, the bad Thai your friend used with must be as annoying to listen to as bad English is to us. I think the turning point is when your Thai is better than their English, then your Thai is making communication easier rather than harder.

 

That's the point I was making in an earlier post. My girl said she does not want me speaking Thai with her, because I am at a very early stage of learning and certainly when I went back in ay, all the tones wrong, vowels distorted, final consonants pronounced in the wrong way... Must be painful to hear and difficult to comprehend. Her Tinglish is much more fluent. It must be as bad as trying to read a long post with no punctuation and using txt talk

[quiksilva]

Nothing wrong with a bit of small talk in Thai. Usually gets a laugh and get's them thinking, how much does he know ? 555

[td5855]

Yes, speaking Thai with bar girls is a great way to filter out those would rather your were kept in the dark and dependent on them.

 

Agree completely Doctor,

My ex loved the fact that her Mum and Dad could speak with me with her not around.

 

The girls that sneer and make comments about farangs speaking Thai have an agenda that does not usually include farangs.

 

If your GF helps correct your grammar and tones it is that she wants you to impress people and in turn she gets more face.

 

Quite simple really....... Appearing a simple Farang gives one impression, appearing a smart/educated Farang another impression

[Scott Kevin]

I just had my first negative experience with it.

 

I met a stunner at a well-known a go go, bought her a drink immediately, and tried to chat her up. Her English wasn't very good so we switched to Thai. She was sitting on my lap but just "going through the motions". I could tell she wasn't interested. I asked her what's wrong and she said that she knows I have a Thai wife. I told her that I do but she's totally ok with me going short time sometimes (in fact, it was HER idea!). She either didn't believe me or didn't care. It could also be that she just didn't like me and was using that as an excuse since I don't think many girls would turn down a barfine even if they knew the customer was married.

Edited July 3, 2011 by kikenyoy

[fudgecake2006]

No, Thai girls do not want us to speak Thai.

 

If they want some thing they will speak fucking English, believe me.

 

If Falangs live in Thailand & speak Thai they say he know to much, he long time Pattaya.

 

If you know the score they are half out the door.

 

i find that as well. so u are soo true mate

[fudgecake2006]

ok, i just go back from a 3 week romp in pattaya here are my findings on the subject. my thai is pretty good.. not fluent but very good.

 

1. some girls loved that i could speak thai. they insisted on speaking only thai and taught me a lot. plus they love to laugh and joke when you spit out little stupid idioms or know some old school songs from their past.. it is a riot..

 

2. some girls gave me the look of death.. they get their guard up right away and start with.. how long you live in thailand, how long you work here? you have thai lady.. the farang know to much theory comes right into play. one girl i met didnt want me to speak thai in public with her. but when we were alone thai all the way..

 

3. a funny thing was me and a buddy met 2 girls.. one understood every word i said while the other one didnt. at first i thought she was playing with me. but it turns out she was so used to only thais speaking thai she couldnt understand me through my american accent..

 

4. the most important thing i learned is that if they give you an attitude or show you they dont like you when you speak a little bit of thai with them you are better off without them.. because they are looking to scam and dont want to be bothered in being personal with you. fuck em..

 

5. most regular thai ladies and id say around 90% like it... start off small. or even wait until you get to know them a little bit before you drop it on them. most of the time they are really interested in how you can speak their language.. because they are a little jealous because most of the time they are struggling to learn english...

 

the best tip i have is choose you moments.. always start in your native language... gauge the situation and if it works for you then go.. 90% of the time it is all in your favor and they love ya even more... the other 10% are called short times...

 

 

 

Thanks for the advice and sharing your experiences pal

[Thaihot]

i find that as well. so u are soo true mate

 

Thanks mate I am glad you like my opinion on that one.

[Chief General]

I think it's best to start in English.

 

Answer certain questions with Thai,

 

But suprise them with it,

 

After throwing in a few words, sentences.. they always ask if you can speak Thai,

 

Then you say 'nit noi' - this means 'little' lol

 

Then I go back to English.... And say I cannot speak anymore Thai than I've spoke.

 

Truth is I can't lol

 

Always had the girls enjoy it...

[Mr.Sus]

very intresting read fellas, deffently wanting to learn thai properly before i go back for a 6 months stint ( to make things easier etc) whats the best website to learn with a playback to get tone right etc. last trip over (2nd time to thai) learnt around 10-15 fraises that i used daily with a good repore . but very right on the tone some understand instantly but others dont . funny when u say kop khon karp to a thai they automatically presume u speak fluent thai hah

[ippyboy]

very intresting read fellas, deffently wanting to learn thai properly before i go back for a 6 months stint ( to make things easier etc) whats the best website to learn with a playback to get tone right etc. last trip over (2nd time to thai) learnt around 10-15 fraises that i used daily with a good repore . but very right on the tone some understand instantly but others dont . funny when u say kop khon karp to a thai they automatically presume u speak fluent thai hah

theres a couple of good I-Phone apps

[Stavrose]

If you do speak and understand Thai language, it's better for you not to show off your language skill to know what they're planning and who is planning on something for you then you can make a decision, unless they're good and treating you well then you can tell them.

 

IMO, bar girls don't like farangs speak Thai or even girls from discos so they can feel free to talk about you. Again that is just my opinion and what I heard from people.

 

Also for girls that are serious in you, I'm 100% sure that they will be happy and love to hear that you speak Thai and will even start introduce you to their friends and their family. The majority of them lazy or find out learning English is difficult for them.

 

My advice is to keep it secret from strangers and only use it if it's necessary.

[Arwen]

Great question!

 

My experience is mixed but good overall.

 

Some experienced girls are wary because you know thai you know their shenanigans.

 

New girls like it as their English is not so good.

 

I like it because i like new girls