Learn to speak Thai

Post by **parrot** » June 4, 2013, 10:42 am

In my case, I like cutting my EST (Pepsi) with about 75% soda water.........it's to my liking. If I couldn't read that sign, I might think it's a tap from the bidet in the nearby men's room. One never knows:

"A not-so-spotless reputation
The world's favorite coffee chain is being accused of using "toilet water" to brew its coffee at a location in Hong Kong, according to The Huffington Post. When asked about allegations that the company's Bank of China location was using water from a spout in a nearby public bathroom, a Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) spokeswoman confirmed the rumors, saying:

"There is no direct water supply to that particular store, that's why we need to obtain the drinking water from the nearest source in the building.""

Post by **parrot** » June 4, 2013, 3:45 pm

I stopped by the Hole in the Wall for my fix of หมูผัดขิง stir fried ginger/pork and talked with Bahm about his Thai classes. He's currently teaching an American and an Australian....separately, in his home, near Ban Hui market. One is concentrating on reading, the other on conversation. He charges around 2500 baht for 12 hours (for one-on-one). He does a lot of tutoring....teaching English and Thai, as well as working in his family's restaurant.
Give him a call on one of the numbers shown.....no need to be concerned about him understanding you over the phone....his English is excellent.....or stop by his restaurant and yak over a plate of excellent Thai food. โชคดี

Post by **parrot** » June 6, 2013, 10:39 am

There are few things worse than saying ไอ้เหี้ย to a Thai. Unfortunately, many foreigners (including me many years ago) learn a variety of gutter Thai and don't understand the implications of using it.

In the latest episode, Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop referred to protesters at the Chiang Mai water summit as 'garbage'......then, when questioned about his comments by reporters said that that word was too soft.....instead, he referred to them as ไอ้เหี้ย ai-hia.

My advice to anyone wanting to try out words like this, other than in front of a mirror, is to wear a flak jacket and a helmet.

You can read the article in today's BP, search for ai hia

Post by **Frankie 1** » June 6, 2013, 11:15 am

parrot wrote:There are few things worse than saying ไอ้เหี้ย to a Thai. Unfortunately, many foreigners (including me many years ago) learn a variety of gutter Thai and don't understand the implications of using it.

In the latest episode, Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop referred to protesters at the Chiang Mai water summit as 'garbage'......then, when questioned about his comments by reporters said that that word was too soft.....instead, he referred to them as ไอ้เหี้ย ai-hia.

My advice to anyone wanting to try out words like this, other than in front of a mirror, is to wear a flak jacket and a helmet.

You can read the article in today's BP, search for ai hia

Maybe the hia will go and search for the politicians ...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FeBI5RYxk8

Post by **parrot** » June 9, 2013, 11:48 am

Andrew Biggs dwells on the monitor lizard saga in today's lifestyle section of the BP.

Post by **parrot** » June 17, 2013, 8:58 am

Learning a little bit of Thai can help you navigate the roads more effectively and safely. For example:
The yellow road sign......it doesn't always have the international sign above the words.....a good sign to understand this time of year.

If you can read the other sign, you'll be able to navigate the streets of Thailand more effectively. There's such a sign near the Charoen Hotel, similar to the photo below) that says ทางลัด....ถนนทหาร. It's a good sign to know when the traffic is all gummed up.

A little Thai goes a long way.

Post by **hermajesty** » June 17, 2013, 9:58 am

Any advice on how to learn to type Thai, like we learn to type English (by touch/memory)?

Thanks
HM

Post by **parrot** » June 17, 2013, 10:39 am

I learned with Thai typing tutor 1.04....for some reason, it's no longer available for download. But I noticed this program is free.......and adjustable.
http://www.thai-language.com/id/805664

If you're a proficient tutor with an English keyboard, you'll pick up the Thai keyboard quickly.....and be so happy that you did! Now where is that ฒ?

Post by **steadyjohn** » June 19, 2013, 3:55 pm

I have recently moved back to Udon and I am looking at learning Thai again.
What courses are available around town now, any reading writing courses?

Before I have studied at AUA and the opposite Mojos/Steve's bar next to book shop. Are these still going?

Johnny

Post by **Sakhonnick** » June 19, 2013, 4:26 pm

I can speak thai pretty good, im not fluent and never will be ( dont think anybody thats not lived here from at least early teenage years could claim to be fluent ) But i feel im pretty good that i even think in thai a bit more when talking thai rather than converting in my head. I can read and write but very slow and still learning that. But chatting with the family and locals is neat im glad that i made a point of learning it when i came here 13years ago.

Post by **Tafia** » June 19, 2013, 4:38 pm

steadyjohn wrote:I have recently moved back to Udon and I am looking at learning Thai again.
What courses are available around town now, any reading writing courses?

Before I have studied at AUA and the opposite Mojos/Steve's bar next to book shop. Are these still going?

Johnny

I and a mate see a private tutor couple of times a week, easy,laid back, relaxed and flexible, she will work at your pace.
PM me if you want her number.

Post by **Sakhonnick** » June 19, 2013, 4:40 pm

http://www.thai-language.com/id/805664

Thanks great website

Post by **Frankie 1** » June 19, 2013, 9:11 pm

hermajesty wrote:Any advice on how to learn to type Thai, like we learn to type English (by touch/memory)?

Thanks
HM

This is an online typing game. You have to type a short sentence within a certain amount of time. If you type the sentence within the time limit, you will go to the next level.

http://typeinthai.com/challenge

This is a very good way to practice. It also helps you to understand the meaning of the words in context. And typing Thai text helps you to remember the words and their spelling.

Post by **movcondude** » June 22, 2013, 2:25 pm

Found this dude on the tube who realy seems to have taken the best of two worlds...
Pickin up and learning some basic Isaan (Lao) is posible though and there is a # 2 as well.

Post by **movcondude** » June 22, 2013, 2:55 pm

Here comes the link finaly:

Post by **parrot** » July 3, 2013, 7:35 pm

One of the first words you're likely to learn to read in Thai is ไก่ for 'chicken'. One of the first words you should learn to read in Thai is ห้าม for 'don't', as in "don't take photos of traffic signs while driving"
The red sign in the photo (I apologize for the photo, not one of my better drive-by shots) says "ห้ามจอดซ้อนคัน". Next to the words are cartoon photos of a policeman and a policewoman. The signs were posted along the entire road next to the Nongbua market. A government website shows the fine for violations at 200 Baht (http://www.highway7.thaipolice.org/FineRate/punish.htm) but I've seen more than one vehicle in this area with a boot on it.

Any guesses on what the sign says?

Post by **jackspratt** » July 3, 2013, 7:42 pm

parrot wrote: Any guesses on what the sign says?

"The local police are cartoon characters"?

Post by **FrazeeDK** » July 3, 2013, 8:21 pm

double parking forbidden! (son kan "stacked units??? using Google Translate)

Post by **parrot** » July 21, 2013, 9:01 am

My daily crossword puzzle isn't in the NYT, it's in Thai Rath Newspaper. The cartoonist who likened a prominent woman leader in SEA to a woman who sells her body has a daily cartoon featured in the newspaper. Usually only 3 blocks long, the cartoons normally deal with the politics of the day. And like crossword puzzles, sometimes I win, and sometimes I lose, usually losing because of idioms or reading between the lines that go beyond my limited Thai comprehension.
Yesterday's cartoon was a winner.....the 2 village elders with a young boy, prostrated before a jungle shrine, asking luang pu (หลวงปู) if rice is the only safe food to eat these days. And, of course, luang pu gives the 3 villagers an answer.

Post by **Frankie 1** » July 21, 2013, 12:06 pm

"ห้ามจอดซ้อนคัน"

Ik think it means "forbidden to park over (on top of) the grill".

First I thought that คัน relates to vehicles because it's the classifier for vehicles, but it also means rod or bar according to my dictionary. So I think the sign refers to the iron grill in the street.

By the way, I thought that:

อย่า = don't
ห้าม = forbidden