Thai Language

I’ve never got the bug to learn Thai but there are different ways and approaches . There are also arguments about how necessary learning Thai is but there are benefits to at least getting to a conversational level.

I’m below conversational, and although I can do day-to-day tasks in Thai, I struggle in certain situations where I wish I could do better. The main example is talking to my girlfriend’s mother and some of my Thai friends. Beyond basic pleasantries and simple topics I struggle and can’t keep a conversation going for more than five or ten minutes. I also fall back on my Thai partner who translates and helps. It’s an easy way for me to avoid learning the language.

As a foreigner you should make at least an effort to learn the basics to greet people and say please and thank you. The good thing is there are ways to learn as you can see below.

What I didn’t realize though is some people taught me Thai and others taught me the Isan, or Northeast Thailand, dialect. This meant for a few months I was combining the two. This method of learning is the best for me as I enjoy seeing things and talking about them rather than book or audio methods.

Dating in Thailand will also give you the chance to learn the language. Thais find it cute when they get a foreigner to speak Thai. I learned the words for cute, beautiful, and fun through dating and it also led to learning new words by visiting different places.

I picked up a couple of language books while here with mixed outcomes. I like 100 Thai Words That Make You Sound Thai by Stephen Saad. I picked up in Asia Books as it gave useful phrases and words. It’s also a bit of a reference book and shows how to use the words in context. It’s not suitable for beginners but for those with a little experience I recommend it. Other books felt more like grammar reference manuals and never caught my imagination.

Work is the other main place where people can learn Thai. I’ve always worked in international companies and schools. It isn’t okay to speak Thai when everyone speaks English. You may work where people speak Thai, so you could get a chance to practice.

As an online teacher myself I know there are benefits to learning a language online. You can start learning Thai from Thaipod101. It allows you to quickly communicate basic Thai.

From your first days, you’ll pick things up and over time become more understanding of how and why things happen as they do in Thailand. I can’t cover everything related to Thai cultures in this section, but I already placed this basic article below.

Thais respect their elders in all situations.

This means the social order may be different than from your own country. Young people will greet their elders with a Whaì (Pay respect) the traditional Thai greeting, which elders return. 

Older people get to make decisions and give advice to younger people in the family. It seems to me some Thai people do things to please the older members of their families such as when choosing degree subjects or thinking about career moves.

One aspect of Thai culture which is hard to understand is people don’t like to say “No.” Even the Thai word Mì-Chì meaning “No,” translates “not yes.”  

This creates confusion as people will say yes when they have no intention of doing what they have agreed to. Often there are certain visual or situational clues they give. They hope you’ll pick up to understand they meant no. I’ve had workmen not turn up, services not provided, and drama caused over this left me frustrated although I’ve begun to pick up these little clues to know when yes is no.

It’s common for Thai people to live with their family until married. Many families are conservative, but this is changing with the younger generation. Asking a partner to move in before marriage might prove hard, especially among traditional families. I’ve even met couples who live in different provinces due to work problems or supporting a child through university/school in a different region. 

In general Thai people are accepting of foreigners and you’ll have positive experiences. But, as in every country, there are certain people who will try and take advantage of you as they will see you as a tourist. I linked to an article about potential travel scams in Thailand.

It includes things like overcharging for transport or problems with damage to jet skis and these could affect you as an expat. Be careful with bar girls and prostitutes, who can cause trouble for tourists and expats. Thai people are open to you and your culture as long as you respect there’s too.

Thai people love and respect the royal family and give importance to the monarchy. Pictures of the Kings and Queen grace buildings and roads. When you go into the cinema you must stand in respect for the King before the movie starts. Whatever your views on monarchies you should keep them to yourself unless they are 100% positive as it’s a criminal offense to say anything negative. Authorities have convicted people for liking Facebook posts with negative opinions of the royal family. As a foreigner stay out of this topic and keep any thoughts to yourself even if a Thai person brings this topic up themselves.