Why MOST Expats in Thailand Cannot Speak Thai

[@paulwain433]

As Nelson Mandela said, "If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart." Yes it is a difficult language but I have found that even if you don't speak it very well that Thai people really appreciate the effort.

[@darassylmoniakam]

few thai people would correct you.

[@ihatekillerclowns]

If i got a dollar for every time i've heard this one... As much as Paddy doesn't want to hear it, it's an extremely difficult language to master, a category 4 language ffs which requires 1000's of hours of dedication. Many Americans cannot even come close to mastering a category 1 language like Spanish. Imagine them attempting Thai...and yes, there are always the anomalies like Paddy and other farangs who think it's as easy as 1,2,3, but they are far (very far) from the norm and obviously as a young guy, he had the free time to take up this vocation. It's arrogant to assume eveyrone is lazy because they do not speak the language

[@Lifewithemerson323]

I finally went to Thailand for almost a month this year. I did not know one word. I came back with a different aspect of life. I want to retire in Thailand. Currently am in my mid 30’s, in 10 years I want to live in Thailand. So I have been learning Thai by myself. Many Thai people are impressed here in Los Angeles that I have learned on my own. Thai people say do I have a girlfriend showing me? No!!! If I can learn anybody can learn. Am Latino so Thai and Hispanic have nothing in common other then rolling the R’s. And yes already heading back to thailand in a few months now with Thai language in my back pocket. I am not getting hustle no more lol 😂

[@dwimgood]

increible! tambien estoy aprendido thai. un abrazo de singapur (thai es mi septimo lengua que estoy aprendido)

[@andrewdunbar828]

De hecho los 'r' 'rolling' no son originales en tailandés. La mayoría de los tais los pronuncian como 'l' o no los pronuncian, depende la palabra. (Perdóname mi mal español)

[@BangkokZed]

No rolling 'R' in Thai, just the opposite Thai has lazy 'r' pronounced as 'l'.

[@andrewdunbar828]

@@BangkokZed Officially it has a rolling 'r' but it was influenced by a former king a long time ago and only the poshest Thais do it and even then probably only when they want to sound formal.

[@schrodingerscat3912]

FACTS! If you want to impress a Thai girl especially in LA, text her in the language. You'll be waking up to "good morning" texts

[@chopperman10]

Well said Paddy! I’m married to a Thai and I agree it’s not an easy language to learn, but I live here in their country and so it’s my responsibility to adapt and learn. Besides there’s no greater a feeling when you engage with a Thai and speak the language!! The smile is infectious 😊

[@italodiscorevival]

No point if you are only going to be a 2nd class citizen here. Just create our own English enclaves.

[@John-zb4by]

​@@italodiscorevivalThe love and appreciation you will get from Thai people if you actually study and speak Thai might change your opinion.

[@brianwood8086]

So good to hear an expat accept that it is their responsibility to learn Thai language. Doesn't mean it's easy, but choosing to live in someone else's country comes with responsibilities. (making slow progress myself).

[@brianwood8086]

@italodiscorevival might I suggest if a foreigner in your own country felt that way, you would strongly be suggesting they return to their home country. Same rules apply here, bud.

[@italodiscorevival]

​@@brianwood8086 Not comparable. England has basically an Indian government and a half black football team. Thailand still in 2023 openly operates widespread institutional racism.

[@robinradema1]

I came to Thailand in 2006 when I was 19 years old. I learned some basic Thai from a frase book and could count to 1 million in the first month. But then stopped practicing, I thought I would pick up the language naturally. I ended up staying in Thailand and living in Chiang Mai. Years flew by and my basic Thai never got any better. Over the years it started to bother me more and more that I only have Thai friend if they can speak English. I also started to notice that business wise some doors stay closed if you don't speak the language. It took more then 15 years but this year i finally bought some new books and started practicing reading and writing Thai. Ps: my biggest fear is running in to you on the streets of Chiang Mai, exposing my terrible Thai. 😅. But honestly thank you for being such an inspiration. Pushing me over the edge and getting my lazy ass to finally learn Thai.

[@ihatekillerclowns]

he's a show pony

[@dazza1979au]

I worked for an international organisation in Bangkok, and I was lucky they provided me with 2 hours of Thai language classes each week (at the office). I was never super proficient at Thai, but i really valued it and it really helped in day to day situations!

[@marcp108]

Paddy as you already know I spend a considerable amount of time in Thailand each year. The longer I am there, the better it gets, and the more confident I feel to speak it. Yes, it’s all about tone - and I do have my own Thai voice. I’m disappointed that many of my farang friends make little effort to speak Thai. My most recent challenging experience was obtaining my Thai motorcycle license and trying to Understand the riding test instructions which were all in Thai.

[@marcp108]

Sorry, I should have added it’s also about the culture of the language and how to use it. This means it’s not just about knowing Thai words and phrases it’s about how you put it into a situation.

[@suarsivapong9311]

ยอดเยี่ยมครับ 👍❤️

[@adog3461]

Most expats in Tokyo also don’t speak Japanese much. It’s common in Seoul or Shanghai too. They get the job just because their native language is English and never get out of expats community. Those who don’t speak Japanese tend to look down on the local people and Asian in general. I admire you being fluent in Asian language even though you are an English speaker. It reflects your respect for Thai culture and people

[@WilsonWilson33]

I live in a small town in central Thailand, really not that far from Bangkok. There are no English speakers here so I have to speak Thai all day every day. One thing that is clear is that most Thais aren't good at listening to their language being spoken even slightly differently. In order to learn to say things in a way they'll understand you have to keep speaking and learning from mistakes. Just enjoy the challenge.

[@calky360]

Yep, the amount of times I get confused looks from Thai people, even when saying extremely basic three word sentences. Pronunciation/tones is very important.

[@packageism]

Ive been here 10 yrs and now intermediate speaker. Last year I went to the relevant office to ask about thai citizenship. The officer scared the hell out of me and said seriously that I should not come back unless I speak thai. So I started learning to pronounce and memorize the thai alphabet with a teacher. Then we changed to thai conversation. I started having 2 lessons a week and learned heaps of vocab. But now realise I need to practice it with any thai person that I can. Im still struggling with tones actually. They all sound the same to me. But keep trying. Im about to start having 3 lessons per week. Enjoying the challenge but still a long road ahead. I would like to have 1 lesson a week with you Paddy.....

[@WilsonWilson33]

Speaking well enough to apply for Thai citizenship is the ultimate challenge but you seem like you're ready to take it on. I've only been here a year so I'm a long way off even thinking about applying for citizenship. Hopefully one day I'll be ready to give it a go like you are. Good luck!

[@calky360]

I thought it was basically impossible to get Thai citizenship for a non Thai? Other than being fluent in Thai, what else do you need to do to get it?

[@mickbotcast]

​​@@calky360language + able to sing national anthem is the very basica requirement . The rest I think is some kind of years of perma resident status and perma work permit for specific years and pay tax.

[@WilsonWilson33]

as far as I can work out, it involves at least 5 years of residency along with working and paying tax in Thailand. Being married to a Thai also helps.

[@chosenfews]

Almost impossible to have citizenship in Thailand. Good luck but that’s an almost impossible scenario

[@financierechris9566]

i'm mixed thai +lao + French my mom is lao she taught me lao (speaking) and Thai is a bit similar but i never learned Thai or write (even Lao), now I'm starting to learn to write thai (after my 40years) it's not easy but far easier than Chinese I think people don't want to learn thai for a question of Ego and habits of Ignorance , but grammar is far easier than French

[@briandumont7272]

I'm moving there next year and plan to take classes. At my age (61) I may never become as fluent as you, but I am able to learn the basics and show a little respect.

[@aaro6652]

I sincerely wish there were more foreign retirees with your attitude. You're gonna love it here.

[@noeljr.7724]

I am closing in on my tenth year here in Thailand. I will admit for the first 5-6 years I had minimal Thai and I honestly kicked myself in the butt saying I was here long enough to be getting by with the minimum. I had learned a memory technique from Derren Brown for remembering lists of items. Its basically create a deep visual image in your mind to help you remember words making sure it's slightly unusual or funny. I then choose what I want to learn and spell the words out phonetically and create images through that. My Thai has improved significantly and while I'm not fluent by any means I can absolutely get by anywhere and hold conversations with people. Sometimes I amaze myself. My favourite part is when someone freezes up and tries to speak broken English to me, such as a cashier, and then I'll smile and tell them what they want to say in Thai. Their face usually lights up and they laugh followed by telling me "Khun pud passa Thai keng mak kha!".

[@martinworkman6670]

i personally love studying thai. over 3 years into it and im starting to feel confident engaging in conversations (albeit still relatively simple chat, but having the confidence now is great). ive met many foreigners that have no interest in learning and for me that's mostly ok. everyone has different things that inspire them so why invest so much time and energy in something you don't love doing? having said that, learning the language of your adopted country is a sign of respect and a willingness towards a more unified society, which perhaps goes beyond just serving your own interests and passions.

[@JamesColemanChess]

I live in UK but I love learning Thai. I’m not very good yet. After about my 5th or 6th trip there I felt like I really should know more than just how to say hello and I started learning this year (also thanks to your videos). I started with a tutor once a week or so. My biggest challenge I think is it’s so easy to mess up the pronunciation of a word and I would (and probably will again!) sometimes end up saying something rude to my teacher accidentally, and it was embarrassing at first but I just laughed it off. I’m happy that I’m having a go and will continue to try and improve. Thank you so much.

[@andrewdunbar828]

If it's any consolation, compared to Chinese, for the first year nobody even understood me but in Thailand everybody understands my Thai except for when I accidentally use a Lao word by mistake. I don't think I've ever accidentally said anything rude in Chinese or Thai, but I most definitely have done it in Korean!

[@iPaulLee]

Great video. I’ve lived in Thailand 3 years and only recently became conversationally fluent in Thai, and the main reason is having a Thai gf which forced me to learn more so I can have deeper conversations with her, and also give me motivation to learn more as I see myself living here long term. The expat bubble is real!

[@visitstomyneighbours]

You've stated all the reasons I can think of.. and added others that never occurred to me before. Very well thought out.. great video 👍👍

[@ThaiTalkwithPaddy]

Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for watching 🙏

[@onlineteacherdude1284]

Accurate video! I have been in BKK for about 2.5 years and would say I still have a beginner or slightly higher level but I am working hard at it. I have taken numerous private classes and am enrolled in a group class currently. I mostly have Thai friends which helps and I am determined to learn it....I think its hard in the big Mango because you really can get by in English without ever learning Thai but people miss out when they dont try.

[@chrissakul-thongbai8238]

As usual, a very interesting topic, Paddy. A well thought out, insightful piece of presentation here. A few of the reasons can be pretty much the same as Thai people learning English. From what I have observed ( my opinion here) Thai people also give up learning English because they defeated themselves before they even start - "It's jut too hard" mindset. Your suggestion of going to where very little English is spoken was excellent. That situation forces you to learn and speak Thai - just like it did you.😊 Same as it did me with English. Cheers..

[@maureenobrien9661]

I starting learning Thai in my sixties when I was planning to retire here. Thai isn't easy but neither is it very difficult, it's certainly doable. Learning any language is basically discipline and hard work. You have to put in the effort if you want to be successful. I am now in my 80's and speak fluent Thai. If I can do it, anyone can

[@mercurialpoirot5551]

I learnt Thai well enough to navigate by myself anywhere in Thailand. I'm married to a Thai lady and we communicate mainly by her speaking to me in Thai and me speaking to her in English. It's just easier that way. Learning Thai was one of the most difficult things I have done in my life. The tones were so difficult for me. I spent 2 months alone on just doing drills on saying and hearing the tones. I would recommend anyone to master the tones and learning to read Thai before leaving further into the language. You don't need to write, only read. It's easier in the long term. On occasion, I get the coveted poot chat instead of the polite poot geng. My tones are still far from perfect, but it's so important.

[@FarangNick]

Being able to speak/read/write Thai is like being a wizard between muggles in a Harry Potter world. You hear, see and experience an extra hidden world which non-speakers don't see or experience though sharing the same space.

[@aaro6652]

Not only that, but the "hidden" world is actually 99% of Thailand. Most farang are confined to a very specific 1% of Thailand, and they usually start complaining because that 1% is very limited and lacks sincerity.

[@mrb8993]

You are such a wise owl Paddy.🦉 Fantastic video and so true We send our love & keep up the good work. 💛 Mark & Podge

[@MrSfein1]

When I moved here in '89 I was really motivated to learn Thai, and the situation at the time made it imperative to do so. There were very few resources to help, apart from my own enthusiasm and the enthusiasm of Thai people willing to help me (almost the complete opposite of my experience trying to learn French in Quebec). A big part of learning it was just exposure, plain and simple. With nothing else to do, I would watch Thai TV or listen to Thai-language radio and just try to understand it. Teaching little kids English was a huge, huge plus. Nowadays I feel like my Thai has reached a plateau, in large part because I can spend my time watching the war in Palestine, playing online scrabble, talking to friends around the world, writing posts like this one...whatever. There are just way, way more distractions than there used to be and I just feel grateful that wasn't the case when I first moved here.

[@kpopgigachad]

As a Half Thai citizen born in the USA learning Thai now I can safely say you're a true ally to Thailand. Keep up the good work.

[@stevierug8733]

I love trying to improve every visit. And often find me talking to myself at home ❤️🇹🇭🙏

[@Vingauld]

As someone living in Bangkok whose best friends are Thai, reason 5 feels completely alien to me, haha. And while the tones are challenging, and it is good to try and learn them from the start, it's not something to be afraid of, as context can generally help prevent misunderstandings (Noone will think you eat the news and read the rice).

[@lansiman]

i'm in the middle of learning thai, coming from a person who can speak in mandarin cantonese hokkien english and malay fluently, let me share my reason it took me 6-7 years to finally decide on learning thai language 1. if you are not young, thai language are very hard to learn, it conflicts with your other language really hard, the pronunciation and sentence structure are extremely different to other common languages 2. motivation- i do try to learn thai by my own years ago, but the difficulties and my ability to absorb causes me to give up easily, i'm only start to learn rapidly now because i had a thai gf who can't speak a word of other language, using google translate isn't practical on daily basis 3. having no sparring partner to practice your thai language. online self learning material isn't as good as having some one to talk to, and not every thai speaking person want to do that difficult communication with you on daily basis. 4. thai people tend to treat you as veteran thai speaker when they heard you speak one sentence of thai, they will speak in their usual fast manners and it make the rest of conversation to be very difficult

[@andrewdunbar828]

Interesting. I find Thai sentence structure different to English and Chinese on the one hand in various ways, but still similar to Chinese in other ways, and similar to Malay in some ways too. Your point #4 is universal - I've experienced it in every language I got to a certain point at, or sometimes just when I got really good pronunciation of just one sentence!

[@vassanab4243]

Sorry but how Thai language has different sentence structure from other language when it has the same sentence structure as English which is Subject+ verb+ object, for example ‘I eat rice’, in Thai language is chan(I) kin(eat) kao(rice) ฉันกินข้าว while some other languages are like Subject+object+verb. And Cantonese should be more difficult because it have more tones. Chinese letters are for each words, that’s so difficult to remember all but Thai letters are for the sounds, not word, the same as English. And if compare with English, Thai language have many easier parts such as -don’t have to change verb to past tense, future tense or any tense. If we want to tell the time we just add more word about timing to the sentence like ‘yesterday, today, now etc., we don’t need to change the verb like ‘eat/ate/eaten’ , think/thought/thought, rise/rose/risen etc.,so basically you don’t have to remember many words (of verbs) like English. -don’t have to change from singular to plural words like English for example man/men, tooth/teeth, foot/feet or put s,es.,,just adding ‘many’ -don’t have to remember many gender different words like English for example hen/rooster, bull/cow etc. Thai language have neutral gender words like ‘chicken’ and if we want to tell the gender, just adding female/male And about different pronunciation, that can be said to all languages. Btw the second largest ethnic, the Zhuang Chinese can learn Thai language very easily because we are in the same Tai Ka Dai language family.

[@AndrewCarter-e8h]

I visited Thailand for almost a month in the winter to get an introduction to the country because I am looking to expatriate in the coming years. It made a positive impression on me. In my 2nd trip over there I will make the decision if the land of smiles is where I want live. If that happens of course I will always be a Westerner but I will also make the effort to integrate with Thai society. I will commit to understanding the tradition and customs, make Thai friends, and learn Thai. Just like I would for any other nation I will live in because its the proper thing to do.

[@venticap]

I've been here 10 months and I am committed to learning Thai. I'm very good with my native language, so my pride gets in my way when I have to be humbled knowing nothing. I also hate that pained look on people's faces when they can't understand me. But to be transparent, I feel isolated here, so learning Thai is a necessity if I'm going to be part of my community. I'll get there.

[@huehaiscoville-pope940]

I lived in Japan in high school and college for a year each, spent a total of more than a year in South Korea, studied Tibetan in Nepal for more than a year, and spend a summer each in Russia and Vietnam where I spent time learning the local language. I'm definitely not shy and am keen to learn other languages. For me, the most frustrating thing was locals demanding I speak English with them. I would speak to people in the local language and they would reply in English if they could speak it, even when I would ask them not to. Once, in South Korea, I was speaking in Korean and a woman was replying in English. Other Korean speakers told her to stop speaking English because I was studying Korean but she ignored us all and kept speaking to me in English. That kind of behavior has never prevented me from learning a language, but it is extremely frustrating.

[@kittenastrophy5951]

Wow Paddy! You've been to Mae Sam Lab 8:01 in the first Thailand visit. Good job.

[@fingerling23]

I've been in Thailand for around 18 months and only know the very basics in terms of speaking but I've managed to teach myself how to read Thai (although very slowly as I'm still getting used to the tone rules). I've finally decided to fully commit to learning the language and have enrolled in a language school. I start in January with 6 hours of lessons a week for 9 months. Hopefully I'll be much more confident with my speaking by the end of it! I really like your videos as they keep me inspired and motivated to one day be a fluent speaker of Thai myself.

[@WilliamFluery]

Omkoi - a city in southwestern most Chiang Mai Province. I went there to build a dam and plant a 300 fruit trees orchard for a orphanage. I went back to Chiang Mai and got a foot massage. I was asked where I had been and I said “Omkoi.” All the Thai masseurs and Thai customers began to laugh. I asked my Thai friends afterwards and learned I had asked for a “BJ.” Tone pronunciation is extremely important.

[@martinchambers6930]

Really enjoyed this video/explanation Paddy. Making some very good points here!

[@tashinagraves791]

This is interesting to watch as someone whose never been to Thailand and wasn't even planning to visit, but got interested in the language and then kind of obsessed. I'm not quite 6 months in and made way more progress than I would have predicted with just youtube lessons and some tutoring. But I've been putting in A LOT of hours. And I was admittedly a bit dismayed when I first tried to learn 'near' and 'far.'

[@villagefarang]

I learned Thai pre-internet so had fewer resources. You basically studied at AUA and used every new word until it became second natured. I enjoyed the process and loved the reactions I got along the way. I am pretty sure my life would have turned out very different if I had not bothered to learn Thai. I certainly wouldn't have been on all those TV shows or have been able to marry the love of my life. Sure you can survive without learning Thai but to truly thrive here there is no substitute for deep communication and understanding.

[@jamesinbangkok]

Knocked it out of the park with this one Paddy. So accurate!

[@bloodbuddy7]

I try to speak a little Thai everyday but I'm shy and such a slow language learner. Still, never give up! Thai people are very kind and encouraging even though I kind of suck, so that's helpful. I don't get why so many expats complain about Thai people and culture while being a guest, but sadly its very common, especially among older white men.

[@brianwood8086]

So true my friend....and I'm an old white guy.

[@daki5055]

I totally agree. Over the years I met so many expats living in TH for 20y and not speaking a single word. And most of the time they are complaining about thai culture. But they are too lost to go back I guess.

[@paulikens6443]

"The five tones can be a little bit tricky" is a massive understatement 😉

[@keatkhamjornmeekanon7616]

I used to live in the US, the Netherlands, Singapore and Taiwan. In the US, I studied in English and lived in bilingual state like Arizona. I spoke English fluently and managed to read Spanish and spoke some Spanish phrases. In the Nethelands, I studied in English and most Dutch spoke English to me, but I managed to read Dutch and spoke some Dutch phrases. In Singapore, I spoke English and managed to speak and read some Malay. In Taiwan, I spoke English and managed to read Chinese. Later I spoke some Hokkienese and Mandarin. Hence, everything depends on expats' attitude.

[@user-zm9gc1kt8b]

Great video as usual Paddy ! 😎👌

[@peteintania]

From Thai people to Thai learner, keep going! You can do it!

[@calky360]

I've lived in Thailand for about a year, and am making some effort to learn Thai (though not enough). It is a serious struggle, and my main issue is probably the tones. I've learnt heaps of vocab, but I haven't really learnt the tones that go with each word, so even though I feel like I can actually say a lot in Thai, no one can seem to understand me. Even when you think the context of the situation should make it easy for the other person to understand me, I still get constant confused looks.

[@forrestwheeler916]

Thank you chap . I loved your video and you maid it very informative and and interesting. I love the Thai culture and its people . The Thai country is second to none . I have been learning to read and write / speak Thai here in the USA and it helped to show Thai people my interest in Thai culture. Only once a lady restaurant owner was rude to me and it hurt my feelings so I never went back there again.either way I tried and I learned something about people and that is we must find ourselves and how we resonate in this world and ( keep learning) thank you for your wonderful video.

[@Boddav]

I have a lot of fun practicing and improving my Thai.It’s way of showing respect and respecting your self.

[@noahmachakos]

You’re spot on brother, get the vision and enact the discipline to get there

[@richardblack4958]

I lived in BKK in 2017/18 and tried to learn the language at various schools; my favourite was AUA, but I think they have closed now. Hearing the tones was the hardest thing for me, and I didn't seem to improve while I was there. When I return, I will continue learning the language; it would be amazing to understand the people more. I also feel intimidated by the thought of learning a second language as I'm not a school-smart person and learn better by doing rather than studying. I did get to the point where I could understand basic Thai when spoken to me, which felt really good; however, I had to respond in English.

[@joeritchie2]

Good video, and indeed you touched most of the reasons “farang” often fail to learn Thai. Sometimes even pretty decent effort falls short. I’m a multilingual American (fluent in German, which I actually taught at college level at a major university while a grad student in Germanic languages; relatively fluent also in Dutch, able to read, understand and even speak some French and a bit of Spanish and took enough college Latin and Greek to build some decent passive vocabulary in classical languages…..And while living in Asia I even picked up a bit of Tagalog…..But Thai has been a struggle, even living most of half a year in the country and having visited countless times beforehand before finally marrying my Thai girlfriend, now wife…..I have worn out two copies of Benjamin Becker’s excellent “Thai for Beginners” and have listened repeatedly to the accompanying audio recordings. And while in Hong Kong, I signed up for and worked my way through an actual course that followed what I felt was the language learning style best suited to me, i.e., even trying to learn to read Thai. But in actual practice, while living in rural northern Thailand where very few people outside of myself and my wife speak English (or any of my other Farang languages), as a practical matter, I lean heavily on my wife as an interpreter while I barely progress to be able to actually CONVERSE in the language I’ve learned so many passive individual words in. As for reading and deciphering signs, the alphabet still conquers me, not the other way around. Trying to distinguish among พฝพฟ and ฬ and the five different tones is a constant headache. All that said, I haven’t given up. Recently retired, I should have enough time on my hands to conquer this language, but trust me, the people I used to try to convince that the German language is not at all difficult, despite its complex grammar, would be amazed to hear my confession that Thai is much, much more difficult!

[@2kkto2]

My enjoyment here is increased exponentially by being conversant... The language is an insight into the culture and people... I never learned the tones but the words don't sound the same... and I speak in sentences so if I miss a tone, I am understood through context..

[@lucaszzzable]

Love your videos! Would love to speak Thai with you 🎉

[@thaitheo]

I already started learning the language before I even went to Thailand. Learned the wai and what to do and not to do. This only gives me the basics but a further study is planned now I am living here permanently. It''s difficult to speak Thai with a Thai person when they change the R to a L. Still make lots of mistakes with the tones but Thai are very forgiving when you try to speak their language. Thai songs are a great source for Thai words and they pronounce the R in songs good also.

[@rebeccad8568]

If you’re in Chiang Mai, go to Thai Talk at Wako Bake (one outside the moat) every Tuesday at 6.30pm for two hours. I just left there and its a great way to learn Thai. (I’m not associated with wako bake, just passionate about thai language)

[@senianns9522]

Most Expats allow the girl to 'take the lead' in what becomes the common language. It's just too easy and the Expat then becomes lazy to learn. Make the effort to learn. I started many years ago, I wrote down words I thought I would need to learn. Some 20 words per day and then practice the memory retention. I'm now living here for some 35+ years and I enjoy touring the country, meeting the locals and conversing in Thai. Keep trying!! Never give up!

[@BurmeseLessons]

I think there are expats who just don't have an interest in the local culture. For them, Thailand is just an affordable place to live or party. For those who fell in love with the Thai culture, language learning is the natural next step. I can't see how one can have meaningful conversations or form deep social bonds without learning the local language. These alone are worth the efforts to learn the language.

[@lex.cordis]

Great video. Just one bit of (hopefully) constructive criticism... Try to work on your volume levels a bits. It's all over the place in this one. I'm thinking that it may be due to your microphone gain level automatically starts out loud initially, but it seems to automatically lower the levels as the recording progresses. Just a guess.

[@twizzler3b]

Good stuff Paddy, you're one of the guys who inspire me that it's possible to speak very good Thai. I'm nowhere near your level, but I do study a tiny bit most days and I'm ok with slow/steady progress. It's not my top priority honestly, as I have lots going on, but I'm just trying to make slow/steady progress. Luckily I have a daughter with a Thai lady who is too shy to even try speaking much English, so we default to Thai. That probably accounts for most of my practice/progress. Anyway, that's my ramble, thanks for your videos, you make it fun.

[@tapping.powertochange7129]

Another excellent video, I'm putting way more effort into learning Thai. When I go to my local shop I do my best to ask for things in Thai and they are all smiles and very supportive. And sometimes we have a laugh because I make no sense at all. All part of the learning curve, only as hard as you make it!

[@samc8623]

Hearing how well you speak Thai, as well as other foreigners I've met who speak Thai really well is definitely a motivating factor for me to learn more. Also, to be honest, at first I wasn't a fan of the way Thai sounds, but after a bit of time it has grown on me and I've discovered how much personality/sass/character it has. Also when I speak it, I instantly sound 10 times gayer than in English but that never bothers me haha

[@ma3stro681]

Thai is a very “gay” sounding language. I am very funny speaking English like a Thai ladyboy … 😂😂😂

[@andrewdunbar828]

@@ma3stro681 Hang out with some mechanics and truck drivers and listen how they speak. There seems to be a ladyboy accent. Tough guys don't speak the same way. Well mostly (-:

[@samc8623]

@@ma3stro681 yeah lol tbh though that's why I like Thais, the femininity makes people quite approachable. Even when I was in Lumphini park when it was closing once, this super macho security guard approached me and he had such a non-threatening girly voice :'D

[@chosenfews]

Most people don’t have time. It’s hard. For myself I live in Sydney study Thai off and on for 6 years in a few classes but I am mostly self taught, I have full Time job working 80 hours a week, 3 kids one more on the way, 35 years old and I’m learning slowly. I try and make time but I forgot a lot as I don’t use it on a daily basis. My advice to anyone young and single with hardly any responsibilities besides paying bills learn a lot and go out and speak it with native people.

[@jessicaneff5928]

I agree with your reasons. I have learned some but I should admittedly know much more. My first year here, my job kept me so busy that I could barely come up for air. My second year, I started learning a little but it was difficult to balance with my other hobbies (painting, Muay Thai, traveling, etc.) and my work hours. This year is probably my last year so my progress has slowed. While I agree that every choice doesn't have to be financial, I think if Thai were more of a major world player language-wise, more people would learn. I know other non-asian languages that I can use in many countries. I'm more interested in learning Chinese than Thai because you can use it in more places. But if you're going to live here long-term, you definitely should learn.

[@mattgraham2639]

Agree Paddy. Some great observations, and I too have heard it all before over the years from farang as why they can’t be bothered to learn Thai. While I can’t speak fluent Thai, I try hard and can get by with my level while in Thailand. It does go a long way and my interactions and experiences are for the better 😊

[@destelpa]

i'm an american. i lived in iceland fow two years. I learned a lot of conversational stuff, especially food. Iceland has a lot of ex-pats now

[@thattablebloke]

11) Ignorance is bliss. One good reason that never really comes up except in comments is being able to live outside society somewhat, a quiet life, no drama, get away with being the farang who doesn't know anything. You don't need to play the hierarchical games and can avoid the toxic parts of Thai culture that come with a bit of understanding. Even if you've been here a while and your listening skills are decent so can understand most conversations, being able to play dumb and excuse yourself from being privy to whatever can be nice sometimes. If you're introverted it can be really nice not having to keep up appearances by way of not being fluent enough.

[@jonhobson3592]

I embrace the culture & religion , try to mix into the way of life here & respect all. I am a visitor here at the end of the day 😊

[@tobyprice1092]

Moving to my wifes village definitely helped my Thai. If your in a tourist location you get lazy and as you say most of the people will speak English. Dont think I have seen a farang for about a month. You really need to speak the language to a certain level in the sticks.

[@peacefulreiki]

Studying a language is a very different endeavor when you are in your 20s and when you are in your 50s. I am French, I speak English, Spanish, and can get around in Italian which I picked up in about 3 months whike working in Italy when I was in my 30s. I am also a university graduate in both Japanese and Chinese languages and culture and I lived in both countries. I can get around in both languages but in many ways I am far from fluency. For work related reasons I am now landing a bit reluctantly in Thailand in my early 50s. I have been here for 15 days, and I am still learning the alphabet. That's less than 100 signs and I am now struggling to get it in while I had no real problem engulfing thousands of Chinese characters... I hear the tones, but they don't "speak" to me in my core in the way Chinese tones do. The pitch here is high in the nose, harsh on the ear, it's not the kind of sounds I am used to and at the moment I still find it difficult to embrace with my body. Learning a language needs love and commitment. If you are not deeply connected to the place/people/culture/food, etc... It will be challenging to even try to get there. Expat bubble is a real thing and all the farang I have met so far are strictly living within it expect for those who have married a Thai. When you are cushioned in such a comfortable bubble, until one finds their purpose in learning a language, there won't be any real incentive to do so.

[@lizziesaltzman9698]

Currently I'm a model and content creator. Im planning to move to bangkok next year and continue there my career. Im learning thai language now by myself and soon will hire a tutor. Im so excited to learn yes its so difficult and I don't care i wanna learn the thai language ❤️

[@futureofmoney3527]

I remember dating a Thai girl in the outskirts of Bangkok and she couldn’t speak English. It was awkward but this kind of situation really propelled by Thai skills. The tones essentially don’t matter. Thais understand the context of what you’re talking about. I can spend several days only speaking Thai now.

[@thattablebloke]

Tones definitely matter if you want to progress past broken Thai / simple sentences.

[@futureofmoney3527]

@@thattablebloke Depends how you define "broken Thai". Also you're wrong in that a lack of tonal ability means you can only speak "simple sentences". Of course, the complexity of a sentence is determined by the extent of your vocabulary (right?!). In my "broken Thai", I can discuss pretty much anything with Thai people - from philosophy to politics to the economy to music to food and weather. I've been speaking with Thai people for years now, and I feel very confident in both my understanding of what they are saying to me, and me being understood. As long as I'm understood in these conversations (and they're not in some "professional capacity", but casual conversations), tones are not even 99% irrelevant, but 100% irrelevant. All that matters is that I am understood. I've heard people speak English as a second language in ALL kinds of ways, and I do not care that they make grammatical errors or their accent can be quite extreme (actually, that's often charming) - extreme to the point that they may even mispronounce words - I only care that I understand them. I am not their boss, or their English teacher. They are not my employee, or my English student. With two people talking, communication is all that matters. If you're in a working environment, some kind of professional capacity, of course tones matter. A lot of things matter in a professional context that do not matter in a casual one.

[@thattablebloke]

@@futureofmoney3527 Not to be rude, but I think you're vastly overestimating your speaking ability while underestimating how bad you sound to native speakers (and they're not gonna tell you). If you're using the wrong tones all the time, you're consistently saying completely different words that make no sense until someone works out the context. Thai speakers don't hear what you're trying to say, they hear the wrong words you're saying. When you say 'I want to ride a motorbike tomorrow' with the wrong tones, as they listen to you, they hear.. 'I.. want.. (to/a).. sh*t' - and it's only when you complete the sentence with '.. a motorbike.. tomorrow' or add context they they can think, on the fly, 'oh, he means RIDE a bike'. That happens quickly but every time you speak Thais are hearing the word you're saying, the wrong word, not what you want to say. & without tones, how do you differentiate between things like near and far? Serious question - without animated hand movements, how do you work that out? I mean, yeah, you are eventually understood, but so are fresh off the plane tourists using a translate app in the market. Thais still have to work out what you're saying, they don't hear a natural correct sentence, they hear the words you speak, the sounds you make, and then have to realize that word doesn't make sense in the sentence and what word you meant to say. If you're confident enough to speak with Thais a lot, it seems bizarre you wouldn't want to correct your speaking ability and add to your vocab by using the correct tones.. it's not really difficult once you have a solid base which it seems you have.

[@futureofmoney3527]

@@thattablebloke why so uptight? You seem to be one of those tiresome anally retentive snobs determined to deny someone else's reality because it doesn't fit with their narrow view of how "things should be". And really? You used the example in the video...how imaginative. And yet, I continue to converse with Thais with rarely an "อะไรนะ" - maybe people are more focused on communication and not perfect delivery? Rather than you projecting your own uptight attitude onto Thais, I find that Thais don't really care about my mispronunciation (because they say so), and likewise I don't care about theirs with English. I'm not "secretly" laughing at them, just as I very much doubt Thais are "secretly" laughing at me - they will tell me to my face if I really line up a beauty, and it's usually funny. So what? Guess what - Thais do the same, and it's all good - because conversation is the main thing. We occasionally help each other out in particular areas of each others' languages and ... get on with the conversation. Most Thais appreciate the effort. Maybe learn to relax a bit with your attitude.

[@thattablebloke]

@@futureofmoney3527 Yeah, totally anally retentive to think tones are an important part of a tonal language. Well done mate. & I used the example from the video because it's easy to understand and on topic. I notice you ignored the other example? How do you distinguish between near and far without tones? Yes, at the end of the day Thai's don't care, like they don't care about people at the market speaking broken Thai or Joe Bloggs using Google translate, whatever, it's all good as long as people make an effort, my point is why wouldn't you learn tones and how could you think they're 100% irrelevant? It's just not true and it makes no sense. Using tones in a tonal language is not a 'narrow view of how things should be', it's standard, if anything thinking tones are 100% irrelevant is a narrow view not based in reality. & I don't know where the idea of 'secretly laughing' came from, maybe you're projecting a bit with that. At the end of the day, do you, if you don't want to learn tones all good, if you get by without them, sweet, but saying they're irrelevant is just wrong and not learning them will obviously prevent you from becoming fluent and having natural conversation (which is the goal right?)

[@deepblueocean5055]

I think understand Thai is my precious gift. If you want to understand more about Buddha teachings, meditation, Thai culture and other things related to Thailand, learning Thai will benefit you. Originally from Thailand, I live the United States for many years and speak English most of time, I found that being able to speak and understand Thai helps me to understand the teachings from the Buddhist monks and Buddha teachings in different levels. The Buddha’s teachings is well written and taught in Thai.

[@SjaakSchulteis]

Well, I learned in my life Dutch, German, English. Married to a Brazilian I learned Portuguese as well and because of my work I visited Japan and for two years I learned Japanese. But of all these languages, Thai is and stays the most difficult. I could learn Katakana and Hiragana, had nice apps to practice on my phone and could read sentences. Kanji that comes from Chinese script is harder to understand as each sign is a complete word and that was too difficult. I tried the same approach with Thai. Thought I learn Thai script first and then language. But here is the difference already between learning Japanese and Thai. All those associations with animals and objects in the Thai "alphabet" doesn't make it easier to understand for me. The difference like in spoken language between signs are confusingly simular. To learn three, four different versions of Ka, Ga etc... is even after living ten years in Thailand and trying countless times not easy to grasp. Slowly I start hearing differences between he/she, rice, nine and welcome... But I won't give up. A few weeks ago I started practicing Thai with Pimsleur Thai ( I know, not the best but I like their concept) nearly every day one hour. I can't do that sitting down. I walk on my elliptical while doing that. Both are boring things to do, but combined it makes a good workout and keeps me awake at the same time. Unfortunately for Thai there are only 30 lessons, whereas for Japanese and Portuguese I had 3x30 lessons. I read on a Dutch blog a comment from a Dutch guy who came to Thailand at age 64, learned the language and now sells his book Thai language for Dutch speakers. I bought his e-book and hope to discover more and better ways to pronounce the language. With nearly 65 I have no excuse not to learn and it nice to see how people (Thai) react on the little bit that I can speak.

[@vassanab4243]

ka and ga, rice( kao), nine(gao) shouldn’t be difficult to differentiate, I mean ka , kao is the same sound of ‘kill, kiss’ etc., gao is the same sound of ‘give’, so if you can differentiate ‘kiss’ and ‘give’ then you also can differentiate kao and gao right? And for he/she(kao) and rice(kao), different tone is difficult to differentiate for non tonal language speakers but if you can differentiate melody of the song then of course you can differentiate the tone which is the same as melody, it’s just the mental block or not feeling use to it but if you think about it everyone can tell the different of each songs and can sing according to the melody so everyone actually can differentiate the tone by natural. Thai language have many easy part if compare with English such as -don’t have to change verb to past tense, future tense or any tense. If we want to tell the time we just add more word about it to the sentence like ‘yesterday, today, now etc., we don’t need to change the verb like ‘eat/ate/eaten’ , think/thought/thought, rise/rose/risen etc.,so basically you don’t have to remember many words (of verbs) like English. -don’t have to change from singular to plural words like English for example man/men, tooth/teeth, foot/feet or put s,es.,,just adding ‘many’ -don’t have to remember many gender different words like English for example hen/rooster, bull/cow etc. Thai language have neutral gender words like ‘chicken’ and if we want to tell the gender, just adding female/male

[@SjaakSchulteis]

@@vassanab4243 your example has a flaw: kiss and give are not a good example, the iss and ive behind the k and g are pronounced profoundly different. The ao behind the k and g look the same (in western alphabet) and change in meaning if you change the tone. It looks double the same, more so than an english word. I'm Dutch and I believe that in my language there are words that, when spoken with a wrong tone, the meaning is very different too. We even write the word with exactly the same letters, so even more difficult than Thai: start (start), staart (tail) and staart (singular of staring). In English I often see that people can't distuingish between there and their or to and too... But these are more exeptions. In Thai language there are many of those words. Like this one: ไม้มั้ยมีไฟไหม? (mái mái mii fai mái?) "Does the wood have fire?". I think you need to be advanced to learn this one (55555) 😂😂

[@damonl.8224]

I'm still on my learning journey as I plan to retire in Thailand. Yes, the tones are a challenge (Particularly high tone) however I found that many sounds made by the Thai language are not familiar to English speakers. Its as if you have to train your mouth to be able to say things correctly. Google Translate was a cruel master. For about 6 months it couldn't understand a word i was saying.

[@SeintDirk]

İ feel u.

[@Nordic_Sky]

I got a Thai girlfriend a year ago and have set about learning Thai. Sure, it's tough, but definitely doable. Once you have a good base of vocabulary, it starts coming more quickly. There are a lot of good resources on the internet, many free. Next step will be learning to read.

[@ianscott424]

I've lived in Laos for 15 years and still don't speak the language fluently. I speak enough to do what I need to do, but going on this list I can seriously understand the following... 1 - Laziness - When you move somewhere initally, it's largely going to be in to the touristy areas where everyone speaks English. No need to learn the language initially when that's the case. 3 - Shyness - People will openly laugh and virtually mock you when you mispronounce a word. It's initially hard to understand and get over and can be difficult to continue pursuing the effort. 4 - Tone - Side note - I have a thick accent and I simply can't get tones right, but I have found that if I construct a sentence, the tone is not so important as people do understand context. Admittedly, this is most of the time, and especially around people I speak to often. It is a little like English speaking people not understanding something that someone with broad accent says. Tones are not the be all and end all, but it does help if you know high and low. 5 - Finding people to practice with is difficult - There are far more locals that want to practice their English. Reciprocate. Learn from each other. 9 - Inferior Country - This is remarkably true for a lot of people. It's rather insane. In saying that, my main reason for not being able to speak fluent Lao is that I just can't... it's a simpler version of Thai, but I simply can't pronounce half of the words that I need to. I can understand people speaking to me, but I simply can not pronounce so many of the words that are required. Doesn't stop me from trying, but my wife does have to often translate what I am saying, or I need to get people to help. I am pretty sure I'll never get there, but I have always noticed Europeans seem far better than Australians at picking up the language

[@ThePatriot-gm1fg]

Interesting. I speak fluent Thai and probably close to fluent Lao (including being able to read both languages). My Thai writing is fluent, except for some words I can't remember the spelling so I need to look them up. For Lao, I can only write a limited amount without looking up the spelling as I'm less exposed to the language. This is because while I travel to Laos often, I don't live there. I do however find myself watching YT videos in Lao very often, probably a couple of times a week. I find that if you speak Thai or Lao well, then the Laotians would prefer to speak to you in Lao. At that point, it's unlikely they'll want to "practice their English". That only happens when your pronunciation is poor and the belief is that they can communicate more effectively in English than in Lao.

[@ThePatriot-gm1fg]

Locals don't mock foreigners attempting to speak their language. They might laugh (with you) but not mock you. Never use that as a pretext for not learning the language or improving your skills.

[@ianscott424]

@@ThePatriot-gm1fg I think it largely depends on who and where. Generally speaking, I'll have Lao people come to me wanting to speak in English as a way to practice. Generally speaking, if you want to converse in Lao they are also happy to do so. It's definitely not difficult to find someone to practice with though if you want to. I don't read or write Lao, although it is something I should probably learn. It's all phonetic so it's really not that difficult to learn from all accounts. I know most Thais have difficulty reading Lao, whereas most Lao can read Thai though.

[@ThePatriot-gm1fg]

@ianscott424 Thais can read Lao after practicing for a few days. At first glance, lack of familiarity makes it a bit difficult for them to read but with a little bit of effort, it's not too hard. Laotians have an easier time reading Thai, since they have more exposure to the language via way of their education system, which often uses Thai textbooks, especially at the tertiary education level.

[@ma3stro681]

Pete from Thairish Times lived in Thailand for a decade and yet can’t speak a word of Thai?? He even has a Thai wife who could teach him. It just blows my mind … 🤯

[@andrewdunbar828]

For some reason not a lot of Thai native speakers are good at teaching Thai. Many Thais just giggle at your pronunciation and even if they have good English are not able to answer your questions such as the difference between the various ways to say "want". I can only think of one Thai I know who is good at it who isn't a professional teacher.

[@jonhobson3592]

Yes , my gf rarely helps me , so I have to try myself 😅

[@BrandonJHunt]

Laziness and my wife constantly mixing Thai and Lao/Isaan are my two biggest reasons. Trying to learn before the final move over there.

[@andrewdunbar828]

So many of the most common, most useful words in Thai and Lao/Isaan are ones that are different between the two. But most of the rest are the same (-:

[@BrandonJHunt]

Then you throw in the Loei dialect555@@andrewdunbar828

[@michaelwinn8324]

I first came to Thailand in 1965 but have lived there only 12 years total since then--not counting the occasional 1-2 month visit. I wish my Thai were better, but it's not bad: pronunciation clear (so say my Thai family), breadth of vocabulary (4th grade?), fluency good. I just want to comment on the notion that Thai people prefer to speak English with you. Not so in my experience. Most people who do speak English still prefer to speak Thai with me. My theory (I'm not sure) is that they prefer to speak in an area of their own personal competency instead of taking chances with speaking in a language in which I am highly competent. (I'm a university prof, retired only 2 years, since I turned 80.) Thais who do not speak English are usually excited to chat with someone who understands them: the challenges are always fun!

[@Ulbre]

I think age plays a role here. It is petty much standard knowledge that the younger you are makes it easier to pick up a new language. That doesn't mean that an older person can't/ There will always be a handful of gifted individuals that learn it super quick without much effort. But the majority will have to just knuckle down and put in the effort. I was 20 when I first came to Thailand and am now 60 and lived here full time for 17 plus years. Strangely I think I was in a Thai language learning curve from that first time as a 20 year old until maybe a couple years after moving here....then I think I became lazy. I would suggest watching Thai you tube videos on subjects that interest you. I have an interest in EV motorcycles (scooter style) and about 2 months ago started watched Thai you tube reviews. Because they have a lot of technical words that were quite outside my normal range of vocabulary, there was a lot I didn't really understand, but know that I have watched 20 or so of the videos, I am understanding heaps more and can even converse with Thai guys about regular motorcycles way better now. I just started watching some Thai Solar Power videos so hopefully I will expand my vocabulary(and context) range there too. Great video as always (should have said that first).

[@andrewdunbar828]

Though it is pretty much standard knowledge, it's pretty strongly argues against in the online language learning and polyglot communities. I don't think I'm less motivated, less interested, or less enthusiastic trying to learn Thai in my 50s than when I was learning Spanish in my 20s but I definitely find it harder.

[@Ulbre]

@@andrewdunbar828 yep, those polyglot communities are the ones I refer to as "the handful of gifted individuals".....polyglot is the term for them :)

[@andrewdunbar828]

I'm not an expat but I'm in Thailand again and always try to learn the language of any country I'm in. I work on my Thai every day but I never had a teacher or did a course. it's easier to forget what I learned last time than to learn new stuff or even relearn what I forgot. But my Thai is rubbish. Let me address your points one by one: 1. I'm not lazy. I practice my Thai every day. I use the Thai I know even when I know the Thai I'm talking to knows English. 2. I'm just travelling and as a language enthusiast, diving into the culture here is one of my highest priorities. 3. I am naturally shy and I know this problem from when I was learning my first foreign language decades ago. But I'm not shy to use my terrible Thai now. 4. For me the vowels are more of a barrier than the tones. My Chinese is a lot better than my Thai but I know my Chinese tones are still messed up. I actually had the opposite perception before I tried any tonal language. I expected the difficulty was mostly in peoples' heads and went in with an open mind. But still found them hard. 5. I actually do find it hard to find local friends to practice with and I definitely go to out of the way places where English is less common. Thai friends often giggle at my Thai and rarely offer constructive criticism. It's very different to Vietnam where strangers in cafés will often sit with me for ages helping me with my Vietnamese even when I don't ask them to. 6. I couldn't care less about financial benefits. But I'm also frugal so I can travel for a long time so I'm not spending money on Thai classes. 7. I avoid expat bubbles with all my might! Same in every country. The expats I like to hang out with are the ones who also avoid the expat bubble. 8. I know this kind of expat and they're the ones I really really want to avoid. It's not just westerners. There were lots of Chinese expats of this type last time I was in Cambodia before the pandemic. 9. Thailand is an awesome country! I've been to Japan and Korea a bunch of times and there's definitely more foreigners who can speak Japanese but for Korea there were no foreigners who could speak it the first couple of times I went and the last few years I reckon the increase in foreigners in Korea who can speak Korean is similar to the increase of foreigners in Thailand who speak Thai. 10. I hope I'm immune to that view and if I wasn't naturally then dabbling in other languages over the years cured me of it. One problem for me is that I can only stay here 30 days per visit. It used to be 15 days per visit a few years ago! I used to know no Malay but over the last year and a half I've had three 90-day visits to Malaysia and now my Malay is better than my Thai (but still rubbish). I would say in my case the difficulties are the writing. I can read it but not fluently and make lots of guesses. The spelling is not straightforward though so you can't just learn the alphabet and then sound out every sign you walk past in your head like you can in Spanish, Malay, Bulgarian, Greek, or Georgian. Vowels and vowel combinations are tricky to pronounce which makes them tricky to remember. But not as tricky as Vietnamese or Khmer. Most Thais don't often have the natural language-teaching gift that many Vietnamese do. If you want to learn Spanish or Japanese by immersion it's easy to find a bunch of other foreigners that are also learning, and that's a big help at the beginner level. This is hard to do in Thailand. I can't stay long enough. I'm too tight to pay for lessons (-: Oh yeah the spelling is also hard. For sentences I know how to say I don't know the sounds perfectly and don't know the alphabet perfectly. I'm more embarrassed to try to write Thai than to try to speak Thai. And everybody writes it differently when they try to write in English letters, so that probably hold me back compared to Chinese or Japanese. Dude I would seriously love to see you visit Laos where your Thai will work but you'll also want to pick up Lao. And I'd also love to see you visit Cambodia where your Thai might help you read signs but not much more. It might give you a different fresh perspective on new languages. Keep the videos coming mate!

[@patthecat6491]

Having been an immigrant to the Kingdon of Thailand for well on 11 years now, these are my thoughts. Personally it's a combination of factors. When I lived in BKK, taking Thai classes and living more in a Thai neighborhood, my limited Thai was more fluent and understandable. It was always much better after I had bicycled toured through Issan too. When I moved to Chiang Mai, not in an ex pat area, I found it much easier to get by with English, as most Thai's here had difficulty understanding my Issan leaning Thai and they always want to default to English. I have a fluent friend from Krabi and he finds some difficultly with the North/South difference in the way words are pronounced. It's very difficult to overcome the frustration of putting a lot of time and effort in and still not having people understand you, sometimes willfully I feel. There's a lot more i can say about this, but I think sometimes it's a combination of reasons and not always one.

[@sahpraphaphorn6240]

Is your friends name from Krabi John ?

[@navturn]

I will add one more reason. Some people are extraverts, other are introverts. I don't talk about shyness here. I can spend weeks without talking to anybody and still be totally happy. Extravert people would live this situation as a nightmare, they are craving for exchange with others and relationships. Introvert don't talk much in their country or in a foreign country. Extraverts are generally the fastest lo learn any language. Maybe I didn't fell on the most representative sample but all foreigners I know who speak a descent Thai have a Thai girlfriend who doesn't speak English at all or they spent a long time alone in a remote area where nearly nobody speak English (mainly English teachers).

[@thattablebloke]

This is a big one I think Paddy doesn't quite understand - some people are not that talkative in English, let alone Thai, nor do they particularly enjoy learning the language. They have to force themselves. If living rural or around non-English speakers they are forced by external factors. Contrast that with Paddy who was not only living rural and forced to speak Thai but is more extroverted & obviously enjoys learning and speaking the language for fun. I like Paddy's content and good on him for learning Thai, but sometimes it's the equivalent of a ripped body builder who loves working out every day calling you lazy and shaming you because you have a dad bod and aren't as healthy - like bro, as much as I want to get fitter, I hate going to the gym and I like the odd burger!

[@sethlangston181]

I agree with all of these. One thing I think should have been brought up, though, is the difficulty of learning the Thai script. Other than perhaps traditional Mongolian script or Tibetan script, Thai is probably the hardest living writing system I have encountered, and I can read Chinese and Japanese. There are no spaces between words, the same sound can easily be written in 6 different letters depending on what tone the word has and/or if the word was borrowed from Sanskrit or Pali, the tone rules have many exceptions, there are many antiquated spelling rules that obscure the modern pronunciation of many words, and so on. I attempted learning how to read at least 3 times and I still am not proficient. This is coming from someone who can read Chinese and Japanese (as mentioned earlier) which are supposedly more complex writing systems and have far more written characters. So imagine a writing system with similar peculiarities that English has plus obscure tone rules and no spaces in between words, and you get the Thai script.

[@andrewdunbar828]

Agreed. I have tried and utterly failed both Traditional Mongolian and Tibetan. But I can struggle through badly with Thai and Khmer. I haven't tried Burmese yet but my hunch is it's about the same. Indian scripts were easier. Korean was a lot easier. Cyrillic, Greek, and Georgian were also pretty easy. Arabic is a bit hard but nowhere near as hard as Thai. Lao is a bit easier than Thai because they had a reform to get rid of most of the exceptions and antiquated spellings. (Tibetan script is a bit easier than Traditional Mongolian because it's related to Thai script but the pronunciation is radically different to the spelling, like English. I'm told Amdo Tibetan pronunciation matches the spelling if you ever find yourself in Qinghai.)

[@andrewdunbar828]

@iclaudius9954 It's surely easier to learn to read and write Thai if you already learned to speak it since infancy. As an adult foreigner who has to learn to both read and speak from scratch, it is difficult compared to other languages even to identify where syllables start and finish. Even when we know about the three groups, high, middle, low, and other facts like that.

[@jamesinbangkok]

Thai is significantly easier to read than Chinese. If you can read Chinese, Thai is a walk in the park.

[@kittenastrophy5951]

@@andrewdunbar828 Bruna Silva, a Brazilian fashion model who became celebrity in Thailand told her KZbin viewers that reading and writing Thai are easier to learn than speaking and listening. Now her thai is flawless both literacy and conversation.

[@andrewdunbar828]

@@kittenastrophy5951 Some people find a thing effortless that other people struggle with in many fields.

[@travelpointone991]

Been living here for 30 years .. when I came initially as a tourist, I picked up cassettes and I was told that casual Thai conversation doesn't encompass more than 1,000 words. I exclusively lived in Thai Apartments (with Thai girlfriends) and had to use Thai to order something simple as food. I spoke reasonable Thai in six months although people might rate is as Bar Thai.

[@franek1643]

Thanks for this comrpehensive review. Oh God... you look definitely better now than 2014! 😂

[@bnk48analyzer82]

For long term living, It's a YES.

[@anon7596]

I live in Texas, and It always made me so mad when people come here from south america and don't even try. I once met a woman at a job i worked at who lived here for 15 years, and could not speak any english other than yes, no, okay, and etc. After that experience I resolved myself that anytime I travel, i'll at least learn some basic phrases in whatever language before I even get on the plane.

[@dynakor]

I haven't gone to Thailand yet, but very much want to. For the past two years, I have been studying Thai language with a tutor online. I make time to study. My biggest problem are the tones, but I am working on that. I am not fluent, but I can hold my own if I were dropped somewhere with no English speakers.

[@leezap]

Nice.

[@justinmcintosh6554]

I think it’s right to learn some phrases at least as visitors. I’m pretty good with languages but the tonal ones are pretty tricky.

[@ak5659]

One thing I've noticed (outside of Thailand) is that many people simply are not willing to spend the time necessary listening to conversations in the target language. The response is always the same: "But when I listen, I don't understand."

[@mtc7598]

Have to agree with all your points! Most people complain about the tones and that they don't have the time, but thats all excuses, the reason why they don't learn thai is because they're lazy and live in their safe heaven and in their own bubble. I have been a few times in Thailand because my girlfriend is Thai and I felt terrible only knowing hello and thank you. My girlfriend could easily communicate for all my needs but thats not the way. I want to communicate and not always ask if they can speak english. I plan on living in Thailand which is why I'm currently learning Thai. I think its a must thing to do. If you live in a country, you must be able to speak that certain language.

[@michaelsayapin3796]

Some expats are not there "forever". If you're on a 1-3 year stint, some basics is enough. Usefulness of knowing Thai outside Thailand is zero. Sometimes also plans change and you stay longer and longer, and longer, but it's always "leaving maybe next year", and this way it's easy to become "that person" who lived in Thailand for 10 years on sawadee/kopkhun.

[@Hello_Haven]

What's your recommendation for learning Thai? I'm planning to spend a year in Thailand next year and want to spend this time learning Thai. What language learning programs, courses, apps etc do you recommend? I'ld like a structured comprehensive way to learn so that when I visit next year I can at least hold a conversaiton.

[@jake11985]

I’m reading all the comments and thinking about developing an all-inclusive one year ED visa course for Thailand. Rent, Power, Water, Internet, Visa, Motorcycle Rental, 1 year language course, help with banking, help with cellular plans, etc. I just don’t know how many people would want to do that or who has the time to dedicate to it. I’m a disabled veteran living in Thailand and have guaranteed income. I have available to me a 98 unit condo/hotel owner who wants to network with me and a language school to work with. If anyone has ideas to determine if 98 individuals or couples would be interested. I also would love a full on challenge between everyone working together learning Thai together throughout the entire building.

[@pauladams9370]

I would fall in the catagory of being to shy to speak. I admire people like paddy who are good speakers. I think Thai is well worth learning . Thailand is a beautiful country with beautiful people and a wonderful culture I think if you did not try to learn to read speak and write Thai your lowering the opportunity of a great living experience.

[@lightbulbgoesoff3576]

Great points, Paula. I am also naturally an introvert and found getting out there like Paddy really tough. Finally got the courage to get going only recently. I started with some simple phrases off KZbin and tried them out. My tones were really off and at first people couldn't understand easily but Thai people are so friendly and that encouraged me to keep trying. For the most part, they honestly seem happy that a foreigner is making any effort at all. Now, I'm making modest progress in speaking and also just started learning to read Thai. At least 1-2x/week I find a restaurant where minimal English is spoken, like a roadside stand where they have only a few plastic tables and a pot of some tasty food. There, I am forced to speak Thai and they don't use English. I feel like I learn the most going to places like that and the bonus is that I've tried some new awesome foods. But you said it best in that the overall living experience is great if you know the language. Hope you make progress on your journey!

[@mickmckpng3153]

Plenty of elderly foreigners move to Aussie with barely any English and exist comfortably within their cultural groups. Learning another language comes down to how badly you feel you need to learn that language ....for me it was to travel remotely within the Kingdom and not starve to death....

[@andrewdunbar828]

I always learn food words, menu words, and how to order and pay etc first (-:

[@class58]

Age is a factor - also a good excuse! It genuinely is easier to learn a language at 17 than at 70 - but, on the plus side, research has shown that doing your best to learn a new language is good for your brain in your declining years.

[@eddyk564]

It comes down to curiosity. I speak Thai almost fluently, although I'm living in Aus now so my Thai has definitely been better in the past when I was living in Thailand. Most people who can only speak a limited about of Thai simply don't see the reason to improve it I.M.O. They aren't interested in talking to the Thai who could not speak English. For me, I was because I wanted to go outside the areas where people spoke English and I was, and still am, curious about the people who can only speak Thai (which is most of the country). My then-gf spoke only Thai and so we spoke Thai together. I enjoyed that greatly, however everyone is different.

[@lioli4517]

I totally agree with your opinions. Even I’ve been living Bangkok over 4 years, my laziness can’t beat to learn Thai language 😢 also super frustrated to pronounce/tones/grammatical problems of Thai.. 😵 (I’m a Korean)

[@hobo1704]

Some people just struggle to learn a language, not everyone is gifted like you..

[@kerrieross9327]

Agree, you miss out on so much, I've been here 6 years, learning very slow, my husband is thai, and speaks English with me because he gets frustrated when I try to speak in Thai, and he will not help me by interpreting what people say, which could help to understand. It's a little lazy on my behalf. Knowing out my door there are 75 million Thai people I can't talk with. My skill level is still about that of a 2 year old, but they probably understand better than me.

[@leezap]

With such low wages, there is reason for you not to hire some Thai to practice the language with you even online will work too. It'd be overly demanding to learn from your husband.

[@kerrieross9327]

I am on very low wage myself, enough to pay rent, food, sometimes beer and support my husband . He does not have the patience is his problem, I'm not overly demanding at all. Atleast in that way🤷🏼‍♀️