Something Important to Remember

[TotallyOz]

[Guest]

I mostly agree with the sentiment,   however English has become the accepted international language.  Learn that and you can use it in business situations all over the world.    

After that, if we learn Spanish, it can be used in Spain, Mexico and a good chunk of South America.   

If we learn Thai, it's helpful in about 2 countries.   Quite different.

Fine for residents or long stay visitors, but not so good for anyone on a short holiday.  

Someone who can themselves speak more than one language might reasonably expect people in hotels and restaurants serving international customers to speak enough English to do their job. 

And, no I don't complain about poor English. 

I also show patience in Starbucks Thai branches when the Thai customer in front is having a major discussion before ordering.  After all, the menu is in English only, so not their first language.

 

 

[1moRussian]

Can I complain about their English? 

[vinapu]

2 hours ago, 1moRussian said:

Can I complain about their English? 

can you speak Thai ? LOL 

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, z909 said:

 

I also show patience in Starbucks Thai branches ........  After all, the menu is in English only, 

 

 

that's nasty, one more reason for me not to patronize them ( main one being I don't like coffee )

[reader]

Any place in Thailand that lists menu items in English damn well should have it in Thai. To neglect to do so reeks of hi-so elitism.

[ggobkk]

According to Google, English is the third most spoken language after Mandarin and Spanish followed by Arabic and Hindi...

[reader]

Starbucks menu in Barcelona......

And in Japan...

And in Moscow...

What's good for the Spanish, the Japanese and the Russians should be good for Thais, too.

[vinapu]

3 hours ago, ggobkk said:

According to Google, English is the third most spoken language after Mandarin and Spanish followed by Arabic and Hindi...

still we can fairly assume that much more people DON'T speak English than do, "thank you ' , ' good morning', ' give me one dollar' and of course ' o fuck" are not attributes of spoken English even to a smallest degree

[floridarob]

10 hours ago, ggobkk said:

According to Google, English is the third most spoken language after Mandarin and Spanish followed by Arabic and Hindi...

Out of the world's approximately 7.5 billion inhabitants, 1.5 billion speak English — that's 20% of the Earth's population. However, most of those people aren't native English speakers. About 360 million people speak English as their first language.


So , English would be the language in common that most can speak.....no?

[floridarob]

Their poor or broken English doesn't bother me at all...is when foreigners talk to me in broken English like I am Thai, lol

 

[spoon]

12 minutes ago, floridarob said:

Their poor or broken English doesn't bother me at all...is when foreigners talk to me in broken English like I am Thai, lol

 

I had that experience all the time, being a non native english speaker. And its also annoying when people point out their surprise at how well i can speak and write in english haha. 

[TotallyOz]

The truth is that business currently is the langage that most speak for business matters. However, that is changing and Chinese will become that language in the future. We a native English speaker, I am happy I can be understood most places I go but I never get upset when I can't be understood.  And, people who travel and EXPECT others to speak English are fools.

[Guest]

I am not one of these idle little Englanders who is too idle to learn another language.

I can just about read one other language, understand it well and can just about speak it.   It's only useful in about 2.5 countries and I don't get to practice much.

English, on the other hand is almost invariably the language used for international discussions.   If Koreans meet Japanese for business, they speak English.   It's the same with most other country pairings.

However, if I learn Thai, it is only useful in Thailand (perhaps Laos & Cambodia).

That is not equivalent to learning English, which is useable in almost every country in the world, to some extent.  English also can either bring enhanced career opportunities or is a must have in many jobs.

That is the reality.    English is the language used for international business.  Even the French have long since recognised this.

(Due to longer holidays, I am learning a few words of Thai)

 

[reader]

3 hours ago, Michael said:

The truth is that business currently is the langage that most speak for business matters. However, that is changing and Chinese will become that language in the future. We a native English speaker, I am happy I can be understood most places I go but I never get upset when I can't be understood.  And, people who travel and EXPECT others to speak English are fools.

English is the language of international corporate business, I'd agree, as I do with "...people who travel and EXPECT others to speak English are fools." But the issue in this thread is about Starbucks' decision not to post Thai language in their outlets inside of the host country.

You don't have to be in Thailand long to understand that it is a society in which the majority indigenous Thai are dominated in many aspects of their life (business, industry, education--and now, Starbucks) by the minority Thai Chinese population. That's the reasons coups are so frequent.

I think it's great that the minority population places high value on their education and business acumen but I also believe that the majority deserves a place at the table.

For a retailer to ignore the majority of the citizenry, regardless of their socioeconomic status, is an insult to them individually and collectively.

And the Thai guys we associate with bars and massage shops are from the indigenous population.I hope we'd all want to be in solidarity with them.

3 hours ago, z909 said:

English is the language used for international business.  Even the French have long since recognised this.

It doesn't seem that the French got the memo in this case....

 

 

[spoon]

Starbuck in malaysia also doesnt have malaysian translation either. I guess since starbucks are considered a luxury coffee here so is in thailand, as local coffee can be had for a fraction of their price (rm2 for local coffee vs rm15 for starbuck cafe latte), most local who can afford starbucks also knows english. Im not sure if the same is true in thai, but i guess to certain extend, they are true. We also suffer reverse racism, not sure if thats the correct term but in the service sector, fuel by western superiority complex, locals who went to these places wearing "normal" apparel are often being treated as if they are poor and cant afford being there, by workers who are locals as well. 

[TotallyOz]

4 hours ago, z909 said:

I am not one of these idle little Englanders who is too idle to learn another language.

I can just about read one other language, understand it well and can just about speak it.   It's only useful in about 2.5 countries and I don't get to practice much.

English, on the other hand is almost invariably the language used for international discussions.   If Koreans meet Japanese for business, they speak English.   It's the same with most other country pairings.

However, if I learn Thai, it is only useful in Thailand (perhaps Laos & Cambodia).

That is not equivalent to learning English, which is useable in almost every country in the world, to some extent.  English also can either bring enhanced career opportunities or is a must have in many jobs.

That is the reality.    English is the language used for international business.  Even the French have long since recognised this.

(Due to longer holidays, I am learning a few words of Thai)

 

Totally agree with you.  My only point is that WE choose to stay in Thailand and interact with Thais. Thus, the burden is on us and not them.  It is irrelevant that English is beneficial in business environments. The last GoGo bar I visited, the boy I liked didn't say, "hey, what do you think of the world economy under fascists like Trump?"   My point is I love Thailand.  I love the Thai people. I do not and will never expect them to learn English. I have never had any problem in any country with language barriers as people see I try.  I may sound stupid but I try and that is respectful.  But, I have never said, "why the fuck can't these people speak English" just because they own a restaurant or a bar or deal with foreigners.

[TotallyOz]

1 hour ago, reader said:

And the Thai guys we associate with bars and massage shops are from the indigenous population.I hope we'd all want to be in solidarity with them.

1

Yep. I like solidarity and I like sex.  Bring the two together and it is a good night for me.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Michael said:

Totally agree with you.  My only point is that WE choose to stay in Thailand and interact with Thais. Thus, the burden is on us and not them.  It is irrelevant that English is beneficial in business environments. The last GoGo bar I visited, the boy I liked didn't say, "hey, what do you think of the world economy under fascists like Trump?"   My point is I love Thailand.  I love the Thai people. I do not and will never expect them to learn English. 

I pretty much agree with you, although expecting people to learn Thai when they visit for 2 weeks holiday is a little optimistic.   

On the other hand, anyone living here or making multiple long visits should probably be learning some Thai.

And anyone working at a hotel or restaurant and interacting with many overseas customers probably had to speak some English to get the job.   

An exception may be the businesses catering to a single nationality, such as Chinese.

I certainly don't go around complaining to people about their poor English. 

In general, most people at least learn the communication skills required to do their job, so it's rarely a problem.

[1moRussian]

On 2/1/2019 at 12:16 AM, vinapu said:

can you speak Thai ? LOL 

Of course it was a joke. Party   I will not complain about their English, if they could speak Russian 

The reason was to add a bit perspective to this Anglo Saxon centered over polite discussion. As it was mentioned earlier there are more English non-native speakers in the world, then native ones. So if it would be a kind of rude for native English speakers to expect it, but for non-natives, who managed to learn some English additionally to their French, Russian, German, Polish etc, it looks a bit more reasonable.

Saying this, I should tell I always grateful for native English speakers who employ this rule for themselves and told me "Don't be shy about your non-fluent English, coz l don't know a word in Russian" and for Thais with their "Khun Ratseya pud pasaa Thai dai di mak" (the later is pure flattering, of course, I know just a hundred words in Thai and mispronounce tones. Always wanted to ask Christian how to ask "what about long time?" in Thai)

[vinapu]

4 hours ago, 1moRussian said:

 Always wanted to ask Christian how to ask "what about long time?" in Thai)

Judging by the fact that all boys I ever dealt with in Thailand knew what 'long time ' means,  my educated guess will be that 'long time' in Thai is, well , " long time"

[witty]

You're being so unromantic,  Vinapu. 

But not reason enough to be fired. 

[vinapu]

11 minutes ago, witty said:

You're being so unromantic,  Vinapu. 

 

me and unromantic, where's water !!!! ?

[floridarob]

14 hours ago, z909 said:

On the other hand, anyone living here or making multiple long visits should probably be learning some Thai

How many are doing this here...just curious?

[kokopelli]

Not I ! Fact is I am impressed by how many Thais I encounter can speak English. Puts me to shame.