Why MOST Expats in Thailand Cannot Speak Thai 

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.

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 😂

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 😊

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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!".

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.....

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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 👍👍

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

Great video as usual Paddy ! 😎👌

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!

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.

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..

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.

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

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 … 🤯

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.'

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

1) Is spot on !!

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.

Well said paddy

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.

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

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

Totally Agreed in what you said in this U Tube

Not an easy topic, but a good one 👍

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

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.

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 😊

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..

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 😊

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

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

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 ❤️

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

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

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)

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.

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

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....

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

you are right, but, what can I do?? Time it's what is most rar in my daily life. And sure, I am feeling not well, that my knowledge of Thai languange is very, very small. - But I hope, beginning of next year, it will be possible to improve my knowlege continiually. - Greetings from Nakhon Thai

I´ve been to thailand for 6 times now... just vacation... I was so curios how the language works that i´ve started to learn the language in a school after my work.

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

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.

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)

For long term living, It's a YES.

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!

I went to Thailand for the first time, with two mates, just recently. At one point ,one of them said "It's difficult because they don't speak English". The other replied "No, YOU don't speak Thai. I think that sums it up.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

Hi Paddy, this is kinda odd coincidence, I moved back to TH from Germany a couple of weeks ago and basically forgot everything in thai. Thumbs up for an Aussie to speak so well. What kind of way (steps) would u suggest to start learning thai? I am kind of... not jealous but envy you for a while now. I have lived for a too long period in Europe and lost almost everything, including the culture, language and mentality. I know it is a shame and so on, but I have had to adapt to the german mentality very well and now I gave up and came back. I hope for a short respond or an incoming good detailed video about, how to learn thai step by step 😂. Ur a good lad, doing great vids. Cheers

I just began learning thai and it’s difficult because I can’t read nor write…any recommended resources?

For me it is reason #1 so far. It sucks to admit it but I am lazy! LOL. I am trying to be better though been studying Thai alphabet for 2023

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.

Agree with your sentiments but there are some barriers. As a soon to be 72 year old I do one on one Thai language lessons weekly. But obviously due to age demographics my ability to learn is not as good as it once was and this coupled with decreased hearing makes it difficult.

I could turn the question around, why cant Thai women who live 20 or more years in my country Switzerland still not speak German?