Tech Savvy & Fluent

Reading Smiles' report on his friend's struggles with basic English (flu pig) made me think about the changes in fluency of boys over the years.

The first boy I off'd over 13 years ago was pretty fluent in spoken English, but I've certainly encountered a number of guys who have virtually no English (even very recently) as well as those who are sufficiently fluent that you don't even think about it.

I have one guy who I see regularly whose spoken English is great and who can read or write SMS text messages and emails in English and is totally able to negotiate the Internet and use a number of computer applications.

Of the last three guys I've off'd, one was totally at a loss with English and would probably sound like Smiles' friend, and the other two have sent me frequent SMS messages in English and can speak English effortlessly.

I was with a guy yesterday, we were watching a Thai program on TV and I heard the word "payaan," a "witness," which I didn't know. I asked what it meant and he explained it in English (without using the word "witness") without batting an eye.

If you have a regular Thai friend(s) or frequently off guys, do you find the language barrier a problem? Are you improving your Thai to improve communications? Do you find that the level of English spoken by Thai boys in the bars is improving? Do you resort to pidgin Thai-nglish and hand signals like Smiles apparently does to convey your thoughts? Do you find the boys better able to use SMS messages, email, the Internet and computers more generally?

Do you suppose there's a connection to the change in economic circumstances? The less well educated farm boys being replaced by computer savvy, English-fluent guys who can't find work elsewhere?

[Impulse]

I can only speak from offing guys.Theres no language barrier for me when it comes to sex,yet my longest time spent with them always ends up being with someone who can speak conversationally with me in English.The ones who only speak Thai want to leave quicker because of the awkward silence. Im looking forward to learning Thai for future trips.Ive had some miscommunications like having my bank account closed out,due to only speaking English.Flu pig isnt so bad really as thats the word order Thais use.

[TrongpaiExpat]

I have meet several Thai guys usually Thai-Chi's and not in the bars that speak English with perfect pronunciation and grammar with just a hint of a Thai accent. It's common with the upper and upper middle classes to send their children to language schools very young. I know a farang that does some private teaching and has some students as young as 3. Many end up going to US or UK universities.

On the bar boy side of life, every now and then you run into one that has never been to a formal English school but has a natural ability to pick up language. They watch English movies and just seem to absorb the language.

There does not seem to be any mechanism in Thailand to give opportunity to some of these naturally gifted students who just happen to be born in poverty on a farm in Isaan. All the opportunities and advantage goes to those with the family connections and wealth.

Flu pig isnt so bad really as thats the word order Thais use.


Yes, I realize that adjectival and adverbial modifiers follow nouns and verbs in Thai, but more fluent Thais seem to understand the difference when speaking in English. Besides, I assume the whole anecdote was simply an attempt to be too twee for words since I've never heard any Thai use that expression. I'm sure an old hand like Smiles speaks fluent Thai, so he was just trying to be cute in making his friend sound simple.

Definitely an ability to at least speak & understand some basic Thai makes all the difference when the boy doesn't speak much English. Besides the boys can help you improve your Thai and that sometimes replaces those awkward silences.

If you have a regular Thai friend(s) or frequently off guys, do you find the language barrier a problem? I have few falang friends. Almost every falang thinks of the Thais in Western terms and values. All my significant relationships are with my Thai friends.

If you have a regular Thai friend(s) or frequently off guys, do you find the language barrier a problem? I have few falang friends. Almost every falang thinks of the Thais in Western terms and values. All my significant relationships are with my Thai friends.


Interesting. I have very few farang acquaintances in Thailand. Most of the people who live here exist in their own little worlds and the rare glimpse I've had of those worlds is frightening. I know a fair number of Thais, a couple could be said to be "significant relationships," one totally platonic and the other more intimate & personal. The other people I know are mainly Thai, but I don't think I could elevate the relationships beyond that of "acquaintance."

I don't know what it means to think of Thais in western terms. The two who are close friends I relate to totally as individuals. Aside from nationality and language they have little in common. I also don't know what it means to think of them in terms of values. I don't really evaluate any of them. They are who they are and if I've known them for any length of time I'm fully compatible with who they are. The one Thai with whom I feel an intimate and personal relationship is always someone with whom I am totally at ease and who makes me feel good just by his presence. I suppose that's as close to evaluating him as I would come, but it is a totally personal subjective evaluation, not a filtering process through western standards ( if such a think exists).

Other people with whom I "do business" regularly or who I encounter regularly in other situations I would probably not see in any other social context, but over the years I learned something of their families, personal problems, whatever, so when I see them I think of them in terms of our accumulated mutual knowledge.


I thought you were an occasional visitor from Australia who posts somewhat provocative messages on CFS, at least by their sedate standards.

I thought you were an occasional visitor from Australia who posts somewhat provocative messages on CFS, at least by their sedate standards.Good heavens no. I post there as Nalong also; here I used to post as X in Pattaya but decided to keep my posting names consistent.

Reading Smiles' report on his friend's struggles with basic English

р╣Вр╕Фр╕вр╕Ыр╕Бр╕Хр╕┤ р╕Чр╕╡р╣Ир╕Др╕╕р╕Ур╣� �р╕гр╕╡р╕вр╕Щр╕гр╕╣р╣ Йр╕ар╕▓р╕йр╕▓р╕Вр╕нр� �Зр╕Ыр╕гр╕░р╣Ар╕Чр╕ир� �Чр╕╡р╣Ир╕Др╕╕р╕Ур╕Ир� ��░ !

р╕Чр╕│р╣Др╕бр╕нр╕▒р╕� �р╕Бр╕др╕йр╣Гр╕Щр╕Ыр╕г р╕░р╣Ар╕Чр╕ир╣Др╕Чр╕в ?

р╕кр╕▓р╕бр╕▓р╕гр╕Ц " Smiles " ,р╣Бр╕ер╕░р╣Др╕бр╣Ир╣� �р╕Фр╣Йр╣Ар╕гр╕╡р╕вр╕� �р╕гр╕╣р╣Йр╕Чр╕╡р╣Ир╕ Ир╕░р╕Юр╕╣р╕Фр╣Др╕Чр� �в ?

р╣Гр╕Щр╕Ыр╕гр╕░р╣Ар╕Ч р╕ир╕Чр╕╡р╣Ир╕Др╕╕р╕� �р╕нр╕вр╕╣р╣Ир╕Др╕╕р╕ Ур╕Ир╕░р╣Ар╕гр╕╡р╕вр� �Щр╕гр╕╣р╣Йр╕ар╕▓р╕йр� ��▓ ! :flower:

р╕вр╕Бр╣Ар╕зр╣Йр╕Щр╕Б� �╕гр╕Ур╕╡р╕Чр╕╡р╣Ир╕Д р╕╕р╕Ур╕бр╕╡р╣Бр╕Др╕� �р╕▓р╕Фр╕▓р╣Ар╕Бр╕йр╕ Хр╕гр╕Бр╕г ! :clown:

I thought you were an occasional visitor from Australia who posts somewhat provocative messages on CFS, at least by their sedate standards.Good heavens no. I post there as Nalong also; here I used to post as X in Pattaya but decided to keep my posting names consistent.


That's what I thought. SilomGWM on CFS. You have an interesting history.


Thu 19 Feb, 2009 11:31 am
You gullible sods.

Homi is no more dead than you or me. He made a posting on CFS using one of his confirmed aliases (silomgwm) just this afternoon.

Sathorn and he are one and the same, and he's having a big old guffaw at you cunts right now, wallowing in the attention you're showering on his pathetic arse.

That's what I thought.[attachment=0:i55rov08]461140-4-66340f-3-main.jpg[/attachment:i55rov08]

Negligible English capability is not really a problem for a short time off from a gogo bar, as long as the mamasan translates efficiently. Some English does make life more pleasant though.

It's a bit more awkward in a host bar when someone sits next to you right from the start of the first beer.
The vocabulary is exhausted after 3 sentences & there's 80% of the beer to go.
At this stage in a gogo I would still be eyeing the talent on stage.