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เป็นอย่างไรบ้างครับ ?

I'm writing this post from my hostel in Taipei, Taiwan. I've set myself a new challenge and this is to learn Chinese mandarin in 6 months. Of course, I don't hope to be proficient in the language in 6 months, but by 6 months at least be speaking if not reading and writing a little. I shall still try to keep up the Thai blog post at least fortnightly, but apologies in advanced if the posts are ridden with language errors - due to my lack of practicing Thai on a daily basis. But, it in order to preserve my link with the Thai language, I shall be making an effort to listen to some of the radio stations and reading other people's blogs.

Meanwhile, if anyone has some good recommendations for books they would be most welcome to either email me or post here. Hopefully I can start another blog for learning Chinese in the not too distant future :)

谢谢

Thai graffiti

Although Thailand isn't renowned for its graffiti, there are still some interesting pieces of artwork found in and around bangkok. I was over at Tirbudragon's blog and was reminded of the talented artists that exhibit their work within the kingdom. This particular work that he features is found in พระนคร Phra Nakorn district. Also I stumbled upon another site, that also shows something a bit more refreshing than the BNE was here stickers and other BNE bits of graffiti found all around Bangkok. Later on in the week, I shall post some interesting bits of graffiti that strike a chord with me, and I encourage all of the two readers on this blog to send me any pics that bangkok or upcountry graffiti pictures.
Thai graffiti
More Thai graffiti

text promotions

Lately I've been getting loads of promotional (spam) messages from True. I'm really regretting my switch from DTAC to True. Just because I went back home for a few months, True decided I'm not a loyal enough customer and know everytime I top my phone credit up, I get a ridiculous time limit for a few days to use 100 baht worth of credit. I've tried phoning them up too, but just get annoyed with their phone system and me waiting for an operator to become free. Anyway rant aside,  here's a message I got from them today regarding today's lucky day:


ว้นนี้ฤกษ์ดี 090909!ลุ้นรับโบนัสโทรฟรี 9บาท9,999 รางวัล โทรลงทะเบียน*93204(ฟรี)แล้วเติมทรูมูฟ90บาท ขึ้นไปโทรเลย


I'm ignoring this message today, being the cynic I am about such promotions on such 'auspicious lucky days.' 
My balance is showing as 1 baht, i really do need to top up but I think I'll wait till tomorrow on a non-luck day.
Happy 09/09/09!

English loan words in Thai

So we all know that thai has lots of english loan words, but it also has a lot of loan words from other languages that have been introduced. Most commonly found are sanskrit/pali loan words:

วิทยา : Withaya. English: science, knowledge, from Sanskrit Vidya

ภูมิ : Phumi. English: earth, ground, soil, from Sanskrit Bhumi.

Here are just a few of the common english loan words still used today:

บิล = bill;a tourist's favourite. often will be paired with เช็คบิล to ask for the check at a restuarant.

ออฟฟิศ = office.

คอมผิวตอร์ /ผีชี = computer/PC

ไปรเวต = private; used when talking about a private outfit.

แปลน = plan; i've come across this as an alternative to เเผน

แบงก์ = bank

ปิ่น = pin; e.g. ปิ่นเกล้า pin klao, pin used for holding up one’s hair.

ฟุต = foot (unit of measure)

เเสตมป์ = stamp

การ์ด = card as in คีย์การ์ด

I know I've left loads out, please post some in the comments if you want, and forgive me if i've got some of the spellings wrong it was quite late when i posted this. Cheers. :)

what's this a song not about love and hearbreak? haha just kidding!

So I've been away from the blogging a bit, but don't fret I know all Thai-philes have probably been busy with your studies as well. Puts me to shame really.
Anyway, I cant seem to get enough of Sek Loso's music recently. I don't know maybe it's the whole indie brit/rock he juxtaposes with Thai sometimes melancholic heatfelt lyrics, and plus the stories he tells every one can relate to.

I particular like these lines in his song, ไม่ยอมตัดใจ
แต่ใจมันรักเธอ ก็เลยไม่ยอมตัดใจ
dtae jai man rak ter gor loie mai yom dtat jai
But my heart still loves you, and I refuse to stop loving you.
ไม่ปล่อยให้ใคร ยังยื้อเธอไว้อย่างนั้น
mai bploi hai krai yang yeu ter wai yaang nan
I can't let you go to someone else, as I'm still attached to you.

Lessons from Malaysia

What a week it's been. Lessons have been made, but sadly not many Thai ones. I've learnt several other valuable life lessons this week concerning not being such a dimwit at airports. Long and short of it is, it pays to be more alert and awake at airports especially where passport and essential travel documents are concerned. Oh well, live and learn, ended up costing me about 14,000 Baht more than I had anticipated and having to replace what was a brand new passport. But at least I did get to experience another country in SE Asia, and certainly made a change from Laos or Cambodia.

One thing that is reaffirmed, every time I visit a country that shares its borders with Thailand, are the undeniable higher English language skills of Thailand's Asian neighbours. The Cambodians, don't have a problem conversing in English with you, despite them being a much poorer nation and the atrocities of the Pol Pot regime regressing their economic development by at least 10 years. You get Cambodian street kids come up to you and ask where are you from, and no matter what country you say they will have a smart quip in English to come up with, that lets you know they actually know something about your country. I was equally impressed with a lot of Laotians and their English language skills as well. But, perhaps most impressive were the Malay people. I would say KL has a great cross-cultural mix, the majority of its population consist of Malaysian-Chinese constituting roughly about 55%, and roughly a 30-40% Indian population. Many taxi drivers are will not only speak perfect English, but also Tamil, Hindi, Malayalum, and Punjabi amongst others. Although, Thailand has never been colonized by Western powers, this should be no excuse as to why many Thais have a poor level of English. After all, if poorer neighbours can communicate with foreigners to a good standard of English, why can't Thais follow suite? It is slowly getting improving, and I don't mean to be down on Thais at all in this post, this is the only frustration about Thais and Thailand, all be it a very minor one. At the end of the day, I want Thais to boost their confidence when it comes to speaking language and if they can derive a better income from speaking better English, then I'm all the more for it.


Oh, and for those wondering what kind of blog this is without any Thai in the post. Well just for you, I just finished watching a good movie from the early 90s, เสียดาย 2 all about a girl who gets infected with HIV through a blood transfusion. I was impressed with the foreign Mum's Thai (assuming it wasn't dubbed). I'd also recommend doing a google image search for เสียดาย 2 :)

Here's the synopsis and a rough translation:

เป็นเรื่องราวของโรส(มาริสา แอนนิต้า)เด็กสาวลูกครึ่งไทย-ตะวันตกในครอบครัวมีอันจะกินพ่อชาวไทยและแม่ชาวต่างประเทศ ที่เป็นครูสอนดนตรีวันหนึ่งเธอเคราะห์ร้ายติดเชื้อเอชไอวีจากการรับบริจาคเลือดธอรู้สึกสับสนหาทางออกไม่ได้จนคิดฆ่าตัวตาย เพราะทั้งเพื่อนฝูงและครอบครัวเริ่มไม่ไว้ใจและทำตัวถอยห่างจึงหลบหนีออกจากบ้านแต่เคราะห์ยังดีเธอได้อยู่กับเพื่อนรุ่นพี่ที่เป็นผู้ป่วยโรคเอดส์เช่นเดียวกัน.

It's a story of Rose (Marisa Anita) who's is a half-Thai, half-Westerner teenager, belonging to a wealthy family. The father being a Thai and the Mum is from another country who teaches music. One day she picks up HIV from a blood transfusion. She feels confused and contemplates suicide, as friends and family start shunning her away. She runs away from home but finds solace in an older friend/senior patient who has AIDS as well.

Date Format

You may have noticed that when Thais write dates they are a several hundred years ahead of the rest of us. Can be quite confusing. Basically the Thais use the Eastern version of the Buddhist era which is 543 years ahead of the Gregorian calender that we know and love today.

Other than this the Thai date format is fairly comprehensive to us Brits, as we see below its in DD/MM/YY format:

วันที่ 29 มิถุนายน พ.ศ. 2552
Day:29 June Year: 2552
29th June 2552.


Or alternatively you may see the day written instead of 'wan tee'

วันจันทร์ที่ 29 มิถุนายน พ.ศ.2552
Monday 29th June 2552

For websites you may see this format posted below articles:

29 มิถุนายน 2552, 11:20 น.

The N standing for naligar (meaning watch/time). If you listen to the newsreaders they'll always say this when they're doing their news items.