Comments on: Member club fun, more election coverage and index cards… http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/ Insiders take on Thailand - Take 2 Sun, 05 Jul 2009 04:01:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Matt http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44821 Matt Sat, 08 Dec 2007 02:12:23 +0000 http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44821 Keep the pre-election predictions coming.....arrive Bangkok 13 Dec and Udon Thani the 16th. Keep the pre-election predictions coming…..arrive Bangkok
13 Dec and Udon Thani the 16th.
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]]> By: Orion http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44598 Orion Fri, 07 Dec 2007 09:50:57 +0000 http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44598 Right, I've never taken a class, but I've been here 10 years and picked up quite a bit of the language along the way. When I first got here I self studied very fanatically until I got to the point where I got good enough to hit on chicks, make appointments and get through lunch without running out of jokes and small talk. Once I reached this point I got lazy and didn't study very hard. I can jabber away for hours with a girl but I get stuck in unfamiliar situations like, for example, when I need to explain to a carpenter how I want a custom piece of furniture built. I know I need to get my ass to a school to get really good but I'm lazy so let me have my 50% excuse ;) Right, I’ve never taken a class, but I’ve been here 10 years and picked up quite a bit of the language along the way.

When I first got here I self studied very fanatically until I got to the point where I got good enough to hit on chicks, make appointments and get through lunch without running out of jokes and small talk. Once I reached this point I got lazy and didn’t study very hard.

I can jabber away for hours with a girl but I get stuck in unfamiliar situations like, for example, when I need to explain to a carpenter how I want a custom piece of furniture built.

I know I need to get my ass to a school to get really good but I’m lazy so let me have my 50% excuse ;)
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]]> By: go go groupie http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44593 go go groupie Fri, 07 Dec 2007 09:25:06 +0000 http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44593 orion - so you've never taken any sort of Thai class? i think you'd get some benefit out of it, unless you're one of those who's been disciplined enough to teach yourself (along with the help of a gf or two). the thai newspaper point is a good one - it's like a completely different language from what you learn in the books. just sitting down with a teacher and the newspaper was useful in picking up tons of slang and informal thai (not that you'll gain any great insight by reading the thai press -it's lousy). orion - so you’ve never taken any sort of Thai class? i think you’d get some benefit out of it, unless you’re one of those who’s been disciplined enough to teach yourself (along with the help of a gf or two). the thai newspaper point is a good one - it’s like a completely different language from what you learn in the books. just sitting down with a teacher and the newspaper was useful in picking up tons of slang and informal thai (not that you’ll gain any great insight by reading the thai press -it’s lousy).
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]]> By: smitty http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44584 smitty Fri, 07 Dec 2007 09:04:12 +0000 http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44584 true to some extent but given it is a only a few hours a day I can't imagine going through all 6 levels at a plce like unity Thai could ever really be a waste of time. especially at only 7000 baht a month. to me unless u can read a newspaper in thai then there is still stuff to learn. I found school to get me going in a few months versus many previous months on my own. true to some extent but given it is a only a few hours a day I can’t imagine going through all 6 levels at a plce like unity Thai could ever really be a waste of time. especially at only 7000 baht a month. to me unless u can read a newspaper in thai then there is still stuff to learn. I found school to get me going in a few months versus many previous months on my own.
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]]> By: Orion http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44583 Orion Fri, 07 Dec 2007 08:57:39 +0000 http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44583 ggg - this is what has stopped me from taking Thai classes. Worried about wasting time on being taught stuff that I already know. I think I know about 50% of Thai, not sure how a teacher would figure out what the other missing 50% is that I still need to learn. ggg - this is what has stopped me from taking Thai classes. Worried about wasting time on being taught stuff that I already know.

I think I know about 50% of Thai, not sure how a teacher would figure out what the other missing 50% is that I still need to learn.
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]]> By: go go groupie http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44580 go go groupie Fri, 07 Dec 2007 08:48:50 +0000 http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44580 it's generally true in most of the thai language schools. when i first came here five years ago i tried out most of the better known ones but settled at a school called Nisa Thai Language School on Yen Akart (south of sathorn) primarily because it was loaded with japanese/korean wifes or girlfriends with nothing better to do with their time. schools are good for maybe a year or so in teaching the basics or if you want to prepare for the Bor Hok exam, but once you get somewhat proficient I think they're a waste of money. It's so hard to find a competent Thai teacher here (by that, i mean one who can pick up on your weaknesses and work on them while keeping the whole process interesting). Men are supposedly much better at this, but it seems that 99% of Thai language teachers are women. it’s generally true in most of the thai language schools. when i first came here five years ago i tried out most of the better known ones but settled at a school called Nisa Thai Language School on Yen Akart (south of sathorn) primarily because it was loaded with japanese/korean wifes or girlfriends with nothing better to do with their time.

schools are good for maybe a year or so in teaching the basics or if you want to prepare for the Bor Hok exam, but once you get somewhat proficient I think they’re a waste of money. It’s so hard to find a competent Thai teacher here (by that, i mean one who can pick up on your weaknesses and work on them while keeping the whole process interesting). Men are supposedly much better at this, but it seems that 99% of Thai language teachers are women.
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]]> By: werewolf http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44572 werewolf Fri, 07 Dec 2007 08:15:38 +0000 http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44572 <strong>Penfold:</strong> "can i ask for Joy by name at the desk or something? Im not a spirit drinker at all, as last time i drank Chivas i woke up with green knees and a profelactic hanging out of my backside. Can they put beer on my card or not?" Yes, you can ask for Joy by name, or even call ahead to her cell phone (081 616 1548). I am not a spirit drinker, but went for the Chivas package so that I can share easily with the dancing girls. The alternative is 100 bottles of heineken; they're happy to set up your card that way (prices out to 200 baht per bottle). <strong>Combover:</strong>"...One can also download .mp3 lessons (say Pimsleur or Linguaphone) via the internet and practice on the move. " Combover, I said "Pimsleur" and "Linguaphone" to my computer several times but no .mp3 lessons downloaded. Are you sure this is the way it works?! Penfold: “can i ask for Joy by name at the desk or something? Im not a spirit drinker at all, as last time i drank Chivas i woke up with green knees and a profelactic hanging out of my backside. Can they put beer on my card or not?”

Yes, you can ask for Joy by name, or even call ahead to her cell phone (081 616 1548). I am not a spirit drinker, but went for the Chivas package so that I can share easily with the dancing girls. The alternative is 100 bottles of heineken; they’re happy to set up your card that way (prices out to 200 baht per bottle).

Combover:“…One can also download .mp3 lessons (say Pimsleur or Linguaphone) via the internet and practice on the move. ”

Combover, I said “Pimsleur” and “Linguaphone” to my computer several times but no .mp3 lessons downloaded. Are you sure this is the way it works?!
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]]> By: Orion http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44562 Orion Fri, 07 Dec 2007 07:56:07 +0000 http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44562 japanese and korean girls?? Which school? I am SO going there!! :D japanese and korean girls?? Which school? I am SO going there!! :D
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]]> By: smitty http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44548 smitty Fri, 07 Dec 2007 07:10:41 +0000 http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44548 o - mullet is business in front and party in the back. I am all party. Have not cut the hair in months but I have curly hair so the chicks think I am half thai and half spanish or italian. so far it is not repelling them. I am on the way to dreads but will take time. on the movie thing make sure u get real copies - the bootleg copies on the street usually have bad thai. I say go to thai school. the schools are full of japanese and korean girls. bonus points. o - mullet is business in front and party in the back. I am all party. Have not cut the hair in months but I have curly hair so the chicks think I am half thai and half spanish or italian. so far it is not repelling them. I am on the way to dreads but will take time.

on the movie thing make sure u get real copies - the bootleg copies on the street usually have bad thai.

I say go to thai school. the schools are full of japanese and korean girls. bonus points.
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]]> By: Orion http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44385 Orion Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:12:14 +0000 http://www.tfs2m.com/main/2007/12/05/member-club-fun-more-election-coverage-and-index-cards/#comment-44385 ggg - if you're really hardcore you play the Laotian soundtrack and read the subtitles in Khmer ;) ggg - if you’re really hardcore you play the Laotian soundtrack and read the subtitles in Khmer ;)
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