Maid Woes

[Khundon1975]

we did pay them very well and gave them their meals and cloths, we also paid for the kids schooling, their motorbike repairs and fuel, hospital treatment ETC, ETC.

Got any jobs going?

Only if you look good in an apron and yellow marigold gloves.

[BaaBaa.]

we did pay them very well and gave them their meals and cloths, we also paid for the kids schooling, their motorbike repairs and fuel, hospital treatment ETC, ETC.

Got any jobs going?

Only if you look good in an apron and yellow marigold gloves.

[PeteC]

The girl we had was heavily into Issan slang mixed with Khumer. My wife would sit there with me and listen when she got a cell phone call and say she couldn't understand 80% of what she was saying, although her central Thai was adequate on the job.

As an update, things have not been too bad. We have a routine going, wife inside and me outside and we've found this place really needs nothing done daily, 2 times a week is fine. We lost a previous really good maid due to pregnancy and she's ready next month to come back 2 times a week and that suits us fine. As KD said, it's quite peaceful for all of us when a maid is not here, and you can find things you put somewhere without them having been moved to someplace else. Pete

[margaretcarnes]

With respect to EDork - he is (in his own words) certainly no tourist - and prefers not to discuss his visa status.
Which leads to the inevitable conclusion that he (or she) is a Thai who speaks excellent English. If so - very well done EDork. You have been born to speak what is in fact an extremely difficult language for most farang, as well as learning an almost equally difficult language - English.
That is not to say that most expats don't try to learn some basic Thai. Of course they do. Despite the inevitable mistakes with tone and the loss of face that causes.
But the fact remains that outside of Thailand the Thai language - like it or not - is of no use whatsoever. And the fact also remains that, despite it's many overtures towards international trade, which go back to the days of Rama 4, Thai schools still only pay lip service to the teaching of English. The children of the Thai elite are educated abroad.
As for the UK expecting immigrants to speak English - no. Maybe in the future there will be more strict conditions of residence. There is already a 'residence test' of sorts. But there are still many foreigners living and working in the UK whose command of the English language is quite frankly piss poor. Yet here they are not only allowed residence - but also access to the Welfare State and NHS. Things which don't yet even exist in Thailand - where expats have to pay for every need, and contribute to the economy in the process.

[Spitfire]

The thing here is that foreigners that come here to live etc can only stay if they have money to spend, it has to come from somewhere, no real chance of sponging unless through crime. You either spend personal income from abroad or you have to work which means paying taxes and spending your salary from a job that wouldn't be given to a Thai if you were not here.

Ask yourself the question "How many Thai people benefit either directly or indirectly from your presence here?" Doesn't matter whether it's financial or not but the answer is probably quite a lot, everyone from your partner to the guy you rent your business place off, the banks who you buy a house off, company you buy/HP your car off etc etc.

Top and tail of it here is you spend your own money or you work and contribute big time, either way you end up adding/giving/contributing or whatever. Can't claim anything unless you work and pay taxes, you can claim the 30 baht health system if you have a work permit, if you really want.

Perhaps people should make as much an effort as they personally can to speak some of the local language but there are many mitigating factors in their defence and to as why it is overlooked by many, including officialdom.

Maybe in the UK we should have something similar to LOS as in you're welcome to come so long as you work or contribute and if you get mixed up in crime then you're out on your arse. Problem in the UK is the spongers who go there just to take and still can't be arsed to speak/learn anything, let alone work.

If you were to get most foreigners in the UK to ask themselves the same question I mentioned earlier in this post then the answer would be invariably "None/Zip/Sweet FA."

Another question you could ask both sets of foreigners in each country (UK and LOS) is "How many end up being a burden on the system?"

Well, the answer is so embarrassingly obvious that it doesn't need to be given.

Completely different ball game.

Edit: Sorry, have strayed way-off topic.

[Earth]

First of all, i am from the third world country that some or you folk are staying now......., Please apologise that i can't speak english well like you do!!.....Insult? of course you can insult it in HHBD....i and other enjoy reading it ...

i agree to the person who wrote---

"I don't think people deserve to be ripped off or scammed simply because they can't 'poot thai' "

Many example in Huahin "Farang" who speak English who can speak very well Eng (...some also "poot Thai") have being ripped off by Farang who speak the same english very well!!,........ point is eventhough they speak very good English!! --, they are from those developed country!! that--use English to communicate they still can not be trust and unreliable!!

-----I means eventhough "you-Farang can speak Eng or Thai could be ripped off if you "trust" and "believe" the wrong person or company!!.

That's all.

E-Dork, let's it go. You will get used to with it. Don't take it to your personal as i don't. Both "Farang and Thai" are "Good and Bad" the same!!


By the way, i don't think E-Dork is Thai at all..

What is the topic again?? ---Maid woes?

[crazy88]

Back to maids at last

Just chipped in along with her other satisfied clients for a new motorbike. She is well chuffed and at least now has lights and brakes!

Crazy 88

[Earth]

These day people have employed Myanmar maids , wishing you finding the good one soon..

Cheers

[Name Taken]

With respect to EDork - he is (in his own words) certainly no tourist - and prefers not to discuss his visa status.
Which leads to the inevitable conclusion that he (or she) is a Thai who speaks excellent English. If so - very well done EDork. You have been born to speak what is in fact an extremely difficult language for most farang, as well as learning an almost equally difficult language - English.
That is not to say that most expats don't try to learn some basic Thai. Of course they do. Despite the inevitable mistakes with tone and the loss of face that causes.
But the fact remains that outside of Thailand the Thai language - like it or not - is of no use whatsoever. And the fact also remains that, despite it's many overtures towards international trade, which go back to the days of Rama 4, Thai schools still only pay lip service to the teaching of English. The children of the Thai elite are educated abroad.
As for the UK expecting immigrants to speak English - no. Maybe in the future there will be more strict conditions of residence. There is already a 'residence test' of sorts. But there are still many foreigners living and working in the UK whose command of the English language is quite frankly piss poor. Yet here they are not only allowed residence - but also access to the Welfare State and NHS. Things which don't yet even exist in Thailand - where expats have to pay for every need, and contribute to the economy in the process.

I agree with you and i also think E-Dork is a thai to.
The US does not currently have any law(s) that requires immigrants or foreigners residing in the US to speak english that i am aware of and there are a lot of immigrants and foreigners residing in the US that do not or cannot speak english.

[Name Taken]

Both "Farang and Thai" are "Good and Bad" the same!!

I have to agree with you on that statement Earth.

[Earth]

What is the matter...... if E-Dork is Thai!!

I don't understand, do you really don't like Thai that much!!

[Earth]

By the way, agree with Name Taken,-----i have seen group of asian tribes --have babies, childs, teenage, adults but not very old(maybe from the country that nearby Thailand), they "can't" speak Thai nor English--waiting and board to USA at Suvarnabhum airport. Not sure Laotiens, Vietnamese or Burmese-- i don't know and don't wanna specify, i am not a specialist in judging people from my eyes or their accents... I don't know that are they going to transit in USA? or stay in USA, none of my biz i didn't ask

My personal comment is you have no need to study Thai if you don't want to and you happy about it, as only Thailand use Thai language....that is all

What is the topic of this forum again--Maid woes?

[migrant]

Here in California many, many long time immigrants do not speak English.

There are communities (even a Thai town) where if you stood in the middle, you would swear you were in that country, all signs in whatever language.

Driving tests, hospitals, almost all state, city and county offices have multi language signs and people to handle anything.

A while back a state senator, I believe, brought a bill that drivers license tests had to be in English, he lost so you can take the test in 20+ different languages.

[Name Taken]

What is the topic of this forum again--Maid woes?

Yes, Maid Woes. This thread has obviously gone slightly off topic, but sometimes that happens.
Sorry for hijacking your thread Pete.

[PeteC]

What is the topic of this forum again--Maid woes?

Yes, Maid Woes. This thread has obviously gone slightly off topic, but sometimes that happens.
Sorry for hijacking your thread Pete.

No problems, threads evolve and language proficiency is indeed part of the subject when communicating or eavesdropping on your maid. . This one has just about run it's course but if everyone wants to continue about language/relationships with our Thai brothers and sisters, go ahead and start a new one. Pete