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I noticed you could hear the NG in Chiang Mai..on "mai tung" (no bag), but in Udon it was simply "mai 2" ...and in bangkok, it is in between. Lamphun and Lampang are always L words, and you always get a bit of g in Lampang..but Lad Prao..is Rad Plow...apparently the islands are Go , not Ko..but it has been mispronounced for so long even the Thais do it. And KSR is Cow San road...named for the rice (kow) milling origins of the area..but it is often called Co.
There's a considerable difference between Chiang Mai, which is in the northern region of the country, and Udon (I assume to mean Udon Thani) which is in the easternmost region (Isan). Different dialects.
The Thai spelling for rice ข้าว and island เกาะ are not the same though. The former does have a "K" sound, the latter a "G" sound. There are also a couple of factors involving the letter "K". An aspirated "K" (hard sounding "K") is usually shown as "Kh". Without the "h", it sounds like a "G". Other examples that do that sort of thing are "T"/"Th", "D"/"Dh", "P"/"Ph". The former has a soft sound and the latter a hard sound when spelled with English characters. It's one of the seemingly odd things about translating Thai words into English characters. For example, the Thai greeting as spelled out in English letters is "sawasdee". But that's not how it sounds when spoken. It sounds more like "sawatdee", or "sawaddee". It has to do with the placement of Thai letters which can change the sound of those letters. The first letter does indeed have an "S" sound, like the "S" is "song". But the placement of the second letter, since it comes later in the spelling, sounds like a "T" or a "D" kind of sound. In a nutshell, sometimes translating Thai script into English script doesn't always work out all that well.
Can't say I've ever heard the term for Lat Phrao (or Lad Prao) spoken as Rad Plow. Kind of axx backwards. Maybe so though. Among other translational differences, some words (to the ears of English speakers) sound the same, but aren't. Listening carefully, there are tonal differences which completely change the meaning of the word. Fortunately, when we English speakers screw up a Thai word, many Thais can usually tell what you mean by the context and knowing most of us aren't fluent experts with the language. Regardless, most Thais are usually pleased that a foreigner is at least trying to learn their language. And many times Thais are more than happy to try to help you correct the mistake.
One time long ago, I was on a cheap seat bus headed north to Hin Kong in the province of Saraburi. At that time, the expressway wasn't anything like it is now. We passed a large rice field, and off in the distance I could see what looked like several water buffalo. So to be sure I asked in Thai what I thought was the word for water buffalo.
I was the only foreigner on the bus. Anyone within hearing distance (which seemed like the entire bus) burst out in laughter at my question. I was politely informed that the word I used was a slang for the male appendage (quay) and was given the correct Thai term (kwai). Oops! When I learned of the mistake I laughed about it as well, and apologized to everyone and thank them for correcting me. I was rather embarrassed, but people were all smiling and patting me on the back and shoulder. I was almost immediately surrounded by nearly everyone on the bus saying they were impressed that I, as a foreigner, was even remotely interested in knowing anything about learning to speak Thai. Most foreigners they'd ever encountered never bothered with speaking Thai. Go figure. I guess I became a sort of a hero, if not an odd curiosity on the bus. No one goes to Hin Kong. You never know what can discover in Thailand. It was just part of the learning process for me. I suspect there are some people, after all these years, that still remember that hilarious mistake.
I agree there are some mispronunciations of words, but as I understand it, a lot of that has come from radio broadcasts which caught on by the general public, as well as a mix of dialects. Exceptions, even for radio broadcasters, are when formal, polite, elegant speech (Central Thai) is expected, such as very high brow social occasions along with the rolling "R" sound. And since there are also different dialects in the country, that may have likely contributed to how people use words.
By the way, the English Language Institute I previously referred to is at Oregon State University.
only 7000 Thai students studying at US Unis...so 1 in 10,000 at any given time...3/4 likely from BKK...so most are learning here. The Thai English majors are mostly laughable..add eastern europeans, philipinoes, indians, and Africans and it is just about a circus, not to mention The Scottish, who are often outdone by Germans in pronunciation. And quite a few brits are tough to understand, too. The vast majority of the students are going to speak Thai at home, and that isn't going to change..same situation with the Spanish speakers in the US, although they still get a lot of exposure and need English more to survive.
Occassionally I look at the salaries for foreigners to teach English in Thai universities...it's still around US$450/month, to $1,200/month.
Compare this to Singapore/Japan/Hong Kong/etc where salaries are more around $4000-$6000 or South Korea at $3000-4000.
It'll be quite a while before Thailand can even attract 'qualified teachers.' Even Vietnam is around $1500-2000/month.
So, to take a $450/month in Thailand....to teach at a university....particularly if qualified with MA or PhD in TESOL...nope. They'll continue to get multitudes of unqualified backpacker transient types. I've also heard that even at the better universities, their English classrooms will have something like 50+ students in a classroom. (For reference sake, most universities cap language classrooms at 18 or 24, at the most, if a university actually wants a teacher to be able to work at improving their English).
50+ students in a language classrooms means that almost no learning whatsoever has a chance to take place, and assessment will have to be some teacher-manageable paper-test. Imagine 5-6 classes so you'd have 300 assignments to grade each time, or 300 students to 'assess' their speaking...it's just not going to happen, particularly if hiring a 22-year-old Kazakh backpacker transiting through Thailand type.
Tiger, for NES, I usually see something like 19k..THB + 8000 housing allowance...so about 850 USD per month...and expectations of better students and not so much balls to the walls as the government high schools. The biggest demand seems to be for kinder, but it looks to me like more daycare work. Also, I see the teachers coming home way late..like 19:00...and it is all just an educator nightmare. I would like to part time, but no way am I sacrificing a perfectly good visa, to get caught up in that mess..and employment is prohibited for those on retirement visas/extensions. Computer business is a different matter.
Tiger, for NES, I usually see something like 19k..THB + 8000 housing allowance...so about 850 USD per month...and expectations of better students and not so much balls to the walls as the government high schools. The biggest demand seems to be for kinder, but it looks to me like more daycare work. Also, I see the teachers coming home way late..like 19:00...and it is all just an educator nightmare. I would like to part time, but no way am I sacrificing a perfectly good visa, to get caught up in that mess..and employment is prohibited for those on retirement visas/extensions. Computer business is a different matter.
I'm kind of thinking I'd be better off going with a Retirement Visa, and making money online or AirBNB apartments....once I get to the stage to get an apartment or two, anyway.
quite a few are teaching online, but the demand is from China...and all style no substance...they want a young white face. The younger Nomads are still having visa troubles here though..but wont be called out for working illegally. Property management is also a restricted occupation....but of course many rent out there own units..but people start seeing you carrying ladders, etc...drop the dime time..I love the real estate business..but I think it is much easier to buy REITs and just collect the dividends..sure, you want to stay busy and work a jobby...but it is still a minefield..and then you have tax implications in Thailand. If you rent out by the month on airbnb..your yield will be less than a long list of REITs I can name..and it will be hard to leave, and it is a bit of a monkey on your back. Many simply aren't credit worthy..including Thais and backpackers...Thais have told me not to rent to Thais...some of those Thai property agents are about the sexiest thing on the planet, though,,lol.
A friend from Virginia is selling his last house at Hua Hin..4200 sf lot, 700 meters from the beach...180 sm living space, two level, 4/3+...he said he could have gotten 11.5 million four years ago..but now listing for 8...it has a lap pool...rents for 37,000 per month...and he has had some dud tenants....but some great ones, too. I think 15,000 +electric on a weekly basis. still quite a few expenses. Have you looked at www.ddproperty.com?
I think it is much easier to buy REITs and just collect the dividends..sure, you want to stay busy and work a jobby...but it is still a minefield..and then you have tax implications in Thailand. If you rent out by the month on airbnb..your yield will be less than a long list of REITs I can name..and it will be hard to leave, and it is a bit of a monkey on your back. Many simply aren't credit worthy..including Thais and backpackers...Thais have told me not to rent to Thais...some of those Thai property agents are about the sexiest thing on the planet, though,,lol.
I don't know anything about REITs, but just looked them up, "A real estate investment trust (REIT) is a company that owns, and in most cases operates, income-producing real estate. REITs own many types of commercial real estate, ranging from office and apartment buildings to warehouses, hospitals, shopping centers, hotels and timberlands."
INTERESTING! Do they have certain ones for Thailand? Or do you think it is better to invest in REITS anywhere but Thailand?
I buy them like stocks in America..quite a few have global exposure..IGR..7.50 per share, and you get .05 per month. They have them on the SET, and I do have a brokerage account hete, but it is a bit cumbersome for foreigners...but if you are going to hold for a long time..no worries. IMPACT would be one..on the SET. Here are some to buy in the US..or research...SRET, VNQ, MPW,ABR,IRT.....with retail REITs being the most risky...
While I also prefer BKK over Chiang Mai. Are there any downsides to BKK besides being a bit more expensive?
Well it is a bit crazier and busier so for some that's a negative. To me the biggest negative is the continuous heat and humidity in BKK while you get a bit of a break in CM. Subjective but I found the hillier terrain of the north prettier. Still, I would take BKK over CM unless my finances were really tight.
Thanks for that reply AE. For someone who enjoys urban living with big city amenities, is CM the only alternative to BKK? And would you say the drop off is worth it for the better weather and aesthetics? (Obviously you pretty much said it's not but just want to confirm)
I ask as someone with great interest in Thailand but have only been to Bangkok, twice.
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