Too many 'magical' Thai spelling mistakes

MY TWO SATANGS

Too many 'magical' Thai spelling mistakes

Published: 6 Oct 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

Thailand is a country of big ambitions, but poor implementation. We have fantastic ideas for transport, Asean integration and tourism but our unfortunate detachment from reality often overshadows the feasibility of these wonderful ideas.

‘Computer’ is one of the 176 English-language loan words that the Royal Institute wanted to change the spelling of. They later dropped the move following a public outcry.

This week there was talk of MMA/muay Thai star Buakaw going toe-to-toe with Manny Pacquiao. The proposal is supposed to be part of an event to honour His Majesty the King, and would no doubt be a huge boost for Thailand.

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nitnoi
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Discussion 20 : 07 Oct 2012 at 04.3520
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The Thais try to write and spell in engligh that very close to the pronunciation in Thai such as "Chao Sam Ran" beach in Thai spelling of this beach would have been "Chaosamranya". So Upina Dis #13 Petchaburi is neither correct nor incorrect spelling after all it spelled with english alphabets. It should have been spelled with english alphabets "Pecharaburi". I remembered when Thai woman was miss universe, her name was pronounced Miss "Hongsakula" in real Thai pronounced "Hongsakun".

So Enlishbob Dis#19 when Thais say "football " in tubsub they say "footbon" the same as miss "Hongsakun".

"ph" sounds like The letter "Forfun"(tooth) in Thai so "Phetchaburi" is not the name that province sounded in Thai. It sounds "Fetchaburi" and Thailand doen't have province by that name.
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englishbob
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Discussion 19 : 06 Oct 2012 at 20.1119
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'Dr Kanchana Naksakul said: "Thai is a magical language. We can write every word to match with how they are pronounced".'
It's this kind of ignorance that perpetuates the Thais inability to speak English clearly.
'Lor Ling' doesn't equate to 'L'. 'Ror Rua' doesn't sound like 'R'.
There are no Thai letters for 'Th' or 'V' or 'Z' or 'Sh'
Thais can't pronounce the final 'S' and 'L' sounds because they don't exist in Thai - 'Play Footbon'? 'Send an Emeow'?
Thai teachers don't know how to speak English and by extension how to teach it.
The most common sound in English is the 'schwa'; the 'uh' sound at the end of 'pizza' and 'teacher'.
It's the easiest sound in the world to teach, but Thais are still saying 'PizzAAH' and 'TeachERR'.
(There are definitely IQ issues and diligence issues to be addressed too.)
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bobby2000
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Discussion 18 : 06 Oct 2012 at 20.0218
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The Thai writing system needs to be modernized. It is far too complicated and confusing. At the university several of my Thai classmates told me that they found it to be easier to write in English than in Thai, even though they had difficulties speaking English. So, even for a native Thai, it is difficult to write properly. They also found it difficult to read and many preferred to read books in English. This says a lot...
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BKK-boy
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Discussion 17 : 06 Oct 2012 at 19.4217
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Discussion 16: maybe because all the nationals you mentioned don't relay to the income from farangs as much as Thailand does? I repeat: where should Thailand be without the money coming from all the farangs who stay in this country? Only 25% of the Thai population pays taxes! It are the farangs who support the country financially!
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jacksprat
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Discussion 16 : 06 Oct 2012 at 18.4616
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Wonderful ... the Farangs want the Thais to change their script to the Roman alphabet. Why don't they propose the same thing to the Arabs, Cambodians, Indians, Chinese, Japanese, Greeks, Serbs, Russians etc? What is wrong with taking the time to learn a language, especially you you live in the country?
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jacksprat
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Discussion 15 : 06 Oct 2012 at 18.4215
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"Thai is a magical language. We can write every word to match with how they are pronounced." Such as spelling sand TRAY or to know as TRAP?
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BKK-boy
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Discussion 14 : 06 Oct 2012 at 18.0414
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Discussion 5: I agree with you. But you don't have to go as far as to Turkey. In Vietnam they did the same, and this transformation now benefits to all: to Vietnameese and to all the tourists, who are an important(the most important?) source of income for the country, the same as for Thailand. Where should Thailand financially stand without the support of all farangs (tourists, and surely the residents)???
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upena
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Discussion 13 : 06 Oct 2012 at 15.0213
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I am currently in Phetchaburi on holiday. There are two signs approximately one meter apart with directions to the beach, the local wat, and the city. One spells the beach and temple Chao Samran and the other Jao Samran. Both spell Phetchaburi correct.
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Jock
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Discussion 12 : 06 Oct 2012 at 14.0212
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Language will evolve, not only in new words being introduced to a language, but spellings being adapted as time goes on. It is the nature of the beast and so may it continue and Thailand itself needs to adapt to this, instead of doggedly sticking in the past. However, I do delight in reading and listening to some Thai interpretations of English, such as the pronunciation of electricity as electric-city and one novel sign on the road that advertised, Ear Toilet and Preg Nancy.
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OldThaiHand
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Discussion 11 : 06 Oct 2012 at 12.2511
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The real issues are two-fold. The Thais firstly need to adopt a culture of learning for learning's sake, rather than view learning as drudgery.
Secondly, they need to face up to the fact that if they don't radically alter their desire and approach to learning English, Thailand is doomed in the face of the impending AEC in 2015.
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Too many 'magical' Thai spelling mistakes | Bangkok Post: opinion