ศาลาชุมนุม

[bifftastic]

Hi,
I just thought I should introduce myself to the forum and give whoever's interested a brief insight into my quest to learn the Thai language.

First of all I'd like to thank the people who set up and run this site, it's been my dictionary, one of my learning resources and a web page that opens as soon as my browser launches for quite some time now.
I've been learning Thai for about eighteen months. I would class myself as being at a basic level, I can read a lot more than I can understand, but have difficulty with spellings, some tones and grammar. My spoken Thai is improving, as is my comprehension (I watch Thai tv online, talk to my wife at least once a day).

I live in London, and my wife lives in Chiang Rai province, right up on the Mae Nam Kong near a town called Chiang Saen.
Where our house is there is an often bewildering mixture of languages!

Laos PDR is just across the river and lots of the people there are Laos in origin, then there is the Northern dialect itself, and the Thai learned at school.

My wife, and her family members that live in the village with her, are originally from Korat, there are also, quite surprisingly, a couple of families from Malaysia, a few people from Myanmar, and a smattering of hill-tribe people as well.

They certainly 'chop' their speech quite a lot, and eloquence maybe the first casualty of multi-culturalism Thai style!

So, my learning has been fairly ad-hoc and self-taught. I read some of the threads here and just get lost. A lot of the linguistic terms mean nothing to me, but I still find them interesting.

I'm not sure of the level that I'm at, but I am sure of one thing. That this site has helped me increase my knowledge and ability in what is to me, a beautiful but very challenging language that one day I will have some degree of fluency in.

Thank you all.

Regards,

Biff

[claude06thailand]

Hello Bifftastic !
Welcome to the site and congratulations that you decided to read Thai when so many foreigners think it is too difficult.
I would class you at a more than basic level, and thanks to your reading ability, you will improve quickly.
Thai is a challenging language for us, sure !
But challenge is what we like... and you have strong motivations in Chiang Saen (I have been there a few times and I like Chiangrai province)
Wish you much fun in learning
claude

[bifftastic]

Claude,
thank you for your response.

It was exactly because it was difficult that I chose to begin! That said, every Thai child can do it, so it can not be impossible

I'm glad to hear that you know Chiang Saen, our house is about 5km along the river towards Chiang Kong, in a village called Ban Sob Kham, in which you will find Wat Prathat Pha Ngao, perhaps you have visited it?

Thanks again,

Biff