[JANALA]

I quite like the signs that you see in Bangkok rail station which apologise for delay, but the wording makes it seem as if it's being said rather begrudgingly, "We have to apologise for any inconvenience caused.'

[bobibnoxx]

Believe me or not. This is a true story.

A receptionist in a hotel in Chiangmai got a message from Bankok, adressed to a lawyer occupying a room. She noted it down as 'Royal so-and-so'.

And then there is this joke about regular elections in Thailand.

[RayFairhurst]

Here was one i encountered.

Wow, unique freebies!

[prmnwoks]

Many years ago, in Thailand there was a criminal case about a doctor. He was arrested because he deceived his patients do oral sex for him, and he said to the court that was his way to cure the patients. Newspapers headline about "ËÁÍâä¨ÔµãË餹ä¢éÍÁ¹¡à¢Ò - a freak doctor cured his patients by sucking the dove". ¹¡à¢Ò (dove) is a slang means penis.

After that, an international prevention of cruelty to animals organization, or some organization like that, protested Thai government about this case. They said it was very cruel to do that action to a dove, it was such a poor bird!!!

[ZonaPutaX]

Here was one i encountered.

[QvhhbjLy]

I heard a thai band singing "yellow liver". They saw the funny side too.

[Annyllop21]

thought I'd start a thread to share the humorous experiences you might have had in Thailand as the inevitabe confusion creeps in when two different cultures collide. I'll go first :

1) Seen on a farang owned travel agency : "Tours to Crabby Island"

2) On several menus : "Deep fried with vegetable"

3) My wife's friend loved this Bon Jovi song, "it's my life". She went to a tattoo artist to immortalize her fandom. The tattoo guy swore he spoke english fine. We disagreed when she came back with a tattoo across her back saying "It's my like". Ouch.

and your tales?

[triardwonvada]

After several months of language and culture training, one of the Peace Corps volunteers was finally assigned to his site to work with Thai teachers. During a teachers conference he was asked to introduce himself. He was doing fine and the teachers were paying attention until he was talking about his home state and the many feet of snow covering the street. The teachers burst out laughing. He tried to maintain his composure and finished his speech. Later he found out what had happened. He meant to use the word for snow ËÔÁÐ hì-má but used the wrong tone for hi-ma. What he ended up saying was -"In my home state in winter the streets are often covered with many feet of dog's-vaginas."

[prmnwoks]

I'm not sure if it was only joke or a true story. There was a story about a Thai student. One day he found Farang getting lost his way. Farang saw him and walked direct to him with a map. Farang asked him "Can you speak English?". He said with losing self-confidence "Y..Yes, but I can speak English only snake snake fish fish.".

§Ùæ »ÅÒæ is idiom means a little bit.

[GeorgeEckland]

The obvious one is a begginer in Thai asking for a banana and the seller cracking up with laughter.

Another is saying "can you hear?" to a Thai and them shouting back "I hear" and you cracking up with laughter.

[seawolferr]

Last October I was in Krabi. A friend I hadn't seen since the year before came to my accommodation to say hello. His brother was with him and he had a small monkey which I found quite amusing.
He invited me and another Thai friend to his home later. I told him I would bring the whisky if he cooked.

Later we arrived and there were 4 or 5 people there already eating. I was given some rice and he pointed to the food as if to say help yourself. He doesn't speak much English and my Thai is at a beginner level, so my other friend translates a lot between us.

Next he asked me if I liked the monkey, or so I thought. I smiled and nodding I said yes as he added more food to my plate. As I was eating I asked my friend who speaks English "Where is the monkey" to which he nearly burst himself laughing, then repeated what I said in Thai. Everyone was in hysterics.

I had been eating it. I nearly vomited!

I stopped eating and stuck to the Johnny Walkers after that.

[InsManKV]

When I was in Bangkok Christian Hospital with acute gastro-enteritis they looked after me very well. Every few hours the nurse came in and aked me in English "How is satun"? I didn't understand, so never knew how to answer. It was only later that I realised she meant "stool"!

[RayFairhurst]

Nam Pyyng,

LOL. That reminds me of my visit in a company in Bangkok a few years back. Two of the staff told me that a certain " Mr. Anott", who they said was a compatriot friend of mine, was in the building and he was expecting me. I was absolutely sure I did not know any "Mr. Anott" in my whole life and and they were just mistaken. When we met face to face I learned he was "Mr. Arnold", who's really my childhood friend!

[AntonayPina]

well once I heard stool as stew (American pronunciation), took me a while to find out what they were getting at. takes a few months to get adjusted to Thai-English.

[9TWSg835]

well once I heard stool as stew (American pronunciation), took me a while to find out what they were getting at. takes a few months to get adjusted to Thai-English.

Thai-English is the the most polite way to speak English in Asia. Satoh.

Peace

[cefunonge]

Nam Pyyng,

LOL. That reminds me of my visit in a company in Bangkok a few years back. Two of the staff told me that a certain " Mr. Anott", who they said was a compatriot friend of mine, was in the building and he was expecting me. I was absolutely sure I did not know any "Mr. Anott" in my whole life and and they were just mistaken. When we met face to face I learned he was "Mr. Arnold", who's really my childhood friend!

oooh - i like that name too - has a nice ring to it

[agiopwer]

Another is saying "can you hear?" to a Thai and them shouting back "I hear" and you cracking up with laughter. Can you share the context on that one...and why that might be a funny one?

[GeorgeEckland]

It's very naughty so should only be done with friends you know will find it funny, it has something to do with the old gender terms of "e" and "i" and certain large lizards.

[dafodilkemmy]

I'll pass!

[InsManKV]

Yay! Miss Puke!! I had a good massage there (in Siam square I think)