AB Level 1.4: Staying and Getting Lost at Thailand

Staying in Thailand

Focus: Asking for How Much and How long.
  • How Much?
      * We place the question word เท่าไหร่ (thâo-rài) at the end of a sentence to ask "How much?"
      * To ask the "price," which is ราคา (raa-khaa), you can say ราคาเท่าไหร่ (raa-khaa thâo-rài).
  • How Long?
      * The word นาน (naan) is an adjective that means "a long time."
      * To ask the question "How long?" we combine it with เท่าไหร่ (thâo-rài) to form นานเท่าไหร่ (naan thâo-rài).
      * It comes after the action or event that you are asking the length of time of.

Vocabulary & Phrases

  • <<นี่ครับ/นี่ค่ะ (nîi khráp/nîi khâ)<<
      * This phrase means "Here you are."
      * We use it when we present an object to someone.

  • <<เหตุผลในการมา (hèet-phǒn nai gaan-maa)<<
      * This phrase means "reason for coming."
      * เหตุผล (hèet-phǒn)  ➤ "reason."
      * ใน (nai)  ➤ "in,"
      * การมา (gaan-maa)  ➤ "the act of coming."

Why It's Important to Stay Calm at the Airport?

  • Immigration lines at airports after long international flights are generally unpleasant
  • In Thai culture, it is important to maintain a "cool heart," or ใจเย็น (jai-yen), and not express frustration or impatience with government officials such as immigration officers
  • Raising one's voice will not expedite the process at government offices and may actually slow things down
  • It is advisable to check the entry stamp right away at the airport to correct any errors made by the officer on duty.

Are You Lost in Thailand Yet?

Focus: ยัง

  • The word ยัง (yang) can act as a verb meaning "to remain" or as an adverb meaning "still" or "not yet" depending on the context.
      * The pattern for this is: ยัง (yang) + ไม่ (mâi) + verb
        * ยังไม่ไป (yang mâi bpai) ➤ "not yet going"

  • In a larger sentence, the whole verb phrase comes after the subject and before the object.
      * พวกเรายังไม่ถึงกรุงเทพฯ (phûuak-rao yang mâi thǔeng grung-thêep)

    ➤ "We have not yet arrived in Bangkok."
  * ผมยังไม่ทราบว่าจะเจอคุณทีไหน (phǒm yang mâi sâap wâa jà jooe khun thîi-nǎi)

    ➤ "I still don't know yet where I'll meet you."
  * สตีฟยังไม่ชอบผัดไทย (sà-dtíip yang mâi châawp phàt thai)

    ➤ "Steve still doesn't like pad Thai."

Vocabulary & Phrases

  • <<ผมเอง/ดิฉันเอง (phǒm eeng/dì-chǎn eeng)<<
      * These terms mean "me" or "myself."
      * You would usually use these when you want to emphasize that it is you and not someone else.

  • <<สวัสดี (sà-wàt-dii)<<
      * The standard Thai greeting is also appropriate when answering a telephone call or for saying "good-bye" before hanging up the phone.
      * All around Thai greeting; could be “good morning,“ “good afternoon,“ or “good evening.“

  • <<คุณอยู่ที่ไหน (khun yùu thîi-nǎi)<<
      * This is the question "Where are you?"
      * ที่ไหน (thîi-nǎi)  ➤ "where?"
      * อยู่ (yùu) ➤ "to be located."
      * In Thai, it is necessary to include the verb "to be located" in order for the sentence to make sense.
      * However, in very casual speech, we could shorten this sentence down to อยู่ไหน (yùu nǎi).

Thai Cell Phone Etiquette

  • Mobile phone usage has increased dramatically in Thailand like in other countries.
  • Mobile phones are called มือถือ (muue-thǔue) in Thai.
  • Swapping SIM cards between different handsets is a common practice among mobile phone users when a more fashionable model is released.
  • Prepaid accounts are widespread instead of being billed for charges.
  • It is generally acceptable to use mobile phones except in obvious places like a classroom or a movie theater.
  • In smaller towns, some entrepreneurs charge a small fee for using their mobile phone at a table set up by the side of the road.