Why No Tourist Police In Bkk ?

[gobbledonk]

I know there are plenty of boys in brown, but the TPs are a lot closer to the 'community policing' ideal which is what modern policing is supposed to be all about. Granted, it would be a tough gig, but they find people willing to do it in other parts of Thailand - I just never see the black uniforms on SC, Nana, Patpong etc. Could it be that bar owners don't want cops of any description potentially scaring away business ? Other than the odd Katoey-raid on Soi 4, the brownshirts only seem to front up after a fight.

 

I found this blog entry on the induction process for the TTP interesting,even if I was left wondering how anyone would spend 6 months waiting to be invited to join the TTP and turn up without sufficient Thai to understand what was being said, especially when a large part of the job would entail getting both sides of the story. Stick pointed out in a recent column that many expats who consider themselves 'fluent' in Thai cant even manage decent Taxi Thai - a job like this would need something considerably better, IMO.

 

http://reallifethailand.blogspot.com/2008/05/training-with-thai-tourist-police.html

[Flashermac]

You mean the volunteers. There are plenty of REAL tourist police in Bangkok. In fact, I taught them English once upon a time. That was a bit of an eye-opener. I thought the TPs were supposed to speak English. In fact, they speak scarcely any more than the ordinary Thai cops. What happens is they will call a commissioned officer who does speak English to come and translate for them.

 

I had a friend who was certified to translate for Farangs in court cases. He had been a monk for a number of years and his Thai was excellent. He got paid though, made a decent living from it.

 

 

p.s. I have heard plenty of expats "speaking Thai" when I could hardly understand a word they said. I asked my students how they understood such atrocious accents. They told me they'd guess at what he was probably trying to say and go from that.

[gobbledonk]

p.s. I have heard plenty of expats "speaking Thai" when I could hardly understand a word they said. I asked my students how they understood such atrocious accents. They told me they'd guess at what he was probably trying to say and go from that.

 

That's pretty much what I have to do with a lot of the Celts, particularly the Scots and some of the Irish. What astounds me is that they seem to make themselves understood in the bars, but then I guess that comes down to the delightful tale one of the Soi 4 gals told me. When her ex-BF was asked why he had spent so many years visiting Thailand and never learnt even the most basic phrases, his response was the he needed '3 things - alcohol, food and fuck', and those requirements seem to be universally understood. I guess you cant argue with the logic, but she left him when it was clear that alcohol took priority over anything else on his list. Based on recent threads from FJ and Mekong, sadly he's not alone.

[Flashermac]

I was sick as a dog one time in the Army, after I got totally shitfaced at an NCO club. The next day I wanted someone to shoot me and put me out of my misery. Since then I pace my drinking. But it seems a lot of folks can't stop until they pass out.

[Julian2]

This blog entry is by an American I know here in the North, quite insightful into learning Thai I thought.

 

http://villagefarang.blogspot.com/2011/08/learning-thai.html

 

He's an interesting guy, he's pissed a few people off up here because he says what he thinks which often doesn't fall into the standard expat philosophy but I've always got on well with him.

[Bangkoktraveler]

I was sick as a dog one time in the Army, after I got totally shitfaced at an NCO club. The next day I wanted someone to shoot me and put me out of my misery. Since then I pace my drinking. But it seems a lot of folks can't stop until they pass out.

 

 

I thought shit faced came from somebody using a 2 storey outhouse's downstair hole when they got the surprise of their life from somebody using the hole up above.

[dave32]

This blog entry is by an American I know here in the North, quite insightful into learning Thai I thought.

 

http://villagefarang.blogspot.com/2011/08/learning-thai.html

 

He's an interesting guy, he's pissed a few people off up here because he says what he thinks which often doesn't fall into the standard expat philosophy but I've always got on well with him.

 

 

I like the way he wrapped it up:

 

"There is no shortcut in my opinion. It takes time, effort and some form of formal training. Practice what you learn with everyone around you, not just your partner. For the most part Thais are very appreciative of any effort to learn their language or eat their food. So don’t be shy about using what you’ve got and listen intently to the responses and corrections that might come your way. Whatever you do though, learn Thai."

[Villagefarang]

This blog entry is by an American I know here in the North, quite insightful into learning Thai I thought.

 

http://villagefarang.blogspot.com/2011/08/learning-thai.html

 

He's an interesting guy, he's pissed a few people off up here because he says what he thinks which often doesn't fall into the standard expat philosophy but I've always got on well with him.

Thanks for the link Julian. Always nice to see new readers dropping by from new sources. By the way, you are on my list of good guys for being supportive during my early blogging days.

[Flashermac]

I thought shit faced came from somebody using a 2 storey outhouse's downstair hole when they got the surprise of their life from somebody using the hole up above.

 

 

That is the Arizona version.

[gobbledonk]

He's an interesting guy, he's pissed a few people off up here because he says what he thinks which often doesn't fall into the standard expat philosophy but I've always got on well with him.

 

Au contraire - that fits my image of most Thai-based expats to a tee ! Present company excepted, of course ..... :grovel: