Taxi driver/language
#3
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 297
Most of taxi drivers I have used in Thailand spoke passable English and they always want to talk a little to practice. Now the ones that drive the motorcycle taxis and taxi trucks (pickup trucks with bench seating in the bed) are a whole other breed.
#4

Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: No longer loyal "over-entitled" 1K
Posts: 3,825
Taxi drivers in Bangkok speak basic English. That being said, certain names like hotel name or dept store name is pronounced very differently. It is always a good idea to have someone write the destination in Thai.
As I don't speak fluent Chinese, I didn't try them, but I doubt they would speak Chinese.
As I don't speak fluent Chinese, I didn't try them, but I doubt they would speak Chinese.
#6




Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Terra Australis Cognita
Posts: 5,353
#7
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Business class, aisle seat, in Bangkok, Thailand
Posts: 161
Yes.
But the fact that you see those stickers on taxi windows is a sure indication that many here don't love foreigners very much.
The "I love NY" signs started appearing when New York started having serious problems.
-- Peter
But the fact that you see those stickers on taxi windows is a sure indication that many here don't love foreigners very much.
The "I love NY" signs started appearing when New York started having serious problems.
-- Peter
#8
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Business class, aisle seat, in Bangkok, Thailand
Posts: 161
Their language is Lao-Isaarn, not central Thai.
You do find a few ethnic Thais driving taxis in Bangkok, but not many.
In my experience, based on simple conversations, less than 5% are speaking central Thai.
I often ask the drivers what province they are from.
In two-plus years of riding in hundreds of taxis, only one has said he is from Bangkok.
Perhaps three or four have named provinces in central Thailand, and another few in the Northern provinces.
All the rest are from provinces in the Lao-Isaarn region.
I don't know about Chinese language, but some taxi drivers here have a smattering of Japanese.
I know because a few have practiced their Japanese language on me.
Why, I have no idea.
The problem with their English, is the Thai pronunciation of English words is very far from anything we would expect.
They add in their own tones and their own styles of vowel lengths and emphasis.
They think they are speaking English, but you are going to have a very difficult time understanding more than a word here and there.
-- Peter


