Pood thai mai krab?

[olnmfc]

My thai wife has never seemed too keen on me learning to speak Thai properly. I've learned lots of little words and phrases but its only now, some 3 years on that I can actually exchange a few words with her family.

Do Thai ladies have a reason for4 not wanting their husbands speaking thai?

[David_Loves_Ubonwan]

Do Thai ladies have a reason for4 not wanting their husbands speaking thai?

The only reason I can think of would be to discourage communication?

My wife helps and encourages me to learn Thai; though I know she would prefer me to speak Khmer-Surin which is her first language.

David

[olnmfc]

yes I kinda worked that one out, but wondered why /what others experience is as I've found its a common problem with "farang" husbands

[David_Loves_Ubonwan]

yes I kinda worked that one out, but wondered why /what others experience is as I've found its a common problem with "farang" husbands

That is the opposite to my experience, not just with my own wife but of other couples I know.

David

[olnmfc]

Ah well, just goes to show there all types out there. All the best.

[Surawut]

There is a saying in Thai, particularly amongst (some) Thai women.

½ÃÑè§ÃÙéÁÒ¡äÁè´Õ Farang ruu maak mai dii "A farang who knows too much is not a good thing"

Make of that what you will......

[David_Loves_Ubonwan]

Ah well, just goes to show there all types out there. All the best.

A good reason why I don't like generalisations.

David

[PaulWilding]

I've found its a common problem with "farang" husbands

And boyfriends, I've encountered it and had friends encounter it too. It seems pretty common.

Part of it is if you speak English all the time, she gets to perfect her English. Also it means you can't chat to other Thai girls, especially her friends, which makes, being a naughty boy a lot more difficult.

[kpoyd]

The only reason I can think of would be to discourage communication?

My wife helps and encourages me to learn Thai; though I know she would prefer me to speak Khmer-Surin which is her first language.

David

I just LOVE the Khmer-Surin sound and melody. And because of that, it gives Surin a different positive atmosphere which I like.
Chulalongkorn has a SurinKhmer dictionary (SurinKhmer/English/Thai) from their "indigenous languages of Thailand research project"
600+ pages, typewritten. It's from 1978 already.
Not for sale, but I got my copy by just going to the Culalongkorn library, and they have a copy+binding service.
So they copied every page recto verso, and bound it in a very nice hard cover with golden letters imprinted.
Even if you not get to the point of studying the language, it really is a book to have and cherish and browse in together with your wife, David.
My girlfriend is from Central Thailand and doens't speak a word of Khmer. So I don't get to learning this beautiful language - except from what some very basics over the years..

As for the initial question of the OP : I never had any problems (absolutely on the contrary : girlfriend+friends have always been supportive and reay to explain my questions).
And though there is this "famous" expression "Farang ruu maak mai dii" (boksida huu maak bo dii / prang deng jareun man jia tae), in my experience this has been more a running joke than something serious.
On the other hand, if a partner really means this and really doesn't want you to learn any Thai, then in my opinion it would be time to find the causes and reevalute the relationship. For me personally, such a relationship would be doomed.

[fileeep]

My thai wife has never seemed too keen on me learning to speak Thai properly. I've learned lots of little words and phrases but its only now, some 3 years on that I can actually exchange a few words with her family.

Do Thai ladies have a reason for4 not wanting their husbands speaking thai?

That seems very strange......you should try to find out why……straight away. I can only think of one reason why ‘not like farang speak Thai’……….