Customer Reviews

Thai for Lovers

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I've been waiting for a book like this for a long time. I've been to Thailand twice now and have spent a lot of money and time trying to learn this strange language. I have a Thai wife but she won't teach me so I keep buying books and tapes but they all have something that makes it hard to learn. The only drawback to this book is it ends. This is real spoken Thai that you really use instead of only polite speech about things you'll never need to say. I hope this type of book catches on in other languages. But as for Thai it comes in handy for other reasons too. The trasliteration is good. Some books use 'ch' for a 'j' and 'sh' for 'ch' and I don't know why. The other thing is that it has Thai script. Without it you can't point to anything in the book which I always had to do and if you start learning their alphabet it's nice to have it there to make things clearer when you're confused about the sound. I don't mean to sound like a commercial but this is fun too. It gives you fun things to say to shock and impress your Thai friends. It also has a page on bad words that I showed to my wife. She told me to NEVER say those words to her or any Thai again. HA!

I haven't tried the tapes yet but hope to as soon as I get back home.

If you're going to Thailand or want to brush up I really suggest getting this book. If you might have a romantic adventure with a Thai cutie I can't suggest it enough.

As a professional man who lives and works in Thailand, I have found this book extremely helpful in dealing with every day street situations. I can assure you that all these phrases are real and many are used. Also, as a man married to a well educated professional Thai woman (an attorney), I can assure you that this book is not only used for prostitution. However, one must be careful when and where to use them, because, yes, many of them are rude and can cause embarrassment and even you to be beat up.

The main complaint I see many reviewers as having is that Thai for Lovers is not a constructive lesson in learning Thai. Well, I have news for these reviewers. IT ISN'T SUPPOSED TO BE! There are many other serious language books and dictionaries out there that can teach someone Thai. The authors even states in their introduction that the recommend Thai for Beginners as a general language text. This book is exactly what it says it is, a language guide to for a romantic journey to Thailand. Regarding other reviewers mention regarding the rapidness of the tapes, I'll agree. However, I'd like to point out that at least it has them. Many language guides don't come with any tapes at all. And, again, if someone wants to get correct pronunciation, she or he should buy a real language text. Furthermore, some reviewers state that the translations are suspect. This is not true. I know this because the book is written in both the Thai and English alphabet and if someone could read Thai as I can, they could see the accuracy.

Another complaint I see reviewers as having is that the book insults Thai people and promotes the negative stereotype that all Thai women are prostitutes and all Thai men pimps. This is simply not true. As I stated, I am a professional man married to a well educated professional Thai lady and we both find the book helpful (though I must admit she gets embarrassed at some of the phrases). The book does not only discuss the sex trade but is full of cultural information, discussing all aspects of romantic life in Thailand from chaperones and virginity to, yes, the sex industry. While, I love Thailand, its culture and its people, I know culture has its "dark side." This book simply exposes that side to those who already want to see it.

In summation, I highly recommend this book as a supplemental to a Thai language course or to someone who already knows Thai, but wants to get more detail. The book may be even good for the casual traveler. However, again, one must be careful how he or she speaks.

I went to Thailand for heart surgery that could not be done here in the U.S. (stem cells implanted in my heart muscle) and found myself falling in love with a nurse in Bangkok. I had no idea how to really communicate with her, but this book helped me accomplish that.

Yes, this book starts out with some phrases that can be found in other books, but you have to start out with "hello," don't you? It dealt with a lot of handy things to say, and having learned them, I found I was able to "mix and match" pieces of one example sentence with pieces of others to actually communicate a little bit.

This book allowed me to bridge the language gap when I really needed it. I bought "Thai for Beginners" soon afterwards to develop a bit more ability before I returned to the states. I listened to "Thai for Lovers" repeatedly in the states, and used the book as a handy guide when I called my new girlfriend in Thailand. Even though I have gone back and forth several times this year, and have developed a small Thai vocabulary, I still find it handy.

Is it the best book to use to become fluent in Thai? No, but it does exactly what it says it does -- provides someone who loves a Thai enough working language ability to begin their relationship.

As to it's use in "sex tourism," this book has more about dating, courting, and marriage discussion than one of the "guide to bar girl talk" books one finds in the Bangkok bookshops. Just because it mentions sex (how could it not, being a book "for Lovers"?) it is NOT aimed at the sex tourist. If that is what you are looking for, there are much smaller and cheaper pocket sized books for that purpose, buy one of those.

I think people would be well advised to look at the book "Thailand Fever" to explore the differences in western and Thai cultures as it relates to mixed romantic relationships. Paiboon Publishing has done westerners a real service by publishing both this book and "Thailand Fever."

How could everyone else have overlooked such an interesting and important area of Thai studies? :-) Make no mistake about it, when I travel to Thailand, I am not looking to sit in a monastery and stare at my navel for six months! I am there for the language and the culture and the (!!) people (!!). If you happen to fall in love with a Thai person, you will find that you need to run, not walk, to the nearest bookseller, to get a copy of this book!

A lot of fun! (Note: this is not a suitable text for beginners. But it says so on the cover. It's a supplemental series of lessons.)

Hope you enjoy this! I'm off for another Singha! :-)

This book is indispensible for anyone with a Thai girlfriend/boyfriend or spouse and for anyone who wishes to explore the nightlife in Thailand. The book is well organized and unlike a similar book called "Making out in Thai" it contains tone markers AND Thai script for each word/phrase; which is critical if you really want to learn.

A must have. I am engaged to a Thai woman and we had a blast reading through this book together. I have used and read other books but, they just didn't help with what you really want to say or convey to that special someone. With your average English-Thai dictionary/phrase book + 'Thai for Lovers', you will be set for just about any situation. Also has alot of info on Thai culture as it pertains to romance...

I would recommend this book. Thai for Lovers delivers exactly what it says, and does so in a brisk and engaging style. It deals with the aspects of friendship, courtship and even romance with a Thai person. Versatile enough to use in any way you choose, the vocabulary and phrases range from nice to naughty and provide you with the option to engage your companion in a polite or explicit manner depending on your situation.

Some may choose to focus only on the portion of the book dealing with bar girls and the etiquette in the GoGo Bars, however this represents only a fraction of the book's content and is presented here merely for the sake of completeness in a guide of this type. I found the book useful for not only learning about the complexities of courting a Thai woman, it also sheds light on the sometimes confusing cultural norms regarding friendship, extended relationships, and even marriage to a Thai woman.

While this book deals specifically with affairs of the heart and other such companionship it is by no means a complete guide to learning the Thai language. As stated elsewhere, if you are expressly interested in learning about the Thai language, the trilogy of Thai for Beginners, Thai for Intermediate Learners and Thai for Advanced Readers is the best bet for a thorough understanding of the intricacies of the Thai language. Nor is this book a true dictionary, for that I recommend the Thai-English-English-Thai Dictionary for handy reference of well over 20,000 words.

The tapes were helpful as well, while moving at a steady pace and as with most of Paiboon Publishing's tape sets they provide a useful audio component to reinforce your learning as they follow along with the vocabulary and phrases appearing in the book.

Despite some people's contention that the book is offensive I consider it a strength that this book provides the more explicit information about elements of the Thai culture that are very much real. The content and vocabulary range from the very explicit to the very polite elements of romantic relations with a Thai person that will no doubt serve you in good stead however you choose to use it.

Many of the phrases are useful to listen and understand to as well as use yourself. A lot of common and important sayings can be used in everyday situations, and not the context of what the title of the book asserts. This is useful for anyone who wants to learn relevant Thai. The cassettes are the most helpful. I bought this book and tape set in attempt to improve my Thai. The tape is fast but this actually proved helpful.

I am engaged to be married to a Thai lady, and was finding it hard to understand some of the cultural differences betwen us when it came to the marriage process. This book provides an excellent discussion on topics such as dowry, meeting the family and even how to kiss!

In addition, this book has many useful words and phrases, many of which do not appear in English-Thai dictionaires. I have used a number already, with very positive results!

In summary, a must have book for any foreigner in a relationship with a Thai native.

I must say, as a teacher, that some of these negative reviewers seem to have not read the book they are reviewing! Maybe they had indulged too heavily on the previous night, more's the pity.

I have been to Thailand just a few times, but my contacts with the graceful people there made me realize that I really needed to look into "Thai For Lovers," so I could find such (obvious) sentences as "I would like to kiss you. Would that be OK?"

This book changed my life! Just by showing me how to say a few simple things! I sincerely regret that some unregenerate Puritans have interpreted the word "love" to refer to their own game, which is apparently called "dead-head bar-girl sensuality."

Viva Benjawan!!