This article was originally posted on WomenLearnThai.com.
Who is Andrew Biggs?…
Andrew Biggs, the coolest bald guy in Thailand, is one of those long-time expat curiosities that a chunk of Thai learners know next to nothing about. A part of the reason is because Andrew does not market his talents to expats (he’s an all Thai sort of guy). And (taking a stab) I imagine the lack of focus on the expat market is due to Andrew’s available time being taken up already.
And as Andrew does not go after expats, we need to go to him.
There is supposed to be a course to teach Thai to foreigners at the Andrew Biggs Academy. When I checked andrewbiggs.com I came up with nadda (but I could be wrong). And other than a mention in Tod’s review of Thai Language Schools in Bangkok, I haven’t heard much else. If you are interested, please call 02-714-2838 for the details (and be sure to let us know).
Andrew Biggs in an English Minute…
I much prefer Andrew’s later iconic look, don’t you?
Note: I had to take down the links in this post to Andrew’s ‘English Minute’ videos due to YouTube banning the channel. Pity. If you know where they are now, please share.
Andrew Biggs does Facebook and Twitter and everything else…
Andrew spreads his talents to radio and TV shows, newspaper columns and magazines. You’ll also find Andrew these days is on Twitter and FaceBook.
Andrew has three accounts with Facebook. The first account he created is here: Andrew Biggs. But when he garnered too many friends, Andrew created a FB page with megga friending going on. He also has another FB page: คน ไทย อยาก เก่ง ภาษา อังกฤษ /kon tai yàak gèng paa-săa ang-grìt/ = Thai people who want to be proficient in English. If you are a Thai learning English, or wanting to learn Thai, it’s also a worthwhile read.
With 4,888 friends in one FB account and 3,057 members on another, and 35,478 followers on Twitter too (he responds as well), Andrew is understandably busy.
Andrew Biggs shares his twitters …
Once a day (but not on weekends) Andrew picks a subject to tweet about. Sometimes he grabs suggestions from his followers and other times his tweets are driven by current news either Thailand related, or from around the world. And no matter where Andrew is traveling (and he’s always traveling) Andrew tweets.
As I mentioned, Andrew Biggs is busy. Really busy. When I asked permission to use his Thai-English twitter phrases, within hours he came back with a generous yes (thanks Andrew!) I bugged him for other things too, but like I said, he’s really really busy.
Note: If the Thai script is too small for you to read, use command + if on a Mac, and control + if on a PC. If you have a new MacBook Pro or similar, just flick your fingers across your track pad. And if none of those work, google is your friend.
ทำอะไรอยู่
tam à-rai yòo
What are you up to?
ผมรู้สึกกดดันเครียด
pŏm róo sèuk gòt dan krîat
I’m stressed out.
อย่าเครียดนะ
yàa krîat ná
Don’t stress yourself out.
เกิดอะไรขึ้น
gèrt à-rai kêun
What’s happening?
เธอเป็นคนขี้อายมาก
ter bpen kon kêe aai mâak
She’s very shy.
เธอมีปัญหาที่แก้ยาก
ter mee bpan-hăa têe gâe yâak
She has a sticky problem.
เธอหน้าแดงหลังจากที่เธอหกล้ม
ter nâa daeng lăng jàak têe ter hòk lóm
She was embarrassed after she fell over.
นั่นไม่จริงหรอก
nân mâi jing ròk
That’s not true.
คุณนี่ตอแหล
kun nêe dtor-lăe
You are full of it.
ฉันอยากกลับบ้าน
chan àak glàp bâan
I want to go home.
ตามสบายไม่ต้องเกรงใจ
dtaam sà-baai · mâi dtông grayng jai
Make yourself at home.
ผมไม่อยากอยู่นานเกินไป
pŏm mâi yàak yòo naan gern bpai
I don’t want to wear out my welcome.
คุณจะกลับมาเมื่อไร
kun jà glàp maa mêua-rai
When will you be back?
ฉันอยู่แถวๆนี้
chăn yòo tăew née
I’ll be around.
ยืนรอตรงนั้น
yeun ror dtrong nán
Wait right there!
ฉันกำลังจะลง
chăn gam-lang jà long
I’m coming down now!
ไร้สาระจัง
rái săa-rá jang
That’s ridiculous.
อะไรกำลังจะเกิดขึ้น
à-rai gam-lang jà gèrt kêun
What’s happening?
คุณกำลังทำอะไรอยู่
kun gam-lang tam à-rai yòo
What are you up to?
เธอไม่เห็นคุณค่าของฉัน
ter mâi hĕn kun kâa kŏng chăn
You take me for granted.
เธอไม่ชอบคุณ
ter mâi chôp kun
She doesn’t like you.
ฉันรู้สึกเหมือนกัน
chăn róo sèuk mĕuan gan
The feeling is mutual.
เขากำลังทำอะไรที่ไม่ดี
kăo gam-lang tam à-rai têe mâi dee
He’s up to no good.
เขาไม่ฉลาด
kăo mâi chà-làat
He isn’t clever.
มีอะไรให้ช่วยไหม
mee à-rai hâi chûay măi
Do you need any help?
คุณเป็นอะไรไป
kun bpen à-rai bpai
What’s the matter?
ฉันไม่มีข้อมูลเลย · ฉันไม่รู้(ต่อ)
chăn mâi mee kôr moon loie · chăn mâi róo (dtòr)
I’m in the dark.
ผมพยายามหาความจริงอยู่
pŏm pá-yaa-yaam hăa kwaam jing yòo
I’m trying to unravel the truth.
อะไรนะครับ
à-rai ná kráp
What?
นี่ไร้สาระ
nêe rái săa-rá
This is rediculous.
ผมไม่ใช่คนโง่
pŏm mâi châi kon ngôh
I’m not stupid.
ผมรู้ว่าอะไรเกิดขึ้นอยู่
pŏm róo wâa à-rai gèrt kêun yòo
I know what’s going on.
ฉันเริ่มทนคุณไม่ไหว
chăn rêrm ton kun mâi wăi
I’m losing patience with you.
ใจเย็นๆอดทนซักหน่อย
jai yen yen òt ton sák nòi
Please be patient.
น่าเสียดายจัง
nâa sĭa daai jang
What a shame!
วันนี้คุณดูอ้วน
wan née kun doo ûan
You look fat today.
ฉันเห็นด้วยอย่างยิ่ง
chăn hĕn dûay yàang yîng
I couldn’t agree more.
ผมไม่รู้จะทำอะไร
pŏm mâi róo jà tam à-rai
I’m stuck (I don’t know what to do).
ผมไม่รู้เรื่องเลย(ต่อ)
pŏm mâi róo rêuang loie (dtòr)
I don’t know what’s going on.
ถ้ามีข้อสงสัยอะไรก็โทรหาผม
tâa mee kôr sŏng-săi à-rai gôr toh hăa pŏm
If you’re stuck at all, give me a call.
ไม่คุ้ม
mâi kúm
It’s not worth it.
ฉันต้องการ… ช็อกโกแล็ต
chăn dtông gaan chocolate
I want chocolate.
คุณทำให้ฉันหัวเราะ
kun tam hâi chăn hŭa rór
You crack me up.
ฉันขาดไม่ได้…ช็อกโกแล็ต
chăn kàat mâi dâi chocolate
I need chocolate.
Andrew, if you are reading this, I would love to have your interview on WLT 🙂
EDIT: Thanks Andrew! Successful Thai Language Learner: Andrew Biggs
And just in case you missed it, his twittering is going on here: Andrew Biggs on Twitter
Andrew really is an amazing man. Also, he’s marketed himself extremely well (reminds me of Seth Godwin) which helps in our digital world.
My Thai has surpassed my French, but I have the Thais to thank for that (not me). With smiles and much laughter, they have patiently moved me on (no matter how badly I’ve mashed their language).
Andrew is an amazing Thai speaker. So few foreigners speak Thai with any proficiency that it still looks strange to me to see a farang speaking Thai, let alone so well…
The last time I heard from Andrew on his blog was when he recently completed a marathon.
I think expats who CHOOSE to come to live in Thailand (vs. being transferred by their company) would have so much more success if they could capture the language and use it with the proficiency Andrew has.
I know my world would have been opened far wider had I known Thai the way I know French, for example.
Hi Tod, great to see you here. I too am itching to get my hands on his books (for just a peek) so I might drop by his school as well. Pity that he can’t hire someone to market to expats as there is room for it in Bangkok. And if the courses are already formulated, then…
FWIW: at the Andrew Biggs Academy in the Major Ekami Mall they do also teach thai to foreigners.
The person who developed his text books obviously put a LOT of time into their format and development. The books are well thought out and intensive in their content. (Sadly I couldn’t just buy the books, something you really can’t do at any language school, so it’s not a jab at his school!)
The marketing of the fact that they teach thai language to foreigners seems to be nearly non-existent, and there’s not a mention of it on his webpage. Then again his ‘bread is heavily buttered’ by teaching english to thais, not thai to foreigners.
They used to offer group lessons, but last time I was out there they said they only do private classes now.
It’s certainly worth the time to go scope it out, maybe see if they offer a free class. As I said they have really good textbooks and high value material.