Looking for Work in Cambodia

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hanno
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Re: Looking for Work in Cambodia

Post by hanno »

Jamie_Lambo wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2017 10:07 am
phuketrichard wrote: Mon Mar 13, 2017 11:04 am i have found many more Khmers speak english than Thais do
definitely not the case imo

Khmers do speak a lot better/clearer English though due to Khmer not being tonal so they dont have that annoying accent lol
Totally agree with Richard. Leave the cities in LOS and absolutely nobody speaks English. Even the taxi drivers in BKK don't speak more than two words.
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Re: Looking for Work in Cambodia

Post by Jamie_Lambo »

hanno wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2017 11:49 am
Jamie_Lambo wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2017 10:07 am
phuketrichard wrote: Mon Mar 13, 2017 11:04 am i have found many more Khmers speak english than Thais do
definitely not the case imo

Khmers do speak a lot better/clearer English though due to Khmer not being tonal so they dont have that annoying accent lol
Totally agree with Richard. Leave the cities in LOS and absolutely nobody speaks English. Even the taxi drivers in BKK don't speak more than two words.
but the same can be said for cambodia can it not? that was my point?
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Re: Looking for Work in Cambodia

Post by John Bingham »

Plenty of ordinary Cambodians, including drivers, can speak reasonable English.
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Re: Looking for Work in Cambodia

Post by hanno »

John Bingham wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2017 1:31 pm Plenty of ordinary Cambodians, including drivers, can speak reasonable English.
I have no hard facts to back this up but I have traveled a fair bit through both Thailand and Cambodia. Even in rural Cambodia you will eventually find someone that speaks English, it is a pretty lost cause on LOS. As you point out: a lot of drivers, Tuk-tuk drivers, shop staff can speak passable English, this does not appear to be as widespread in Thailand. At least one good thing the NGO's did over here.
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Re: Looking for Work in Cambodia

Post by Jamie_Lambo »

hanno wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2017 1:34 pm
John Bingham wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2017 1:31 pm Plenty of ordinary Cambodians, including drivers, can speak reasonable English.
I have no hard facts to back this up but I have traveled a fair bit through both Thailand and Cambodia. Even in rural Cambodia you will eventually find someone that speaks English, it is a pretty lost cause on LOS. As you point out: a lot of drivers, Tuk-tuk drivers, shop staff can speak passable English, this does not appear to be as widespread in Thailand. At least one good thing the NGO's did over here.
we must hang around far different places then,
most places i hang out no one speaks English, but then again i eat in beer gardens and drink in KTV's and local discos
perhaps i notice it less because i converse mainly in khmer here
but go down the market, or anywhere that hasnt got nothing to do with foreigners and you will struggle to find anyone that can speak English let alone "reasonable english"
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Re: Looking for Work in Cambodia

Post by Jamie_Lambo »

John Bingham wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2017 1:31 pm Plenty of ordinary Cambodians, including drivers, can speak reasonable English.
whats an ordinary cambodian?
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Re: Looking for Work in Cambodia

Post by phuketrichard »

I feel i have traveled more so than many throughout Thailand and Cambodia by my car and find English spoken in out of the ways places more so in Cambodia ( in most hotels in the country) BUT, get out of the tourist areas in Thailand and even in hotels, u will find it hard to converse in anything but thai

Some places i visited (like up above steung treng on the mekong) in Cambodia it was easier for me speaking english and thai to communicate than my gf speaking Khmer :-) go figure

SO jamie; u hang out in ktv''s with Cambodians and only speak khmer?? didn't know u were that fluent....limited conversation and i assume it gets better the drunker u are
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Re: Looking for Work in Cambodia

Post by John Bingham »

Jamie_Lambo wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2017 1:54 pm
John Bingham wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2017 1:31 pm Plenty of ordinary Cambodians, including drivers, can speak reasonable English.
whats an ordinary cambodian?
One who isn't particularly well-educated or rich or special. :D
As you mentioned though, I'll more often speak Khmer unless someone makes it obvious they can/ want to speak English.
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Re: Looking for Work in Cambodia

Post by Jamie_Lambo »

phuketrichard wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2017 2:03 pm I feel i have traveled more so than many throughout Thailand and Cambodia by my car and find English spoken in out of the ways places more so in Cambodia ( in most hotels in the country) BUT, get out of the tourist areas in Thailand and even in hotels, u will find it hard to converse in anything but thai

Some places i visited (like up above steung treng on the mekong) in Cambodia it was easier for me speaking english and thai to communicate than my gf speaking Khmer :-) go figure

SO jamie; u hang out in ktv''s with Cambodians and only speak khmer?? didn't know u were that fluent....limited conversation and i assume it gets better the drunker u are
im not denying your stories, the places you visited probably did have people who spoke English, im just telling you my experiences also

yeah sure, does that surprise you? i can speak and read khmer and sing khmer songs too (although i wouldnt call it singing lol)

if you base your opinion on the hotels you visit, or the places you go traveling, then i can understand your point of view, i know youve got a vast experience of traveling and im not doubting any of your experiences,
but from my point of view, (you would have the same about me and thailand because you live there, you see sides tourists would never see) you've not been in or to the right places to create the right opinion,
the places ive been you would never go to if you were "traveling around the country" no matter how off the beaten path you assume youve gone, you stay in hotels, i stay round friends houses, i go to socialise or go to parties in places you cant just stroll up and join in etc.
but im sure you already know all that, just trying to put my opinion across, im not saying less people speak English than in Thailand, as i cant compare as ive not spent enough time out of the cities and towns in thailand, im sure its no different to Cambodia :thumb: but to say a lot more people speak English in Cambodia i feel is a inaccurate statement, the only people who would agree are people who live in PP or SR
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Re: Looking for Work in Cambodia

Post by Jamie_Lambo »

John Bingham wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2017 2:18 pm
Jamie_Lambo wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2017 1:54 pm
John Bingham wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2017 1:31 pm Plenty of ordinary Cambodians, including drivers, can speak reasonable English.
whats an ordinary cambodian?
One who isn't particularly well-educated or rich or special. :D
As you mentioned though, I'll more often speak Khmer unless someone makes it obvious they can/ want to speak English.
:thumb:
i dont know if its just me, but how many construction workers, truck drivers, farm workers, factory girls, ktv girls, local eatery girls, market sellers, motodop drivers (not ones that hang around riverside) etc, can speak reasonable English?
i don't class "Yes/No/Dollar/1-10/OK" as reasonable English btw lol
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