English Conversation 14

[Music] unit one hotels is Rex in a good hotel yes it's one of the best in the area what are the rooms like the hotel offers a variety of accommodation both bungalows and suites are available is there a restaurant there yes the hotel is a wonderful restaurant all meals are buffet style where is the hotel it's located right on the beach all the bungalows are right on the water's edge that sounds good thank you very much what's the Grand Hotel like the hotel offers good service and value for money how big are the rooms the rooms are spacious and simply furnished what about the location the hotel's great location makes it ideal for a quiet retreat you can really relax and unwind is it close to the sea yes the beautiful beach is only a short walk away that sounds perfect thank you very much for your help can you tell me a little bit about the hotel the accommodation is clean comfortable and affordable what types of rooms are available single twins and double rooms are available they are either superior or deluxe what do the rooms look like the hotel has recently been renovated and modernized so all the rooms are pleasantly decorated and furnished is the hotel situated near any of the city's attractions the hotel is located within walking distance from all the local points of interest unit 2 travel and transport [Music] good morning sir did you have a nice flight very good thanks I had a stopover in Bangkok last night so it was just a short domestic flight for me today our minibus is waiting right outside I have to wait for just one more passenger to arrive and then we'll set off well the journey take very long not at all about 20 minutes what time does the other guests get in oh he was on the same flight as you so he should be here any minute great I'm going on the tour tomorrow what time will I be picked up oh the bus will pick you up around 7 a.m. please wait at your hotel reception it will call for you can you tell me a little about tomorrow's itinerary certainly the trip starts at 7 when we pick you up at your hotel we'll stop off at a couple of other hotels to collect some more guests and then it's straight to a UTF will we stop for something to eat on the way we'll stop at a small restaurant for breakfast and then we'll have our lunch around midday what time are we due back I will drop you off at your hotel around 6:00 thank you you're very welcome can you tell me how to get to the grand palace sure there are a number of ways to get there you could take a bus taxi or a tuk-tuk is that one of those three-wheeled vehicles I've seen around that's right the traffic is so bad at this time of day though it'll take quite a long time to get there it might be better for you to take a boat well that sounds better anyway yes it's quite nice to escape the traffic and cruise up and down the top of a river how frequently do the boats run during the day they run every 15 minutes or so that's great thanks for your help you're welcome unit 3 conversation openers good morning how are you fine thanks and you very well thank you did you sleep well yes I was so tired I went to bed really early I'm glad to hear that you had a good night's sleep because we have a lot of interesting things to see today great I can't wait I'm going to talk to the other guests now please let me know if I can be of any assistance thank you I will hi how are you very well thank you is this your first visit to Thailand yes it is I'm really enjoying it how long are you staying I'm on a two-week holiday I have already been here one week so I have one more to go where have you been so far I spent the first week on the beach relaxing now I have a week of sightseeing good I hope you enjoyed the tour please feel free to ask me any questions you like I'm always willing to help thanks very much that's very kind of you hello again I'm sorry what did you say your name was I'm James sorry James so what do you do back home oh I'm an accountant that's interesting do you enjoy your job oh you know it pays the bills do you enjoy this yes I'm very proud of our history and culture and it's great to share that with people don't you get bored at all oh there's always someone new to talk to and always some questions that haven't been asked before it's nice when someone enjoys their work yes I love meeting new people and I enjoy practicing my English too I think your English is very good and certainly a lot better than my Thai thank you you're very kind unit for the tour please tell me about the most popular resort areas in Thailand Thailand has many inland and coastal resorts I already know about many of the resorts in southern Thailand what about the rest of the country central Thailand has beautiful rivers and waterfalls and there are mountains and lush forests in the north the Thai scenery certainly does sound fantastic would you like me to book anything for you now wow there is so much to do and so little time to do it I will have to think about how long I have left and then lets you know okay no problem I'm here to offer any advice when you need it thank you ever so much good bye good bye hello I'd like some advice please sure how can I help you I'm on vacation but I'm only here for a few days I'd like to know what tours do you recommend okay are you looking for a day excursion to some local attractions an overnight trip or perhaps a weekend getaway I'd like to stay fairly local I think because I've already done a lot of traveling in that case may I suggest that you look through this brochure and see if there's anything there that interests him thank you Kanchana berry looks interesting I see that you have to package tours to Canterbury can you give me the price of each one certainly the day trip costs one thousand three hundred baht and the overnight trip costs two thousand four hundred but it looks like there's a lot more items included on the two-day itinerary so I think I'll choose that one okay I will make the reservation for you it's a really good tour so I'm sure you'll enjoy it thank you besides the bangkok attractions can you tell me what other day trips are available certainly the two most popular excursions are to a your TA intention amore yes that's where the famous bridge over the river kwai is isn't it that's right we offer trips to the bridge and also the death railway where thousands of Allied troops were killed by the brutal treatment of the Japanese during its construction what else is there to see in Kunshan every most in the province remains specially populated and wild so there are a number of wildlife sanctuaries I'd like to go see what the real Thai countryside looks like yes you should the landscape is so picturesque kanchanaburi has several of Thailand's largest waterfalls they are beautiful okay I'm sold when can I go unit 5 Thai customs this is my first trip to Thailand and I'd like to find out some information about Thai customs ok the first thing you should know is the Thai greeting yes I've seen that when Thais greet each other they put their hands together in a prayer position that's right it's called the Y and Thai people do it to show respect for each other that's interesting we just shake hands yes and most Thai people know that so no one will be angry with you if you don't lie however if someone does Y to you then it's only polite to return the greeting is that the only time of Y is performed no Thai people also show respect to images of the king and Lord Buddha in the same way although when the Y is performed on these occasions the hands are held higher and the head is bowed lower the gesture can mean not only hello but also thank you goodbye and I'm sorry wow I didn't know that thanks for your advice I heard that Thai food is very delicious is it very spicy Thai food is wonderful but a lot of our dishes are made using chilies so be careful especially if you're not used to hot food is it possible to eat food that isn't very spicy yes there are a number of dishes that aren't too spicy look out for dishes that are made using coconut milk those tend to be less spicy is there any Thai food I should watch out for my advice is to try everything but do be careful if you buy food from a street vendor they are not governed by the Health Authority so the food might not be as clean or prepared as the food you would get in a restaurant thank you you've been very helpful no problem what do traditional Thai homes look like well traditional homes were made from teak they had ornate roofs and were usually built on stilts nowadays most people live in modern houses or apartments what should I do if I'm invited to a Thai house Thai people are very hospitable so it's not unusual to be invited into someone's home are there any do's and don'ts well you must remember to take your shoes off at the door that's the most important thing what should I expect oh you probably be offered something to eat and drink a glass of water a cup of coffee some fruit whatever is at hand really but what if I'm not hungry or thirsty you should try something to refuse even a taste might be considered impolite thank you that's good advice - no you're welcome unit six shopping can you tell me the best place to go shopping there are many places you can buy inexpensive gifts and souvenirs from department stores and shopping malls to markets and street vendors what kind of things should I buy traditional Thai handicrafts include cotton and silk weaving I definitely want to buy some silk do you have any other suggestions paper parasols and wood carvings are other popular gift items if giving me some very useful yes thank you what is the best market to go to the best one here in Bangkok is the justit's a freaking market is that the biggest yes it's huge you can buy just about anything there and what about the floating market Bangkok used to have many floating markets until they started to fill in the canals there are still several around but some of them are now just tourist shows probably the most authentic one is the demands of the work floating market is that worth going to certainly there are pictures of floating markets everywhere around Thailand and the trip to Bangkok wouldn't be complete without a look at one do you have any advice for my visit to the market today hmm be prepared to barter you can get some real bargains but watch out the vendors will start by asking a high price for their goods you can usually knock them down a lot though hmm that could be fun is there anything else I should know it's very hot so make sure you drink plenty of water thank you I will there is one more thing it's very crowded and there may be pickpocket around so be careful with your wallet oh okay thanks for the advice unit seven religion if you're going to visit any temple then there are a few things you should know yeah go ahead well temples are sacred places so you should dress politely okay what kind of things should I avoid wearing you shouldn't wear shorts or sleeveless tops and you may be refused admission if you're not wearing shoes with closed heels and toes make sure you take your shoes off though before you go inside I'll remember that is there anything else just be careful not to tread on the doorframe when you step inside and if you sit down then don't point your feet towards the Buddha can I kneel or sit cross-legged yes either spine the most celebrated architectural form of Thailand is the what the Thai Buddhist temple complex so the Wat is comprised of more than one building yes a what is made up of several buildings that serve all the religious needs of the monastic community there seem to be a lot of temples in Thailand there are Thailand has nearly 18,000 Buddhist temples throughout the country wow that's a lot well the temples provide religious sanctuaries for Thailand's Buddhists who account for about 95 percent of the population the temples are covered with the most beautiful paintings we're very proud of them the mural paintings are one of Thailand's great artistic achievements do they all depict similar stories well all the scenes are inspired by Buddhist doctrines and are usually intended to teach the worshippers about religion and morality I've seen miniature temples next to people's houses what are they for ah there's spirit houses every tight house or building has one so people believe that spirits live in them yes Thai people believe sacred spirits live in their houses the spirits are called pappu they make special spirit houses for pappu to live in I spend some type evil putting flowers and things inside the family paid their respects to pop him at the spirit house so the spirits will protect the family and bring good fortune thank you that's very interesting we have nothing like that back home unit 8 Bangkok's detractions [Music] when was the grand palace built King Rama the first began construction of the grand palace in 1882 which also marks the founding of the jaggery dynasty the complex is made up of more than 100 buildings covering an area of 132 acres what was first built at the grand palace first there were three parts the throne Hall the royal residence and what per cow it looks like a ups dial yes the grand palace is a copy of the former palace that used to be in a you - yeah fantastic does the King actually live here no this used to be the Kings residence but now the king and his family residing Jitlada a palace so what is inside the most important is the jaggery maha prasat throne Hall where the King receives ambassadors at the presentation of their credentials are there many ceremonies conducted in the area yes and there are some special royal ceremonies held in an open field called sanam Luang that's nearby - are there other important temples yes another interesting temple is what pole so why is what pole famous what PO is an ancient temple one of the oldest and largest what's in Bangkok and it's famous for its magnificent statue a gigantic 46 metre reclining Buddha that's huge how old is it as a temple site it dates back to the 16th century but it was completely rebuilt in 1781 is that also the place I can get a massage yes it's the center for teaching of traditional Thai healing and massage and our session will cost you about 105 I think I'll go there tomorrow I can do within my size what other temples can I visit there is one more very famous temple it's called what Arun what other yes or more commonly known as the temple of Thanh the architecture has some distinctive features its style is typical of the iut a period I think I've seen a picture it has a huge pagoda doesn't it yes the pagoda is very large it is 82 meters high and 234 meters wide sitting on the bank of the mighty top layer River what's in the compound the pavilion contains massive murals that depict images of the Buddha's life that's well worth a look - thank you unit nine historical sites in a UTM where is a UTI a UTS stance on the Chao Phraya River not too far from Bangkok about an hour and a half by car it used to be the old capital right yes the city served as the capitol of Siam until 1767 when it was sacked by the Burmese and the capital was moved to Bangkok what can I expect to see there there are several magnificent ancient Buddhist pagodas that are still standing and also a 16th century Palace built on a nearby island as a summer residence for the King I'd like to find out more about ancient ruins this was one of Thailand's golden eras and there are many enchanting ruins there it's a world heritage site what is the most important site there among other points of interest is what precedes ump it was that's a royal palace it was used as a royal temple in Paris by several kings in one's house a colossal 16 meter high Buddha covered with 250 kilograms of gold what happened to it it was melted down by the burmese when they conquered the capital that's a shame I'm sure it would have been an awesome sight now the site is mainly known for the line of three large teddies which contained the remains of royal families are there any other attractions nearby there is bunker in which was constructed as the summer palace for king rama v what's that the complex is made of a collection of many ornate buildings including the Chinese style we had Cameroon palace that is open to visitors anything else yes there's the elephant crawl which is a restored version of the wooden stockade once used from the annual roundup of wild elephants the king used to have a wait platform there from which to observe the thrilling event you'd attend attractions in Chiang Mai how big is Chiang Mai Ching mice one of Thailand's largest cities it covers an area of 20,000 square kilometres could you tell me some interesting places to visit there are many ruins of the 13th and 14th century temples in the old section of the city what is the most famous temple the most famous temple in Chiang Mai isn't within the walled city but located on a nearby hilltop it's called what proton noise at a how high is Dorset eh it's three thousand five hundred twenty feet above sea level and forms a picturesque backdrop to the city why is it considered the most sacred temple in Chiang Mai within the temple complex there is a Chetty which is believed to contain relics of Lord Buddha many people make pilgrimages each year to this temple is Tang mine in ancient city Ching hai was founded in 1296 on the site of an 11th century settlement and was the capital of the lam 90 Kingdom what is there to see and do in Chiang Mai there are an increasing number of cultural learning experiences available you can try Thai cooking massage yoga meditation and more I've been told that handicrafts in Chiang Mai are very popular what can i buy there all kinds of things they vary from silverware to wood carvings and silk to pottery is there a market yes Chiang Mai is famous for its Night Bazaar it really good market and a great place to buy your souvenirs it sounds like there's quite a lot to do maybe I should stay a little longer than I planned to make sure I get to see all these places I'm glad to hear that you know if you're staying there for more than just a couple of days another popular excursion is to take a trek up to one of the local hill tribes I've seen postcards of people trekking in the hills riding on the backs of elephants can I ride on one yes it's a great way to travel you can sit down and take in the splendor of the majestic countryside it is a little bumpy though and a lot of fun too yes can I have some more information about your tours there sure and if you need any more help then please come and ask thank you where are you going where are you going that means that like which place are you going to where are you going I'm going to the bank I'm going to the bank or I'm going to the library I'm going to the supermarket where are you going I'm going to the bank number 2 do you usually go to the library that means that do you go to the library often do you often go to the library use your remember this is your you sure work sure usually do you usually go to the library do you usually go to light sorry do you usually go to the library yes I do yes I do you can link them together yes I yes I do I go there there that means library I go there once a week you can say I go there every day I go there every week I go there two or three times a week or I go there once a week once a week that mean one time a week or weekly yes I go there once a week or you can say no I sometimes go there I sometimes remember like I don't go there often just maybe like one month or two months once one once everyone's every one or two months something like that okay so you can say no I sometimes go there or you can say I if you have never been there you can say I never go there or you can say I rarely I hardly go there they say but sometimes okay so no I sometimes go there do you usually go to library yes I do I go there once a week or no I sometimes go there number three is there a supermarket nearby Leben like is there in the supermarket and that is around here that is near here you can say nearby or near here is there a supermarket nearby yes there is and then you can get the other direction okay you can say I'll go straight ahead or turn right or two left something like that and then this is my example go straight for 100 meters okay so you can say yes there is it goes straight for 100 meters and no there isn't all right you could say if you are if you don't know about that you can say if you don't know about that you can say sorry I don't know sorry I don't know if you are not familiar with their places there you can say sorry I don't know okay or sorry I have no idea about this place again you can say ask is there supermarket nearby yes there is go straight a straight and remember to straight go straight 400 meter or no their reason or if you don't know you can say sorry I don't know okay so that's all for today thanks goodbye see ya

Channel: English Conversation

Views: 529,867

Keywords: english tourism, hotel, thai, baht, english for travel, vacation, holiday, practice english, talk english, speak english, Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Buddha, temple, Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai, learn english, everyday english, daily english, english communication, english for beginner, english subtitle, aprende inglés, aprender inglês, Imparare l'inglese, apprendre l'anglais, Изучать английский язык, تعلم اللغة الإنجليزية, अंग्रेजी सीखना, 學英語, 学英语, du lịch thái lan, tiếng anh du lịch

Id: 3PtdNEJwYFk

Length: 31min 12sec (1872 seconds)

Published: Wed Jun 24 2020