Ko Tao Travel Forum

The title of my posting is more a question. I have absolutely nothing against Scandanavians at all, its just after a stay in Phuket last year where my girlfriend and I didn't meet anybody (due to the language barrier) we need an honest opinion. Any Scandanavians/other Europeans welcome to reply!! Cheers.

I'm very "in the fog" about your question. Language barrier ? Scandinavians talk English. Did the ones you met (saw) behave unpolitely or rude? Were there too many of us (not me, I've never been there), or what ?

I guess you COULD talk to us as we indeed speak excellent English (I am married to an Englishman who thinks most of my friends speak more proper English than his English relatives...). But I guess you felt it was hard to make contact with us, not understanding what "we" (again, I've never been there either) were talking about in the first place. But most Swedes love practising their English to the point of it being ridiculous in pubs in for instance Gothenburg...We are "Brit groupies" if you like :)))

But yep, the entire Thailand is invaded by Swedes. It's our favourite place to go to (not mine for that very reason) and we lost more people than most other western countries in the tsunami disaster...it was a national tragedy.

So glad you agree with me Pupulainen. Though, I must say, Finns have more difficulties with fluent English than Norwegians or Swedes. Quite natural, Finnish belonging to a very different language group than Norwegian or English. But when the English can't express themselves clearly, how can they expect us to?

Please dont be offended. I meant no disrespect. Funny, our resort was mainly Finnish and German. We did try to talk to evryone, but it seemed as though they were finding it hard work too. My dive instructor was swedish, great guy. I just wanted an idea of whether KOH TAO has many British visitors aswell. Unless they are into World Affairs I very much doubt that the Swedish tourists will be interseted in things happening in UK and know the place like other Brits. Again, No offence

Please dont be offended. I meant NO harm. We did try, and we struggled with most. Mainly Finnish and German. Not sure why? Just wanted an opinion of whether many Brits visit also...same talking points, meet people near to where you live? Thanks for you reply though. Bobbie.

PLease dont be offended. I meant NO harm. We did try and we struggled with most of the other people in our resort (mainly Finnish and German) Just wanted an opinion on whether there are many British visit there as we would obviously have more similar talking points from back in UK. Again, no offence and thanks for your reply. Bobbie

Be free n open minded as we are all child of the universe.Look at my pic,still struttng around despitr of the avian flu......so what is the big deal?

I am still a little confused. As said over, I, too, have no interests in meeting my contryfellows when travelling. And correct, Finns, possiblymore than other Nordics, talk in their own language even with non-Suomi company. And Thailenders in tourist spots talk passably English? But for Germans, as with Finns ? So why don't you all non-Nordics come visit us up here ? Also correct, Scandinavia is Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Nordic region includes Iceland, Faeroy islands, and Finland (Suomi)

Not to be rude, but what comes to my mind as I have read through this discussion, is that it would be about time that English people take the hazzle to learn another language? In that way you could be able to talk with a lot more people when travelling, many of them surely interesting. What often strikes me as a little bit rude when travelling, is that English people take for granted that anyone speaks English as well, and that they dont seem to slow down when they themselves speak (in order to give a non-Eng speaker a fairer chance). Sorry, I just had to say this. Btw, I am Scandinavian (Norw).

Unfortunately, it seems most of you have taken my comments the wrong way or at least not the way I intended. I love meeting people from all over. I especially love the Thai people, the most welcoming and genuine of all the people I have met all over the world. Indeed, this will be our 8th time to the Province. We extended our last visit after the wave wrecked our hotel on that morning, and spent an extra week cleaning Karon Beach and helping the hotel staff find their feet again. In that resort area, all the restaurants were Scandanavian. 99% of the people were Scandanavian or German. And at times, we were unable to make conversation or interact with anyone as there were no other British there. Hence I have asked for any info on who actually visits Koh Tao. If some of you want to connect my comments to a nationality or bigotry type affair, then that is really up to you. I agree, the English can take for granted that most other countries speak the language. But we will not change that on this website? Thanks for your replies, although I have not really had the results I was expecting. Bobbie.

Well this made it a bit more clear Bobbie! Although I found your comment below a bit "rushed":

"Unless they are into World Affairs I very much doubt that the Swedish tourists will be interseted in things happening in UK and know the place like other Brits"

The UK is a place with 60 million people and when there, all I get is indeed British news, British TV programmes etc. etc. (and don't get me wrong, I love it). However, the Scandinavian countries are in comparison very small population wise. This means that we DO take an interest in other cultures and most of us in World Affairs. Otherwise, we would be very isolated with our minority language and "duck pond" country. Hence, you will find that Swedes around you WILL know where London and Manchester is and what goes on there - OK, I might be the only Swede who knows Shepton Mallet and Wetwang a bit better but still... :)))

My husband and my British colleagues are all amazed at how I can chat with them about Roobarb and Custard, Bod, The Clangers and all just because they were all on Swedish TV when I was little...oh, as was Emmerdale, Upstairs Downstairs, Not the Nine O'Clock News and many others. Right now, we laugh ourselves silly at the second series of Little Britain (but admittedly, not everyone understands that Vicky Pollard seems very real to some of us). Any Swedish football fan will have a favourite English team as games are shown in Sweden. Don't think we are as ignorant about the rest of Europe as the Brits - this is no offence meant - we simply cannot afford to be. I don't think you understand just how big Britain is in Scandinavia. We invaded your island remember! :) But as for Sweden, we've never been at war agains England (apart from in my living room during football championships when we are always in the same group).

Just some evening ramblings from a non-blond Swede ;)

Every Scan knows what beer is, what's your problem?

Pupulainen, to me Sweden and Norway is the Scandinavian Peninsula. This was also info to non-Scandinavians like Ams and Brits. And I at last sort of found out what the initial post was about -
By the way, my first thought was "Fulle" (drunken) Scandinavians ? But an Englishman do not know Norw. so it couldn't be that -

And besides, we are too alike. Scandinavians and Brits are the "Euro-drunks" :)))

hi again bobbie

sorry if my comment made bad feelings. it really wasnt my intention. basically, i think we both agree on what has been said here (well, most of it); i guess this only goes to show how easy it is for people misinterpret etc. wishing you all the best and happy holidays in future!

rgds
knut

There are many, many scandi's here. There is even a wonderful new restaurant called "Finlandia" on Sairee Beach.
Living here for many years the demo's have changed quite a bit but at the moment it's:
English
Scandi
Candian
Euros

A couple of years ago it was
Ozzys and Isreali, but they seem to have stop coming... (I'm not sure why).
Anybody know why?

Too many Scans singing ABBA songs?

Whoah, I know several Finns who would be quite upset if you called them Scandinavians...They are Nordic.

I thought Finns loved Swedes. They are always telling me that their Scandinavian neighbor looks like their pet reindeer. I thought that sounded like a term of endearment.

John, don't get me started on Margate! LOL...a geezer down there thought my husband's York accent was Australian English :)))

Personally I am sick and tired of bumping into Scans AND Finns everywhere I go. Is it really that unusual to crack your first beer before breakfast?

How do you keep beer cold in a sauna?

Put it in the snow outside :)

Snow in the summer ?
This thread has turned into something way beyond Bobbies expectations. And not relevant at all.

Yes, snow exists in the Swedish highlands most of the year. But only on peaks of course :))) I remember a freak snow storm in the south of Sweden in June 1982!

Well...in summer you put the beer in the cool lake outside the sauna. :)

How is this irrelevant, and what's the relevance of that comment?

So let me get this straight, you sit inside the sauna but have to keep going back outside, to the snow, to drink your beer??

To grossly generalise from the two months we spent in area last year, Phuket is full of scandanvians, Samui full of Italians, Phangan full of (young) English and Koh Tau is largely English, but with quite a Euro blend too. Phi-Phi a complete mix. Germans of course are everywhere. Very few north americans. Personally, I always get on well with scandavians travellers, better than brits usually, but then I have a theory that the Norwegians are the race most like us in the world, but the scand travellers are usually a bit older, and I'm a bit long in the tooth for gap year 18 year old brits.

blimey, if I said that about fins, swedes or norwegians I'd be shouted at from here to helsinki! Less time in the sauna mate, you need to cool down :)

Tony, don't worry - John is indeed British...:) I have to say that my equally British husband tends to agree with him.

Btw, I'd say the Danes are more like the British than the Norwegians are. Danes are far more outspoken - as are at least Yorkshiremen :) - and also have a sarcastic sense of humour along similar lines. They take the p out of everything in their society (and others').

Only Finnish? I thought you had dual nationality :)