Winning hearts through language

"Speaking English, you may access the minds of the Thai people. Speaking the Thai language, however, will lead you to the heart of the Thais." That was a word of wisdom I received from a Thai scholar early on after arriving in the country in late 2022 to serve as China Daily's chief correspondent in Thailand.

Before I arrived in Bangkok, or Krung Thep, which means "City of Angels" in the Thai language, I was thinking of using English as my go-to language in the kingdom. Thai script, with countless curves and diverse angles, was a world-class puzzle to me.

My assumption was that since the kingdom is a popular global tourism destination that welcomes millions of international tourists every year, local people would be able to speak English, more or less. So, I can lean on English.