Yes, Thais love Thai. Thanks โอ๋-อโณ. But how do children learn a language? Do they get the message because their mother re-telling them in another language? It is very much like this - children learn by repeating words they hear (or symbols/pictures/icons/letters they see) - some times in 'other words', and some times with other gestures and senses. But the key of learning is 'repeating' over and over until understanding comes directly (without translation). Then children try to make others understand by the same strategy - repeating.

I recalled learning English for 8 years in school with little English but a lot of Thai. In my early years overseas I struggled with translating what I heard/read into Thai. Only after I had repeated enough many 'common words and phrases', I really learned another language. I realized then that I learned it in the same language!

This is what I like to say - 'learn by senses': repeat and repeat, let our senses and brain catch the language directly.

We have to learn to swim by going in water - nose deep - without a buoy. ;-)