We just made international dating easier with automatic translation

Thailand's No. 1 dating site has introduced automatic translation of emails and chat conversations through its popular Thai Chat Lines service and on user's email communications.

'This is just one of a range of exciting new facilities being introduced by ThaiLoveLines based on research and feedback from our users,' says June Theepsawang, Marketing Manager of Thailand's leading site based in Bangkok, Thailand. 'Our goal is to make our site more effective at forging friendships while also making it a safer process.'

Although 28% of TLL's foreign users seek a Thai partner with the ability to speak English or a foreign language a substantial number of relationships emerge involving Thai women or women with limited language skills.

The issue is an important one for the Thai dating site which has a substantial international user base with users from 200 foreign countries and territories around the globe as well as hundreds of thousands of Thai users. Research shows that approximately 27% of Thai men and women have some command of English. The country ranked 55th in the world in an international survey. The new translation service also works with four other languages, Dutch, German, French and Spanish. It is a free service for Premium members of ThaiLoveLines, Thailand's popular international dating site with over 300,000 users.

The new service features action buttons that can switch on and off automatic translation which appears alongside the default language The service allows users with the different languages to effectively communicate.

Auto language translation on TLL - key points

• Buttons on live chat service called Thai Chatlines which causes translations to appear with chat in real time time.
• Automatic translation of emails which appears beneath the default text once translation is activated.

Language barrier and international Thai dating

Carla Boonkong, a well known researcher into relationships involving foreigner men and Thai women explains that while many international Thai relationships partners view the language and culture gap is a plus in a relationship it is a determining negative factor in inappropriate relationships with a large age differential and where thai partners seek employment in foreign countries. 'Many of the successful relationship partners we meet, both Thai and western, will say often that the language and cultural barrier is a big plus in the relationship,' she says. She later explains that although relationships between Thai and foreign partners are very successful across the board that where problems arise it is often found that the language barrier is a chronic issue. 'It's about the ability of Thai women to find their way in a foreign country and where a relationship has problems it can be the the straw that breaks the camel's back,' she says. She stresses that many foreign relationship partners welcome the opportunity to share their language and culture with a new partner.