Tod Daniels

As has been mentioned; PRO Language has a branch in Chiang Mai. I haven't been to that specific location but I HAVE been to the one in Bangkok.

They have a good program with MANY levels and choices depending on what you're wanting; be it strictly conversational Thai or speaking, learning to read and write too.

A coupla weeks ago I just sat about 4 hours of class time in various levels at their TImes Square location here in Bangkok. They teach good high frequency vocab, "phrozen-phrasez" (things you say all the time), and word substitution drills to learn sentence constructs.

If Chiang Mai is run anything like their Bangkok branch, I think you'd be fine there.

Here's their website;

PRO Language

Payap University is a "real university" and as such their course can't really be compared to the private Thai language sector. That's like comparing apples to oranges. I'm not saying the private Thai language sector isn't good because there are certainly good schools out there, only that they ain't "real universities" and usually cater to a different demographic.

Although I've never attended Payap, reading reports from people who have, it looks like a high quality very intensive course.

Here's their website too;

Payap University Intensive Thai Program

While OFF-TOPIC:

I thought I'd at least back up my claim as far as the talent (or lack thereof) by showcasing บลูเบอร์รี่ อาร์ สยาม and their "hit song" ชิมิ ชิมิ;

Here it is for your viewing pleasure;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsYtCzuPFOg

They would also appear to fall somewhere into the same ส.ต.ง. demographic. .. I think the 'out-takes' at the end of the video are the best part of the whole thing!!

I've sent more people than I even remember to both the service asked about by the O/P

Claudio - Thai Visa Service

and to this one too;

Phillip - Quick Thai Visa Run

I've never had someone call me back and tell me either service didn't meet their expectations. Both are run very professionally.

I've also never heard of their mini-vans breaking down halfway to the border and waiting in the middle of nowhere Thailand for another one to 'rescue' you, like some companies.

Its a lower class colloquialism for isn't it... Or in London Speak "innit".......

I really don't think you could shoe-horn ใช่ป่ะ into a "lower class colloquialism" by any wild stretch of the imagination. ..

By its very definition "colloquial" means: "used in or characteristic of familiar and informal conversation". This would seem to negate ANY distinction based simply on class. I believe it is much more a "contextual" thing based on the degree of familiarity the party's engaged in conversation have with one another.

I've met many hi-so Thai Uni-gurls who were all too full of themselves as far as where they stood "class wise". They routinely use ชิล ๆ, ใช่ป่ะ and ชิมิ in speaking with their friends.

FWIW:

ชิล ๆ is used a LOT by mindless Thai Dara’s in television interviews here to show they can “sa-peak inter”. These girls usually fall into the ส.ต.ง. category. That’s สวยแต่โง่ = beautiful but stupid!

ชิมิ is the morphing of ใช่ไหม made insanely popular by a group of less than marginally talented thai-gurls called; บลูเบอร์รี่ อาร์ สยาม (Blueberry Are Siam") .

I'd hafta say [/u]NOPE[/u] it’s definitely NOT a class thing or an educational thing, BUT a term used in a particular circle of acquaintances with which the speakers are on very familiar terms.

And thus ends my dissertation . I will vacate the soapbox now for the next respondent!

Glad you got it sorted! Sorry that your post called out the "foreign bashing brigade", or the crazy faction which adheres to the "bribe you way thru it" method to get things done.

Sheesh, that's sad really.

Unless you know where you're going a taxi will invariably take you to the WRONG building, mostly because Thai nationals never have a cause to go to Thai Immigrations as that's ONLY for foreigners . Thais use the other building which has stuff for Thais in it.

Still good it worked out!

Oh and I welcome as the newest member of the illustrious "check your stamp before you walk away" association. ..

WOW! Between this thread AND the one also running on the Thai Language sub-forum here;

Study via Skype Thread (T/V Thai Language Sub-forum)

I guess there's more than a little interest in studying the Thai language via the Internet!

That was a GREAT review "kunjet"!

I think it outlines the plusses and minuses of Chula's program quite well. It also provided insight as how it worked out for you given the goals you set for yourself learning the Thai language. Really good stuff man! :jap:

Sadly, I feel all too few, if any, retired foreigners here would invest either the time or the money to learn Thai to that degree. For the VERY few who do; sincerely, I'll doff my cap and tug my forelock as you pass by. (Well, I'd tug my forelock if I wasn't bald already , but I will doff my cap!)

I recently found out that DPU; "Dhurakij Pundit University" (มหาวิทยาลัยธุรกิจบัณฑิตย์) offers a Thai program for foreigners as well. Unfortunately I didn't make it out to Srinakharinwirot to revisit them yet, but hopefully be able to go there and to Ramkhamhaeng later this week too.

Again, thanx for the info "kunjet".

Sheesh, even the Thais know they do this! If they didn't they wouldn't have the phrase "พูดอ้อม ๆ" (phuut^F aawm^F aawm^F); as in "speaking in an indirect or roundabout manner".

When I first started learning Thai I remarked to another foreigner in the class that I was apprehensive learning the language of a country where the word "no" translates word-4-word into; "not yes".

It didn't instill confidence in me about their ability to give direct answers then and going on 6 years here it still doesn’t.

They can and often DO give some of the most oblique, circuitous and totally bizarre answers to the simplest questions, often of the yes or no variety.

I think the cultural phenomena of 'not wanting to offend someone' or make them 'lose face' by saying "no" outright, makes them a little more creative in the ways they come up with to say it.

My personal experience goes against the poster known as “Moonrakers” insofar as ANY Thai will give oblique answers to most direct questions unless they are of the mundane variety like, ‘Where’s the bathroom?’, 'Do you need some money?' etc.

Here is my most memorable occurrence of this behavior;

I was lost whilst driving up country, saw an old Thai man walking on the side of the road, so pulled over and walked up to him. After exchanging greetings and pleasantries in Thai, I asked if this road went to ‘where ever it was I was going’, and he said yes just stay on it. He didn't motion one way or the other, just said, keep on this road.

Another 20 kilometers down the road; I saw a sign saying that where I wanted to go was the opposite direction I was traveling!!

Now perhaps the old man didn’t want me to “lose face” by saying, “You’re going the wrong way, you stupid foreigner!”, or perhaps he didn’t wanna “lose face” by telling me he didn’t know the answer himself.

I questioned a Thai at my destination about it. He told me, “You know the old man was right. You asked only if the road you were on went here, you didn’t ask which way to go on it to get here”…

It still sticks in my head, lol….

I thought of the “married concurrent extension method” too. It seems from reading the O/P's post, at this time, they aren't married.

She could come in on a Tourist Visa she got from her country's Thai Embassy before she gets here. Maybe they’ll issue a double or triple entry one and that would buy her more time.

Perhaps she could get a multi-entry year long ED visa; if she signed up and paid for a year of Thai language study at a school which would provide her with documentation prior to her coming here.

Some of the Thai Embassy's in the EU will issue visas like that if you ask them to. True she'd hafta border run to receive another 90 days or extend her visa in-country every 90 days at Thai Immigrations, but it'd give her time to sort out what's what.

Given the circumstances she's outlined there really aren't any visa options which are a "perfect fit".

At least NONE I can think up. Sorry about that. ...

Hmm, sorry my version of the form didn't work for you, I print it all the time from my p/c. Strange how Word makes it two pages, huh?.. They've accepted it like that from me a LOT of times. ..

BTW: I just looked at the 'real' T.M8 form from Immigrations which I had in my filing cabinet of visa stuff and it is just one single page.

Sorry about that. ..

The form you want is called a T.M8 Re-Entry permit.

Here's the form.

TM-8 Re-Entry Permit.doc

Print it on BOTH sides of a single piece of A4 size paper, not as two sheets (or they won't accept it).

Sorry, saw someone beat me to it. ..

There seems to be more than a little disparity in how the various Thai Immigrations offices scattered hither and yon thru-out this country interpret exactly when a document becomes "stale", "expired" or "out of date".

Changwattana in Bangkok seems to want them to be as 'fresh' as possible, but I’ve personally observed them accept ones which were 90 days old before without question. I did also observe one person being sent by Immigrations to acquire another "fresh" document as his was from the previous year.

It's sort of a crap shoot really. I know the verification document people get from the US Embassy doesn't even have an expiration date on it at all. It's totally a Thai interpretation of when it 'goes off'. ..

I'd have your significant Thai other call the local Immigrations Office and ask an official what their personal 'take' is on it.

In theory you should be FINE if the document is under 90 days old, but that’s just my observations out at Changwattana. Although I couldn’t find the post, I believe there were reports on the T/V forum of some offices wanting documents like this to be “aged” not more than 30 days.

There's just too much variance office by office to really pin down the exact date a document becomes 'stale' in Thai eyes.

This one threw me for a loop too early on as it was something I've heard Thai women say over and OVER when I used to eavesdrop on Thais.

As has been pointed out in previous posts, it is in fact just the colloquial shortening of ใช่หรือเปล่า into ใช่ป่ะ. Sometimes even the word ใช่ isn't enunciated clearly and that's why it sounds like it does to your ears.

Here is what Thai-Language-dot-com has for the definition of ป่ะ; "informal abbreviation of the interrogatory หรือเปล่า spoken by a female".

Conversely I've NEVER EVER heard it uttered by a Thai guy. Well, come to think of it, actually I have, but ONLY when they were "playin' for the other team".

It is used a LOT on chat speak, and ภาษาพูด with your close friends too..

Im at a loss that there seems to be a great amount of negativity directed to the O/P by some posers , errr, I mean posters . ..

This situation clearly came about due to an ERROR by Passport Control at the airport when he flew in.

The O/P stated he DID have a valid Tourist Visa in his passport and did write that visas number on the T.M-6. Yet he was still given a 30 day stamp by mistake.

Now should he have checked BEFORE he walked away from the counter? Probably, but he didn't and instead put faith in the Immigration Official to do their job correctly.

Its my experience that Thai officials in ANY branch of the government are the some of the most stamp happy bunch o people Ive ever come across in the world! They all have a pile 'o various sized stamps on their desks, and at least a coupla different colors of ink pads too! Mistakes like this can and do happen, regularly. It most certainly IS NOT the fault of the O/P.

If being stamped wrong was in fact, a rare occurrence here; I highly doubt Changwattana would even have a section to correct wrong stamps.

I think he can get it sorted where he is with a visit to the local Immigrations Office, but for sure Bangkok will do it too.

To the O/P: Good Luck, report back and let us know where you go, and how it got resolved if you can. …

Enjoy your stay in Thailand; please remember to turn out the light when you leave the country, lol.

Good one mangkorn!

I swear sometimes when Im out and about listening to Thais; the things I think I hear them say make me as "confused as a broken eyed chicken; งงเป็นไก่ตาแตก. While that may be the literal translation, I think the real meaning is "totally stupified". However a broken eyed chicken works for me too

Its only later on that I'm actually able work out what was really said. Many times I'm thankful I DIDN'T respond to what I'd mis-heard!!

I think its great when schools get good feedback from their students. Learning Thai is something that can be well, ,, not all that much fun really , but theres no reason it cant be interesting! .

When you are taught by motivated teachers, who have experience in teaching Thai to foreigners, it makes learning Thai by what ever method youre learning a much more enjoyable experience.

Having sat all too many classes at all too many schools where their teachers didnt appear to be motivated, or even worse, werent qualified to be teaching Thai to a room of giant, long-nosed foreigners, I can say without reservation it makes it that much more difficult.

I wish other forum sponsors would post their success stories too. It can only help people decide where they might wanna study Thai.

While this is slightly off-topic of the thread's title, it is about the Red Shirt leaders (I thought sticking it in here was as good a place as any) ..

So, speaking of Red Shirts; I got this update from the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand

Red Reorganization: Where the Red Shirt Movement Goes From Here

8pm, Tuesday, April 26, 2011

(Please see pricing and reservation procedure below)

Since last May's protests and subsequent crackdown, the various segments of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) have organized on nearly a bi-monthly basis to continue to protest against the Abhisit Vejjajiva government. The Prime Minister has promised house dissolution, the UDD's main demand from last year, paving the way for fresh polls in the Kingdom for the first time since 2007.

As we head towards the election, many questions on the future of the movement remain. What is the relationship between the Red Shirts and the Puea Thai party, and what is the likelihood the group will mobilize if it disputes the election outcome?

Join us for a panel on the future of this political movement.

Speakers will include:

Thida Tawornsate Tojirakarn, acting chair of the UDD

Jatuporn Promphan, Puea Thai MP and a core UDD leader

Natthawut Saikeua, Secretary of the UDD and former spokesman for the Somchai Wongsawat government

Pricing Details:

Members: No cover charge, buffet dinner is 350 baht

Non-members: 300 baht cover charge without buffet dinner or 650 baht for buffet dinner including cover charge

I thought inquiring minds might wanna turn up and hear it from them in person, or possibly not.

Just wanted you all to know about it...

Oh BTW: I'm NOT affiliated with the FCCT, just sharing information, don't shoot the messenger

Not to be 'thick' or beat a dead horse but just to re-cap for my own sanity.

1.) You applied for and received a Tourist Visa from a Thai Consulate or Embassy in the United States BEFORE flying in to Thailand, yes?

2.) Did you write your Tourist Visa number on the arrival/departure card they hand out on the plane?

While you may already know this; a Tourist Visa is a "stamp" or "sticker" which a Thai Consulate or Embassy puts into your passport. If you just flew in like say from the US without getting a Tourist Visa first, you get what's called a 30 day 'visa exempt stamp".

If you answered YES to the first question, (as in you really did apply for and receive a 60 day Tourist Visa), and you answered NO to the second one, (as in you DIDN’T write your Tourist Visa number on your arrival card) there's a good chance that the Thai Immigrations staff at Passport Control at the airport didn't look in your passport to see you had a valid Tourist Visa, and mistakenly just gave you a "30 day visa exempt" stamp instead. Sometimes even IF you write the correct visa number on the arrival card they mis-stamp you, so it can happen.

It happens SO much there is an entire section out at Thai Immigrations in Changwattana which deals ONLY with "stamp corrections". You MAY be able to get it fixed at what ever Thai Immigrations office is nearest you, but for sure they'll correct it in Bangkok.

Now if you didn’t apply for a Tourist Visa in the US before comin’ here you got the right stamp, as you received a “30 day visa exempt” one, meaning you showed up without any type of visa and being from the US were granted 30 days to stay.

Just an FYI: There is NO Thai Embassy or Consulate INSIDE Thailand ; just like there's no US Embassy inside the US . You want to go to a Thai Immigrations Office, like Changwattana in Bangkok, or to the one which is closest to your current location in Thailand. I'm sure you're not the first foreigner they've ever seen with a wrong stamp.

I only asked the questions I did because I honestly couldn't tell what you arrived with. Sorry for not being the sharpest knife in the drawer. .

As I was comin' home from checking out Chula's Thai program yesterday, I stopped at a school which is known as an international chain which teaches foreign languages and offers a Thai program for foreigners. Given what happened there, the liability laws in Thailand and their overly broad interpretation I won't name the school!

Still readers may find this of value;

When I went in I used my normal "modus operandi"; a newbie foreigner, fresh off the boat who is interested in learning Thai. I spoke only in English, and the girl I was talking to was really helpful and polite. The school had GREAT materials; which were chocked-full of hi-frequency vocab, phrases, idioms, situational Thai, etc. Plus each of the text books were almost an INCH thick! I wish I coulda slipped one into my bag surreptitiously and ‘borrowed’ it . It was that good!

I asked if I could 'observe a class' to see how it was taught, like I always do. Another girl sitting next to the one talking to me said (not all that softly in Thai), "Tell the foreigner if he wants to 'observe' Thais speaking Thai to go out on the Soi."

Now I was floored someone would actually say that! I totally understood what she'd said, swiveled my chair, switched to Thai and said to her, "I'm sorry, I didn't catch what you said, repeat it!" She wouldn't even look at me, pretending she didn't hear me. So I asked a little louder, "Can you understand Thai or are you deaf?" There was still no acknowledgement from her other than her hunching down in her chair, pretending she was invisible and staring intently the papers in front of her. Then I said, "Next time before you say something rude, remember some foreigners CAN and DO understand Thai, okay?" Her cheeks flamed red! That's when I finally lost it and said, "Oh, red cheeks huh; embarrassed you lost face?" She got up and quickly walked away but still never replied or even looked at me.

Now I know full well a Thai wouldn't ever be so blunt or direct in a situation like that! However, last time I checked (which I do from time to time) I ain't Thai, I'm an American. Also my entire work history before I retired was teaching thousands of employess 'best practices' in customer service, customer satisfaction, problem resolution for a HUGE international company, so I do have a modicum of experience in how customers should be treated.

I turned to the woman who I'd been talking to and asked in Thai, "Suppose I was a Thai person interested in studying English here, would you let me observe a class before I paid the tuition?" She said of course that's their standard practice. She went on to say she would have let me observe a class, but the girl who I called on the carpet for speaking outta turn was her manager, so now she couldn't do it.

That was the FIRST time I've ever been spoken to so blatantly disrespectful by ANY school's staff in, err, I dunno at last count, probably over 25+ Thai language schools!

It was honestly sad; as their pricing wasn't too outta line and their materials were really good. The attitude of the MANAGER and the fact she'd say something so outta line and off the cuff like that in FRONT of a perspective student was really off-putting for me.

While I agree that immersion can be a very successful way of learning any foreign language, I highly doubt that it is totally correct to say that it alone is the surest way to fluency. The thousands of foreigners who are married to Thais and living in the smaller towns and the countryside and who cannot speak Thai beyond the simplest of conversations are a testament to that.

I gotta agree with "Groongthep" on this. I've found as a general rule; "immersion" in anything ONLY works if you periodically 'come up for air'.

Some of those foreigners I've met up-country in those 'one buffalo' villages don't appear to have done that in quite a LONG WHILE.

Sorry, I edited out the off-topic aside I'd posted and moved it to the "Best Thai Language School" pinned thread.

EDITED AFTER I RE-READ THE O/P'S POST.

Unless I mis-read what you wrote, when you come back to Thailand you won't even have a valid extension of stay as it expires the day before you arrive here!

Is that correct?

If it is, about the best you can hope for is a 30 day visa exempt stamp when you arrive.

You'll most likely hafta start the entire process of a yearly extension of stay based on retirement all over.

Sorry about that. ..

FYI: Although it doesn’t help your current situation; please realize you can renew an extension of stay earlier than 30 days before it expires, with PROOF you're gonna be outta the country when your current extension expires.

I've done quite a few of these for acquaintances who were gonna be outta the country when their current extension expired. Thai Immigrations totally understands this sometimes happens.

One particular incident was nearly 3 MONTHS early, but he had proof, as in a travel itinerary that he was soon to be leaving Thailand and would not return before his extension expired. They granted it.

Still post back and let us know what happens, okay?

Not to hi-jack this thread from the O/P, but it is about Chula so perhaps relevant. It is in response to a post "CaptHaddock" made;

You brought up some very valid points, which are clearly in your 'must-have' list as far as achieving proficiency in Thai.

Unfortunately, the fact that my government (the US) endorses or even uses Chula doesn't carry much weight in my book.

As far as the Japanese business sector using them, I have no doubt that they do to some extent. However, I happened to sit in on a class at a private Thai language school just the other day (to observe one) which taught Thai to Japanese totally IN Japanese. It used Japanese text in the books as the transcription (karaoke) to get the pronunciation down and for ALL the explanations of the "whyz-in-thai", although it did have the sentence constructs written in Thai. It was jam packed with what appeared to be your typical Japanese businessman learning Thai, I mean 15-20 'students' easily!

FWIW: there hasn't been ANYTHING "new" or "revolutionary" to come down the "teach Thai to foreigners" pike in a LONG TIME. Most every school I've observed (aside from two) uses some variation of phonemic transcription (karaoke) as their methodology. Each school ‘tweaks’ it slightly on how they choose to represent the Thai consonants / tones / vowel sounds and durations, but they're all pretty darned close. They get you speaking, understanding spoken Thai first, then teach you to read & write it.

The principles of second language acquisition are well-understood and university programs can be expected to incorporate them. There is no royal road to fluency.

That is totally true! I'd imagine second language acquisition has been goin' on, well probably since there were more than two spoken languages . The dynamics as far as how it should be done in today’s world are well understood; whether they are used or not is horse of a different color.

I do disagree that a 'real' uni is any more qualified to teach Thai language proficiency than a private school. In fact Chula's stuff was pretty much in the middle as far as the material I've seen in many private schools out there (I’m usually “under whelmed” a lot when I tour schools). It certainly wasn't a 'cut above average' (like I expected, given the deference Thais give that uni solely by name) nor was it at the bottom of the proverbial barrel either.

IF you factor in that private schools do periodically go thru their text-books to revise, edit and re-fresh their material as they do another print run to weed out mistakes; (compared to what I saw today at Chula), sometimes they (private schools) have the 'freshest' material out there. If I had to pick a method which I think Chula's material is based on or off of; I'd guess it's the old "Union method", like Unity Thai and other ‘clones’ of that method use.

I will agree that the sheer scope of Chula’s intensive program is impressive, IF it provides what it is sold as. I wish they had a ‘sample’ class or let prospective students observe a class in progress. Actually they might as I never did bother to ask ‘em . Going thru all of their levels and doing the requisite homework which I'm sure accompanies a program like theirs; I'd expect a VERY BIG "bang-4-the-baht" or return on investment, as that's a LOT of class time! If I did that, I bet I'd be pretty darned good at Thai too! Even a blind squirrel (like me) finds a nut once in a while, lol.

I also agree 100% with the last part of your quote. There is NO pill, NO magic potion, NO best method and NO super secret decoder-ring to learning Thai. It is an investment of TIME (a lot of it). It requires review, practice, motivation and patience. All the class time in the world won't drag you to proficiency in this language if you don't put in the time to grow your ability from the foundation provided by where ever you go to learn.

Face it, I'm a nobody poster on an internet forum . I started re-conning Thai language schools as a hobby for my enjoyment when I began learning Thai. I started writing about them because I wanted people to know what's out there. Mostly because I saw all too many foreigners come here and sign up for the first school they happened to walk past, then complain because it didn't work for them.

Oh BTW, I don't think Ramkhamhaeng offers an "intensive" program but more of a semester by semester type of thing for the year maybe. It’s where the most easily identified foreign speaker of Thai (or at least the most recognized foreign Thai speaker by Thai nationals ); Andrew Biggs went. I did mention to Srinakharinwirot that their website was lacking when I was out there a coupla months ago. I think you'd hafta go there to really get an idea of what they offer versus Chula.

You certainly have very clear goals in mind insofar as what your objectives are. I dunno that you'll ever be fluent (I settled for just being 'effluent' in Thai a while ago ). Given your circumstances, perhaps Chula's Intensive Program IS the best ‘fit’ for you to go about achieving your goals.

If you do enroll, post back and let us know how it's going. I wish you all the luck in the world in your endeavor. In reality however, luck will have little or nothing to do with it.

Sorry, like always for the long post and an apology to the O/P if this thread got hi-jacked in any way. ..

The line in the O/P about the defendant saying they just wanted 'travel expenses' covered as they were comin' from up-country kinda reminds me of a shirt I saw a Thai girl wearing as she was comin' outta Nana Plaza a few years back, it said;

!! Boom-Boom FREE !!

(taxi money 2000 Baht!)

I just got back from scoping out Chulalongkorn University’s "Intensive" Thai language program (and two other private Thai language schools I passed on the way back home too, lol)...

Thought I’d give my ‘take’ on Chula. . .

Let's just say I was extremely "under-whelmed". For the kinda money they're asking I expected a LOT more as far as quality of the material, their methodology, and really the overall 'experience' with them being Chula and all.

Granted dressed in Levi's and a Kiss t-shirt I didn't fit the 'norm' of your average Chula student. However it's how I dress everyday and what I wear when I go to ANY Thai language school to do 're-con'. If they'll treat me politely, chances are anyone better dressed would be treated in kind.

When I walk in to re-con a school; I go in as a 'newbie' (fresh off the boat) compel them to speak English, ask about their program, peruse their books, check the pricing, etc. They kinda put me off some, as they seemed stand-offish, actually somewhat haughty or in a way condescending towards my interest in learning Thai.

If they said the word Chula once they said it 10 times, as if that name alone carries some weight (sadly NOT in my book it don’t, ). Don’t get me wrong I know several Chula grads who have degrees in various subjects and who're sharp as tacks, then again I’ve also met some who were "dumb as a box ‘o rocks" too. I think that’s not just a Chula specific thing but is seen in any higher learning institution the world over. You’ve got outstanding students, and then you’ve got students who are “out standing in left field”..

I also erroneously thought with Chula being the "International" university like it's marketed on their website; their staff would be pretty darned proficient in English. In the end I finally gave up and switched to speaking Thai because I did have some trouble making out what they were explaining to me. The books aren’t anything special, as in totally unremarkable. Other than to add them to my collection of Thai Language books (which seem to litter my apartment) I wouldn’t have bought ‘em as a learning resource if they were for sale.

It wasn’t a totally wasted trip, because I did wanna see what they offered, but it was certainly an under-whelming’ adventure..

Now they may or may not have a fairly good program, especially at their higher levels as those books didn’t look all too bad from what I saw.

I think in reality you could go to almost ANY private Thai language school, pay for private lessons and get a better material, more logical methodology and better "bang-4-the-baht" in terms of learning Thai..

Sorry to be such a ‘buzz-kill’. Realize this is just my take on things, yours may differ and that’s okay by me. .. No harm, no foul. …

I called Chula just now and the next 'level placement test' is given the 18th of next month (if I remember correctly).

They said you can show up and check out there material when ever you want. The map on their site would seem to indicate you can get to their building the easiest from Henri Dunant Road.

NOT TO BE A NAYSAYER but; I’ll just add my own two satang's worth too.

I think there’re a LOT of other options you could explore rather than paying what I think is crazy tuition for the Chula intensive course. I don't think it's more "intensive" than the ones offered at any other college for a fraction of Chula's tuition like say at Ramkhamhaeng or Srinakharinwirot .

In fact, given the high degree of "status" or “face” put on ANYTHING to do with the name "Chulalongkorn" in this country; I think, (but don't know) that you could be paying for more for the name rather than a super high quality Thai language program. Believe me I’m NOT downin’ their program in any way shape or form, just playing devil’s advocate in regards to “bang-4-the-baht” learning Thai.

I'll certainly find out first hand, as I'm off to Chula right now to scope out their material. I have gotten reports which indicate their material hasn't undergone a re-write in quite a long time, so it could be quite out-dated.

Like I said, I'm walkin out the door minutes from now, to go see their stuff.

Just as an aside; to increase your passive listening skills (understanding Thai spoken by native speakers at a normal cadence) AUA's Thai program is hard to beat.

It's cheap as chips to go, they're open almost all the time, and they also offer a separate reading/writing course too.

Sincerely, good luck, where ever you decide to go in furthering your Thai language ability.