jak2002003

Definitely not a bad idea to learn Thai if you intend to live here. I tried, but just don't have the patience for it

The other that put me off too was that most Thais laugh at you when you start speaking Thai.

Really, I have not found that to be true! When I first started learning Thai I found most Thai people were impressed that I was taking the time to try to speak their language. Sometimes I made, and still make mistakes and say something funny by accident, and then, of course, they are going to laugh - and so do I! Don't be too shy with speaking to people.

I suggest the OP go to a recognised language school to get the ED visa. As stated before they are great visa to get, as it does not require travel out of the country. Shop around various schools to get prices and compare their teaching materials and teacher. I go to Pro Language and have been with them nearly 3 years, so I can recommend that school. But there are few other schools you can check out.

Don't rush into anything, as you don't want to waste your money. This visa will be useful to you to stay in Thailand, and also aid you to speak, read and write the language, which is interesting and fun.

I live in Chiang Mai and have King Pigeons - I bought them from a pet shop in the city. They have many more there and some fantails, and other breeds. I don't understand the price of 5000 baht each for fantail pigeons from the poster from Issan! They cost 1000 a pair here in Chiang Mai.

My king pigeons are still young birds and have not started mating yet. so it will be some time before I get some chicks to sell.

How are you going with your search? I am looking for white racing homers, but I can't get any information about how to obtain them here. I used to keep them in the UK and miss them a lot. They are lovely to see flying around in the garden!

I go to the Pro Language School. Have been studying with them for nearly 3 years and I am very happy with them.

I don't know anything about the other school you mention, but I can really recommend the Pro Language one.

The class sizes vary. My class has 5 other students in it, but last year it was bigger, and the first year I learnt in a private one to one class.

I suggest you go in and discuss about the schedule you want. I found them to be very flexible with the times and day I needed to study. I got to say they are great at putting you in a group to match you level. I know they do free trail lessons too, so you could try one out before you decide.

Good luck with whatever school you go to and I hope your have as much fun learning Thai language as I am still having!

Hi. I know a branch of the school I attend in in Pattaya. It might be what you want, because the teachers are all properly qualified and have lots of experiences. Its called Pro Language. This school is also the most flexible one I have found in terms of fitting the times in you want to study, and putting you at the correct level. They will also alter the lessons to suit what you actually need.

I have been at this school (but in Chiang Mai) for nearly 3 years, and they have been very professional. My Thai is a good level now too!!! They do a free trail lesson, so you might like to try it out. You can find the website, just type in Pro Language School Pattaya. I got these details from their site for you:

Address:

116/33 Mu 9 Central Pattaya Rd., Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi

Tel. 038-489225-7

Fax. chrome-extension://lifbcibllhkdhoafpjfnlhfpfgnpldfl/numbers_button_skype_logo.png038-489228 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 038-489228 end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Opening:Mon-Sat ( 9.00 AM.- 8.00 PM. )

Email:

Good luck in finding what you need! Oh, and I know they do the ED visa also and its all straight forward at the immigration office as the school is well established and recognised.

Hey, don't knock all the Language Schools without seeing for yourself what they are like! How do you know they will be full of those kind of people? I have been at a language school called Pro Language for over 3 years and its nothing like that.

My class are all young business people, most are Japanese, one girl from Italy and I am from the UK (and not old or fat).

I think you need to keep an open mind about these things and actually go and see several schools and also the universities before you make your choice. I know so many people who have rushed into their choice and later regretted it and stopped studying - and yes, some went to a university!

How is your search going for a Thai Language School? Did you check out Pro Language? What about some others?

I can recommend a School that I have been attending for nearly 3 years now. I have an ED visa with them, and have had no problems with the Visa applications at all. Also they have really good teachers and great teaching materials, courses, etc. Their prices are also 'normal' and not crazy expensive.

Do you know any Thai at the moment? The school is called Pro Language. You can check out their website. Its a good school, and is well established, professional and has a good reputation with students and the Thai Immigration Office.

They do a free trial lesson, so you can go in and see if you like it first. Whatever you decide I would advise you try a few of the larger schools out as well as the one I mentioned so you can see which one suits you better.

You really need to master the language well, both speaking and reading/writing. You need to make lots of Thai friends and get involved in Thai life: go to people houses for meals, go out together for day trips, go the the temple, help out will local events, use the local shops and food stalls, etc etc.

This is the only real way you will get confident with the language and also the attitudes and behaviours of the Thai people. If you don't do this you will never feel you quite fit in.

As for learning the language you should really push yourself if you are serious about it, otherwise it will drag on for years and you won't get far. I would suggest you check out several schools in your area and try some trial lessons first. The more hours you can spend each week the better, even though it might seem a bit like hard work at the start.

Check out the forums for well known school. Make sure you select a good one, with properly qualified teachers and lots of happy students! I can only speak for the school I am attending at the moment. It called Pro Language. I find it very good and have now complaints. But this in by no means the only good school.

Hope you are still enjoying you time in Thailand. Really 4 months is not a long time. I think you will only really know if you want to live here the rest of you life after you have been here a good few years, after the 'honeymoon' period has worn off, and things seem more normal and less exciting as you get used to them.

I strongly recommend you learn some basic Thai, both speaking, reading and writing when you are here - even try the basics before you come. It is not essential to know any Thai Language, but if you would like to integrate with the Thai people more comfortably its good to know some Thai.

It will also make you life more enjoyable and open up more opportunities to you. Even in a restaurant or on a small street stall, you will then be able to read and understand the signs and what they are selling! Its also fun to learn a new language.

You don't have to do full time study, you can get a private teacher or use the internet language services. I prefer to go to an actual language school, of which there a many good ones in Chiang Mai. You can also get an ED visa with the more recognised school. If you did not want to study so many hours you can choose how many hours and what you want to learn. I go to Pro Language School, and I get my ED visa off them, but I don't just do it to get a visa - I really am putting in a lot of effort to learn Thai, and finding it very interesting and good fun.

Welcome the Chiang Mai!

they are so rare now that it would be like finding a needle in a haystack if you spotted one. They are also more likely to flee from you then try to kill you.

Seriously the big problem would be mosquitoes and leeches. Also ticks can carry nasty diseases if they bite you.

Also how will you take enough clean water with you to stay hydrated? If you have an accident no one will know where you are.

There are many disabled people in my village and they are not looked down upon or locked away in houses by ashamed families. There is a mentally disabled young woman that helps her mother on the local market stall. She like to follow customers about and hold their arm, chatting away about nothing, and no one minds.

There are also a live band that play 3 times a week at the bigger market and they are all blind people. There are many many people in wheel chairs selling the lottery tickets all along the main road and also at the big supermarkets.

The pizza restaurant has a guy with one arm who makes the pizzas and the owner is in a mobility wheelchair.

My best friend lives with her auntie and her disabled teenage daughter. They all go on days out together and also to the shops. They are not ashamed of the daughter.

There is a man living a few houses from me who has a deformed, leg, and he gets about on crutches. Also a blind old lady, who I go and visit, and all the Thai neighbours help her. The local village shop owners mother is very old and she likes to sit in the shop in her wheel chair smoking in the evening chatting in Lanna Language to the villagers, who all like her.

There are many more examples. Perhaps if people spend their time driving around in their cars going to farang supermarkets and doing ex pat things, they will not get to meet this section of society.

In my village just outside Chiang Mai I found out its bad luck for someone to take duck eggs for free.

I kept trying to give away my duck eggs (they lay too many for me to eat) to neighbours and friends and they kept refusing. I asked a good Thai friend and she told me that if they accept the free duck eggs it means they will have some big argument or problem between us in the future.

I asked if they paid for them was it OK. Yes is was! So now I ask for 5 baht and they can have a huge bag full of eggs.... as many as they want. Apparently this custom is only found around my area here in the North.

The pond is not a natural one. Its made from concrete and I built it about 3 years ago for koi carp. The carp got too large, so I converted the pond to look more natural and added the small fish to control the mosquitoes. The are no snake head fish in there for sure - noting is in there now except the crabs and lots of mosquitoes. The catfish could not get out as the pond steep sides and there is a drop of a about 5 inches before the water line.

I think the crabs climbed in and now can not get out because the sides are smooth and steep.

The pond is about 6 metres long and 2 wide.

I am going to the Chinese market tomorrow to see if they sell traps for crabs. I know they have them for eels and fish.

I hate them crabs!

It's been a week now and the fish seem happy and no sign of snails....hopefully this lot of plants is clean. ...thanks to all who took the time to think on this issue.

If they come back a good safe way to control their numbers is to float a few pieces of cucumber or lettuce on the water surface. In the morning you will find many snails on the vegetables and you can then throw the veg, and snails away. Do this for a few day and you should get rid of most of the snails. Just repeat this every time you notice the snail population going up! Having a few in the pond is actually a good thing as they clean up food missed by the fish and also eat dead and decomposing leaves so help keep the pond clean - oh and they will help control and algae.

All my lovely fish have been vanishing this month, and now there are none left. They had been living in an established large pond with lots of plant life and were doing really well for over 6 months. I just started noticing their numbers were going down each time I went to feed them.

Now I have none left at all! There were no dead fish bodies in the pond, and none of the fish were sick, and I had no problems with the pond water quality.

Today I decided to tidy the pond out a bit and thin out the water lilly plants. Thats when I came across a few very large black crabs lurking about. I wonder if they ate my fish?

How on earth can I catch them? Can they kill and eat the fish?

Does anyone know if the black freshwater crabs can kill and eat fish?

I added some small catfish and mosquito fish to my pond and they slowly started to vanish, and now one month later there are none left!

They have not died, there were no bodies. They were very healthy and had no diseases and some fish had started breeding. All the water temps and OK - not too hot, and there are lots of water lotus and reeds in the pond, with floating plants also. I took some water to an aquarium shop and they tested it and told me everything was perfect with the water.

While I was searching the pond I saw a few very large freshwater crabs.

If they are to blame, how can I catch them? The pond is quite big and so full of plants I can not see where the crabs are hiding, and some parts are quite deep so I can't reach down into it without a net.

I tried to teach myself, and also asked a good Thai friend to help me. It was so slow and boring and I got very frustrated and eventually gave up after a few weeks (or days).

I put it on hold and concentrated about learning the language, which I enjoyed more, but as I got better at speaking Thai I got interested in reading and writing again. That was when I realised I had to back track and re learn it all. I wish I had learnt both reading / writing, and speaking all at the same time - I would be much more advanced now.

In the end I signed up to a good school in Chiang Mai and have been studying there now over 3 years (its called Pro Language). In the end, for me, I was only able to learn Thai reading and writing with the help of proper teachers and good course books - I guess it was a tried and tested method.

What ever you decide, I really think you need a proper Thai teacher and good teaching materials if you have any hope to progress quickly and keep your enthusiasm!

Hi, I am currently on my 4th year ED visa for Studying Thai Language, so I can tell you it is possible. I think it depends on the reputation of the school you are attending and their arrangements with the Immigration Office.

After you get your first ED Visa you have to keep getting it extended every 90 days. But that is really easy and problem free. Then you can use that visa to get up to 3 years. After that you have to apply for a new one which I was told can last up to 10 years.

I would take yourself off to a few of the more well know language schools in your area and speak to the staff to get a clear understanding of the process, then you can decide which school to study at. I am using Pro Language School in Chiang Mai and they have been great for me and I have had no problems with my ED visa, so I can recommend that school, but there are also others such as Wallen and AUA you might also like to check out.

How are you getting on in your search? Are you willing to consider going to a language school to learn Thai to the next level that you want? I ask as I know of a good one in your area. The teachers are really good and they do private classes too. If you go in and tell them exactly what you want they should be able to assess you level and make some interesting class for your personal needs.

I have been going to that school for 3 years now and I know students are very satisfied with the quality of teachers and teaching materials etc. If you are interested they do free trial one hour lessons. The school is called Pro Language..

Good luck in whatever you decided to do and let us know what you do.

Hello.

I am on my 4th year of learning Thai here in Chiang Mai. I am quite good at reading and speaking now for everyday situations and conversations. My first year I studies Thai on my a different visa, but the last few years I have had an ED visa.

I am going to recommend you the same school that I go to - Pro Language. There are other schools here, but I don't know anyone who is doing advanced Thai at these schools - I am not sure they offer that. This year my school has many advanced students and has make a real effort to construct new classes for

these people. My school also offers private classes so you can learn a subject, such as business etc.

They have a website you can look at for more details. They also offer the ED visa. They will give you a free trial lesson and its no problem to speak to the staff about what you want. You could go in and see if you think it will be good for you.

Where are you based? I am in Chiang Mai and have attended several different language schools over the years.

The biggest schools are all very good, but they do differ in their teaching styles. I recommend you go and try several schools to see what style suits you. I myself prefer to learn in a small group, but other people like private lessons. When you check out the schools be sure to look at the course books they have and also ask other students if they are happy. Some good schools I know are

Pro Language - this is the one I am at and find it the best for me!

Wallen School

AUA

All these schools should give you a free trial lesson too. I mentioned this school in particular as I know the teachers are all properly qualified and they have a good reputation.

Hello.

I have an Education Visa and you can only really easily get one by learning a language at a recognised language school. I, and most people, are studying Thai.

You have a attend the school, and can not do it over the internet or home study. The school is required to keep record of you attendance to classes.

My school is called Pro Language, but there are many others. You need to make sure its a RECOGNISED SCHOOL with the Thai Education Department. Here are the details for my school, and they should be similar....except the prices...with other schools.

Student visa courses. Students who register for 180 lessons (Thai course), or 90 lessons (English course), and pay the full tuition fee of 23,000 baht/course will be eligible for a 1 year ED Visa. First, students will get a Non-immigrant ED Visa for 3 months and then a 9 month Student Visa by extending it every 3 months and paying a Government fee of 1,900 baht. The school will prepare all the documents from the Ministry of Education for the students to have the Visa issued from a Thai Embassy and to get it extended at the Immigration on Chaengwattana road in Bangkok or at another Immigration office.

Hope this helps you. good luck with you time in Thailand!

I would be interested in the recommendations as well, as my wife and I would like to learn conversational Thai.

We live in Wong Amat, so the Easy ABC School on Pattaya-Naklua Road would be most convenient for us. They also seem to have the most reasonable rates (i.e., a current promotion indicates 19,960 THB each for 4 -15 participants for 80 one hour lessons)

Does anyone have any experience with or information about them?

Hi. Best one I found was Pro Language School. I have been there for 3 years now and find their style suite me very well. Their prices are the 'normal' rate, and not crazy expensive. Also the course material and books are really good. Most important in my situation was that they were able to schedule the classes to suit me.

Got to mention the teachers are very experiences and properly qualified too. I would say go and try one of their free trial lessons before you decided. Also do some research on the internet to see if there are any reviews about language school in your area. Think Pro language has its own website too.

Cheers

I go to Pro Language School. I think its one of the best ones. I have no complaints with the school and the teachers are really good. The don't rip you off either, and are good at planning lesson times to suite the student. I know they do group and private classes.

I get the ED Visa from them also.

You can get a trial lesson for free to see if you like it.