Learning Thai

[marko56]

I've been in bkk over a month and am working. I very much want to learn Thai but am not impressed with the "natural approaches" used by schools like AUA or Berlitz. I also don't have the time to spend 4 hours a day a Union Language which is probably the best comprehensive approach to learning the language.

Other than getting a girlfriend or listening to tapes, can anyone recommend a school which operates after or prior to working hours that focuses on reading and writing as well as speaking or if anyone knows of a good private tutor who does the same could you please let me know.

I know people who have been here for years and could care less about speaking Thai. I view my inability to speak Thai as a thorn in my side.

Thanks

[taxexile]

pro language, 10th floor,times square building, sukhumvit between soi 12 and 14.

will teach at your place or at their place

02-250-0072........www.prolanguage.co.th

peeraya thai language institute, silom 64 building,7th floor,64 silom rd. right by saladaeng station. will teach at your home ,office or at silom, saturdays and sundays and evenings.

02-237-9252

01912-4967

i used to learn at a school called somchart school,6th floor,benetone building,soi 19 sukhumvit. but a lot of the good teachers recently left. 0265-12735.

its one to one teaching, and they got me from a total beginner to being able to read and understand newspaper articles(slowly, and with heavy use of a thai dictionary, because thai as written is very different to thai as spoken colloquially),write and hold my own in conversations although its difficult sometimes. this school comes in for a lot of flack on forum boards about thai language schools, but i did well with them.

i now learn at peeraya,(the institute is in fact only 1 tiny office, but dont let that put you off. they are quite dedicated as teachers.) and can recommend either of the two teachers there. its a new set up and will teach you reading,writing and speech. good fun too.

pro language ,although i havent learnt there, seems to get a lot of recommendations, and has a good reputation amongst thai teachers too.

learning thai will make life here much more enjoyable and will open doors here that would otherwise remain shut,and more relevantly, will enable you to converse with and get to a lot more about the character of the people here that you deal with every day that dont speak much,or any english. i have found it most rewarding and well worth the effort (lots) and frustrations (lots) of trying to get to grips with it.

good luck

[marko56]

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I will check those schools out ASAP.

[wolf5370]

This question has been raised many, many times in this forum - A search may give you many pointers. I have always pointed people asking me this in the same direction - ask at your local Wat (temple). Monks often will teach Thai for free, they may try to improve their English too at the same time. I learnt Thai this way (after several years I was still speaking pidgeon Thai and could not read/write). They can often work it around to suite your timetable too.

My Ajarn taught me to read Thai - which helps enormously with speaking/pronounciation etc - he also taught me the correct way to address and talk to people from different 'classes' - monks, important people/bosses and parents, friends, subordinates etc - they all have their own subset of the language - royal language is very different in places (I haven't learned this yet). He always has time, I get fed there and we chat before and after lessons like old friends. Therava Buddhism is about saving yourself from suffering, not delivering anyone else (see Mahayana for that), so there is not religious hard sell either, but obviously rules of the temple must be followed (no shoes etc).

[marko56]

Thanks Wolf. Interesting and nice response. Never thought of going to a wat to learn the language. The way things are going in terms of schools that offer non sensical approaches and others that simply don't respond to my inquiries, it may be what I end up doing. In addition from what you describe it's very nourishing in many ways.

[pop3]

Dear Marko, Going to the wat seem's a good idear well worth a try, but here's another way you can try too, it worked for me very well, as you may know all the book's on Thai spell thing's diferently depending on who wrote it, so just stay with one book and think to yourself what word's do I realy want to know ? look them up then write them down in your own hand writing, when you have time ask a Thai freind to pronounce the word's for you then write them down again how they sound comming from a Thai, keep the word's in a small notebook and look at it as much as you can, all the best, pop3

[simon43]

Hi Marko56, I have been in Bangkok off and on for about 15 months. I can speak basic Thai and (until 10 days ago), only read and write a very little Thai.

I decided, like you, that I really wanted to learn to read and write Thai, so I have started going to private lessons. I am going to the Peeraya school on Silom Road (mentioned in a post above).

Well, I've been attending so far for 8 two-hour intensive sessions and I can now read Thai correctly. (I mean read virtually ALL thai, all classes of letter and vowel and tones and finals etc). That's a good achievement in such a short time. Of course, it's down to how much you want to succeed and how good your ability is to learn the language.

But I'm happy to recommend Peeraya!

[Johpa]

I've been in bkk over a month and am working. I very much want to learn Thai but am not impressed with the "natural approaches" used by schools like AUA or Berlitz.

Doesn't AUA use the old Marvin Brown course at all anymore? All of us graduates of that old course can always greet each other with that great phrase: "raan ahaan nik yuu thii nai?" : )

[frenchFARANGbkk]

Learning thai in group really seems a stupid idea to me. Only 1 by one is useful (even more when it's so cheap for foreigner!).

Somchart is the cheapest in BKK, and I don't think any other school might be better, you are the only one who can make the difference...

[the_webninja]

Don't feel so bad, You are in THAILAND! I have been studying Thai for about 5 years on and off, and I am almost to the Point where I am Fluent. But I can't find a JOB in Thailand. So I am Stuck here in the US, Freezing my butt, just Dreaming of Thailand everyday and spending my time Talking to people who ARE in Thailand on the Web.

You should feel LUCKY just to BE THERE.

I think if you took a more Sincere approach to the People and the Culture, you would Pick it up faster. For example do you know what they Call that Hot Soup they serve on every Corner at all hours of the Day and Night? If you are LIVING in Thailand you should.

You can go to the Educational Supply stores and Pick up Posters of all the Different Foods with the names on them. Do you know what the Name of your Favorite Thai Beer is? or maybe you are just sticking with the same beer you drank at home?

Do you know the Names of the Coolest places to Shop in Thailand? Or do you just avoid places like Ja du ja, Pra tu nam, and China Town?

The more you sincerely involve yourself in the Culture the Faster you will learn Thai. I studied how humans Learn before I even studied Thai. Humans learn the Fastest when they attach EMOTION with the Learning Process. This could mean, the things that Scare you can teach you faster. Falling in LOVE with Thai people and Culture will teach you Faster.

Can anyone tell me How I can Live in Thailand? Pom Rak Kun Kon Tai Maak Maak!

[frenchFARANGbkk]

Don't feel so bad, You are in THAILAND! I have been studying Thai for about 5 years on and off, and I am almost to the Point where I am Fluent. But I can't find a JOB in Thailand. So I am Stuck here in the US, Freezing my butt, just Dreaming of Thailand everyday and spending my time Talking to people who ARE in Thailand on the Web.

You should feel LUCKY just to BE THERE.

I think if you took a more Sincere approach to the People and the Culture, you would Pick it up faster. For example do you know what they Call that Hot Soup they serve on every Corner at all hours of the Day and Night? If you are LIVING in Thailand you should.

You can go to the Educational Supply stores and Pick up Posters of all the Different Foods with the names on them. Do you know what the Name of your Favorite Thai Beer is? or maybe you are just sticking with the same beer you drank at home?

Do you know the Names of the Coolest places to Shop in Thailand? Or do you just avoid places like Ja du ja, Pra tu nam, and China Town?

The more you sincerely involve yourself in the Culture the Faster you will learn Thai. I studied how humans Learn before I even studied Thai. Humans learn the Fastest when they attach EMOTION with the Learning Process. This could mean, the things that Scare you can teach you faster. Falling in LOVE with Thai people and Culture will teach you Faster.

Can anyone tell me How I can Live in Thailand? Pom Rak Kun Kon Tai Maak Maak!

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How come you couldn't find a job in Thailand?! Even more when you're speaking thai! Quite weird. Or maybe you couldn't accept to work for less than 50000 baht?

[meadish_sweetball]

I've been in bkk over a month and am working.  I very much want to learn Thai but am not impressed with the "natural approaches" used by schools like AUA or Berlitz.

Doesn't AUA use the old Marvin Brown course at all anymore? All of us graduates of that old course can always greet each other with that great phrase: "raan ahaan nik yuu thii nai?" : )

Not Bangkok AUA anyway...

Personally, I think their natural approach scheme is just a method of trying to squeeze out as much money as possible from bored farang housewives who have nothing to do when their husbands are at work. I still haven't met a single soul who's become truly fluent and able to read and write well by using this system - but I am sure there are some, and it would be interesting to hear their angle too.

[Khutan]

...... maybe you couldn't accept to work for less than 50000 baht.......?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow, the repayments on your Benz must be low

(Just Joking)

[Boon Mee]

Avoid watching UBC or any English-speaking broadcasts.

Have Thai-only on the Telly and concentrate on what's beeing said.

That's helped for me.

[kasi]

Avoid watching UBC or any English-speaking broadcasts.

Have Thai-only on the Telly and concentrate on what's beeing said.

That's helped for me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's a good way to gradually get your ear accustomed to hearing thai.

Also the way many BG's learn english is useful too. They would try an learn one new word every day. Before long you've got a vocabulary.

I just started to learn to read thai. Talk about an eye opener!!

Edited May 3, 2005 by kasi

[david1]

Hi Marko56, I have been in Bangkok off and on for about 15 months.  I can speak basic Thai and (until 10 days ago), only read and write a very little Thai.

I decided, like you, that I really wanted to learn to read and write Thai, so I have started going to private lessons. I am going to the Peeraya school on Silom Road (mentioned in a post above).

Well, I've been attending so far for 8 two-hour intensive sessions and I can now read Thai correctly. (I mean read virtually ALL thai, all classes of letter and vowel and tones and finals etc).  That's a good achievement in such a short time.  Of course, it's down to how much you want to succeed and how good your ability is to learn the language.

But I'm happy to recommend Peeraya!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Could you tell me what the rate is?  Thanks!

[mijan24]

Avoid watching UBC or any English-speaking broadcasts.

Have Thai-only on the Telly and concentrate on what's beeing said.

That's helped for me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's a good way to gradually get your ear accustomed to hearing thai.

Also the way many BG's learn english is useful too. They would try an learn one new word every day. Before long you've got a vocabulary.

I just started to learn to read thai. Talk about an eye opener!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Does anyone have an estimate on the prices from the different avenues mentioned??

[frenchFARANGbkk]

Avoid watching UBC or any English-speaking broadcasts.

Have Thai-only on the Telly and concentrate on what's beeing said.

That's helped for me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's a good way to gradually get your ear accustomed to hearing thai.

Also the way many BG's learn english is useful too. They would try an learn one new word every day. Before long you've got a vocabulary.

I just started to learn to read thai. Talk about an eye opener!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Does anyone have an estimate on the prices from the different avenues mentioned??

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

10350 baht for 60 hours (private tutor) at somchart sukhumvit 11 in front of grand president hotel.

Tell me if you find better in Bangkok.

[The Mask]

Pick up the Pimsleur CDs, it will only require 30 minutes per day and they are highly effective. After going through all the lessons you will attain a level of pronounciation superior to almost all thai speaking farangs.

If only Pimsleur would release an advanced thai CD it would save countless wasted hours! - ughhh

I've been in bkk over a month and am working.  I very much want to learn Thai but am not impressed with the "natural approaches" used by schools like AUA or Berlitz.  I also don't have the time to spend 4 hours a day a Union Language which is probably the best comprehensive approach to learning the language.

Other than getting a girlfriend or listening to tapes, can anyone recommend a school which operates after or prior to working hours that focuses on reading and writing as well as speaking or if anyone knows of a good private tutor who does the same could you please let me know.

I know people who have been here for years and could care less about speaking Thai. I view my inability to speak Thai as a thorn in my side.

Thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[frenchFARANGbkk]

Pick up the Pimsleur CDs, it will only require 30 minutes per day and they are highly effective. After going through all the lessons you will attain a level of pronounciation superior to almost all thai speaking farangs.

ONLY IF YOU LEARN TO WRITE and READ...

[thaigold]

Here’s my tip, for whatever it’s worth.

Thai is a tonal language - using a script that has no written equivalent in English, Latin, or French.

What is easy in Italian is incomprehensible in Thai.

So, use the same rule you would use in in your home country. Find a bilingual teacher, learn the script, and be prepared to spend at least three years in this endeavor.

It might take that long to learn colloquial French – after your three years here, you will be able to speak at 6th grade level Thai, if you’re lucky.

I have yet to meet one person who successfully learned Thai through the “natural method.” Don’t waste your Baht.

Learn the alphabet, the tones, the speech – it’s not easy, but it’s doable.

[wolf5370]

Yeah, I agree. Learn a basic vocab, then concentrate on reading (forget writing at first). As you learn to recognise the consonant classes, tone marks, dead and live syllables/endings, etc, it will help you build your vocab and syntax and sure will help with your pronounciation.

Writing is more difficult. I can read OK, but I still find it difficult to write - Its hard converting back from speech to written Thai even if you do know the rules.

[No beleeeeve!]

A few little pieces to the learning puzzle for a foreign language to study at home.

1) www.unforgettablelanguages.com A very cheap thing you d-load, maybe eight bucks. About 300-400 vocabulary words with mnemonic (sp) cues.

2) Also, check Pimsleur. They have great audio programs that gradually build on each lesson. I am sure they have Thai.

3) At Pantip, second or third level, where the large cafe is...there are a couple booths that sell Thai learning software.

4) Get a good textbook to learn actual sentence structure.

5) Many people swear by the "Thai for Beginners/Intermediate" tapes and book. I think it is a two or three level program, three cassettes per level.

I never took lessons, although I am sure they would have helped with the tones. Also, before I went anywhere, I prepared any sentences I needed for that trip and then used them (shopping, going to the bank, buying food, etc.). Thai people are very helpful to correct you too.

Self study should be about 30-90 minutes a day depending on your discipline.

Edited June 9, 2005 by No beleeeeve!

[Valjean]

I’m about 2 years into this…

I did the Pimsleur tapes before I came here. That was my first Thai and I must have listened to the first tape 20 times until I started to get it. I drilled these over and over when I was commuting to and from work. I don't know if I learned to have a Thai conversation from this but from the very beginning to today I get complements on my pronunciation.

I did a lot of time at Berlitz and learned a lot in that 1:1 intense Thai only conversation. Did Baan Phassa Thai classes – by Phon Chit and wasn’t that impressed. Also had a 1:1 teacher from a school I forget come to my office for 1:1 – that was OK. I really think in 1:1 the teacher is key. You have to click with them

I’ve got the Rosetta Stone sw and just starting that – good for learning to read I think. Learn to read. Big mistake on my part to not start on that up front.

Had fun doing “Cracking the Fundamentals”. This is very different approach but made some of the reading click in my head. I think if you search online you’ll find it. If not PM me.

I have a grammar book – I think called Essential Thai Grammar. This has really help my left side brain get my head around the language. Keep it in the bathroom and just keep reading it over and over. Still get “ahhh now I get it” moments.

Talk to people any time you can.

[NaiGreg]

Produce Thai offspring (luuk-kreung) ... ... best way to learn.

My three year old daughter delightfully corrected my Thai (first time!) today. I said the dog next door was barking loud (maa hao siang dung) and she felt my pronounciation was not up to her Thai pre-school standards and helped me to get it right! I am so proud!

talawt-pai, luuk ja sawn paw la!

By the way, her English skills are quite advanced for her age as well. I teach her but she also gets a good dose of high-quality edu-tainment DVD's in English and Thai. (Barney, Blues Clues, etc.) btw, she goes to a private Thai school that is outstanding. But they do NOT teach English at the K-level. That's okay with me.

So, even if you are not ready for breeding a familial language teacher of your own, you can still seek out the kids' DVDs!

-NG

[kriswillems]

1. I started with the book "teach yourself Thai"

Good book with clear explanations, well structured, but the transliterations are very strange. Focus on Thai script.

2. I used the books B.P Becker (Thai for beginners/intermediate learners)

The books are good and not expensive. The transliterations are better, but I would advice you to focus on Thai script.

3. I follow a Thai language (classroom) course in Europe (only 3 hours per week)

The teacher is very good! She used to be a teacher in Thailand, she is a very talented teacher (4 years experience teaching Thai for foreigners and many years teaching Thai children).

4. I followed a private course in Thailand (only 20 hours)

The teacher had only experience with teahing absolute beginners. The course was not structured. This was compensated by the fact that it was one-by-one teaching, which allows you to study at your own speed (faster than the classroom course).

5. I read the official Thai reading books from primary school

These books are great! But you need a Thai person to help you to translate and correct your pronounciation.

6. I listened to the Pimsleur courses (30 lessons)

They are good, but they stop at a low level or beginners level. Even if you know everything on the CDs perfectly your level is still very low. But they are great to start with.

7. I used the Rosetta stone program

It's expensive and I don't like it. It's really boring studying Thai with these CDs.

8. I read the maanii readers on the www.learningthai.com

Great!

9. I used other parts of the learningthai web-site

Great, not as good as the maanii readers.

10. For translations I use www.thai2english.com and www.sealang.net/thai

thai2english is better for english to Thai translations. For thai to english sealang is better. With sealang you can search on transliterations (IPA).

11. Talking to my 4 year old Thai niece

This is a great way to learn to be speak, because children never blame you when you make a mistake, they just correct you

In my case the courses where much more useful than self-study.

Studying thai completely by yourself (with books or CDs) is extremely hard.

First I used transliterations, after that I switched to Thai script. If I could start over again, I would skip the transliterations and immediately move to Thai script. I really had the feeling the transliteration were blocking my progress.

I started to study Thai in october last year (6 months now).

At this moment I can read, write (with errors) and have a simple conversation. I can understand a normal conversation.

I can hear the difference between the tones and can reproduce the tones and read them correctly (but slowly).

Things that are blocking me at the moment are:

- I am slow in speaking, reading and understanding

- My vocabulary needs to be extented

- I don't understand slang language

- I have problems understanding the structure of a sentence or I use the wrong structure

Until now I didn't find the magical trick that allows me to improve my Thai very quickly.

I know only this: the more hours per day I study, the better my language becomes.

Studying Thai language requires discipline, motivation and HARD WORK.

[meadish_sweetball]

- I have problems understanding the structure of a sentence or I use the wrong structure

The best way to remedy this is to read as much as possible. The more you read, the more exposed you will become to correct sentences - and this exposure will work as a blue print after a while - the more you see a construction used, the more you will make it your own. As you say it is hard work, but that's the only way to really get anywhere. Knowledge does not come for free.

Also, in the absence of being part of a real class with a teacher, which will be the most efficient, the next best thing will be to participate in forums such as this one, and to speak and chat in Thai. As you may have seen, aanon started a thread for building sentences that could be useful as well. Don't be afraid of asking questions or trying out your knowledge - that's what the forum is here for...

Until now I didn't find the magical trick that allows me to improve my Thai very quickly.

I know only this: the more hours per day I study, the better my language becomes.

Studying Thai language requires discipline, motivation and HARD WORK.

Bears quoting because it is very true. Then again, it depends what level you are aiming for. If you aim to reach educated native speaker competency, it will be a life-long endeavour. Most of us are content with less.

[kriswillems]

Thanks Meadish_sweetball, you gave me this advice before in another thread.

And your advice is actually pretty good.

At this moment I read about 1 page per day (easy language).

I translate all words I don't know and I try to understand the sentense structure.

I try to read the sentences with the correct tones and ask my Thai wife if she actually understands what I am reading.

For some reason my (Thai) wife is not very interested in helping me to study Thai.

I can ask her things but she doesn't really teach me.

Before I had the feeling I was blocked, but since I started reading Thai text, instead of studying from language books and web-sites, I am progressing again.

My goal is:

- to pass pratom 6 test

- be able to have a simple conversation on the telephone

- be able to understand Thai movies

- use Thai in every day life and work

- to be able to make a joke in Thai

I don't want to reach the level of an highly educated Thai, but I want to know the language well enough so it's not a blocking factor in my social life between Thai people or in my work.

In the middle of the year I move Thailand and I'll join a full time language course over there. The problem is that I'll be living in Sri Racha. The closest full time classroom language course is in Pattaya at AUA. I've heard AUA uses (only) transliterations and I don't want to ge back on that track, so I don't know yet where to study.

And my last experience with studying Thai in Pattaya made me think that the courses are aimed at people that go to Thailand for different reasons than me...

Livng in BKK (from Monday to Friday) only for studying is possible but I would prefer to stay at home in Sri Racha.

All suggestions are welcome.

[IMChris]

I guess the way I learned Thai was sitting with 18 other Thai family members durring the rainny season and being the only Farang around for 100km motavates you. Please point out the Hong Nam............

By the way if you think outside of the BOX you can find someway to make money in Thailand. Dont forget the average monthy income for a educated Thai is about 9,000 baht a month.