Best Thai Language School in Bangkok

[TVAVATAR]

Hey guys, I'm looking for recommendations for good Thai language courses in Bangkok. 

I noticed the last thread on this was by someone who doesn't genuinely want to learn Thai. I do. I really want to learn Thai and the ability to get a Visa at the same time sounds perfect! :)

So I'll admit to wanting to keep costs down but courses that aren't visa mills etc would be great and of course ones that are good and I will actually learn Thai! 

It sounds like people abusing the Education visa has led to multiple entry Visas being harder to get which is a shame as I would ideally like and probably need at least a year. 

 

(Dual National with British & Australian Citizenship, currently living in Australia). 

 

[cmarshall]

There are only two programs for teaching Thai to foreigners whose standards compare to those of Western universities: 

 

Intensive Thai Program at Chulalongkorn University.  Looks like the current schedule is five days a week for three hours per day.  This is an excellent program.  The teachers are highly qualified and very well coordinated.  It is a challenging program where the workload in new vocabulary is > 30 words per day.  The other students in the small class will be from all over the world and highly motivated.  Will qualify the student for a student visa.

http://www.arts.chula.ac.th/CTFL/intensivethai/

 

Sumaa Language and Culture Institute

 

Most instruction is one-on-one with an instructor who will coordinate the material with your interests and objectives.  Other students at Sumaa include or have included ambassadors and attaches from multiple embassies, CEOs, academics, and others, many of whom have become fluent in Thai.  Schedule is per the student.  Will not qualify the student for a student visa.

 

http://www.sumaa.net/

 

I have studied in the Chula Intensive Thai program a few years ago and have been continuing at Sumaa for more than five years.  I can recommend both without reservation, but for your visa requirements only Chula will serve.

 

There are no other options for serious students in Bangkok. Both programs are expensive by Thai standards, but cheap by Western standards.  Failure is generally cheaper than success.

[TVAVATAR]

Thank you!

 

On 2/9/2020 at 11:47 AM, cmarshall said:

There are only two programs for teaching Thai to foreigners whose standards compare to those of Western universities: 

 

Intensive Thai Program at Chulalongkorn University.  Looks like the current schedule is five days a week for three hours per day.  This is an excellent program.  The teachers are highly qualified and very well coordinated.  It is a challenging program where the workload in new vocabulary is > 30 words per day.  The other students in the small class will be from all over the world and highly motivated.  Will qualify the student for a student visa.

http://www.arts.chula.ac.th/CTFL/intensivethai/

 

Sumaa Language and Culture Institute

 

Most instruction is one-on-one with an instructor who will coordinate the material with your interests and objectives.  Other students at Sumaa include or have included ambassadors and attaches from multiple embassies, CEOs, academics, and others, many of whom have become fluent in Thai.  Schedule is per the student.  Will not qualify the student for a student visa.

 

http://www.sumaa.net/

 

I have studied in the Chula Intensive Thai program a few years ago and have been continuing at Sumaa for more than five years.  I can recommend both without reservation, but for your visa requirements only Chula will serve.

 

There are no other options for serious students in Bangkok. Both programs are expensive by Thai standards, but cheap by Western standards.  Failure is generally cheaper than success.

 

[RAZZELL]

This is an old thread, but still gets good reviews.

 

 

I have taken the "free hour" and was quite impressed by the tutor.

 

https://dukelanguage.com/

 

I am just about to embark on an intensive course - just deciding where.

 

 

RAZZ

 

[EricTh]

After studying Thai for a few years, my conclusion is that most Thai teachers I've met can't teach Thai language and they tend to teach formal vocabulary which the ordinary Thai don't use. 

 

Most of the courses here are catered for beginner/ elementary  level or at most lower intermediate which are not very useful in having a real life conversation. 

 

That's why I am studying Thai by watching Thai movies which is real life conversation.

 

If you know of a school that do teach real life informal conversation at intermediate level, please tell me.

 

[toolpush]

A colleague of mine studied at AUA Language Center in Chamchuri Square. It is not a visa mill. Although it does qualify for an Ed visa. She learned conversational Thai in a year or so. But she attended about 3 to 4 hours a day 5 days a week.

[scaldedfummy]

Any Online Language Course that you can recommend?TIA

[EricTh]

On 3/7/2020 at 8:26 AM, toolpush said:

A colleague of mine studied at AUA Language Center in Chamchuri Square. It is not a visa mill. Although it does qualify for an Ed visa. She learned conversational Thai in a year or so. But she attended about 3 to 4 hours a day 5 days a week.

 

I met one AUA student who completed AUA courses but when he switched to YMCA upper Thai courses, it was too much for him.

 

I guess AUA classes only teach at elementary level.

[watthong]

On 2/20/2020 at 7:41 AM, RAZZELL said:

This is an old thread, but still gets good reviews.

 

 

I have taken the "free hour" and was quite impressed by the tutor.

 

https://dukelanguage.com/

 

I am just about to embark on an intensive course - just deciding where.

 

 

RAZZ

 

 

Same here, "have taken the 'free hour' and was quite impressed by the tutor..."

Then signed up. The next day I came to class, the honeymoon was over. 

 

That's not to say this particular center/school was neither better nor worse than any other dozens (hundreds?) of similar venues along the Sukhumvit corridor. But to truly be getting somewhere in the learning of the Thai language you really need the one-on-one approach. So consider your budget, work your endurance, then find the right place(s) to do it. Otherwise in any other kind of learning environment when you have 5 or more classmates at a time, it's simply a kindergarten for grown-up - or otherwise - farangs. You can go to the same school indefinitely. I had a schoolmate at one of these schools who never left, they made up a new class for him every new term. The fact that his Thai remained forever sub-intermediate didn't bother/concern anyone, including himself.

 

If taking this really really seriously, let's say in a class of 5 students, in order to make any millimeter of progress, Teacher needs to spend an average of 10 minutes working on the pronunciation of each new single word/sound. Per student. Now do the math.

[EricTh]

8 hours ago, watthong said:

 

 

ou can go to the same school indefinitely. I had a schoolmate at one of these schools who never left, they made up a new class for him every new term. The fact that his Thai remained forever sub-intermediate didn't bother/concern anyone, including himself.

 

Yes, I find this condescending attitude among Thai teachers that farang can't master Thai beyond the basic level.

 

If one can watch and understand contemporary Thai movies without needing the subtitle, one is considered high intermediate level.

 

Alas, schools are geared towards very basic vocab like ordering food, giving directions.