Legit school for Thai Language + ED visa with ONLINE classes?

[Faranguz]

I'm based in Khon Kaen and unfortunately there's no serious schools in the area (only pseudo schools that don't provide courses, only ed visa if you pay the bribes).

 

I'm genuinely interested in learning Thai and stay here up to one year, as I'm living with my gf (thai) and she's finishing the university.

 

Does anyone know a legit school that offers also online classes?

For the reasons mentioned above, I cannot move to BKK or CM to attend in-person classes... i can of course go there once in a while for extension/bureaucratic needs.

 

Any hints or recommendation is appreciated, finding a solution to this is getting very stressful

 

[Geoherb]

I've been searching or online  Thai language courses too and signed up with Thai Zoi for individual classes on zoom. The (free) assessment  session was fine and the first course was more than satisfactory,  Since then I have not been able to view the first session recording or schedule the the second of 19 sessions I purchased. No one answers the listed contact number on their web site nor have any of my emails been answered regarding scheduling. A lot of detail went in to their web site all in all Zoi Thai appears to be legitimate. 

 

Has anyone on this site had an experience with this company ? Have they gone bust?

[JeffersLos]

If doing it online you can do it from your own country, you're not required to be in the kingdom. 

[puchooay]

@Faranguz

 

Is your primary concern the ED visa or learning Thai?

 

The reason I ask is, you are living in Thailand, surrounded by Thai people, have a Thai girlfriend who likely has a large group of friends.

 

There is absolutely no need for you to attend any courses to learn Thai. Research shows the easiest way to learn something is by doing. In the case of a language that would be the immersion method. 

 

Go out and learn as you get on with your daily life. Shopping is a good start. Be sure your girlfriend takes time to speak to you in Thai. Watch some Thai TV. Many ways to immerse yourself in Thai.

 

[KhaoNiaw]

20 minutes ago, puchooay said:

There is absolutely no need for you to attend any courses to learn Thai. Research shows the easiest way to learn something is by doing. In the case of a language that would be the immersion method.

Research doesn't show immersion as necessarily being the easiest way to learn a language. It can actually be quite a long and painful process. Having lessons can help learners notice or develop in areas of language that they might otherwise take an age with naturally. Having some structured lessons while actually being in the natural language environment could be of great benefit, especially for someone who feels they're not making headway. 

[youreavinalaff]

1 hour ago, KhaoNiaw said:

Research doesn't show immersion as necessarily being the easiest way to learn a language. It can actually be quite a long and painful process. Having lessons can help learners notice or develop in areas of language that they might otherwise take an age with naturally. Having some structured lessons while actually being in the natural language environment could be of great benefit, especially for someone who feels they're not making headway. 

I disagree and so does the research I've read research. Puchooay is on the ball, in my opinion.

 

Structured lessons tend to be based on what the creators consider "easy" language and "difficult" language. There really is no such thing in conversational language, which is what the OP needs.

 

As an example, when I was teaching in Thailand I was once berated by a head for teaching P2 students "Where are you going?". I was told it was too difficult for them and the didn't need to learn it at thar point. 

 

This was a ludicrous judgement when considering the, probably, most spoken phrase in Thai is "Bai nai?". An exact translation, conversationally, as what I was teaching.

 

Turn it around the other way to get even more clarification of immersion is the best way. Should the OP decide to take lessons he won't be taught "Bai nai" but rather " khun gam lang bai nai?". Grammatically correct but never spoken.

[KhaoNiaw]

38 minutes ago, youreavinalaff said:

I disagree and so does the research I've read research. Puchooay is on the ball, in my opinion.

 

Structured lessons tend to be based on what the creators consider "easy" language and "difficult" language. There really is no such thing in conversational language, which is what the OP needs.

 

I didn't actually mean structured in that sense. Just that you can target particular areas that you miss completely in pure immersion, especially if you're struggling.  You don't need to follow some kind of typical language book syllabus. Plenty of ways and methods to spend time with a teacher focusing on the areas that you want and need for your own use. A teacher can help you make sense of things going on around you - but if you need/want that might also depend on how knowledgeable and patient the people around you are when you want to ask questions. I'm self-taught, never had a formal Thai lesson, and got to a level where I can take on corporate translation work. I reckon I would have got a few short cuts from taking classes in my earlier days. 

It's probably quite a few years since I read up on language immersion research and projects so would appreciate some pointers about papers to catch up on. Results were very mixed from what I remember on much of the earlier research.  

[youreavinalaff]

1 hour ago, KhaoNiaw said:

I didn't actually mean structured in that sense. Just that you can target particular areas that you miss completely in pure immersion, especially if you're struggling.  You don't need to follow some kind of typical language book syllabus. Plenty of ways and methods to spend time with a teacher focusing on the areas that you want and need for your own use. A teacher can help you make sense of things going on around you - but if you need/want that might also depend on how knowledgeable and patient the people around you are when you want to ask questions. I'm self-taught, never had a formal Thai lesson, and got to a level where I can take on corporate translation work. I reckon I would have got a few short cuts from taking classes in my earlier days. 

It's probably quite a few years since I read up on language immersion research and projects so would appreciate some pointers about papers to catch up on. Results were very mixed from what I remember on much of the earlier research.  

The OP  was looking for a school with ED visa possibilities. That would mean structured classes. Not just sitting with a teacher asking advice, which your opinion has now shifted too 

[Iamfalang]

Thais very rarely correct you, and there are tons of dialects.  The immersion thing probably works better in other countries, BUT, since you are in Thailand I don't why you can't do both.

 

Learn to READ first.   It's extremely helpful.  Then figure out 20 questions to ask any Thai.   You will need a real teacher to teach you how to read, and you won't just pick up that ability on the street.  All that "bpai nai" stuff is really horrible once you learn to read, and I'd say it's detrimental.  

 

Most Thai gfs want to hear English, not speak Thai.  

 

Paying for a class is good motivation.    Highly recommended.  

 

The harder part is finding a great teacher, fun classmates to interact with, and a school that fits well with you.  I was with a few sexpats who complained all day and were really horrible to be around.  Luckily, they all dropped out.   

 

I stopped learning Thai a few years ago and it doesn't affect my daily life at all.  That's another problem.   I talk to women 90% of the time, and very simple Thai works.    I do wish it was super important to learn Thai, but it's really not.   That's another problem.     

 

Everyone is different, everyone learns Thai for different reasons.   I'd commit two years and then re-evaluate.  

[JeffersLos]

17 hours ago, puchooay said:

Is your primary concern the ED visa or learning Thai?

Is he staying in Thailand for the reason of learning Thai, or does he just want to stay here and feels he has some sort of birthright to simply stay in any country he wants to? 

[puchooay]

2 hours ago, Iamfalang said:

I stopped learning Thai a few years ago and it doesn't affect my daily life at all.  That's another problem.   I talk to women 90% of the time, and very simple Thai works.    I do wish it was super important to learn Thai, but it's really not.   That's another problem.     

And that is the beauty of immersion. You never stop learning. That in itself begs the question, did you study or learn Thai?

 

Importance of learning Thai depends on who you are, what you want out of life in Thailand and where you live.

 

It makes me cringe when I see expats relying on their wives for communication. "Ask him this", "Ask him that". Just bl@@dy well learn to ask for yourself.

 

I learnt Thai by immersion. It took about 6 months to pick up enough to shop alone, go to immigration alone, buy a car alone and to supervise the building of our first home. I met my wife in Issan. She was working in a shop next to the school I was teaching at. She knew no English. We learnt each others' language together. I learnt to read Thai by reading with my daughter as she was learning as a 3-4 year old at school.

 

I agree there are many dialects in Thailand. In Issan there are 4 main ones. Once one is good at Thai it is easy to recognise the dialects. My wife is a Khmer speaker. Very easy to distinguish from Thai. Quite easy to pick up a few words and phrases too. No books or teachers to teach you Khmer. Immersion is the only way.

 

I wonder how members on here learnt their mother tongue? Did they not speak until they went to school? Did they not pick up the language by immersion? Listening to Mum and Dad? Repeating what was said? Replying to and asking questions?

 

 

[transam]

8 minutes ago, puchooay said:

And that is the beauty of immersion. You never stop learning. That in itself begs the question, did you study or learn Thai?

 

Importance of learning Thai depends on who you are, what you want out of life in Thailand and where you live.

 

It makes me cringe when I see expats relying on their wives for communication. "Ask him this", "Ask him that". Just bl@@dy well learn to ask for yourself.

 

I learnt Thai by immersion. It took about 6 months to pick up enough to shop alone, go to immigration alone, buy a car alone and to supervise the building of our first home. I met my wife in Issan. She was working in a shop next to the school I was teaching at. She knew no English. We learnt each others' language together. I learnt to read Thai by reading with my daughter as she was learning as a 3-4 year old at school.

 

I agree there are many dialects in Thailand. In Issan there are 4 main ones. Once one is good at Thai it is easy to recognise the dialects. My wife is a Khmer speaker. Very easy to distinguish from Thai. Quite easy to pick up a few words and phrases too. No books or teachers to teach you Khmer. Immersion is the only way.

 

I wonder how members on here learnt their mother tongue? Did they not speak until they went to school? Did they not pick up the language by immersion? Listening to Mum and Dad? Repeating what was said? Replying to and asking questions?

 

 

I don't speak Thai, and I don't rely on Mrs.T to sort stuff, so there will be no cringing needed for me...????

 

PS. A babe learns incredibly fast, us older folk have probably lost that fast learning curve, I most certainly have....????

[EricTh]

21 hours ago, youreavinalaff said:

I disagree and so does the research I've read research. Puchooay is on the ball, in my opinion.

 

Structured lessons tend to be based on what the creators consider "easy" language and "difficult" language. There really is no such thing in conversational language, which is what the OP needs.

 

As an example, when I was teaching in Thailand I was once berated by a head for teaching P2 students "Where are you going?". I was told it was too difficult for them and the didn't need to learn it at thar point. 

 

This was a ludicrous judgement when considering the, probably, most spoken phrase in Thai is "Bai nai?". An exact translation, conversationally, as what I was teaching.

 

 

I found out the hard way after many months of studying Thai at YMCA that 70% of the vocabulary and some grammar are never used in spoken Thai.

 

Why? Because those are formal words and formal pronunciation that Thai people do not use everyday.

 

The spoken language is a different language altogether from the language taught by these Thai teachers. 

 

Where are you going should be taught at P1, it's so simple. What do they teach at P1 level anyway?

[Wilyam]

hello guys, is there Thai language school in Chiang mai providing student visa?

Thank you

[Iamfalang]

On 10/13/2022 at 3:16 PM, Wilyam said:

hello guys, is there Thai language school in Chiang mai providing student visa?

Thank you

I don't like putting ANY names online, even if a good review.    Go to Youtube and search "learn thai chiang mai" and you will find some channels and some of those channels have schools that will provide a ED visa.  I think one was like 32,000 baht a year, not sure.  I have ZERO experience with most of the results, so you are on your own.

 

good luck