If you don't fall for the first girl you meet in a bar try this;

Travel and take accomodation 'home stay' . You learn the language very quickly and live and eat with your hosts. On many occasions I shared long evenings with my host families, drinking and laughing together for hours and hours on occasions making friends and possible future partners. I didn't persue the latter as I had recently come out of a relationship but it is surely the best way to make friends.

Has anyone else had any of these experiences they can share?

Travel and take accomodation 'home stay' . You learn the language very quickly and live and eat with your hosts.

I think it's a terrific idea, and would love to do it. Have to get permission from my Thai BF first, though!

I learnt the lingo and it is because of that that i met my wife.

Travel and take accomodation 'home stay'

great idea, I have 3 months per year off from work, where can I get more info on homestay. I live and work in Bkk.

I was first here as an exchange student for a year living with a thai family in a small village. I can say that for sure, the more thai you learn the more your opinions and impressions about Thailand itself change. You find out a lot of what you thought you knew you didn't know at all. I can also say for sure that your chances of having a real relationship greatly increase as you learn more and more of the language.

Yep, language is the key to understanding Thailand....Without language skills, you're likely to get mostly filtered information, or only part of any story...

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great idea, I have 3 months per year off from work, where can I get more info on homestay. I live and work in Bkk

There's a Thai guy in Chiang Mai just started his own operaation, he also runs a teaching school. Sorry I can't remember his name. He may be advertised in The Chiang Mai magazine. I think he charges 200bhat per day. The locals get 150bhat and he takes 50B for commission. I did consider it but am now in the UK. A funny thing is that a lot of divorced women wanted to advertise and were requiring men only !!!!!! he sussed they were after a husband and warned them off I think !

Good luck and go for it , its great fun...oh yeh food included aswell.