Best Place To Learn Thai In Chiang Mai?

[0zz1]

Ive been taking private lessons from Brett to learn reading and writing. Worth every baht! If you want to learn to read in 2 weeks look nowhere else. http://learnthaifromawhiteguy.com/

If you looking for ED visa and long-term studies I have heard only good about Payap.

just my 2 cents.

[thaimiller]

I did the 45 hour begginers course at CMU, with Khun Aom, she made the classes interesting and funny, for 5000thb it was well worth the money, im doing the next stage after Christmas. The first stage is 9am-12pm.

[Gwindarr]

Ive been taking private lessons from Brett to learn reading and writing. Worth every baht! If you want to learn to read in 2 weeks look nowhere else. Learn Thai from a White Guy

If you looking for ED visa and long-term studies I have heard only good about Payap.

just my 2 cents.

Thanks Ozzie. These days it takes 4-6 contact hours to cover the alphabet and all the class rules. Mastering them takes a bit longer, but it shouldn't be an issue as long as you review the flashcards I give you a few minutes everyday.

I do lessons in person and online.

I believe there are cheaper ED visa options than Payap. CMU charges 30k, Walen charges 25k. And there are always rumors of a guy who knows a guy who can get you one for considerably less. I'm still trying to confirm that last one.

[jayjay0]

I can certainly recommend AUA on Rachadamnern (sorry about the spelling) road, about 100m from Tha Pae gate. They have lots of different options: learn using the roman alphabet; learn using thai characters; learn in classes; have a private teacher, etc...

I did the two basic courses (book 1 and book 2) using the roman alphabet and it was a fantastic experience - really got me speaking and gave me lots of confidence. That was in a class situation, with about twelve people, and it was a fun way to learn. The course, if i remember correctly, lasts for 6 weeks, 2 hours per day - you can choose mornings (10 to 12) or afternoons (2 until 4 I think). When i did it (3 years ago) it was about 4,500 Baht for each 30 hour course.

One last tip. Ask if a course is starting with Khun Boonmark teaching (assuming he is still there!). He was a really funny bloke, having a dig at all nationalities equally, and making us laugh and enjoy the experience. On top of that he has taught the book 1 class so many times that he is able to communicate with you only ever using the words that he has taught you - a very impressive skill! My class enjoyed book 1 so much that we all signed up for book 2, on the understanding that Khun Boonmark taught us!

having no previous formal learning in the language is this still good choice

I took the beginers cource at AUA when I was new to Thailand. Big mistake. Most of the people in my class had been in Thailand for a while and had some knowledge of the language. About half of them had taken the class before. What they were teaching was grammer. There was some words given to you as you progressed through the cource but the main thrust was Grammer.

It is a intense 60 hour cource. I lasted 20 hours and had a talk with the management and they agreed to give mne a one on one for 18 hours spaced out over four weeks. I now speak a little bit of Thai thanks to some one on one lessons I picked up through cornerstone. Two hours a day twice a week. It took a month to get to the point AUA had started me at. In all fairness I do not pick up new learning very easly and I found that the early drills on just learning and pronouncing the vowels and the knosledge and pronuciation of the aspirited constanets was a great asset for when we started with the grammer portion. Also beeing one on one allowed me to learn at my rate not the rate of others more versed in learning than me.

[ianf]

I can certainly recommend AUA on Rachadamnern (sorry about the spelling) road, about 100m from Tha Pae gate. They have lots of different options: learn using the roman alphabet; learn using thai characters; learn in classes; have a private teacher, etc...

I did the two basic courses (book 1 and book 2) using the roman alphabet and it was a fantastic experience - really got me speaking and gave me lots of confidence. That was in a class situation, with about twelve people, and it was a fun way to learn. The course, if i remember correctly, lasts for 6 weeks, 2 hours per day - you can choose mornings (10 to 12) or afternoons (2 until 4 I think). When i did it (3 years ago) it was about 4,500 Baht for each 30 hour course.

One last tip. Ask if a course is starting with Khun Boonmark teaching (assuming he is still there!). He was a really funny bloke, having a dig at all nationalities equally, and making us laugh and enjoy the experience. On top of that he has taught the book 1 class so many times that he is able to communicate with you only ever using the words that he has taught you - a very impressive skill! My class enjoyed book 1 so much that we all signed up for book 2, on the understanding that Khun Boonmark taught us!

having no previous formal learning in the language is this still good choice

I took the beginers cource at AUA when I was new to Thailand. Big mistake. Most of the people in my class had been in Thailand for a while and had some knowledge of the language. About half of them had taken the class before. What they were teaching was grammer. There was some words given to you as you progressed through the cource but the main thrust was Grammer.

It is a intense 60 hour cource. I lasted 20 hours and had a talk with the management and they agreed to give mne a one on one for 18 hours spaced out over four weeks. I now speak a little bit of Thai thanks to some one on one lessons I picked up through cornerstone. Two hours a day twice a week. It took a month to get to the point AUA had started me at. In all fairness I do not pick up new learning very easly and I found that the early drills on just learning and pronouncing the vowels and the knosledge and pronuciation of the aspirited constanets was a great asset for when we started with the grammer portion. Also beeing one on one allowed me to learn at my rate not the rate of others more versed in learning than me.

I have met a lot of people here who went to Ajahn L for private lessons and they all tell the same horrific stories. Her method is actually very good, but her personality leaves a bit to be desired and people have had problems with her. If only she got her social skills together she would be a great teacher. Meanwhile I did a short course at Talk Talk in the Nimanheiman (spelling?) area and found that to be an excellent introduction. Following that I found a young Thai teacher who comes to me home twice a week and she is very good - well she suits my learning style. However, my wife is very jealous of her although there is no need as I wouldn't overstep the mark!

[anselpixel]

I'm in the 1-3 year course at CMU. It may be a matter of when you start (they begin new sections each month), but I could only get evening classes.

The teaching approach incorporates Thai reading and writing as well as conversation, Roman alphabet instruction ends at a certain point and you have to do everything in Thai.

ED visa is no problem, as it's a fully accredited state university program. You must maintain an 80% attendance average to keep your visa.

Cost is 30K baht per year.

Yai is my instructor, and she's one of the best teachers I've met anywhere.

[husseinfatal]

Yeah Kruu Yai is my friend she is good, she is actually a teacher at YMCA but covers CMU. She helps with tones, but no where near the level of Kruu Aom & Sompop at CMU (short courses).

[spha6092]

I have met a lot of people here who went to Ajahn L for private lessons and they all tell the same horrific stories. Her method is actually very good, but her personality leaves a bit to be desired and people have had problems with her. If only she got her social skills together she would be a great teacher. Meanwhile I did a short course at Talk Talk in the Nimanheiman (spelling?) area and found that to be an excellent introduction. Following that I found a young Thai teacher who comes to me home twice a week and she is very good - well she suits my learning style. However, my wife is very jealous of her although there is no need as I wouldn't overstep the mark!

Haha. I have to jump in and defend my Thai teacher! It's true that she has a prickly personality but it only took me a few lessons or so before I got through to her and won her respect. Now we get along famously and I learn really well with her. She's tough with a no bullshit kind of personality, but she's a really good teacher. I would suggest that my pronunciation of Thai is much better than average because of her tireless efforts to make me pronounce things correctly. I have only done just over 30 hours with her over 3 months (twice a week) and can read pretty well and seem to get faster each time I see her. We have covered most of the grammar rules governing Thai as well so I know most of the rules now.

She's the kind of teacher I would recommend if you were really serious about learning Thai. If you're happy to just learn how to make small talk and not pronounce things properly (like a lot of teachers who are happy for farangs to ignore tones), then she's not going to accept you as a student anyway!

[greytown]

I was previously under the impression that Walen may be the best choice in Chiang Mai but I guess that's not the case then...

[charley1947]

I started the year-long courses at CMU this month. They take care of all the visa stuff; I just provided photos, autographs and money. They teach speaking, reading and writing. Initially we are given English language transliterations for pronunciation but this is supposed to stop once we have learned the Thai alphabet [We are currently ensconced in the ever-popular low consonants]. Most threads on this topic have stated repeatedly that learning the alphabet along with the language is the best long-term approach to gaining some mastery of the language. I can let you know in a few years. I don't have any other reference points here other than my four years of high school French. Careful analysis of the two has led me to conclude that the teacher here in CM is definitely hotter. You spends your money and you takes your chances.

It definitely is fun.

[Cooee]

I started the year-long courses at CMU this month. They take care of all the visa stuff; I just provided photos, autographs and money. They teach speaking, reading and writing. Initially we are given English language transliterations for pronunciation but this is supposed to stop once we have learned the Thai alphabet [We are currently ensconced in the ever-popular low consonants]. Most threads on this topic have stated repeatedly that learning the alphabet along with the language is the best long-term approach to gaining some mastery of the language. I can let you know in a few years. I don't have any other reference points here other than my four years of high school French. Careful analysis of the two has led me to conclude that the teacher here in CM is definitely hotter. You spends your money and you takes your chances.

It definitely is fun.

(sorry for posting out of place but) Are you having any trouble with your visa, like others are reporting? I am due to start the same course in November.

[jayjay0]

Don't know about Payup. therwise, I have heard several people chat about the following schools.

CMU courses receive somewhat mixed reviews. AUA gets consistently high reviews in all conversations. It requires some dedication.

If you have a life to lead otherwise and want to lighten up, try the inexpensive YMCA courses, which only meet three days a week. There seem to be decent teachers there, but I don't think you should expect the kind of "push" that you get at AUA.

Individual tutors generally seem to go for about 200 - 250 an hour. A lot of the instructors at the different schools take on students independently. Studying with an independent tutor is not reported in several conversations as successful as you might suppose. The group experience --- so long as the group is not too big (optimally up to five- six students) seems to be both valuable and enjoyable.

We all learn at different levels. I myself went to AUA and can not recommend it. Seems like all the good recommendations for it are related to only one teacher. The class I was put in had people who had taken it before. I was the only one who knew no Thai at all. All the other students had been living in Thailand for at least a year. The class did teach a little Thai but it was structured more to grammar than learning the language.

For myself private lessons were far more beneficial. Perhaps now that I have a little knowledge of the language a group situation might work well. At the present time my plan is to take private lessons to learn to read and write it as well as speak it. I have been told that reading and writing it are a great help to speaking it.

[realthaideal]

Study Thai wherever you like. Learn it by repeated use and self-correction and tuning of the ears and mouth every day, every chance you get, in the streets, in shops, out with friends. There's really no substitute to putting it all together on your own and letting your brain rewire itself.

[thaistudy]

I enrolled in the Payap program in January and was disappointed in the level available (level 5). I have been studying for a few years now and I want to take my language to the next level. I am waiting to see if they will have level 6 or not but it depends on having enough students. I went to a trial class and it was ok. It seemed good for grasping basic fundamentals and structure but not sure beyond that. It is hard to judge on such a limited basis. On other hand, I have been seeing Kru Simon for the last month and am pleased with the results so far. Lessons are less structured but helpful if you see him regularly. He is like having a good Thai friend who is also a teacher and not too krengjai to correct you and make suggestions. Cheers! Zachary Brutel

Contact Kru Simon: http://banpasathai.com

[thaistudy]

I've been studying with a guy that runs the Banpasa school for the last 3 months... pretty solid instruction. Not the most strict teacher in the world but I've learned a lot from him.

Since he's not well known or easy to find i'll include a link to his website at: learn thai in chiang mai

I also had a good experience at Payap University... studying first with Ajarn Om in Thai 1 and then Ajarn Ray in the Thai 2 class. Expensive but you're getting 3 hours a day 5 days a week and the classes are small.

Tried YMCA for a month and loved that but classes only meet M,W,F for the lower level classes and move pretty slowly. They do offer pretty cheap private instruction too though, which is nice if you don't mind going to them.

In my experience with those 3 you can't go wrong, just gotta see which one works for you.

Thank you for your comment.

Kru Sommorn "Simon" Kumfoopen

[email protected]

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Study Thai wherever you like. Learn it by repeated use and self-correction and tuning of the ears and mouth every day, every chance you get, in the streets, in shops, out with friends. There's really no substitute to putting it all together on your own and letting your brain rewire itself.

Hah, I was going to say the exact same thing.

Why does everyone think that learning a language requires a teacher, when you can just immerse yourself? Sure, if you're stuck in Brtain or something but still want to learn a language then yes, but if you're actually in Thailand? Get some books, make some friends, go talk to people, take notes, learn to read and write (which only requires a book).

[NancyL]

For me part of the benefit of having a teacher is that knowing you have to get ready for a scheduled class enforces personal discipline, i.e. I actually get out the books and study before meeting with the teacher. Also group settings can be helpful if you have a good group and entertaining (to a point) if you have a bad group of fellow students. Once I got beyond the basic levels, I've been doing "semi-private lessons", i.e. meeting with one or two other students at the same time. It makes the classes a bit more social, I learn from the questions of the other students and it encourages me to write to a higher level, because I want the Khru to say my essay is the best essay of the day!

I have a lot of study material and have told myself I was going to study during class breaks, but I never work as hard as when I'm attending regularly scheduled class sessions.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

I guess I see it more as a fun pasttime than as work. Being out and about talking to people is what I would want to be doing anyway.

[amexpat]

Why does everyone think that learning a language requires a teacher, when you can just immerse yourself?

Again, different people learn in different ways. For some, learning a language is easy and natural - for others, nearly impossible.

Same can be said for math, music, whatever.

[jak2002003]

Hello,

I have tried many different places in Chiang Mai over the years, and I can honestly recommend Pro Language. I had all sorts of problems with private teachers and other schools, but this one suited my needs.

They have great course material from beginner to advanced. They teach speaking, reading and writing from the start so you are familiar with the Thai Alphabet and Thai words. The place has a very friendly and fun atmosphere and the teachers are very dedicated. They will often go out of their way to find more exercies or information to help you if you are unsure of something or have a question. They also set you regular homework to expand on the lessons and this is very useful for me. I am in a small group class of 4 other students. I like to learn in a smaller class like that because I feel less self conscious about asking questions. If you prefer you can also learn privately one to one.

Another good thing about this school is that it’s very flexible when it comes to the times and days you would like to study. They found the class to suit my times easily. I am very happy with this school and have just finished the course for this year and will defiantly sign up for another year.

They offer a one hour free lesson, so I think it’s a good idea that you go alone and try it out. Here is their web site http://www.prolanguage.co.th/about-4/chiang-mai-branch/

Hope this helps. Good Luck

Jason.