Thai Language Schools/Teachers In Pattaya

[TCW]

With apologies for filling the forum with my questions, I propose to learn Thai when I am in Pattaya and wonder if anyone has any up to date comments, good or bad, about schools or teachers in Pattaya, also any prices, and more importantly, recommendations, would be gratefully received.

I would want to do a few hours a week, starting almost immediately, as I am moving to Pattaya shortly.

Thank you.

[pattaya_girl]

Pro Language on Pattaya Klang.

It is excellent, I have been going for 4 months now and have learnt a lot, and met a lot of new friends. I really enjoy it.

Here is the link

http://www.prolanguage.co.th/about-4/pattaya-branch/

[lonewolf99]

Pro Language on Pattaya Klang.

It is excellent, I have been going for 4 months now and have learnt a lot, and met a lot of new friends. I really enjoy it.

Here is the link

http://www.prolangua...pattaya-branch/

Be very careful before you dive into learning Thai. Prices vary across the town. I have attended two schools and they had very different approaches to teaching.

Sadly the Thai education system is not what you would expect in the U.K. or Northern Europe. The word "Teacher" is a misnomer. Many of them have limited knowledge of their mother tongue. I got very frustrated when I was unable to get a straight answer to straight question because the "teacher" only knows what is in the book they teach you from.

AND the last thing they want is to "lose face" to a "pupil'. Especially to a Farrang by not knowing the answers.

I did however find it a rewarding experience and learning to read the Thai script also has its benefits. I will not name or flame any schools but best you do some serious"homework" by talking to Farrangs first. If you find one that can talk the talk in Thai and recommend a good school it will save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

I am still a learner and would never claim to be fluent. I have only met a handful of foreigners who can actually hold a full flowing coversation in Thai. And every one of them had lived there for many years.

All the best and good luck - Choke Dee Khrap:jap:

Edited September 8, 2010 by lonewolf99

[ThaiBob]

They have both Bangkok and Pattaya locations:

http://aua.buu.ac.th/pattaya/thai_en.html

[TCW]

Thanks for the recommendations and comments. Does anyone think 1 to 1 is better than the classroom? Or is it horses for courses, so to speak.

[pattaya_girl]

One to One would most certainly be the best i would presume, but it is very costly, you can view the price list on the link I gave you earlier.

[m1rossi]

I can recomend TLS language school, there teaching is excellent. Before attending TLS i was at Walen Thai and it was a waste of time, the material you use is very poor and they do not teach you how to pronounce words by reading them. TLS uses every day speaking and they teach you how to read Thai and pronounce the word by the tone classes and marks, this is very important when learning Thai. I felt i learned more in my first 10 lessons at TLS than i did with 60 at Walen and am now confident when speaking in resturants, shop ect. Hope this helps and you enjoy learning Thai.

http://www.tlslanguageschool.com/

Rossi:D

[contemplating]

Well, my opinion is just go for it! Instead of trying for the best school in the world, just start at a school, and learn what you can. Im sure if you go through the whole course, you will end up learning enough Thai to get you through everyday situations. After that, if your still interested, then you can go for your PHD or what every. I would guess that the teaching skills of the teacher are most important, not just the school. I was in one of the schools here for a while, but then had to go back to Europe, and stayed too long, and lost my visa.

I think what is worse than a not so good teacher, are students that want to impress someone with their Thai, and hold up the whole class, while they are showing how clever they are. We had practice like "what do you like about Pattaya, but instead of taking it as a practice, some students went off on their own show, about their whole life in Pattaya, but that happens in all the schools, and you cant pick your classmates, or teachers for that matter.

Just pick a school, get your ED visa and hope some Thai sticks in your head. You will know much more after one year. And another thing, they will tell you at the school, that before you get your next visa, the imigration will give you a little quiz. Well, after the first three months, they gave me a quiz, so they want to make sure you are really learning something, not just playing around.

Good Luck!!