Reputable Beginner Thai Class Near Ramkhamhaen University Bangkok

[blacksuitdandruff]

Hello, I'm new to LOS and want to learn Thai.

I live walking distance from Ramkhamhaeng University. Sadly, after checking with the Uni, they do not or will not offer Thai classes for a while.

My requirements for learning are:

- a center within 15 minutes including traffic drive or commute,

- able to offer an ED visa option,

- have a reputable method/teachers/tutors,

- keep cost around 30K +/- 10K baht.

So here are my options (as I believe them to be as of now):

1) Find a school/course that is less than !5 minutes away from where I live that offers an ED visa - have not found one yet

2) Find a good in home tutor from one of the schools that offer an ED visa - have found a few but am currently doing my due dili

3) Find a way to get an ED visa without paying a school and hire an independent tutor or take a short course nearby - have had no luck on finding info the pay for ED visa.

Sorry if option 3 offends some, but it is just a consideration as I know this a common yet illegal practice in western countries for students that study abroad.

Any recommendations, reviews, suggestions or tips in regards to my situations and requirements?

Thanks in advance!

[Tod Daniels]

WOW!! That's quite the list of requirements you've amassed to study the thai language!

What's with the oh-so prohibitively short self imposed travel restriction? There are a HUGE number of busses, mini-vans, moto-cyz, etc which ply their routes from the Ramkhamhaeng area to various and sundry spots in Bangkok at all times of the day and nite. Sadly, I've had the displeasure to sit in taxis near the uni at Ramkhamhaeng during rush hour and sometimes they didn't even move 500 meters in 15 minutes, 555+. .. If you could see your way getting to either the closest BTS or MRT station; you'd have 15+ odd schools within easy reach scattered all over the bangkok metro area.

I believe for "option 3"; you're gonna be really hard pressed securing an ED visa (especially a multi-entry one year) in a neighboring S/E asian country. It'll be nearly impossibl tryin' to make it 'fly' without having support documentation from the Ministry of Education which a registered school provides students enrolled in their thai language programs. Now maybe that type of visa can be had from a thai consulate/embassy in the US, UK, EU, or OZ, but I dunno.

FWIW: I have observed more and more private thai language schools (registered with the MOE) are now using Skype to teach thai to students who live in out of the way places. While the Ramkhamhaeng area isn't all that out of the way; still it's worth a shot looking into it, especially if you've got a "travel-phobia-thingy" going on.

Even for learning thai via Skype, these schools will provide you with your documentation to secure a Single Entry 90 day ED visa in a neighboring country's thai embassy or consulate after you've paid your yearly tuition. Then they supply support documentation to go to Thai Immigrations every 90 days and secure an additional 90 day extension of stay (for a 1900baht fee to immigrations).

As far as your price point, you’re well in line with what most year long private thai language school programs charge for tuition. They run between 180 - 200 hours over the course of the year, and vary in price from about 22K to 28K. You could also find much more expensive routes to go, but what I just mentioned is about the average spread for well-known schools in Bangkok for a year’s study.

If you do find a school let us know what you decided on, why and how it works out, ok?

Good Luck. ..

[blacksuitdandruff]

Thanks for your post.

Travel is not a problem, but traffic is. Having grown up in other large cities, I have come to learn to avoid it like the plague. Please correct me if i'm wrong, but most of these classes are after working hours on weekdays, no?

Would you know of say 5 of the closest schools near me? when i look at the maps, they don't tell me much

Oh I made a mistake on my post in regards to option 3...

I meant, pay the school for just the visa verification letter but not enroll the classes and take classes nearby at thai schools that only offer shorter teaching packages as i know the farer 120 hour courses expire in 3-4 months. I know this is a common but also illegal practice among lesser quality schools in the west for int'l students, but does this happen often in Thailand?

Learning by Skype? Though it could be said I'm traffic phobic, but people phobic?

[rgs2001uk]

Your best option may well be to make use of the excellent boat service that winds its way up up and down the mighty Khlong San Saep each day.

In your area you have a choice of at least 4 stops to choose from, Mahadthai Ram soi 39 if I recall correctly, the university, Wat Thepleela and Ram soi 29 are those I remember off the top of my head.

Get off the boat at the Nana Chart pier Suk soi 15 ( the stop after Asoke), from Ram to here should cost no more than 15 baht and take about 20 minutes depending on the time of day you travel.

At the boat stop you have two options, get a motorcyle taxi to Sukhumvit Rd, cost 10 baht on a taxi, tell the driver, pak soi.

Right across the road you will have the Times Square building, many language schools located there.

The other option is to make the 10 minute walk to Suk soi 13 where I believe there is at least one Thai language school located.

At least two of the schools in the locations mentioned above offer the choice of attending classes in the morning for 4 hours or 3 hours in the afternoon.

I know of no Thai language schools in the area you live, other more informed posters may prove me wrong.