Hello,

at the moment I am not in Thailand anymore, but I am still doing very well in expressing myself in the Thai language (I talk a lot on Skype with a friend). I not only use single words, put can also make sentences with them. Still however I can only speak Thai, I am not able to read or write it.

It makes me think sometimes, in starting to study the Thai language. I already have a bachelors degree in International Business and Languages at the moment.

When I stayed in Thailand I read a lot about language schools such as Walen, PLC and more.

Are there better future opportunities on a job in Thailand once you really manage to speak, read and write the Thai language, thaught by one of these schools?

Or are these schools more like a joke, and only there to create the opportunity for people to stay longer in Thailand by provinding education visa's?

I am also interested in people who studied at one of these schools before, and now have a job.

Edited March 22, 201115 yr by BeardedDragon

As a foreigner, your job opportunities here in LOS are very limited as companies are legally oblilgated to give jobs to Thais - unless it's a job a Thai national CANNOT do (e.g. doesn't have the qualifications/expertise/training, etc.) .

I found a job here, albeit teaching English at a private language school, without being able to speak/read/write Thai.

Good luck.

The restrictions on employment as a non-Thai are irrespective of the foreigner's language abilities.

That said, there are many positions you are legally allowed to hold in which Thai language skills, especially being able to translate documents from English to Thai and Thai to English is an enormous asset. Such positions are often with news agencies, NGOs, or Embassies.

Bear in mind that Thai is an extremely difficult language to learn to write well. The structure is totally different than English - and the emphasis is on different things. Being concise is irrelevant, writing in Thai is often highly repetitive, obvious or unimportant observations are expected to be made, logical flow is meandering and inappropriate analogies are frequently used.

Learning to read is much easier and you can practice frequently on your own with restaurant menus, street signs and later with the newspaper.

Generally things that are translated between the languages need to be totally re-written to be "good" - if you translate directly from Thai to English, it comes off as nonsensical and difficult to follow, if you translate from English to Thai directly then it comes off as abrupt and terse, without the meandering (but largely uninformative) niceties Thais expect in writing.

I believe a component of either the Residency or citizenship exam is the requirement that the foreigner pass the Pratom 6 Thai exam.

As far as the specifics of these language schools...I really don't know, having never studied Thai academically and being self taught during my 7 years in The Kingdom.

I would concentrate on your English writing skills befor you try and master Thai

I would concentrate on your English writing skills before you try and master Thai

oooooooooooooooooooh, tut tut.

PS, Have corrected YOUR spelling mistake.

Thanks for all the tips...I am well aware of Thai law and the rules of a foreigner needs to deal with to start working in Thailand.

Are there some people from the forum who studied at one of the languageschools?

@ ESB7...mind your own level of English first, before judging other people. I am not a native English speaker.