At this stage I think I have 6 months in Thailand before I will need to go home to sort some stuff out. Thinking that studying Thai maybe the best use of my time.

Any one have an idea of any course that is appropriate for this time scale? Lots of 180 hour 1 year course around, but of course I will be gone half way through.

I am a beginner.

Try one of the modular schools if you are serious about putting in the time. E.g. UTL. Monthly set modules so you can oick up again where you left off and they are a decent price and you chose morning or afternoon thenthe rest of the time for revision and free time. Genuinely interested teachers for the most part, and although you can get a visa it is not a visa factory like others, including others in the same building.