Thai Language Learning In Bangkok

[nephron]

Where in Bangkok offers a course in basic Thai (mostly conversation) that lasts about 4 weeks?

My father married a Thai woman a little over a year ago, and while she speaks quite good English, most of her family don't speak any. I'd like to be able to talk to them (at least a little), the courses here are appalling and I don't have the motivation/ability to do it through books and tapes.

I was hoping for a course that was 3-6 hours a day, 5 days a week or similar, with minimal study outside course hours (practicing conversation on relatives is OK, but spending every evening with my nose buried in a book is unappealing).

Any recommendations?

Thanks

[jing jing]

I like the Thong Lor school, located right at the bottom of the stairs of the Thong Lor BTS station, even numbered soi side. Their curriculum is structured as 30 hour modules based on 2 weeks, 3 hours per day, 5 days a week. They should be able to take you from zero to basic communication in 4 weeks depending on your language aptitude.

You can get individual or group instruction. I've got 3 phone numbers for them (and no, I'm not affiliated with them in any way):

02 712 0886

02 391 6358

02 390 0244

Chok dee

[nephron]

I like the Thong Lor school, located right at the bottom of the stairs of the Thong Lor BTS station, even numbered soi side.  Their curriculum is structured as 30 hour modules based on 2 weeks, 3 hours per day, 5 days a week.  They should be able to take you from zero to basic communication in 4 weeks depending on your language aptitude.

You can get individual or group instruction.  I've got 3 phone numbers for them (and no, I'm not affiliated with them in any way):

02 712 0886

02 391 6358

02 390 0244

Chok dee 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How far ahead should you book? I'm not going to be coming again until next November :-/

Thanks again

[Nepal4me]

There are a number of other schools such as Union, Unity and TLA. Depending on your location, they might be appropriate. Union and Unity are on Sukumvit, one in Times square, near Soi 12. The other is near Central Chitlom. TLA is on Silom road near Pat Pong.

All 3 schools follow basically the same program. They have 4 week modules, you can do 4 hours in the morning or 3 hours in the aft.

[withnail]

I'm thinking of doing a crash improvement course when I've got some time off in a couple of months. So I think one on one lessons would be more suitable even if they are more expensive. I know Pro Language offer this but I'm unsure about the others.

Also does anyone have contact details for Unity as the last time I went to look I seem to recall they are closed on weekends, if they have a website I can't find it and I tried ringing once before but got no answer.

Cheers

[nephron]

My father's house is in Bang Phli so a long way out (around 16km mark)... nowhere is going to be close.

*grin* I am considering renting somewhere closer to where I'm learning for a few weeks and seeing him weekends/some evenings etc... I think we might get along better that way too!

[bkkmei]

Hi

I went to these guys

http://www.aaathai.com/

they used to be Union teachers but split off to form their own school. Went there cos they let me sit in on a class and it was convenient for me (they're in a building behind Central Chitlom). Professional. Fellow students mainly Japanese. One-on-one is available.

This link may also be useful

http://www.learningthai.com/schools/

[nephron]

Are any/all of the recommended schools friendly? What pace of learning do they expect? Do they expect you to do home study, and if so- of what sort and how much?

Thanks

[bkkmei]

hi

aaa is pretty friendly. Like I said, they let me sit in on a class (which was NOT the case elsewhere). The pace depended a bit on the rest of the class. It's a bit parrot fashion and not very imaginative in its teaching but I don't think anywhere is here. No homework, but I spent about an hour a day just revising what had been covered.

[jdinasia]

Unity was good ... two 20 day sessions will give you a decent start ....

[kuwaittemp]

The Thong Lor school was quite good for me. I did three hours per day three times a week (I later cut that back to twice a week--assimilation takes time). My instruction was one-on-one and I had a different teacher for each of the three hours. My teachers were very professional and, although they made it fun, when it was time to work (such as with writing) they did not hesitate to be demanding. There was also homework; not doing it would give rise to teacher comments guaranteed to produce guilt feelings on the part of any student.

My objective was to pass the P6 exam and I was making very good progress until a financially interesting opportunity came up in Kuwait.

I will return to Bangkok in Feb and review/resume study with Nisa language school. They are also quite good and are located in the Sathorn area, quite a bit closer to my home.

As to booking ahead, it is not necessary. I could have started at Thonglor on the day I registered. I prefer the one-on-one instruction because there is a bit of inherent flexibility. If something interfered with my schedule, the school allowed me to reschedule missed lessons with no penalty. There were no classmate schedules to consider.

[PFV]

Where in Bangkok offers a course in basic Thai (mostly conversation) that lasts about 4 weeks?

My father married a Thai woman a little over a year ago, and while she speaks quite good English, most of her family don't speak any. I'd like to be able to talk to them (at least a little), the courses here are appalling and I don't have the motivation/ability to do it through books and tapes.

I was hoping for a course that was 3-6 hours a day, 5 days a week or similar, with minimal study outside course hours (practicing conversation on relatives is OK, but spending every evening with my nose buried in a book is unappealing).

Any recommendations?

Thanks

Hi nephron,

I am currently attending my frist Thai class in Bangkok at AAA near Central Chitlom.

It is 3 hours/day, either morning or afternoon, x 5 days/week x 4 weeks.

They offer 3 speaking classes (levels 1 through 3) and 3 reading/writing classes (also levels 1 through 3). I am in speaking level 1.

There is a lot of interaction (excercises) with the teacher and among fellow students and not much homework. The first three days were devoted exclusively to correct pronunciation and tone.

I like it very much since we are already trying fairly complex sentences after barely 3 weeks. Another American student, actually an English professor who has already attended 2 other schools in Bangkok, stated is is much better than the other two he has tried.

Hope this helps...

Cheers,

Paul

[khonnaarak]

Are any/all of the recommended schools friendly? What pace of learning do they expect? Do they expect you to do home study, and if so- of what sort and how much?

Thanks

Hey U want school friendly ? Why don't you try P&A Language Center @ Silom ? They'll make u feel can speak when you are @ the first time in class ( Private class.. ) Check it out ! 01-9124967 or

09-1151630

Enjoy yr thai class

Cheers !

[robitusson]

Where in Bangkok offers a course in basic Thai (mostly conversation) that lasts about 4 weeks?

My father married a Thai woman a little over a year ago, and while she speaks quite good English, most of her family don't speak any. I'd like to be able to talk to them (at least a little), the courses here are appalling and I don't have the motivation/ability to do it through books and tapes.

I was hoping for a course that was 3-6 hours a day, 5 days a week or similar, with minimal study outside course hours (practicing conversation on relatives is OK, but spending every evening with my nose buried in a book is unappealing).

Any recommendations?

Thanks

Nisa Language School on Thanon Yenakart. It's near Lumpini MRT station. They were the best school of the five in Bangkok that I went to. Long established and experienced, better than average teachers, pretty good books and materials.