Best Thai Language School

[RAZZELL]

i learned Thai Language in TLA school (http://www.tlaschool.com) for 4 months..

i now can speak, read and write Thai becuase of TLA..

it's located just near "Payathai" BTS station, PayaThai plaza building,,

The classrooms are so clean and good conditions..

The tuition is not expensive,,, Teachers are so generous..

i've never heard that teachers speak English.. They try to speak just Thai..

it's so helpful and fun!!

i'm now looking for a Thai Language school again..

Unfortunetly, i can't get to TLA from my apt by MRT..

it's quite unconvinience to get there..

i surely want to recommend TLA even i couldn't join,,

i maybe choose a school which is near MRT station..

i wanna start from July or August...

Good Luck for Thai Langauge learnners!!

Advert???

RAZZ

[kerr17]

Anyone can reccomand me (PM) any former teacher for 1.1 lessons?

I think that few hours a week privatly it would be more helpful then a full time class.

Anyone can also suggest me a school not to expensive where to take good private lesson?

My thai is quiet basic and I'm looking for someone who can improve my conversational thai as well as teach me reading and writing.

Thanks

[LookSaMoon]

Anyone can reccomand me (PM) any former teacher for 1.1 lessons?

I think that few hours a week privatly it would be more helpful then a full time class.

Anyone can also suggest me a school not to expensive where to take good private lesson?

My thai is quiet basic and I'm looking for someone who can improve my conversational thai as well as teach me reading and writing.

Thanks

I have sent you pm, pls check it out

[BFD]

I'd like a PM, too, if you don't mind...

Thanks,

BFD!

[boraborasands]

I certainly agree with Nisa. So much so that I will be going back there in late Feb when I return to Bangkok. Not only did I have good learning experiences a few years ago when they were in the YWCA building, I now live only a couple of blocks away from their school.

I also recommend Thong Lor Language School. Located on Sukhumvit, you can literally descend the skytrain stairs and step into the school. One of my teachers there had a couple of MA(s), one of them in language acquisition. All three of my teachers there were good, all adapted texts a bit to what I wanted to do, and all demanded homework.

Thong Lor pricing is the same as Nisa.

I'll have to have a look at that one. Somebody told me Baan Phasaa Thai was good but I've never been.

Perhaps, if somebody could give informations about Thai solutions, i would appreciate it.

Their 30 hours package rates seems interesting.... for only 8500 bht of 30 hours....

Has anybody tried it?

[rgs2001uk]

I certainly agree with Nisa. So much so that I will be going back there in late Feb when I return to Bangkok. Not only did I have good learning experiences a few years ago when they were in the YWCA building, I now live only a couple of blocks away from their school.

I also recommend Thong Lor Language School. Located on Sukhumvit, you can literally descend the skytrain stairs and step into the school. One of my teachers there had a couple of MA(s), one of them in language acquisition. All three of my teachers there were good, all adapted texts a bit to what I wanted to do, and all demanded homework.

Thong Lor pricing is the same as Nisa.

I'll have to have a look at that one. Somebody told me Baan Phasaa Thai was good but I've never been.

Perhaps, if somebody could give informations about Thai solutions, i would appreciate it.

Their 30 hours package rates seems interesting.... for only 8500 bht of 30 hours....

Has anybody tried it?

you get what you pay for, is it approved by the minisrtry of education, are the teachers licensed, are the books cut and paste jobs from other establishments?

i dont know what how serious you are about studying thai, how much time you have to attend lessons and then do homework after finishing school, whether location is an important factor to you?, do you speak any thai already, is cost a consideration to you? etc etc

i would suggest any of the schools teaching the aua method such as utl times square near to sukhumvit soi 12, piammitr jasmine place at the corner of sukhumvit soi 23, there is another school in rachatewi near the panthip plaza, sorry cant remember its name.

these schools offer 60 hours of instruction for 6000 baht, 3 hours a day for 20 days in a mixed class of roughly 5 or 6 other students, they are also pretty intensive for anyone with no knowledge of thai.

if you prefer one on one instruction, there is a school near to sukhumvit soi 38, cant remember its name, something like thonglor thai/english school. its been there for years and offers a basic introduction into thai language and has a good reputation for getting novices up and running with an introduction to the language. the last i heard their costs were something like 13,000 baht for 30 hours, again you get what you pay for.

i am in no way affiliated with any of these schools and have no commercial interest in any of them, although i am attending one of them and have no complaints.

[foolforlove]

TLA school has moved.

There are now in the Phayathai Plaza office building, next to BTS Phayathai.

I went there (when they were in Silom) for levels 1 to 4. Good experience.

...I had excellent experience at Thai Language Achievement School in Silom.

...Attended 3 months in 2004.

Curriculum well-organized and easy to follow.

Teachers thoroughly prepared and instruction is clear.

Everything neat, clean, well-organized, but the chairs in classrooms are Thai-size = a bit small and low.

Other than that, I have only good things to say about this school.

...Schedule is intense: every morning, afternoon, or evening (your choice), five days a week, for a month.

They don't offer any more relaxed schedules than that, so if you just want a few hours a week, this is not the school.

Teachers are available for privates, but I never took privates.

...I repeated level 1 to review.

Turned out to be wise decision - made it much easier to progress to level 2.

Most other students went directly from level 1 into level 2 and they really floundered.

No discount for repeating a level, but I certainly would do that again, probably at every level, to learn thoroughly.

...Location: Bangkok Silom, midway between skytrain Sala Daeng and Bangkok Bank - opposite Patpong.

Also, close to subway Silom station.

Web site . . . http://www.tlaschool.com/index2.html

.

[Goinghomesoon]

I work weekdays and tend to have an unpredictable finishing time so am restricted to weekend learning. I've tried 1:1 and to be honest I would prefer to be with other students. Several Bangkok schools such as Walen advertise Sat and Sun schedules but so far only Piammitr seem to actually run the classes. Anyone else learning weekends?

[Chuckler]

but so far only Piammitr seem to actually run the classes. Anyone else learning weekends?

I've been trying to get piammitr to email me back, but I've not heard anything from them.

[email protected] is the email I'm using from their website, I'm guessing I have to physically walk in there. But it's so hot! :/

[MacWalen]

any websites for the thai language schools? i have been recomended Jentana? any good?

have a look at www.thaiwalen.com, you are welcome to come for a free demonstration

Edited February 28, 2011 by macwalen

[mortti]

I,too, am looking for a private thai language teacher. I am a complete beginner and live in Sukhumvit. if you know any good ones please PM me. many thanks.

[frenchFARANGbkk]

I still keep in touch with my former Thai language teacher who still teaches after office time, so if you are interested give me your email and I will tell her to write you.

[luisparis]

Hi

I've just called the Unity school to register a cousin there for the course starting next monday. It's fine except noone in the school seems to speak chinese, whereas our cousin only speaks chinese dialects.

Can you think of another school with chinese speaking staff ( not teachers, but at least someone in the admin) ?

Cheers

luis

[shane]

Can anybody recommend a school where the thai teachers don't speak english? I've studied at UTL and and another school(forgot name) and found that my thai was much better when speaking to Thai's that dont speak english. The teachers at UTL were always speaking thai, but the other school i went to was a nightmare. The Thai teachers loved speaking english and my thai actually got worse while i studied there. I don't even like to hear the Thai teachers speak english to other people. For some reason it makes me feel silly when i speak thai with them.

UTL teachers always spoke Thai and that was great.

How about piammitr do the thai teachers always speak thai?

[up-country_sinclair]

i can recommend 'ajarn ja' who has a website www.thai-teacher.com

she's fluent in english and has a master's degree in linguistics from thammasat.

she's located in krabi, but does classes via webcam for distance learners.

as far as teaching on weekends..... i think her schedule is pretty flexible, but you'd have to contact her.

Edited October 23, 2007 by up-country_sinclair

[truelove]

I recommend you to study at P&A Language Center on Silom Road, connect to

Sala Daeng BTS station.It's very convenient. Teachers have fun way to teach.

Your Thai language will be good.Try it!!!

And also they're very flexible.

[Link removed. No commercial links allowed unless specifically requested. Please contact this poster by PM for more information. /Meadish]

[kriswillems]

Can anybody recommend a school where the thai teachers don't speak english? I've studied at UTL and and another school(forgot name) and found that my thai was much better when speaking to Thai's that dont speak english. The teachers at UTL were always speaking thai, but the other school i went to was a nightmare. The Thai teachers loved speaking english and my thai actually got worse while i studied there. I don't even like to hear the Thai teachers speak english to other people. For some reason it makes me feel silly when i speak thai with them.

UTL teachers always spoke Thai and that was great.

How about piammitr do the thai teachers always speak thai?

Yes they do, in fact most of them can't speak English.

Piammitr has 7 books.

book 1, 2 and 3 are about speaking.

You will learn how to build sentences based on standard patterns. And you'll also learn some basic words.

They will teach you about the tones.

The teachers will write in phonetic language but the books are also available in Thai script.

(I took the books in Thai script, because I studied how to write by myself).

book 4,5,6, 7 are about writing.

Book 4 and 5 explain the writing system (and the relation with the tones).

Book 6 teaches to write "written" Thai

book 7 teaches how to write "spoken" Thai.

I have followed book 2, 3 and 7 at Piammitr and book 6 at AAA language school.

Both schools are good, but Piammitr has less students, which gives you more time to talk.

Now I am preparing P.6 examination at Piammitr, but I will skip the exam because I just arrived here (in Thailand) 3 months ago.

Although I progress quickly I think 3 months is not enough to pass P.6, an average student would need 7 to 9 months.

But after 3 months of studying I feel pretty comfortable speaking Thai and most Thai people understand me.

I still have problems understanding them when they speak fast, not clear, slang or when they speak about difficult subjects.

Goodluck!

Edited October 31, 2007 by kriswillems

[cooL_guY_corY]

hey kriswillems, at piammitr.. are the books you got with the thai script, just only thai script or does it include phonetic transliteration as well ? or if you wanted that you would get both books kinda thing? i like thai script but find that since i am still learning that if i see what the word in thai as well as with it in its transliterated state it can be helpful, which i guess is obviously kinda un-progressive but its good with things like tones and longer /complex words etc.. anyways also does anyone know if UTL has the english books available with thai script as well ? from what ive read it doesnt sound like it until the later courses anyways.. I am thinking about starting for a month anyway, just thinking about whether i should try piammitr or UTL. I have actually a decent vocab and stuff like that but i think i would definitely benefit from starting from scratch just to get that much extra conversation knowledge kinda thing. Any advice / more insight on this would be nice !

informative thread !

Edited November 1, 2007 by cooL_guY_corY

[kriswillems]

hey kriswillems, at piammitr.. are the books you got with the thai script, just only thai script or does it include phonetic transliteration as well ? or if you wanted that you would get both books kinda thing? i like thai script but find that since i am still learning that if i see what the word in thai as well as with it in its transliterated state it can be helpful, which i guess is obviously kinda un-progressive but its good with things like tones and longer /complex words etc.. anyways also does anyone know if UTL has the english books available with thai script as well ? from what ive read it doesnt sound like it until the later courses anyways.. I am thinking about starting for a month anyway, just thinking about whether i should try piammitr or UTL. I have actually a decent vocab and stuff like that but i think i would definitely benefit from starting from scratch just to get that much extra conversation knowledge kinda thing. Any advice / more insight on this would be nice !

informative thread !

You can buy both books (200 Baht per book), but there's no book that has both phonetic and Thai script.

Starting from level 4 there's only 1 book (Thai only).

I would advice you to start at a level that is not too high. I also thought I knew a lot of vocabulary, but I didn't learn to build good sentences. And this is exactly what you learn in level 2 and 3. In Piammitr there are several students that went to UTL before. They said it was good but there are more students in a classroom. And one of them said the teachers at UTL are more strict (and a bit older) and they put more pressure at you than in Piammitr. UTL , AAA and Piammitr (and a few others of which I don't know the name) use all the same teaching system and their books are very similar.

Be prepared too study many months. In just 1 month you can't get a lot of knowledge.

[cooL_guY_corY]

hey kriswillems, at piammitr.. are the books you got with the thai script, just only thai script or does it include phonetic transliteration as well ? or if you wanted that you would get both books kinda thing? i like thai script but find that since i am still learning that if i see what the word in thai as well as with it in its transliterated state it can be helpful, which i guess is obviously kinda un-progressive but its good with things like tones and longer /complex words etc.. anyways also does anyone know if UTL has the english books available with thai script as well ? from what ive read it doesnt sound like it until the later courses anyways.. I am thinking about starting for a month anyway, just thinking about whether i should try piammitr or UTL. I have actually a decent vocab and stuff like that but i think i would definitely benefit from starting from scratch just to get that much extra conversation knowledge kinda thing. Any advice / more insight on this would be nice !

informative thread !

You can buy both books (200 Baht per book), but there's no book that has both phonetic and Thai script.

Starting from level 4 there's only 1 book (Thai only).

I would advice you to start at a level that is not too high. I also thought I knew a lot of vocabulary, but I didn't learn to build good sentences. And this is exactly what you learn in level 2 and 3. In Piammitr there are several students that went to UTL before. They said it was good but there are more students in a classroom. And one of them said the teachers at UTL are more strict (and a bit older) and they put more pressure at you than in Piammitr. UTL , AAA and Piammitr (and a few others of which I don't know the name) use all the same teaching system and their books are very similar.

Be prepared too study many months. In just 1 month you can't get a lot of knowledge.

Hey, for sure i agree, if i go i would start from scratch i think. I definitely would want to start the the very basic just to make sure i get all the bases covered, i would sign up asap just i am in uni right now so i might have to skip some uni class. Just curious i couldnt find the Piammitr prices on their websites.. UTL and Piammitr are both at the same place @ easy to get at via Asok bts station right? Small class sizes would definitely be a big plus for me. I am gonna go search for the AAA website.. Thanks for your info Kris!

[kriswillems]

hey kriswillems, at piammitr.. are the books you got with the thai script, just only thai script or does it include phonetic transliteration as well ? or if you wanted that you would get both books kinda thing? i like thai script but find that since i am still learning that if i see what the word in thai as well as with it in its transliterated state it can be helpful, which i guess is obviously kinda un-progressive but its good with things like tones and longer /complex words etc.. anyways also does anyone know if UTL has the english books available with thai script as well ? from what ive read it doesnt sound like it until the later courses anyways.. I am thinking about starting for a month anyway, just thinking about whether i should try piammitr or UTL. I have actually a decent vocab and stuff like that but i think i would definitely benefit from starting from scratch just to get that much extra conversation knowledge kinda thing. Any advice / more insight on this would be nice !

informative thread !

You can buy both books (200 Baht per book), but there's no book that has both phonetic and Thai script.

Starting from level 4 there's only 1 book (Thai only).

I would advice you to start at a level that is not too high. I also thought I knew a lot of vocabulary, but I didn't learn to build good sentences. And this is exactly what you learn in level 2 and 3. In Piammitr there are several students that went to UTL before. They said it was good but there are more students in a classroom. And one of them said the teachers at UTL are more strict (and a bit older) and they put more pressure at you than in Piammitr. UTL , AAA and Piammitr (and a few others of which I don't know the name) use all the same teaching system and their books are very similar.

Be prepared too study many months. In just 1 month you can't get a lot of knowledge.

Hey, for sure i agree, if i go i would start from scratch i think. I definitely would want to start the the very basic just to make sure i get all the bases covered, i would sign up asap just i am in uni right now so i might have to skip some uni class. Just curious i couldnt find the Piammitr prices on their websites.. UTL and Piammitr are both at the same place @ easy to get at via Asok bts station right? Small class sizes would definitely be a big plus for me. I am gonna go search for the AAA website.. Thanks for your info Kris!

Most schools test you for free so you'll know your level. Just call them beforehand. All schools have experienced teachers, there's a small chance they'll put you in the wrong level if you have a chat with them (in Thai) for a while. All school are very open to questions and helpfull.

www.piammitrschool.com : 5500 Baht/20 days, 3 hours per day, 200Baht/book, on walking distance from Asok skytrain station (jasmine city building, soy 23 sukumwit)

www.AAAthai.com: 6000Baht/20 days, 3 hours per day, 200 Baht/book, on walking distance from Chitlom skytrain station (Vanissa building)

www.UTL-school.com: price?, on walking distance from Asok skytrain station (times square building)

Goodluck!

[cooL_guY_corY]

wow thanks for the help ! I am really thinking about AAA and Piammitr! also BTW UTL is 6000 baht. Thanks again for the info

[mauiguy90]

Just bringing this thread forward for those with questions about intensive thai language schools!

[Tod Daniels]

FWIW, I have found the language schools which teach transliteration to be initially a giant waste of time. You cannot practice out of the class with a thai friend as nothing is written in a language they can understand. Plus each school uses their own inane transliteration system with its own quirks and way of showing tone, vowel length, etc.

IF you can even remotely read thai script, get the text books in that format, even if you have to get the transliterated versions as well. That way practicing with a thai friend outside the class is very easy.

The key to being understood by thais when speaking is NOT the school you go to. All the schools mentioned; AAA, UTL, Piammitr, etc, teach the same method; which from the looks of the material in the textbooks, hasn't been updated in centuries. The out of school practice and interaction is what hones your speaking skills. A person who religiously attends class yet is reticent to speak out of the class can go for years and never progress past the 'two-word-thai" I hear most foreigners speaking here. You'll end up being one of the 'parrots', only able to parrot phrases, not build your own sentences with any degree of accuracy or understandability.

I would also say, find a school where the staff has at least marginally good english skills. If you cannot ask questions about phrasing, or word order, about sentence structure it can be frustrating. While some people prefer speaking only thai in the class, being able to ask a question about something you don’t understand is nearly impossible when you don’t know or haven’t learned the thai words for question, subject, verb, object, vowel, pronunciation, word order, etc.

I have found most language schools will NOT let you buy the books without paying for the classes (very shrewd on their part). AUA is the exception to this; they no longer use the thai language text books as they have a harebrained ALG system they teach spoken thai with now. The old textbooks are for sale in the bookstore at their campus. They are well worth picking up.

I still believe if you want to understand this language, teach yourself to read thai script. Words that are transliterated the same in english are all spelled completely different in thai.

I realize my opinions run counter to some advocates of learning the language here in the glorious “Land ‘O Thais”, but it has worked for me. I’ve sat in on and been tested by more language schools than I care to remember. I was told at one school, ‘You don’t speak like a thai person. ..” I replied, “Why would I want to speak like a thai person? I am an American, I don’t want to be thai, only speak to them.”

To each their own; good luck. ..

[joy2]

What's the best school for learning Thai, in terms of the teachers ability, materials and price? Candidates please.

In bangkok...Thonglor language school on Sukumwit Road

In Chiang Mai ...with teacher lah..0861938768

[luisparis]

Which schools would you recommend that offers only a couple of lectures per week in the afternoon, or week end classes, as it doesn't seem to be the case of the main schools mentionned here which follow a 5 days class per week schedule?

[mangkorn]

"The teacher only opens the door; but you must walk through it." - (old Chinese proverb)

Personally, I don't think it's the school that determines it - rather, the learning relationship between the student and the teacher. And, mostly, the resolve of the student, to learn.

I've never been to one of those strictly structured schools, and probably wouldn't go. Maybe that's just me. What I want is a teacher who will help me in what I want to learn, and I think that I should determine that, in large measure. I went to a couple of small, unheralded Thai language schools in Bangkok, and have nothing but good things to say about them both.

There are many ways to learn. But it really all comes down to the student him/herself.

I never believed in the idea of "good schools" in the university context, either - partly because I matriculated at state universities - but I did manage to achieve a very good education (after having screwed up for a few years: my own fault); yet, also, because I have met many people over the years who have graduated from those supposed "elite" schools, who were dumber than doorknobs, quite frankly.

(And, if you don't believe me, George W. Bush somehow graduated from both Harvard and Yale. The mind simply reels - in utter disbelief...)

Cheers.

Edited January 7, 2008 by mangkorn

[luisparis]

Just called Piammitr and they say they have canceled the evening course advertised on their website. Wich other school is offering course after 5pm? even daily courses?

[tcris52]

I want to branch out on this topic.

I plan on moving to either Khon Kaen or Maha Sarakham province in about August. I'm looking for an intensive Thai course and was figuring I'd probably have to go to Bangkok or Chiang Mai to get it. Is anyone aware of something decent in Isaan?

Thanks.

Tony

[aroydee]

Is there an advantage to spending a summer taking instruction at one of the more "traditional" institutions in Bangkok? (I am thinking of Thammasat or Chula...) Have been having some difficulty accumulating much information on their Thai-for-foreigners programs, but will continue with my search if it may be worth the effort!

Thanks for you help... and for any recommendations you might have. (I am looking for an intensive two month learning situation... like every day.... day and/or night.... until burn-out occurs!)