Language Express Or Pro Language?

[EmmaJane29]

Hi all,

I would like to register on a 1-2 year Thai language course & from reading various forums I am now trying to decide between Language Express & Pro Language both in Bangkok.

I want to join a school that will enable me to obtain an educational visa, hopefully via a straight forward process but also I am very keen to improve my Thai language skills which currently are non existent! Therefore the standard of teaching needs to be good & not just a school that runs for visa purposes (as I've heard there are many!)

Does anyone have experience of attending either of these schools & applying for educational visa & which would you recommend?

Thanks in advance.

Edited January 10, 2013 by EmmaJane29

[AyG]

I don't have experience of Pro Language, though studied for more than a year at another school upstairs in the Times Square building. My impression was that Pro Language catered almost exclusively to East Asians.

I'd strongly recommend that you ask for a trial lesson or two at any school that you're thinking of committing to.

Incidentally, if your Thai language skills are "non existent" you're probably going to struggle with any school - most expect that you have a basic grasp of Thai before you start. I'd recommend you do a self study course before you start. Pimsleur springs to mind.

[Rumblecat]

I can recommend Language Express. Course material is good, separate classes for reading and speaking, good teachers, after a year there I can't really think of any negatives. I didn't go into the beginner classes- I went in at level 2 as I'd attended another school before- but I know a few folk who went in with zero knowledge as they were catered for pretty well- wasn't any expectation that they'd know Thai before hand.

[frimu]

Language express was good for the first year. What I don't know is how good it is for people on advanced levels.

The teachers there are nice and motivated, the ED visa process works most of the time.

But just recently they screwed up the extension of an ED visa for another guy. Haven't seen him in class since. A bit weird!

They have a high turnover of managemant and service staff, which sometimes can make things a bit chaotic. But I think it's not any worse or better than any other Thai company.

The teachers however are still the same. Just one guy that left during that year.