Hi guys

OK - I have done some looking around the forums and cannot find a specific answer to my question - that is, which of the 3 ED Visa schools is the best at actually learning Thai?

I want to speak conversational Thai and be able to read the Thai script (street signs/menus etc) - I'm not looking to become a master but enough to have conversations by some time. I am looking to stay in Chiang Mai for one year.

So - which is the best for what I need?

Opinions please!

Thanks

Malthus101

1. A.U.A.

2. YMCA

3. PRO Language

4. Easy Study Thai

Most will offer you to sit in on a class, so you can get a feeling of the school and decide if it suits you.

i went to AUA, it's fantastic. PRO language seemed good too, but double the price. all i've heard about Walen is to stay away. numerous people have said this both to me or i overheard in a side conversation. but Walen will give you a visa. i've never heard of easy study thai. i've heard some people going to Payup Univ., as they have both a language program and a visa. good luck!

Good advice from Mario and afterwards you'll be able to work out for yourself why Whalen isn't the most popular

1. A.U.A.

2. YMCA

3. PRO Language

4. Easy Study Thai

Hi guys, thanks for quick responses - I thought the 3 I mentioned were the only 3 that helped you with the ED Visa? I didn't realize that AUA, YMCA and Payup Univ offred that service too? Or am I not getting something here?

Thanks very much

Malthus101

I've been studying at Walen already 5 months. It's a very good school.

I highly recommend them.

1. A.U.A. 2. YMCA 3. PRO Language 4. Easy Study Thai

Hi guys, thanks for quick responses - I thought the 3 I mentioned were the only 3 that helped you with the ED Visa? I didn't realize that AUA, YMCA and Payup Univ offred that service too? Or am I not getting something here? Thanks very much Malthus101

Walen too offer visa ...

YMCA does not help with your visa. I just finished basic conversastion reading/writting at Pro Langauge. Their focus is quite different from Walen's. Sit in on classes, and first had educated choice.

I just finished basic conversastion reading/writting at Pro Langauge. Their focus is quite different from Walen's.

How different is the focus?

I've been studying at Walen already 5 months. It's a very good school.

I highly recommend them.

I have a friend of a friend who has studied at Walen for almost 2 years and he also highly recommends his school (Walen). However, after studying all this time he has no idea about how to use tones correctly.

If you really want to learn Thai and have time to devote to class and homework, then Payap is the best choice. The classes meet 5 days a week and are pretty intense. It's really a full-time job to learn Thai there, but it's good. The last I heard, they assist with an ED visa, too. Afterall, they're a "real" university, not just a Thai-language school (i.e. visa mill).

Edited February 14, 201313 yr by NancyL

I start at AUA tomorrow as it is close for me as I do not ride a bike, but even though for me it was hard Payup was very good, very fast for me and was a challenge but my Thai did improve , my Thai friends said.

If it was closer then I would go back to Payup

AUA seem good from what I can tell but will find out tomorrow.

I suppose it all depends on whether a person wants a visa or learn the language correctly.

As already said, there are language schools and language visa mills.

I originally took a conversation only class (no script reading or writing) at AUA when I first got here last year. Classes were held 5 days a week for 2 hour a day. Information is throwned at you at a fairly fast pace, classrooms are small with no tables to put your books on (you have to keep everything on your lap). At least the rooms did have A/C though. I am now taking classes at YMCA, and find them much more to my liking. classes are 3 days a week and 2 hours a day. The class books seem to flow better than what I experianced in AUA (but I only had 1 class there also) and there is a lot of verbal repetition by everyone in the class with corrections given if tone was incorrect.

Even though I speak a little of 4 differant languages, I find I like the whole experiance better at YMCA. I've heard from several people though that if you can afford them, private lessions are the best/fastest way to learn, but I'm in no hurry.

I think AUA used to have Ed visa support, but I don't know if they still do. I don't think that YMCA does.

I just finished basic conversastion reading/writting at Pro Langauge. Their focus is quite different from Walen's.

How different is the focus?

I've only talked to Walen customers and seen one of their books, Pro Language books use: English, transliterated Thai, and Thai, and concentrate on real life situations ie: where do you work? What city do you live in? How to order in a restaurant. etc. They deal with building vocabulary and using it in real life conversational situations. We worked with 2 conversation books then moved into reading and writing which was followed by a 3rd conversation book whicn included shopping for clothes, going to the doctor's office, etc. From what I've seen with Walen, they seem to go to That language at the beginning. Some people, not all mind you, have trouble with the total immersion method. There were several people in my classes at Pro who came from Walen and had very little grasp after a year there. As I said, Walen can be very good, a guy who lives in the building I live in swears by their system and speaks Thai resonably well, basic but, well enough, he's in his second year at Walen.

I just finished basic conversastion reading/writting at Pro Langauge. Their focus is quite different from Walen's.

How different is the focus?

I've only talked to Walen customers and seen one of their books, Pro Language books use: English, transliterated Thai, and Thai, and concentrate on real life situations ie: where do you work? What city do you live in? How to order in a restaurant. etc. They deal with building vocabulary and using it in real life conversational situations. We worked with 2 conversation books then moved into reading and writing which was followed by a 3rd conversation book whicn included shopping for clothes, going to the doctor's office, etc. From what I've seen with Walen, they seem to go to That language at the beginning. Some people, not all mind you, have trouble with the total immersion method. There were several people in my classes at Pro who came from Walen and had very little grasp after a year there. As I said, Walen can be very good, a guy who lives in the building I live in swears by their system and speaks Thai resonably well, basic but, well enough, he's in his second year at Walen.

Thanks for the response.

I'm wondering about Study Thai Chiang Mai.

Anyone have experience there or know anyone who has?

Just looking for feedback right mow. Will decide later.

I just finished basic conversastion reading/writting at Pro Langauge. Their focus is quite different from Walen's.

How different is the focus?

Pro teaches sentences, while Wallen teaches words. What's good about knowing 5000 words but can not put into a sentence

Payap is very good but I think you will find they no longer offer ed visa's, too many problems. Might be worth checking direct with the university.

I just finished basic conversastion reading/writting at Pro Langauge. Their focus is quite different from Walen's.

How different is the focus?

I've only talked to Walen customers and seen one of their books, Pro Language books use: English, transliterated Thai, and Thai, and concentrate on real life situations ie: where do you work? What city do you live in? How to order in a restaurant. etc. They deal with building vocabulary and using it in real life conversational situations. We worked with 2 conversation books then moved into reading and writing which was followed by a 3rd conversation book whicn included shopping for clothes, going to the doctor's office, etc. From what I've seen with Walen, they seem to go to That language at the beginning. Some people, not all mind you, have trouble with the total immersion method. There were several people in my classes at Pro who came from Walen and had very little grasp after a year there. As I said, Walen can be very good, a guy who lives in the building I live in swears by their system and speaks Thai resonably well, basic but, well enough, he's in his second year at Walen.

Pretty much spot on, i did 120 classes at both and found i started to speak after Pro, while after Wallen had large vocabulary of mostly useless words and unable to put a sentence together.

A mate of mine, did 3 books with Wallen and changed to Pro, also felt the same way.

I just finished basic conversastion reading/writting at Pro Langauge. Their focus is quite different from Walen's.

How different is the focus?

Pro teaches sentences, while Wallen teaches words. What's good about knowing 5000 words but can not put into a sentence

The Thais seem to manage without sentences OK!

re

Walen can be very good, a guy who lives in the building I live in swears by their system and speaks Thai resonably well, basic but, well enough, he's in his second year at Walen

walen have just opened an office or school ?

in the new curve learning centre on chaing klan road !

dave2

Edited February 14, 201313 yr by dave2

I just finished basic conversastion reading/writting at Pro Langauge. Their focus is quite different from Walen's.

How different is the focus?

Pro teaches sentences, while Wallen teaches words. What's good about knowing 5000 words but can not put into a sentence

The Thais seem to manage without sentences OK!

Sure if you dealing with somtam seller alone

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Lemoncake, hard to believe that. Everybody can come for a free demo lesson and see for themselves, sit in classes, talk to students and ask them how they feel about the school. Students are making excellent progress and classes are full. We even will be opening shortly a second branch of our school. Your story does not make sense. Perhaps you were never even one of our students as it happens very very rarely to have a student who is not satisfied with our service. We even give guarantee on our teaching.

Edited February 16, 201313 yr by MacWalen

Good advice from Mario and afterwards you'll be able to work out for yourself why Whalen isn't the most popular

Walen is not the most popular Thai school in Chiangmai? Or even in Thailand? If the students numbers were the measure then I believe we certainly are.

Edited February 16, 201313 yr by MacWalen

Walen is not the most popular Thai school in Chiangmai? Or even in Thailand? If the students numbers were the measure then I believe we certainly are.

I bet the 4-lessons-one-day-per-week option is very popular. Immigration should just sell the visas directly for say, 25k baht.

You are right, it is very popular. Geat many satisfied customers. Regarding the immigration, they know we are a quality school and there is never any problem in our dealings with them. If somebody does not know, Walen was the first private language school to assist students with ED visas, I have researched one case several years ago and I found that there was such a law although never used. Walen does not get much credit for that but it is a fact. All private schools that assist students with ED visas copy Walen. Many criticize us because of our huge success.

Lemoncake, hard to believe that. Seems like you still have some personal issues with me, I dont believe that has anything to do with Walen and our way of teaching. Everybody can come for a free demo lesson and see for themselves, sit in classes, talk to students and ask them how they feel about the school. Students are making excellent progress and classes are full. We even will be opening shortly a second branch of our school. Your story does not make sense. Perhaps you were never even one of our students as it happens very very rarely to have a student who is not satisfied with our service. We even give guarantee on our teaching.

It seems anyone who does not like Wallen Pattaya in your opinion has personal issues or your stalker.

If i was never your student, why and how would i have personal issues with you?

So where are all the satisfied students from Pattaya?

There are a lot of happy students in Pattaya the same as in every other branch, perhaps they do not have time to post here. Lots of other interesting things to do there. The school in Pattaya is super popular and very profitable. Do you seriously believe people would pay year after year after year if they were not happy with our service? Do you know anything about business? If students were not happy why would they support us? I can offer you a business course if you like. I am starting business coaching, can teach you how to run a protitable busniess in Thailand.

http://www.thaivisa....alen complaint

Here you are, this one for example. But there were many other posts by satisfied students over the years.

Edited February 16, 201313 yr by MacWalen