Learning Thai

[Ormgard]

People point to either the AUA or Phayap University six week courses (60 hours) as the best alternatives in Chiang Mai for farang to learn Thai.

But AUA and Payap don’t approach teaching Thai in the same way. If we stick to the beginner level, at Phayap the emphasis is on learning via the Thai alphabet, whereas AUA stresses the importance of understanding and pronouncing the tones correctly; learning the alphabet doesn’t come in until much later:

PHAYAP:

”Beginning Thai focuses on the survival language skills necessary for daily life. Students begin their learning with the Thai alphabet and useful vocabulary [numbers, food, directions, telling time, parts of the body, family, and other topics of simple conversation]. Classroom activities are highly interactive, using props, objects, and pictures to stimulate conversation. Homework and language lab assignments are designed to encourage students to overcome their initial inhibitions about speaking Thai.”

AUA:

”The teaching methodology employed for the AUA Thai courses is an outgrowth of the philosophy that for the students to speak Thai well they must be able to understand and produce the tones of the language correctly and accurately. In order to accomplish this goal, a method of "focused practice" is used. Practical vocabulary and grammar patterns are introduced and drilled before students are asked to engage in short or long dialogs and conversations. A large percentage of the class is spent in having the teacher model sounds, patterns and sentences and the students practicing those drills.”

Some people I’ve talked to favour AUA, others Phayap. The earlier thread here, two years ago but with only four postings (Learning Thai, One To One Teacher) favours Phayap.

It’s of course hard to get unbiassed opinions, but by now there must be a substantial bag of knowledge in the Chiang Mai farang community as to which method is to be preferred.

Another factor is the pricing. AUA charges Bt3900 for the six week course, plus material, Phayap Bt7000. (I hope I haven’t misunderstood this.) There are of course other differences, but it seems to me that the methodological approach is of major importance.

[sabaijai]

It may depend to some degree on what kind of learner you are. My impression is that Payap is more academically oriented in the way they teach Thai, so may appeal more to someone who's more academically minded, or who wants to study Thai over the long term, perhaps do Thai studies (and Payap has a decent Thai studies program). AUA seems more focussed on getting the learner up to a communicative level quickly.

As for Thai script at AUA, even Book 1 contains Thai script, and with a little added effort one can learn to read while doing the conversation course, particularly if you do a one-one-one course.

I didn't study at either place, so am generalising from what I've heard from acquaintances who have done both programs.

[PeaceBlondie]

Perhaps two years ago, ChiangMaiCityLife magazine had an excellent article with a comparative table of at least four of the programs, plus pages of discussion of AUA, YMCA, Payap, and several more. Criteria included # of classroom hours, certified staff, class size. They mentioned that some schools use outdated, barely legible, poorly designed textbooks, or no texts at all. It's a magazine with a white background cover, red letters, and a blurb on the front to an extensive article that required a lot of research. But the first course or two only teaches basics, and I think after that you need privates. They mentioned that for botth group and private lessons, most of the "properly trained Thai teachers" use terrible ESL methods, don't cater to the student's personal learning style, teach by rote, etc.

If I'd remained in Chiang Mai and had the spare time, I might have taken a course or two at the YMCA (because it was near me), and then run through 8 private tutors before I found one who could teach me correctly. I'm tone deaf, half blind, old, with ADHD, and I'm a weird little Peter Pan. But when it's my baht being paid out of my pocket, the first lesson would be earned at 10 baht per minute until I held up my hand and say in the wrong tones, "Set laow; we're finished."

[Ajarn]

use terrible ESL methods, don't cater to the student's personal learning style, teach by rote, etc.

In an ESL classroom, teaching 'by rote' is called 'repitition', and it's a mainstay of any ESL/EFL teaching, as it should be.

Anyway, I'd say that Sabaijai's remarks hit the main idea, in that Payap is more for the academic, and AUA is about fast conversation. Personally, I prefer AUA because of one of the teachers, but I'm sure both programs perform well.

[Khun Nancy]

Whatever course you choose would be great. I found the secret is to get out and speak. The community is very responsive. Just smile and practice. The Thai will gladly teach you. After you learn a few words, go shopping and use what you have learned. Your language ability will grow naturally.

[PeaceBlondie]

use terrible ESL methods, don't cater to the student's personal learning style, teach by rote, etc.

In an ESL classroom, teaching 'by rote' is called 'repitition', and it's a mainstay of any ESL/EFL teaching, as it should be.

Anyway, I'd say that Sabaijai's remarks hit the main idea, in that Payap is more for the academic, and AUA is about fast conversation. Personally, I prefer AUA because of one of the teachers, but I'm sure both programs perform well.

I'm sorry, Ajarn,. Either I wrote in haste, or Iremember incorrectly what the author said, or what various students of Thai language that I've heard remarks from, said. I haven't taken Thai lessons, and don't know the teachers in Chiang Mai, so I won't comment further. Thanks for the correction.

[Ajarn]

Whatever course you choose would be great. I found the secret is to get out and speak. The community is very responsive. Just smile and practice. The Thai will gladly teach you. After you learn a few words, go shopping and use what you have learned. Your language ability will grow naturally.

So true about your secret

Practice makes perfect, or at least better. On the AUA course, it's easy because it's located in an area used to dealing with farangs, so getting some good practice is no sweat. In fact, if you don't practice everyday, you'll find yourself falling behind in your studies...

[kerryk]

I attended the AUA course but I did a couple of things wrong. The instructor said it was not necessary to buy the text so I didn’t. That was a mistake. After three weeks I bought the text. AUA spells the Thai words using special letters that don’t occur in the English language. I didn’t bother to learn these or the double vowels they also use. Later in the course when the instructor would write words on the board I was lost.

In the class of 8 there were three non English speaking people and that made it difficult because the instructor did not speak Japanese or French.

The class was much younger than I and included 4 graduate students with a facility for languages. After the third week I felt like I was out of it. The text said don’t ask questions in class. So, I didn’t. That was dumb, I should have. When the class started getting ahead of me I should have asked questions or got a tutor. So it was not quite the experience I had hoped for. Wasn’t the instructors fault. Next time I will know better.

[davidgtr]

Whatever course you choose would be great. I found the secret is to get out and speak. The community is very responsive. Just smile and practice. The Thai will gladly teach you. After you learn a few words, go shopping and use what you have learned. Your language ability will grow naturally.

So true about your secret

Practice makes perfect, or at least better. On the AUA course, it's easy because it's located in an area used to dealing with farangs, so getting some good practice is no sweat. In fact, if you don't practice everyday, you'll find yourself falling behind in your studies...

Yep, practice makes perfect. I never had any lessons or communicated with the (ex) wife in Thai - only English. (A mistake?) But I did learn by hanging out in the mountains / remote areas where no one spoke any English so you had to listen to what they were saying in Thai, then think about it (in Thai) then try to reply in Thai. Sort of immerse yourself in the language. It’s seemed to work for me.

Go to school every day in Chiang Mai, then go home to speak to English with the missus or bar girls & you're wasting your time. To learn, you need to practice & IMHO the best place to practice is where they don’t speak English, then you have to use & think Thai.

[Ulysses G.]

Go to school every day in Chiang Mai, then go home to speak to English with the missus or bar girls & you're wasting your time. To learn, you need to practice & IMHO the best place to practice is where they don’t speak English, then you have to use & think Thai.

My Thai is OK, but Ajarn is one of the best around, however, I found that getting LOTS of massages and talking to the girls does wonders for your Thai language skills and you don't have to go out into the boonies to use what you have learned.

[Johpa]

AUA spells the Thai words using special letters that don’t occur in the English language. I didn’t bother to learn these or the double vowels they also use. Later in the course when the instructor would write words on the board I was lost.

I am not sure if AUA still uses the original Marvin Brown series used to teach me Thai in University many years ago. But I found the AUA transliteration system quite good, very phonetic, and a nice transitional system in the first months where we were introduced to Thai language before dealing with the Thai alphabet towards the end of the first year. The system used clear and logical notations for tone and vowel length and had symbols for vowel and consonant sounds that exist in English but are not represented by distinct letters in the Roman alphabet as used in English.

I did teach English at AUA for awhile many years ago, but I believe their methods for teaching English and Thai have changed over the decades. But AUA methodology was definitely aimed at conversation and of couse based upon American trends in language instruction. Phayap also leans towards American methodologies but as others noted, is more academic in nature. I also taught English at Mae Jo, while still and agricultural institute (and my favorite teaching job in the Kingdom) and they preferred back then to use British (Oxford based) methodologies, often to the point of teaching Thai kids laughable lessons about riding double decker buses.

[kerryk]

AUA spells the Thai words using special letters that don’t occur in the English language. I didn’t bother to learn these or the double vowels they also use. Later in the course when the instructor would write words on the board I was lost.

I am not sure if AUA still uses the original Marvin Brown series used to teach me Thai in University many years ago. But I found the AUA transliteration system quite good, very phonetic, and a nice transitional system in the first months where we were introduced to Thai language before dealing with the Thai alphabet towards the end of the first year. The system used clear and logical notations for tone and vowel length and had symbols for vowel and consonant sounds that exist in English but are not represented by distinct letters in the Roman alphabet as used in English.

I did teach English at AUA for awhile many years ago, but I believe their methods for teaching English and Thai have changed over the decades. But AUA methodology was definitely aimed at conversation and of couse based upon American trends in language instruction. Phayap also leans towards American methodologies but as others noted, is more academic in nature. I also taught English at Mae Jo, while still and agricultural institute (and my favorite teaching job in the Kingdom) and they preferred back then to use British (Oxford based) methodologies, often to the point of teaching Thai kids laughable lessons about riding double decker buses.

They use two backwards e’s, two symbols that look like capitalized but small and backwards E’s, backwards c’s, two capitalized italicized E’s with a w added, a question mark with i t added, p with two small capitalized E’s with a t and l and r with the two small capitalized E’s. In addition to this they use 24 other vowel combinations that are not in English usage but they assign unique sounds to them. This makes no sense to me. They could use phonetic English pronunciation and get it close without inventing symbols. AUA I think has unnecessarily complicated what could be a simple process. There are hundreds of language books written in English without resorting to a new alphabet.

[Johpa]

They use two backwards e’s, two symbols that look like capitalized but small and backwards E’s, backwards c’s, two capitalized italicized E’s with a w added, a question mark with i t added, p with two small capitalized E’s with a t and l and r with the two small capitalized E’s. In addition to this they use 24 other vowel combinations that are not in English usage but they assign unique sounds to them. This makes no sense to me. They could use phonetic English pronunciation and get it close without inventing symbols. AUA I think has unnecessarily complicated what could be a simple process. There are hundreds of language books written in English without resorting to a new alphabet.

Alas, English is one of the least "phonetic" langauges on the planet relative to the alphabet used to encribe it. We have at best six letters used as vowels to denote over 20 vowel sounds used in most dialects of spoken English. And then there is the problem of vowel length which carries phonemic meaning in Thai but not in English. AUA simplifies this by simply using the vowel twice to denote a long vowel. AUA uses some standard IPA symbols as well as some non-standard symbols. There is a never ending debate on the best method to transliterate Thai into English using the Roman alphabet. The better systems all require additional letters not fpound on the typical keyboard or even in mainstream fonts. You can either use the non-standard letters of the IPA or deal with the ubiquitous "r" to change vowel sounds leading to more "porn" in Thai than elsewhere.

I still use part of the old AUA system but not the non-standard letters. But I found the AUA system to be easy to learn and a good transitional method of learning some Thai while still grappling with the Thai alphabet.

[Ajarn]

Personally, I found the J. Marvin Brown system of transliteration used by AUA (Also used by Mary Haas to a large degree, and taught to the Peace Corps) to be very easy to learn and easy to use....

My biggest mistake while learning to speak Thai was in not learning how to read Thai at the same time. I started the class, but dropped out after a couple of weeks, thinking that I didn't really need to learn to read Thai... What I failed to realize then was that by learning to read, my pronunciation would greatly improve, due to the fact that each Thai word spells out the correct tone to use. It's only been in the last couple of years that I've been able to read Thai (self taught).

Edited April 17, 2006 by Ajarn

[meadish_sweetball]

I do not have much to add here - sabaijai's description of the differences between AUA and Phayap is similar to what I have heard.

As for personal experience of the programs, I did take a specially designed intense 4 week course at AUA Chiang Mai for advanced learners, and was extremely satisfied with the results.

We had 4 hours of instruction per day, Monday to Friday (8-12), and got homework every day as well. We were five people in the group. All of us had 1 year of full time university studies in Thai behind us, and the basis of this intense course was translating and discussing Thai newspaper articles.

We also did dictation, writing of formal letters and oral presentations. I really learned a lot during that time. In case somebody is thinking of doing the same thing, our teacher's name is Ajarn Malee.

I do not have any personal experience of the Thai course at Phayap, but I know an American girl who learned her Thai there, and her pronunciation and communicative skills are nothing short of fantastic given the short time she spent there. She is very linguistically minded though.

As for the AUA system of transcription, I think it is rather straight-forward and works well for describing Thai. Like Johpa said, using an English based transcription is very clumpsy, first of all because it makes little sense to anyone whose mother tongue is not English, and given the different pronunciations of sounds in different English accents, it is hard to see a truly efficient system could be made - it would mean either the Brits/Aussies or the Americans would have to agree to pronounce according to the rules in another dialect..

The AUA transcription system eliminates that by stating clearly the sounds for each letter, and basing the pronunciation of common symbols of something closer to Latin, and adding symbols for sounds unique to Thai.

[sabaijai]

The AUA texts don't have their own unique translit system do they? Last time I looked (admittedly quite awhile ago) the texts used the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).

The Peace Corps hasn't used IPA since the mid 70s, as far as I know, rather the Thai script is taught from the very first day, using coloured charts (borrowed from the Silent Way methodology, though the Peace Corps instruction isn't pure Silent Way). The theory is, why take time to learn IPA when that time could just as well be spent learning Thai script.

Later the university where I studied Thai introduced me to IPA, which is arguably the best transliteration system out there though not something that could be used for highway signs as you have to be trained to follow it. Because I had done Peace Corps training before university, I didn't depend on IPA like my fellow grad students (I learned it anway, who knows maybe someday it will come in handy).

Other than the coloured charts, the other Silent Way technique the PC used is manipulating coloured wooden rods, which is a very useful activity for beginners.

from

From teaching methods:

The silent way

Background In the Silent Way learners are actively responsible for their own learning. Learning a language is seen not as a process of habit formation, as is advocated by the Audiolingual Method, but rather a process whereby the learner discovers the rules of the target language and then applies those rules to understand and use the language. In other words, learning is more effective if learners discover the rules for themselves, rather than just remembering and repeating what is to be learned. A basic premise of the Silent Way is that the teacher should talk as little as possible and should encourage the learner to speak as much as possible. Mistakes are considered part of the process of discovering the rules, and the teacher should not interfere in this process by correcting the learner's mistakes.

Distinguishing Features

All four language skills are taught from the beginning, though reading and writing are sequenced to follow what has been produced orally. Special charts are used to teach pronunciation. First, there is a sound-color chart, containing blocks of color, each one representing a sound in the target language. The teacher and students point to blocks of color on the chart to form syllables, words and sentences. Second, there are the word charts, containing words whose letters are color coded in the same way as the sound-color chart. The teacher and students make up sentences, point to words on the chart and read the sentences they have spoken. Third, there are color coded charts which help students associate the sounds of the language with their spelling. For example, "ay," "ea," "ei" and "eigh," which are all different spellings of the sound /ey/ in English, are listed and color coded together.

Cuisenaire rods (bits of wood of varying lengths and differing colors) are used to introduce vocabulary and structures. At the beginning level they can be used to teach numbers and colors ("Take two red rods."). At an intermediate level they can be used to teach comparatives ("The blue rod is bigger than the red one."). And at a later stages they can be used to teach conditionals ("If I had a blue one, I would give it to you.").

A Peace Corps Volunteer describes the Silent Way activities with rods used to teach her Thai:

Our teacher put the rods on the table, picked up each rod and told us the color of the rod. She used gestures to show when she wanted one of us to give the word for the color "red" or "blue." If the pronunciation was wrong she used gestures to get us to repeat the word again. Everyone in the group helped, offering his or her version until our teacher gestured that someone had the right version. When we had learned the colors, she used the same method with the rods to teach us the numbers. She put two rods on the table, said the Thai word for "two" and gestured that we should repeat the word. After that she asked, for instance, for three blue rods or four green rods. We listened and then gave her the rods she asked for. It sounds pretty simple, but she could keep us busy for hours with those rods.

Impact on Your Classroom and Your Teaching

The Silent Way is designed to be used with small groups. Its charts are specially prepared by an organization in New York. Teachers using the method usually undergo intensive training in its techniques and philosophy. Given these facts, what can you take from this method to use when teaching classes of forty students? There are some sound pedagogical principles to consider in this method, principles which you can apply in your teaching. First is the idea that what students discover for themselves is retained and owned in a more permanent and meaningful way than are materials which have been packaged and only require students to memorize them. Second is the idea of peer coaching in a noncompetitive environment. Having presented the materials, you stand back and let your students experiment with the rules and generate talk in English. Your only role during this group work is to make sure that the group atmosphere is open to the contributions of all its members.

I tried to find an image of the Thai chart on the Web but couldn't, but here's a Korean one:

More Silent Way references:

http://www.saudicaves.com/silentway/gattegno.htm

http://www.cuisenaire.co.uk/languages/sway.htm

[Johpa]

I have undergone more than one seminar involving Gattegno's Silent Way methodology. It is interesting to say the least, and has been proven effective, especially with motivated learners such as a group of Peace Corp volunteers. But my experience was limited to a few hours of demo. I have met some Peace Corp people who decribed it as somewhat effective but also quite psychotic after a weeks worth of training.

[meadish_sweetball]

The AUA texts don't have their own unique translit system do they? Last time I looked (admittedly quite awhile ago) the texts used the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).

Well, the symbols are certainly taken from IPA, but the system is adapted from IPA in order to be better suited for Thai. Some differences that come to mind are AUA 'y' for ย where IPA would have 'j', and AUA double vowel in order to designate long vowel sounds, whereas IPA has vowel + ':' to designate long vowel sound.

[sabaijai]

I have undergone more than one seminar involving Gattegno's Silent Way methodology. It is interesting to say the least, and has been proven effective, especially with motivated learners such as a group of Peace Corp volunteers. But my experience was limited to a few hours of demo. I have met some Peace Corp people who decribed it as somewhat effective but also quite psychotic after a weeks worth of training.

It's designed to be a psycholinguistic journey of discovery so perhaps appeals most to people with compulsive curiosity. Our training lasted six hours a day, six days per week for 12 weeks, with one hour per day devoted to reading & writing, the rest more or less to Silent Way methods. I was quite absorbed by it, but for some I'm sure it felt like being stuck in a Survivor-like reality show.

Mead, thanks for the clarification on the AUA system.

[Ormgard]

I have undergone more than one seminar involving Gattegno's Silent Way methodology. It is interesting to say the least, and has been proven effective, especially with motivated learners such as a group of Peace Corp volunteers. But my experience was limited to a few hours of demo. I have met some Peace Corp people who decribed it as somewhat effective but also quite psychotic after a weeks worth of training.

It's designed to be a psycholinguistic journey of discovery so perhaps appeals most to people with compulsive curiosity. Our training lasted six hours a day, six days per week for 12 weeks, with one hour per day devoted to reading & writing, the rest more or less to Silent Way methods. I was quite absorbed by it, but for some I'm sure it felt like being stuck in a Survivor-like reality show.

Mead, thanks for the clarification on the AUA system.

I think it was Ajarn who pointed to an article on Chiang Mai schools teaching Thai in a back number of ChiangMai CityMail.

That article, and a very good one it is, can be accessed at:

http://www.chiangmainews.com/ecmn/2004/jun...46_babbleon.php

[Ormgard]

I have undergone more than one seminar involving Gattegno's Silent Way methodology. It is interesting to say the least, and has been proven effective, especially with motivated learners such as a group of Peace Corp volunteers. But my experience was limited to a few hours of demo. I have met some Peace Corp people who decribed it as somewhat effective but also quite psychotic after a weeks worth of training.

It's designed to be a psycholinguistic journey of discovery so perhaps appeals most to people with compulsive curiosity. Our training lasted six hours a day, six days per week for 12 weeks, with one hour per day devoted to reading & writing, the rest more or less to Silent Way methods. I was quite absorbed by it, but for some I'm sure it felt like being stuck in a Survivor-like reality show.

Mead, thanks for the clarification on the AUA system.

I think it was Ajarn who pointed to an article on Chiang Mai schools teaching Thai in a back number of ChiangMai CityMail.

That article, and a very good one it is, can be accessed at:

http://www.chiangmainews.com/ecmn/2004/jun...46_babbleon.php

Here are four sites that may be of interest; haven't checked them out:

Learning Thai Language , Learn to Speak Thai :: ThailandGateway.Com

Resource Center for Learning Thai.Learn to Speak Thai Language Learn Thai language software with audio from www.learn-thai.com.Thai-Language.com Your Internet resource for learning

http://thailandgateway.com/learning_thai_launguage.html

learning thai language

learning thai language learning thai language expres learning store toy learning hational partnership service learning french online fre get e learnng management

http://1001search.net/100/learning/learnin...ai-language.php

Learning Thai language online - Computer related resources

companion toLearning Thai LanguageThai language onlineHome| Introduction| Phrases| Dictionary| Resources| Computer| Search| Links| ContactThai language with your

http://thai-language-online.com/computer/

freighquote.com | Freight Quote | Language Learning | Language Study | Language Schools

oteAssociated OffersLanguage Learning Language Study Language Schools Learning Thailand Learn English ... English Grammar Language Courses School Software Learning SoftwareThe Internet's best THAI LANGUAGE

http://freighquote.com/thai-language-learning.htm

[groo]

so is payap or AUA better for someone who has little thai speaking skills? i am not a linguist so just trying to figure out again which methods are better. id like to read and write thai fluently. also payap is huge. where in payap is it?? the campus behind carrefour.

[Dr. G]

To learn to read, write and speak Thai

Phayap is by far the better.

g

[meadish_sweetball]

Thank you for joining in the discussion, Dr. G.

Do you have personal experience of studying at both AUA and Phayap?

[groo]

To learn to read, write and speak Thai

Phayap is by far the better.

g

thanks for the reply. nothing like a short and sweet reply to a simple question

only thing i have to figure out now is where in the huge campus of payap should i go register myself.

[rishi]

I've just started there this week. Campus isn't that big, but the layout makes it a bit complicated to give directions. However, here's the approach I used to get there first time.

1) Take a printout of the address on this page (accurate even in details):

http://www.payap.ac.th/english/department/intensivethai

2) Turn left on superhighway just after Carrefour

3) Follow the road until you get to campus, continue following the road and look out for the Administration Building (all main buildings have the name of the department written in English on the front). Go to one of the booths and show the printout. They'll give you directions, that (at least) will get you close to where to register.

Courses just started this week, so you'll either have to jump in late or wait about 5 weeks for the next set to begin.

[groo]

I've just started there this week. Campus isn't that big, but the layout makes it a bit complicated to give directions. However, here's the approach I used to get there first time.

1) Take a printout of the address on this page (accurate even in details):

http://www.payap.ac.th/english/department/intensivethai

2) Turn left on superhighway just after Carrefour

3) Follow the road until you get to campus, continue following the road and look out for the Administration Building (all main buildings have the name of the department written in English on the front). Go to one of the booths and show the printout. They'll give you directions, that (at least) will get you close to where to register.

Courses just started this week, so you'll either have to jump in late or wait about 5 weeks for the next set to begin.

thank u for the info rishi. 5 levels in all and 7,000 each. a bit pricey no? but i dont mind as long as its good. can speak some basic thai so not sure if i should start from the beginning or go intermediate. hmmm .. do they evaluate where you should be at before you start?

also it says on the website (2006 course schedule), next one is gonna be in January 2007? or is there one 5 weeks from now?

Edited April 20, 2006 by groo

[rishi]

New courses (all 5 levels) are scheduled to start next time June 5., but each course requires minimum 7 students to take off. They'll go as 4 weeks of 5 days rather than the usual 5 weeks of 4 days.

When registering, there'll be an interview/conversation with one of the teachers in order to evaluate your level.

[groo]

New courses (all 5 levels) are scheduled to start next time June 5., but each course requires minimum 7 students to take off. They'll go as 4 weeks of 5 days rather than the usual 5 weeks of 4 days.

When registering, there'll be an interview/conversation with one of the teachers in order to evaluate your level.

thanks rishi for the information. will register myself for the june 5th thing then.

[meadish_sweetball]

can speak some basic thai so not sure if i should start from the beginning or go intermediate. hmmm .. do they evaluate where you should be at before you start?

also it says on the website (2006 course schedule), next one is gonna be in January 2007? or is there one 5 weeks from now?

Based on my experience, I would say you should start from the beginning and be prepared to re-evaluate all you have learned. The people who knew a bit of Thai when we started at University had more of a problem than an advantage because of the incorrect sounds/tones they had already acquired and needed to get rid of (what we hear is not always what is being said, and what we say does not come out the way we think it does). Recording yourself speaking and comparing it to a master tape is a good tool for analyzing what areas you can improve.