Sawadeekrap,

Anyone interested to learn the basics of the Thai language with me?

I have found quit a few quality videos on YouTube that can definitely help getting started.

How about we keep this topic to post anything related to learning Thai? Technical language questions/answers, links to helpful (free) videos, etc.

Let me start:

Those are just examples, but there are literally hundreds - if not thousands - of similar videos on the web. It would be great to post the ones you've watched here, and eventually list them by category. Ideally I would love to maintain this post with an effective list of free videos, in correct order and even by category, as the topic grows...

Please share anything that can help learning Thai, including links, video or even personal tips about pronunciation or any other recommendation, let it flow! Why pay for school when we can help each other on ThaiVisa?

Looks like we can embed only 2 videos per post.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqQAWac_zKo

Ohh here is a really great one about TONES!

Just found a good video about learning a tonal language.

The Thai tones start at 8:58 but I deeply recommend to watch it all

This one is for a little bit more advanced level:

Don't watch it if you're only at the beginning like me, or you'll end up depressed like me!

Moved to Thai Language.

This one is for a little bit more advanced level:

Don't watch it if you're only at the beginning like me, or you'll end up depressed like me!

" if you're only at the beginning like me "

Please don't think me unkind but ​possibly not the best background for recommending videos to watch ?

Any Thai speakers that have watched some of this stuff will know the dross far outweighs the gold.

I'm prejudiced anyway as I happen to believe that audio visual methods using phonetic transcription for sounds that can't be transcribed is more of a hindrance than a help.

You're hearing one thing and reading another. What does your brain recall, the aural or the visual ?

Not long ago I was at a conference and found myself speaking with a Thai tutor at SOAS (School of Oriental & African Studies, University of London) who had been teaching part time students for many years.She told me that years ago students would often enrol with perfectly understandable, if limited, Thai language skills. That changed. In later years students would still present with limited vocabulary but now the pronunciation would set her teeth on edge and she thought much of it would be unintelligible to most Thai speakers.

She attributes that solely to the use of audio visual methods, prior to the internet most students would have learnt using a purely aural method such as Pimsleur or books with accompanying audio tapes.

There will always be different opinions on language learning and I know many universities use audio visual methods. However of those that teach Thai or any other non romance languages I don't know of any that employ the use of a phonetic transcription system.

This one is for a little bit more advanced level:

Don't watch it if you're only at the beginning like me, or you'll end up depressed like me!

" if you're only at the beginning like me "

Please don't think me unkind but ​possibly not the best background for recommending videos to watch ?

Any Thai speakers that have watched some of this stuff will know the dross far outweighs the gold.

I'm prejudiced anyway as I happen to believe that audio visual methods using phonetic transcription for sounds that can't be transcribed is more of a hindrance than a help.

You're hearing one thing and reading another. What does your brain recall, the aural or the visual ?

Not long ago I was at a conference and found myself speaking with a Thai tutor at SOAS (School of Oriental & African Studies, University of London) who had been teaching part time students for many years.She told me that years ago students would often enrol with perfectly understandable, if limited, Thai language skills. That changed. In later years students would still present with limited vocabulary but now the pronunciation would set her teeth on edge and she thought much of it would be unintelligible to most Thai speakers.

She attributes that solely to the use of audio visual methods, prior to the internet most students would have learnt using a purely aural method such as Pimsleur or books with accompanying audio tapes.

There will always be different opinions on language learning and I know many universities use audio visual methods. However of those that teach Thai or any other non romance languages I don't know of any that employ the use of a phonetic transcription system.

"Please don't think me unkind but ​possibly not the best background for recommending videos to watch ?"

Hey I'm just trying to get started with the basics and just looking to get help from other people. Having said that, I sincerely value your advice! Would you recommend learning the alphabet first? Any good video or link to get started with the alphabet?

I opened this topic so people like you would help people like me by sharing any helpful material available online and for free.

Ohh here is a really great one about TONES!

Just found a good video about learning a tonal language.

The Thai tones start at 8:58 but I deeply recommend to watch it all

He's not pronouncing the falling tone correctly,it has been said in other threads.I suggest learning tones from thai natives..

This two videos made me understand thai tones and i suggest everyone who's learning tones to check them out.

Ohh here is a really great one about TONES!

Just found a good video about learning a tonal language.

The Thai tones start at 8:58 but I deeply recommend to watch it all

He's not pronouncing the falling tone correctly,it has been said in other threads.I suggest learning tones from thai natives..

This two videos made me understand thai tones and i suggest everyone who's learning tones to check them out.

Thanks for those ones! Really helpful, especially the second one.