Walen? Language Express? What's the best language school(1yr visa?)

[albert cabrera]

Hi

I was about to enroll with Walen Thai school at Sukhumvit.

I've read Walen can be sketchy with hidden fees and have

threatened visas?

I also heard that some schools take care of your visa with no need to extend(1.900 Baht)?

Just do 90 day check in's for up to 9 months.

Anybody have experience and can recommend the best Thai Language school at the

25,000 Baht range - 32,000 Baht range?

I am a serious student with 1 year of Thai self taught/tutors and would like

a school that offers placement.

thanks guys!

[GotR1GHT]

I've never heard about hidden fee or threatened visas at walen.You shouldn't believe anyone,best thing to do is to attend a class and see what's like,that's what i did before i enroll at Walen.I have no regrets,i feel i improve my thai a lot since i'm studing there

[kriswillems]

If you go to a school for the visa only, I think you'll be OK at Walen.

If you want to really learn Thai you probably need to study more than 3 or 4 hours per week and choose a school that managed to let the students pass the Thai government language level test with a good score.

There's only one way to objectively measure how good one school is compared to another and that is looking at the scores their students get a this government language test. School that teach 3 or 4 hours per week usually don't encourage the students to join this test (for good reasons).

[MacWalen]

"I was about to enroll with Walen Thai school at Sukhumvit.

I've read Walen can be sketchy with hidden fees and have

threatened visas?"

I can assure you that is not true. No hidden fees and we certainly take very good care of Walen students' visas.

Edited January 28, 2014 by MacWalen

[asiaexpat]

Go and take a class at each school. From my experience they are both reputable schools and you should be able to learn Thai. However, if you are a serious student of Thai, Chulalongkorn University Intensive Thai offers a visa and fast learning.

[celso]

Agree with asiaexpert, almost all the schools offer a taster class. Go spend a couple of weeks taking them, and thinking about which style of teaching you prefer best.

Note that some schools will try and do a hard sell, push you into buying classes after the free trial. The simple way to avoid this is - leave your money and credit cards at home.

Personally - the two schools I have heard a lot of good things about are Unity in Chitlom, and Chulalongkorn University. Both are intensive courses.

Edited January 28, 2014 by celso

[Rumblecat]

Personally I prefer Language Express' teaching materials and structure, but I studied at Walen before and although the course style wasn't for me, the staff were always professional, no hidden fees or anything, and when I had a visa problem they helped me sort it out quickly and efficiently.

[sms747]

Language express is the very best School IMO and not just a visa service like some places, they take teaching seriously.

[Haverkamp1]

Chula is very good and very professional, but it is 25.000 Baht for each class.
Each class last for 6 weeks, and you will be speaking after the first class and after the 2nd class you can read and write Thai.

They help you out a bit with the visa, but I think the other school that you mentioned will do that maybe better, as that's the reason from it's existence

[MacWalen]

Language express is the very best School IMO and not just a visa service like some places, they take teaching seriously.

sms747, there are many good schools in Bangkok, a lot of them teach Thai very well. Students like various schools for various reasons. You mate would promote any school over Walen so you could damage Walen's business even to some small degree. Not the first hater, not the last. A lot of your off topic comments were removed from other threads related to Walen as you obviously have some problem with our school and use any occasion to criticise us or say something negative even though your comments are not related to the topic discussed! Even if a school opened yesterday and the thread was Walen vs a new Thai school opened yesterday you would say that school is better than Walen, wouldn't you? Peace to you my friend and would very much appreciated if you got off our case.

[brewsterbudgen]

Agree with asiaexpert, almost all the schools offer a taster class. Go spend a couple of weeks taking them, and thinking about which style of teaching you prefer best.

Note that some schools will try and do a hard sell, push you into buying classes after the free trial. The simple way to avoid this is - leave your money and credit cards at home.

Personally - the two schools I have heard a lot of good things about are Unity in Chitlom, and Chulalongkorn University. Both are intensive courses.

Whereabouts in Chitlom is Unity?

[SingtoKU]

Excuse me, I'm Thai student at Kasetsart University,BKK. I wanna be friend with foreigner for practice my English skills,and teach some Thai for return, if you have anything or want me to help you please contact me with my email: [email protected]
Thank you Mr.

Edited February 2, 2014 by SingtoKU

[ricky1954]

Re the Walen School method:

It involves giving the student a book with call-response dialogues written out in Thai script. The teacher reads out a question in a very artificial manner, reads it out again, then students read an answer. And on and on.

Can't read Thai script? No problem. Just run your finger along the passage as the teacher reads the question and as other students read the answers. You'll absorb Thai script in no time.

And if you believe that, just send me your money and I will teach you the language through psychic com-channels I've developed over the years.

Point is, they guarantee the visa and you don't have to attend classes or perform to any standard when you do in order to keep the paperwork flowing.

You are paying the baht for the paperwork to get you a visa for a year; if you calculate the cost of visa runs etc., if that is your alternative, you can decide on a cost-convenience-benefit basis.

Edited February 3, 2014 by ricky1954

[GotR1GHT]

Re the Walen School method:

It involves giving the student a book with call-response dialogues written out in Thai script. The teacher reads out a question in a very artificial manner, reads it out again, then students read an answer. And on and on.

Can't read Thai script? No problem. Just run your finger along the passage as the teacher reads the question and as other students read the answers. You'll absorb Thai script in no time.

That's strange because i didn't experience anything what you have written.In my class at walen we use book only as a pointer. Every word is translated and explained in what kind of context it is used.Then,everyone has to make a sentence in thai using that word.After that,like you said,we read question from the book BUT you have to answer in your own words without looking at the answer.Not to mention all conversation has to be spoken in thai,even if you want to ask for permission to go in bathroom.

So,me and you have completely different experience.

Edited February 5, 2014 by GotR1GHT