I will be moving to CM soon to do an internship and would like to learn the basics of Thai as soon as possible. I'm currently working full time in the UK and don't have enough time to go to lessons here.

I started looking at language exchange as it sounds like a fun way to learn Thai once I get there. Not only is it free, but also seems like a good way to meet some local people.

Have any of you tried learning Thai by regularly meeting up with a Thai person for language exchange? (So that is where you meet up with someone, spend half of the time teaching your own language and half of the time learning theirs.)

In addition to English, I could also teach Finnish and French whilst learning some Thai in return.

Any of you tried this and how did it go? Share your experiences.

I live in Udon.....been working on my Thai for 9 years.....can read, write, and engage comfortably with most any situation in town, but consider myself far far from any degree of fluency (especially with the local dialect). Most all my knowledge has come from the internet (Maani, Mary Haas, Foreign Service Institute......pdfs, mp3s, all free) and a few hours a week with some neighbors. A neighborhood pharmacist (her mother is a primary school Thai teacher) and I met twice a week for 4 hours....2 hours of Thai and 2 hours of English. She helped me break the code on the tones, spelling, reading etc.

After she moved away from the neighborhood, I practiced 2 hours a week with a neighbor who's paralyzed. Although he only has a high school education, he was able to help me with my tone practice......all I asked him to do was bear with me as I tried to pronounce different words and correct me when I mispronounced. Now I spend an hour or two with a university grad......one or two hours of English and the same with Thai. I'm using the FSI materials in my class.

My own experience......you have to be in the driver's seat in determining what it is you want to study (again, Maani, Haas, Benjawan Becker, etc). Be persistent in demanding that your 'teacher' correct you when you make mistakes.

So far....I'm very happy with my progress.

My experience has been you just get a bunch of freeloaders who want a free English lesson but are unwilling or unable to do much to help you learn Thai. If you live in Thailand it's much better to go through a textbook and then practise with every Thai person you meet.