I started private lessons last year and I could read and write within 10 days, /.../

but please don't find it unbelievable when others do, maybe even replace your disbelief with a well done, as credit where credit is due ?

Hi CaitlinHappyMeal,

About the "unbelievable" part you should maybe read again the post #2 who started this sub-discussion.

It was not only be able to "read and write" after 3 months (that is not "unbelievable" if you accept to barely understand half of what your read )

but it was about, after only 3 months, being "fluent in reading and writing" !

As said before there is a huge difference. Being "fluent" required to know a lot of vocabulary, expressions, grammatical rules, ... and - IMHO - required years of practice and/or language-immersion for any language for nearly all of us.

Hi.

Can be interesting to look at thes graphic below from http://www.lingholic.com/hardest-languages-learn/

You can now/still argue about it but it gives a god base with numbers for a debate.

Thai Language is in the Medium difficulty category for English speakers.

Proficiency would need a 44 weeks full-time school

about 1 full year studying 5 days/week and 6 lessons/day...

^pattaya46. According to that graphic there are only 20.4 million native Thai speakers, so I have to doubt their research and opinions.

Quite an easy thing to do.

^pattaya46. According to that graphic there are only 20.4 million native Thai speakers, so I have to doubt their research and opinions.

That agrees with the figures in Ethnoglue. There are four major languages - Thai 20m, Isan Thai 15m, Northern Thai 6m, Southern Thai (if that's a single language) 4m. There are also some substantial minority languages around the million mark - Northern Khmer, Malay and Chinese.

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Three months and I'm fluent in reading. I can't understand what it means because that involves learning vocabulary intensively and anyway over time is something you'd pick up anyway.

If you don't know all the words, how can you be 'fluent in reading'?

Don't panic. It's just an issue with immigration. It really isn't that hard, and just practising with the school will help a great deal. I've done it over 3 months and in fluent in reading and writing.

3 months and fluent in reading and writing. what a load of crap.

Yeah, Frank, clearly a load of old crap. If you're a student, clearly you're not dedicated to your studying. It's entirely possible.

Three months and I'm fluent in reading. I can't understand what it means because that involves learning vocabulary intensively and anyway over time is something you'd pick up anyway.

If you don't know all the words, how can you be 'fluent in reading'?

So true!

"Fluent in reading" but can't understand what he reads!!!

:-)

Webster states"

read

verb \ˈrēd\

: to look at and understand the meaning of letters, words, symbols, etc.

Knowing symbols is far from reading.

C'mon. Let's not split hairs here

Trigger, don't sweat it. It's an easier language to read that you'd think, and showing a basic understanding of it- even if flawed- is what immigration will be looking for- evidence that you've tried to learn. They won't be throwing the daily newspaper at you and demanding you read it out loud.

Take a moment and watch these two videos (they're about five minutes long each) - by the end of them you'll actually be able to read some basic Thai. Great videos, they totally demystify the process

I'm wary of people who profess the ability to teach other languages, yet show a lack of knowledge of their first language.

What if the ed visa isn't for studying Thai language??

Same rules apply, but will be more difficult to find an approved school with an approved curriculum.

In order to qualify for an ED-visa the school mut be recognised and the rogram they offer must be recognised as well.

So how can a person be expected to wrote in Thai if their course had nothing to do with Thai?

So how can a person be expected to wrote in Thai if their course had nothing to do with Thai?

What is it you're studying..?

CELTA course

Trigger, don't sweat it. It's an easier language to read that you'd think, and showing a basic understanding of it- even if flawed- is what immigration will be looking for- evidence that you've tried to learn. They won't be throwing the daily newspaper at you and demanding you read it out loud.

Take a moment and watch these two videos (they're about five minutes long each) - by the end of them you'll actually be able to read some basic Thai. Great videos, they totally demystify the process

I'm wary of people who profess the ability to teach other languages, yet show a lack of knowledge of their first language.

What did you think was wrong with the Thai being taught in that video..?

CELTA course

Imagine (or I'd hope) the school or university will have made provisions with immigration for this. I can see where some confusion might arise but if the MoE are rubber-stamping visas for these courses then I'd think it'd be unlikely you'd be asked to show proficiency in an un-related language. Far as I know that hasn't happened to anyone, although it's something that discussed quite a lot in a "what would happen..?" way.

I've just come back from my language school and we have been informed that the immigration is now requiring all ED Visa holders to have a compulsory test in not only conversation but also reading and writing.

As usual there was little clarification as to when this will start or how long you would need to be attending. When I asked my teacher he said it "probably" only is for intermediate's and advanced but that the school will start the writing for all classes as of next lesson!

hmm - and those that are studying Muay Thay rather than English will get an immigration official as sparring partner in a public ring at Swampy???

The fun and games have finished, an ED visa IS FOR STUDYING THAI,NOT GETTING PISSED EVERY DAY,AND NOT ATTENDING.

I know guys who have been in Thailand for over 2 years studying, and they cannot even count to 100 in thai

C'mon. Let's not split hairs here

Just a "small detail":

How can you claim that you're fluent in reading when you can't understand what you read?

Just hilarious :-)

Edited November 18, 201411 yr by Fab5BKK