Learn Thai the rapid way - anyone tried it?

[Mover1]

I come across this language course while wasting time on Facebook, anyone tried their workshop? Especially at their bootcamp, i'd be interested to hear from someone who's actually done it and spent the 42,000 baht they're asking for it - http://j3.learnthaionline.com/index.php 

[Seligne2]

As their workshop is in CM, I would recommend AUA in CM instead. Much cheaper, in person, and you get to make new friends as well.

[Joosesis]

I think it also lends the conversation to 'why learn Thai'?  If it is just to communicate, the few minutes that I saw from the introduction look fine.  There are interesting devices to remembering the letters.  In the true daily grind that it takes to learn a language, whatever works for you, is what works.

However, if your goal is to understand Thai language or Thailand, I think it would be better to use the Thai names for letters.   If you're spelling to a Thai person, they're not going to understand anything from 'two lady boys yacking over a fence'.

[Ruffian Dick]

I'm going with it, very interesting.

Memory tricks like this are useful learning tools no matter what you're trying to learn. If you need to remember "Go-Guy", then come up with an image that helps you remember it.

[Damrongsak]

The "rapid way" I learned was to have the teacher say a word, make me pronounce it properly, then demonstrate the meaning without words.  For example, "see".  Teacher would point to various objects, saying "see".  Then point to an object made of glass or clear plastic, say "see" and vehemently demonstrate non-verbally that that was a no-no.  Ah, I finally get it, the word for color.  Understood, never forget or have to think about a translation.  Next comes the colors, black, brown, red, yellow, etc. 

 

I tried it the other day with a 7 year old girl in the US whose Thai Mom apparently didn't teach her any Thai.  Took her about a minute to figure out "color".  I need to test her memory after a couple weeks about the various colors.  Admittedly, she's smart.  When I met her at age 5 and did the old monkey shine routines, she said "You're funny".  Then she gave me that look that said "You might want to seek professional help".