Thread: Thai language schools

Hi all....

Soon, I will be living in the Lopburi/Saraburi area....

Just wondering if there are any Thai language schools in the area.... to learn Thai, obviously. Or... are there recommended school(s) in Bangkok in which I could attend on weekends?

Thanks much in advance....

why is it called women learn thai? seems odd as there are far, far more men learning thai here than women, is she a lesbian? I think most Schools are crap, an individual teacher is much faster.

Note 2 Modz: if this post contravenes any forum rules feel free to delete it..

or just ban him, he's used to it.

Originally Posted by xanax

why is it called women learn thai? seems odd as there are far, far more men learning thai here than women, <snip> I think most Schools are crap, an individual teacher is much faster.

It's called women learning Thai (and some men too), because there are no shortage of websites about everything and anything to do with the "glorious Land 'O Thais" from a western males perspective.

Don't let the name of the website put you off (unless you're just another foreign woman hating westerner). . That site possibly links the most free thai language resources available out there in one place. It took a LONG time and a lotta effort to get it to where it is.

It may surprise you that there are a TON of ex-pat women in Thailand. Some here with their husbands, some here on their own, etc but believe me they're most definitely here. In fact, after all the Thai schools I've toured, I'd say they are about equally represented in Thai language classes as their male counterparts. These women are often far more "upwardly mobile" than the run-of-the-mill foreign male in the country. That you don't see them, doesn't mean they're not here, just that they don't do the same mindless stuff you happen to do. It is my experience, they rarely marry hill-billy Thai whores from Nakhon Nowhere, rarely buy land or build houses in their spouses names. In fact they don't really do anything remotely close to what I've seen foreign males do here time after time.

As far as your comment that you think most schools are crap. What criteria do you base this incredible bit of insight on? How many Thai language schools have you went to? How many of them have you perused the curriculum at, sat a sample lesson at, talked to existing students at? Any of them? I bow to your exceeding wisdom on the topic..

IMHO; private lessons early on are a bigger waste of money, than taking a skank Sukhumvit street whore at 3AM. You gotta crawl before you can walk, walk before you can run, and when you start learning Thai group lessons are an inexpensive and good way to start understanding the fundamentals of how the Thai language "goes together". Group lessons provide the best "bang-4-the-baht" in terms of return on both time, money and results.

Now once you have what I'd call "high functioning retard thai"; where you can ask and answer routine questions, understand basic stuff said to you, know how the Thai language structure differs from English, then it's time to dial in your Thai with private lessons. That's when private lessons can provide you with the Thai which is important to you in your day to day life situations. You work in an office surrounded by Thais, learn office Thai, you work with contractors or renovators, learn construction Thai, you work with hi-so "my shit doesn't stink Thais", well if you do I feel sorry for you, but you can learn polite brown nosing Thai..

Still, any way which you feel "works for you" isn't a bad way, it's just your way.

To the O/P; just so you know, IF you're wanting to also have an ED visa whilst studying Thai, you hafta attend a minimum of 4 hours a week (16 hours in a calendar month to be exact). There are schools which offer Saturday classes which run 4 hours, you just hafta call around. I think there are also schools which offer "distance learning" where you study via Skype or some other web-app, and where by you can qualify for the ED visa. This is actually a 'loop-hole' in the ministry of Education's rules about learning, only because way back in the stone age when the rules were drafted there was no such animal as distance learning..

I always tell people, the reason I learned Thai was; there're 65+ million people in this country who appear to speak, understand, read and write Thai just fine. I'm damned sure they ALL ain't smarter than me. Some certainly are, but not every last rice pickin' one of 'em...

I also ain't the sharpest tool in the proverbial shed, nor do I have a "gift for languages" either. In fact Thai is my first 'second language'. I know if I can speak something which resembles Thai enough that the indigenous natives here respond in kind, just about any foreigner can as well, IF they want to.

Good luck,

Originally Posted by toddaniels

Here's the link to her website;

and to the reviews I've done;


Good Luck,

Originally Posted by toddaniels

To the O/P; just so you know, IF you're wanting to also have an ED visa whilst studying Thai, you hafta attend a minimum of 4 hours a week (16 hours in a calendar month to be exact). There are schools which offer Saturday classes which run 4 hours, you just hafta call around. I think there are also schools which offer "distance learning" where you study via Skype or some other web-app, and where by you can qualify for the ED visa. This is actually a 'loop-hole' in the ministry of Education's rules about learning, only because way back in the stone age when the rules were drafted there was no such animal as distance learning..


Good luck,

I have seen that website previously... I certainly will go back and check it out some more...

Thanks much for the information.....

Originally Posted by toddaniels

I'm sorry if this comes off like a shameless plug, it's really not..

When I first decided to learn Thai more than 5 years ago, I searched the internet for info on the various Thai language schools in Bangkok. There was really very little info out there. That's when I started going to, scoping out and actually reviewing Thai language schools. At first I posted them on the Thai Visa Thai Language forum (until I was banned, although all my posts are still there, lol.)

Then a friend of mine who has a learning Thai website was gracious enough to start posting them for me there. She also lets me post about the trials and tribulations I've gone thru learning Thai mostly on my own the last 5 years...

Why were you banned from Thai Visa? Was it due to your reviews of the language schoools - did it offend the moderators?

Originally Posted by Magoo

Why were you banned from Thai Visa?

Hmmm, a newbie poster with just one post sounds a lot like a "fishing expedition".. Either that or it's a cunning ploy to try 'n get me to denigrate T/V.

Still, I'll indulge the poser, err poster a bit...

The reason for my last and what turned out to be my final banning from that forum had NOTHING to do with the moderators or their moderating. It had everything to do with violating forum rules by failing to adhere to this part of Rule #25; "It is not permitted to steer or solicit members and visitors to go to locations or businesses where it is necessary to pay for services or assistance. The exception is Thai Visa sponsors, who may reasonably promote themselves."

Obviously the grease which drives the wheels on most public forums is generated from ad revenue paid for by "sponsors". Therefore promoting businesses which didn't advertise didn't really help the forum in the eyes of the powers that be. It was a cut-n-dried; "violation of forum rules" ban.

Surprisingly my errant Thai-bashing, my denigration of what I call "sheep-like, sock-puppet, wanna-b-thai foreigners" and my cynical, pessimistic, acerbic writing style didn't really get me in too much hot water. I took the suspensions like a big boy, waited them out and came right back.

I do believe my posts are still there...

And as Forrest Gump said; "That's all I have to say about that."