The Low Down on Studying Thai in Bangkok

So far this blog page has only addressed the ongoing debacle between the Red Shirts and the Thai government. Today I am going to write on a completely different topic. I have lived in Thailand for about 2 years and I've learned a lot about the Thai language schools in Bangkok. I wanted to share the information that I have so that other people who are living in Thailand and considering studying Thai (which I think everyone should do) can benefit.

I came to Thailand with a little knowledge of the language. I lived here for four years when I was kid, which didn't amount to much retained language after moving back to the States for fifteen years, but it did give me a grasp of the sounds used in Thai. When I was doing my Masters degree at Alabama I took two semesters in Thai, which really only helped me learn some basic vocabulary and very basic sentence structure. Unfortunately the class was only two or so hours per week, which is not enough time to learn a language! So, when I came to Thailand I was nearly a blank slate ready to be filled with knowledge. I started out using the Rosetta Stone programs, but that didn't really get me anywhere. Those are good if you want to learn some basic nouns, but not so good for learning how to get along in Thailand (e.g., they don't have ANY conversations). I picked up some words and phrases here and there, especially thanks to one Thai friend (who has a filthy vocab- you know who you are), but Thai isn't a language you can just pick up on the streets in my opinion. So finally, I decided to enroll in a Thai language course somewhere.

I did my research and came up with a few options: Nisaa, Sumaa, Srinakarinwhirot University, Thammasat University, Chulalongkorn University, and AUA (Rajadamri). I met with teachers or administrators at every one of these schools before I made my decision. In the end I decided on Chulalongkorn University for a couple of reasons. It was the nicest environment (pretty campus), it was the oldest and most prestigious university in Thailand), and it had an INTENSIVE program, which really sounded appealing.

I finished a full year at Chula, starting in Basic 1 and finishing Advanced 3. The course was challenging throughout, and it was all very useful. However, I feel like I still have a lot of holes in my conversational Thai and everyday language. For example, yesterday I struggled to think of how to say the equivalent of: "I got a new job translating Thai into English." I suppose this is fairly normal for a second language learner, however I feel that after a year of studying 20 hours per week in class and countless hours outside of class I ought to be able to conjure up that sentence fairly easily. The problem is that Chula is geared towards academic Thai. The program emphasizes reading and listening to lectures that follow a more or less linear path. However, real Thai is not like that. On the streets and out in public no one is linear and few people enunciate like my Chula teachers (e.g., r's quickly become l's in spoken Thai). So, although I can pickup most newspaper articles, textbooks, and even some novels I still feel that my Thai has a long way to go.

In the last few months I've looked for new ways to improve on my Thai. Of course, I need to hang out with Thai people more, but I am married and I have a full time job (6 days per week), which can limit who and when you hang out with people. Picture me going to hang out with a Thai woman or women while my wife is at home. It's just not going to happen- and if I go hang out with a group of guys what are we going to do? They'll probably want to go look for girls (wherever that may be). Apart from that, most Thai people that I have hung out with want to practice their English and know that I'm an English teacher. Bangkokians in general don't like to use Thai with me actually. When I spit out a perfect Thai sentence, a lot of people here will look at me like a confused puppy and then try to speak broken English to me. Somehow my farang (Caucasian) face doesn't match what I'm saying to them. Eventually they come around and start speaking to me in Thai, but many people seem to try and restrain from speaking Thai with a foreigner for whatever reasons. (I need to move out of Bangkok!)

Back to the point- I checked into AUA's Thai school, but it's not for me. They want you to sit in class and listen only (even at the advanced levels). They try to make the classes humorous and engaging, but to me it kind of came off as disingenuous and boring. I knew all of the Thai that was used in the advanced class (keep in mind this was after I studied at Chula) and so I didn't really learn anything new. The trial class I attended would be good as a refresher and classes at AUA are very cheap (100 baht or so per hour; fifty baht off if you teach at AUA). In Thailand I've found that the maxim "you pay for what you get" is totally true.

I gave Nisaa a call, but they are in an area that is inconvenient for me. This is a small language school that can tutor one on one or in groups, so it's good for tailoring your Thai to your needs (e.g., anthropology). They will also do "house calls," i.e., they will come to your location to teach you. I thought about doing this, but they wanted to charge around 600 per hour and wanted me to sign up for like 50 hours up front without a trial course. When I asked them if I could take a trial course first they said they would talk to their manager. I never heard back from them, so I just said screw it.

Srinakarinwhirot didn't look good to me at all. It seemed second rate and it wasn't intensive at all. Thammasat was no doubt first rate, but it wasn't as intensive at Chula and after finishing at Chula there is no point in going to another school for group lessons and a strict schedule. The only way for me to go is with private lessons tailored to my needs.

So, I finally decided on Sumaa. They have teachers who have worked at Chula and they are very professional. My teacher is very knowledgeable in both English and Thai. She comes to my work place, which saves me two hours of traveling and she has helped me improve on a lot of mistakes and she has made my Thai sound more natural. After studying at Chula I tend to say the equivalent of things like this in Thai: "Moreover, I don't recall having met you before." Whereas in actuality a Thai person would say something more like: "Don't remember ya." In other words my Thai is ridiculously formal, to the point where some people don't even understand me; they look at me like I'm from another planet!

If you're thinking about studying Thai, there are tons of resources and I think Thai people are generally helpful and sympathetic (caution: you will be laughed at and smiled at a lot). If you reach a decent level of Thai, you will find that people will crowd around and will be a bit startled by the fact that you can do it. When you show them you can read and write you will feel like a rock star on tour (I swear that people are amazed). It's very worthwhile to learn the language while you live here, even if you just learn the basics. Thai people really appreciate it and it can make your life a hell of a lot easier and therefore more enjoyable (it can be frustrating too- like when you hear your students gossiping unfavorably about you!). If you ever have any questions, feel free to comment on here or send me an email.

Stalemate at the 11th Infantry Regiment

I swear I should be a political analyst. This morning Abhisit said that he won't negotiate with the Red Shirts if they come to the 11th Infantry Regiment. Since the Red Shirts are already on their way (I can hear them honking their horns while I'm writing this) it seems that the situation will be at a stalemate again. What are the Red Shirts going to do? They can't take the military base. The military will impose martial law and that might lead to violence (who do you think will win- army or Red Shirts?). What a mess! One thing is for sure. No matter how many grenades explode in Bangkok, AUA (where I teach) will still be open for learning. So, off to work I go! At least I'll get some pictures on the way to work!

Red Shirts Push Back and Grenade Attacks Increasing Today

It appears that the Red Shirts are going to march again tomorrow. They threatened to "storm" the Government House today, but were somehow talked down by police authorities (the reports give a vague notion of what the agreement entailed). But apparently it was enough to make the Red Shirts return to Saphan Faa with the expectation that some sort of negotiation with the government will take place in the next 24 hours at the 11 Infantry Regiment in Bangkok. The taxi driver that dropped me off at my apartment tonight told me that they are expected to meet with Abhisit at 10:30 a.m. to "officially" discuss the possibility of dissolving parliament. I don't know if that is really expected to happen, but it seems unlikely given Abhisit's rhetoric concerning the Red Shirts and their movement.

I do, however, know that I keep hearing reports of grenades going off in different parts of Bangkok every few days it seems like. This doesn't really scare me, but it is very strange. Of course, on The Nation's website I saw reports of a grenade going off and injuring three people (including one soldier) on Viphawadi-Rangsit at around 7 p.m., while apparently another grenade injured two people at around 9:40 p.m. (???). Glancing at the Bangkok Post an hour later, I see that there were three separate attacks in Bangkok today! These kinds of mysterious attacks, which seem to have no suspects, appear to be occurring fairly frequently and no one knows where the hell they are coming from or exactly why the TV stations are being targeted. I suppose there are only three possible suspects: A) Red Shirts B) Yellow Shirts C) A "Third Party." Well, that really narrows it down, doesn't it?

At any rate, it was uplifting to see that after one of the bombings there was a drastic need for AB and O blood for a few of the victims. It appears that Twitter was used to post an announcement calling for these blood types to quickly donate to help these individuals. Soon thereafter, another announcement asking people to stop donating blood was given because there was such an overwhelming response to the first announcement. I guess modern technology and good old compassion can be used hand in hand for a greater good. No word yet on whether the victims will recover, but it's still a nice story.

We'll see what happens with the political debacle in the coming days. I don't really expect that much will change in the Red Shirts' favor, but who knows...

Red Shirts Rally On

The largest artery of Thailand, Phahonyothin Road, filled with red shirted demonstrators on March 15th. Hoping to spur the dissolution of parliament to bring about new and “fair” elections, the Red Shirt Movement pulsed through the heart of Bangkok towards the 11th infantry base near Kasetsart University where the current Prime Minister, Abhisit Vechajiwa was taking refuge.
Abhisit appeared on television this morning to clearly signal he had no plans to bow down to the Red Shirt’s demands. The Red Shirts began to march towards the base and by 11 a.m. one could hear the horns and festive music from a short distance near the intersection of Phahonyothin and Ratchayothin Roads. The procession of Red Shirts came slowly, at first, but soon began to pick up pace and numbers.
The message during the march was clear. The Red Shirts wanted to have a non-violent demonstration to bring about the following changes: a new constitution, the dissolution of parliament, fresh elections, Abhisit’s removal from office, a “fair” democracy, and most importantly, Thaksin’s return to power. The Red Shirts, who are also known as the United Front for Democracy (UDD) or นปช. (Nah-Bah-Chah), paraded down Phahonyothin for three or four hours before reaching their destination at the 11th infantry Army Base.
Their morale was high and the atmosphere of the procession was definitively festive, reminiscent of Songkran (the well-known Thai water festival). We were greeted by many Thaksin supporters who expressed gratitude when we took their pictures.
Hundreds, thousands, and then tens of thousands drove by the giant Elephant towers which seemed poetic given that Thailand is often represented by the auspicious white elephant (an animal that is said to be highly revered here). Each truck, car, taxi, tuk-tuk, motorcycle, and van was jam packed with Red Shirts who shouted slogans like “Get out, Abhisit!” (“ออกไป!”), and “No more mafia.” The slogans were sometimes heard in Thai and sometimes in English.
The protestors, who had earlier in the morning given Abhisit and his government an ultimatum to dissolve parliament by noon, seemed to be unscathed by Abhisit’s refusal to step down. As the clock passed 12 p.m. the Red Shirts continued onward to their destination. By nightfall, there had been unconfirmed reports of shootings, and later there were confirmed reports of M179 grenades injuring several infantry soldiers; although the details of the latter occurrence seem unclear. Clearly, the Red Shirt plans to dissolve parliament were not yet successful, and so by Monday evening their leaders had announced a plan to gather 30-40 cc of blood from each demonstrator in order to douse Government House with the blood of the movement. The act, they proclaimed, would be symbolic of their united actions against the current government.
By Tuesday evening, the Red Shirts had gathered and spread the blood over the entrance to Government House. Soon after, the blood was cleansed with bleach and other chemicals and removed with water. It seemed that by the end of the day (March 16th) the Red Shirts had been thwarted in their efforts to overthrow the government and humiliated by the Thai media. Many people were asking the question: “Why throw blood on the government house? What good will that do?” By the end of Tuesday evening, the Red Shirts were probably asking themselves what they are going to do next and what effect their actions have had on effecting change in their favor. At this point it is unclear if they have had any real effect at all on the current government.

My visit to a non-prof in Nana and the impending red shirt demonstrations

I'll get right to the point. There are two interesting things that have happened in the last few days. One is a personal note, which highlights the gamut of interesting opportunities available in Thailand if you take the effort to learn to speak and read Thai. The other is a public event, which has grabbed the attention of nearly everyone in Thailand over the last two days.

Yesterday, I had a meeting with a well-known non-profit organization to determine if I was a good fit for their translating needs. They required someone who was not a Thai national and could speak Thai well enough to communicate with a certain group of detainees in a volatile area of Thailand. I'm keeping the details vague on purpose as part of a contractual agreement. I met with the head of the operation conducting this inquiry into detainees lives and she was very pleasant, but did not offer me the job because I am American and the detainees that I would have been speaking too would be decidely anti-American. She apologized for the oversight in the hiring process, admitting that she had overlooked the fact that my nationality would be a problem, but then promised to pay for my time (i.e., just for showing up). All in all it was a great experience and she took down my contact number in the likelihood that they will have future translation jobs develop. I was excited about the possibility of putting my Thai to use and I hope that one day I can work for an organization like theirs that provides an important humanitarian function. For now, I think I'm going to sign a contract with a translation service in the hopes that they will find me other translation jobs throughout Thailand. The only thing that concerns me is that the contract they expect me to sign requires me to work exclusively for them, and for ten years from my start date I cannot solicit business from any of their clients. I intend to get a good sense of how that works by speaking directly to the manager of this translation service before I sign - but at least by signing I will be able to have access to a range of new opportunities.

Now on to the ongoing red shirt demonstrations in Thailand. Today is what they're calling "The Judgment Day," even though I was under the impression that the "Judgment Day" was when Thaksin had his court case concerning his 2 or more billion US dollars that were frozen by the government. Nevertheless, from what I gather from Thai t.v., the red shirts are planning to proceed through victory monument and up Phahonyothin, reaching Mo Chit where they might set up stages and possibly continuing a march through to Central Lat Phrao, Major Ratchayothin, and Kasetsart University. They also plan to occupy Vipawadi Rangsit near this general area. It'll be interesting to see how the demonstrations turn out. The news is adamant that the government does not want to use force to quell the demonstrations, which makes sense - given the violence in so many previous rallies throughout Thai modern history (e.g., Bloody May 1992). I saw that the police will not have "weapons," according to the news, but will have batons. The police and military appear to be well organized, numerous, and ready for whatever. Meanwhile, American ambassadors appear to be encouraging Abhisit's government to refrain from using force in all efforts to control the red shirt demonstrations. The effects of violence today would be devastating for Thailand's image, particularly among potential tourists who keep a large portion of the Thai economy going. Right now, it is unclear to Thai's and foreigners alike how this situation will play out. But, all of the Bangkokians I've talked to are afraid and aggravated by the demonstrations. I plan to check out the march from Phahonyothin, as I live near Major Ratchayothin and will have easy access to the situation. I'll try to get some good pictures and I will possibly get a chance to converse with a few of the demonstration's supporters.

An Elephant Building

Did you know that there is a building that looks like an elephant? I mean it- an elephant! I wouldn't have a clue, living in this overbuilt, over-polluted city, but I happen to commute to this building that looks like an elephant every day. This sad, odd looking building (that is shaped like an elephant) has few tenants living in it's front and rear legs. A scant few businesses line it's lower levels, however most come abruptly and leave just as hastily. In the elephant's trunk is a beautiful ballroom, typically reserved for weddings and other large ceremonies of local cultural significance. Then on the auspicious third and not so auspicious fourth floors of the elephant's grand trunk, which extends fully flush to the ground, is a place of enlightenment; a place where dreams are pursued; a locale of learning that lies outside normal limits. This mecca of knowledge is what we call AUA, or the American University Alumni English Language Center if you lack brevity. Although I am an anthropologist at heart and by the words on my degree, I am currently teaching English at AUA, and I have been doing so for almost two years.

From the trunk of this grand elephant I work, play, and learn day in and day out, and I wanted to reveal the truth of my feelings towards this majestic place covered in a thick coat of nonsense by writing this first blog entry. The truth that I speak of is this: I thoroughly enjoy teaching English from inside the olfactory glands of a iron elephant, but I can't wait to resign my position here to travel on to new horizons.

As I confront the possibility of spending another six months in professional and personal limbo, I (and my wife) see a great opportunity to share my experiences and knowledge of this place- starting from the auspicious third floor of the elephant building in Bangkok, Thailand and extending to wherever my travels, my knowledge, and my imagination might lead. In the coming months I intend to post a great deal of information, stories (fiction and nonfiction), and other ideas that can be put into language into this blog. I hope that is interesting, entertaining, and maybe even instructive.