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.