Honestly, of the hundreds and hundreds of foreigners I've met here who study Thai; I've met exactly two people who attended Chula. One big draw back is that it's a "full time occupation". I mean it's a uni course taught on a uni schedule, so if you ain't gonna take a year off from work, you ain't gonna make the cut. As the class progresses the amount of homework goes up exponentially and you could easily put a couple three hours a day into it.
Of those two people; one person dropped out, although his company had paid the tuition. The other person did stick it out and certainly appeared to me to be able to speak, understand, read and (they said) write Thai.
I think if a person picked any one of the better quality private Thai language schools out there and investing that amount of time into studying Thai they could come away with the same results for possibly a fraction of the price. I don't believe for a second that just because it's taught at Chula; it's the slightest bit better than programs taught at some of the good private schools. After all they ain't walkin' away from Chula with a "degree", all they get is a paper which said they took a year long Thai course.
There's really no good gauge to check it anymore either; seeing as the MOE discontinued the
ป.6 test a couple years ago in favor of a "general proficiency" exam which uses different criteria to rate foreigners Thai abilities.
As I always say, I'm only posting my opinions about the various schools I perused. Another person might think something I was under-impressed with is "the best thing since pre-sliced bread" (and we know how big that's become!
) My only point of reference was to compare Chula's program with Srinakharin's because they also offer a "Thai for foreigners" program and I did get to check that one out pretty well.
If the O/P is hell-bent on attending a "real university" I think both Thammasat and Mahidol offer Thai language courses; although I looked into them a couple years ago, so I'm not sure anymore. Also there's Payap University too up north.
"da
ฟาน": Sadly (for the Thais who endure my horrifically American accented and errantly toned Thai) I'm mostly self taught. I mean, I speak something which sounds close enough to Thai so that Thais understand and reply in kind. I have spent many many hours teaching myself to read, write, type as well as studying indioms, Thai sentence structure, vocabulary, etc. I really try to say things like a Thai is used to hearing it. That way they correct my errant tones in their heads because they’ve heard the structure I’m using all their lives. It’s been a tough row to hoe, but I’m getting there
.
About those reviews; that's the tough part of doin' 'em. I hafta judge; is what I'm seeing indicative of a "normal" class as far as, am I in with a group of "ninja language learners"
or a bunch of "special ed students"
? I think a lot of it comes down to the students and the teacher in those classes on the day I happen to show up. Still I love going to the schools, lookin' at material, talking to the current students, and actually started reviewing them because there wasn't anything out there about the different ones in Bangkok.
I tell people if they're not happy with a teacher don't be shy about letting the school know. The school is most definitely NOT doing the student a "favor" by teaching them Thai; it's the student who's doing the school a "favor" by learning there.
I wish the O/P good luck; I ain't all that smart, so I know if I can learn to speak, understand, read write and type Thai, any foreigner out there can too, IF they invest the time and effort.
My favorite line to foreigners interested in learning Thai is; "There're about 64+ million people in this country who seem to speak-understand Thai just fine; I'm pretty sure they all ain't smarter than you are
. Some certainly are, but not every last one of 'em.
"
Sorry this was long. . .
"Whoever said `Money can`t buy you love or joy` obviously was not making enough money." <- quote by Gene $immon$ of the rock group KISS
