# Learning Thai language in Thailand



## alford007 (4 mo ago)

Can anyone recommend a Thai language school in Thai which you have attended?

Also, I wonder if there is a university in Thailand offering Thailand language classes for foreigners?

Much appreciated.


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## Moulard (Feb 3, 2017)

alford007 said:


> Also, I wonder if there is a university in Thailand offering Thailand language classes for foreigners?


Definitely.. If you are after an intensive course I suspect the gold standard is the intensive course run at Chulalongkorn - the program has been running for decades.
While I was based a the University for a while, I really had no interaction with anyone in the program... But we are talking 6 hours in the classroom, 5 days a week for 6 weeks type of intensive, with a university style focus on language



Intensive Thai Program (ITP) – Center for Thai as a Foreign Language



They also run a number of non intensive course such as this one which are say 4 hour a week or thereabouts... which may be a good way to go if you will be in Thailand absorbing Thai and simply need a way to help digest what you are hearing around you









Intensive Thai Programs 2022


Keen on learning some Thai for 2022? Chula has opened applications for Intensive Thai Online Course 2022 and Communicative Thai for Beginners (CTB).




www.chula.ac.th





I am also aware that Payap University in Chiang Mai has an intensive program, but I only know of it by name.

At various points in time, a number of Thai Universities have run Thai Language Programs (either short courses or intensive) ... Thammasat, Chiang Mai University and other .. but I don't know if any of those programs still run. All I can suggest is if you have time and patience you can always troll through this list of Thai Universities - for the larger international facing institutes they will generally have both Thai and English language websites.. Or let google do you hunting for you..



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_universities_and_colleges_in_Thailand


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## alford007 (4 mo ago)

Moulard said:


> Definitely.. If you are after an intensive course I suspect the gold standard is the intensive course run at Chulalongkorn - the program has been running for decades.
> While I was based a the University for a while, I really had no interaction with anyone in the program... But we are talking 6 hours in the classroom, 5 days a week for 6 weeks type of intensive, with a university style focus on language
> 
> 
> ...


Moulard, thank you for taking the time to share such a detailed run down on the topic of studying Thai in Thailand. It looks like Payap and Thammasat unis are no longer offered Thai for non native speakers. I will go through the list of unis in your link. I didn't know there is such a big number of unis in Thailand.

The Intensive Thai Program offered by Chulalongkorn University is probably a bit much for me on the total tuition fees but the Communicative Thai for Beginner is definitely an option. 

Once again, thank you.

Love to hear from others' perspective too.


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## Moulard (Feb 3, 2017)

Was surprised when you said Payap was not around... so I went hunting 

Here it is..






Intensive Thai Program | International Affairs, Payap University







ia.payap.ac.th






That got me digging around for you.

Chiang Mai Language Institute (Attached to Chiang Mai University)






Language Institute Chiang Mai University – Reach out and Communicate


Language Institute ChiangMai University




www.li.cmu.ac.th





the institute has its own website.






LEARN THAI CMU | Language Institute Chiang Mai University







www.learnthaicmu.com





Couldn't find anything for Thammasat, may not be running it any more, or more likely my memory is faulty.


You might find more among the list of private universities .. I would focus my hunt there if none of these three take your fancy.

There are dozens of smaller language schools but I don't really know anything about them ... except perhaps for the AUA Language Centre - which I know in part because I used to walk by one of their branches regularly when I lived in the area.


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## Chrissippus (Dec 16, 2021)

I studied in the Intensive Thai Program at Chulalongkorn when I first arrived in Thailand. At that time it was an excellent program, but that was a few years ago. I understand they have increased class size since then, but it is probably still an excellent choice. It's a demanding program. 

More recently I have been studying for many years at Sumaa Language and Culture Institute (sumaa.net.) Most students, myself included, study one-on-one with a Thai teacher. This is probably the best Thai school in Thailand, along with Chula. A number of the foreign ambassadors and diplomatic staff study there. They also have online sessions these days.

The rest of the Thai language schools here are deplorable. Very few foreigners ever become fluent in Thai, so going with one of the cheap schools is playing the long odds.


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## alford007 (4 mo ago)

Thanks Chris for your input. Are the courses in Sumaa usually a yearly program? What is the tuition fee range?


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## Chrissippus (Dec 16, 2021)

alford007 said:


> Thanks Chris for your input. Are the courses in Sumaa usually a yearly program? What is the tuition fee range?


Most independent students, i.e. those not part of a company or an embassy, who study at Sumaa do so with an individual tutor. So, the schedule accommodates the student as to frequency, duration, and objective. 

For their rates you should call them per the contact info at sumaa.net. They speak English.


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