I just decided one of my NY Resolutions for 2010 is to learn Thai. My spoken Thai is OK, but my listening sucks.  I can read menus and road signs but not long sentences in newspapers or books.

 So I need a school or teacher recommendation... I need a trained, professional teacher who can explain grammar rules to me - I don't want someone who answers, "That's just the way Thai people say it..." Just as in English there are rules governing tenses and sentence structures, there are rules in Thai.  I don't want to learn every phrase by heart.... I want to be able to work out phrases by myself using the rules... Is there anyone who can recommend someone? Some place?  Do you know a farang who speaks fluent Thai?  Where did they learn?Write it in the journal or PM me with details.Thanks

EB....Have you looked in Forums>Speaking Thai?

You might find a recommendation there. e.g Condotown recommends AAAThai

Here is the particular post I was referring to:

http://www.thailandfriends.com/index.php?name=DB_phpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=8518&sid=3cecf434ae84123bf92936d5d4ce5cd6&&sid=3cecf434ae84123bf92936d5d4ce5cd6

contact Faycyber!

AUA, and you need a thai girlfriend (if you still don't have one)

i second on Faycyber. She seem to do a fine job on it..

How about Walen school of Thai? I myself willl sign up for 180 classes there when I get back home, that will get me an ED visa too.

Yes, Cherryberry is still single and looking , and is probably quelified for the job

I was at Walen school last year - very poor. No teachers, just native speakers who couldn't explain anything. I want to understand tone marks, high, med and low class consonants, live and dead syllables... I need to understand structures, not just learn vocab.

I had a non-English-speaking gf before, but it's too hard. I have a lot of respect for people who can carry out a relationship in a second language!

I highly recommend Pro Language on floor 10 of the Times Square buiding, or at least I recommend the teacher I had, Kroo Belle.

She speaks excellent English, can explain grammar, tone marks etc, and is very happy to tailor lessons to your individual needs.

I had to stop my lessons earlier in the year due to pressure of work, but plan to resume them in the new year.

there is a school at ZOCO-AMARIN PLAZA( near Erawan hotel ) on the 4th floor, if i am not wrong, and oone more place neaar soi thonglor . But actually, i'd like to be your adviser for our thai grammar ( i always get a good grade for this subject from elementry to university) and charge u for reasonable price

I have seen the advertisement about "Baan Aksorn - Contemporary Thai Language Institution" many times, maybe you can try this. But i am not sure how good they are. :S

WHY BAAN AKSORN:

* Qualified, Professional Instructors

* Quiet, comfortable, individual classrooms

* Interesting materials, practical subjects, effective methods

* Specialized courses to meet specific goals and needs

* Flexibility to meet busy schedules and individual goals

* Friendly, fun, open-minded staff Start speaking from the first lesson!

* Small Group Lessons only 250 Baht/Hour @ School Private Lesson only 16,000 Baht/40 Hours (special deal)

Baan Aksorn Thai Language School House #40 Sukhumvit Soi 33 T. 02-258-5617, M. 084-769-6449 [email protected] / www.baanaksorn.com

Hope it helps.

For what you're looking for, I'd check with the language departments of any of the univercities. Probably in the teaching department. Learn to teach it, you learn the rules. Just seems like the place to fill your needs.

Geee: chubby men with glasses aged below 40, please. Thanks.

@English_Bob: I know exactly what you're talking about. I'm taking Thai classes now at Pro Language and the teacher expects you to just memorize whatever she tells you. I've tried explaining to her that it's easier for farangs to learn if we understand "why" but she still pushes straight memorization. It was the third or fourth word we learned that started with Kwam before I asked whether or not that was a common modifier to turn a word like "true" into "truth." The teacher would have just taught us 50 different words starting with kwam instead of teaching us the Thai grammar rules that makes kwam a modifier.

I would highly recommend a book called Thai Reference Grammar - The Structure of Spoken Thai by James Higbie and Snea Thinsan. It explains a lot of Thai grammar rules and sentence construction in a way that is more structured to western styles of language learning. I think the book runs about 1000 baht which is expensive but personally I found it to be worthwhile. You can pick it up at Asia Books. If you want to check it out before buying (it's always wrapped in plastic in the store) give me a shout and I'll let you borrow mine.

If you do find a good instructor, let me know. Even though I am already taking classes, as I mentioned previously they are pretty basic and rely on memorization of phrases and words rather than understanding the language. I would really like to move past standard taxi Thai and start to really *understand* the language.

Signed up for AAA Language school today... first lesson on 4th Jan 2010.