- 1). Listen
Listen to native speakers of Thai as much as possible. Download Thai radio stations on your computer, rent Thai language movies, listen to Thai music. As you make friends with native Thai people, pay attention to their conversations and listen, even if you do not understand what they are saying. Fill your world with the sounds of the Thai language as much as possible. As a beginner, you will not understand anything you hear. That is okay. The more accustomed you become to the sounds of the language, the easier it will be to learn the language through explicit learning strategies. - 2). Repeat
Get a basic Thai textbook that comes with a CD for listening and speaking practice. Listen and repeat over and over until you have all the phrases memorized. Branch out to repeating phrases you hear in the natural speech sources described above. Make friends with native Thai speakers and practice your phrases with them. Add to your repertoire of phrases by asking your Thai friends how to say various things. Then listen and repeat endlessly like a two-year-old learning to speak his mother tongue. - 3). Literacy
Learn to read and write Thai by first learning the alphabet. Make home-made flashcards from index cards to memorize each sound and representation. Then start spelling Thai words with the Thai alphabet in a notebook where you collect vocabulary and phrases. Get Thai children's books and practice reading aloud. Branch out by keeping a short daily journal that you write entirely in Thai. Ask your Thai friends to comment in your journal and then respond to their comments. Eventually you can start reading authentic texts. - 4). Practice and Experiment
Practice what you already know and experiment with the language to express new ideas and to find different ways to say the same thing. Learning Thai requires daily practice. As you learn new words and phrases, be sure you continue practicing the vocabulary and skills you have already mastered. Repeat the answers you receive. Experiment more by trying to explain, describe, and instruct various ideas to your Thai friends. - 5). Form Relationships and Interact
Be outgoing in your relationships with Thai people. Share your time and ideas in order to develop meaningful relationships. Never think of your Thai friends as "free teachers"; rather, form relationships with people who share common interests with you. Do activities that are interesting to you and your Thai friends. By sharing common interests and forming genuine relationships, you have more and more exposure to authentic language. This, in turn, results in quicker and easier acquisition of the Thai language.
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