A rare treasure for those seeking to learn Thai

I am preparing to lead a university group to Thailand later this year, so I've given myself the challenge of learning a basic level of Thai before the trip. This has been challenging because (a) I'm in my 40s and my brain isn't perhaps as flexible as it once was, (b) Thai is tonal and I had a particularly hard time remembering auditory cues, and (c) I don't have regular access to a native speaker to check in with for learning or questions.

I've had some okay success with the Ling app for vocabulary building, and places like ThaiPod101 (the free portion) and Read Thai in 10 Days were great in learning the basics of the script. StuJayRaj had some useful, cool techniques. But after those, I grew stagnant. I tried several other podcasts, but none of them had the unique combo of what I needed. Specifically, I wanted something I could listen to on my runs, workouts, and when I was just cleaning.

You too can learn Thai hit precisely the spot I was looking for. Khru Nan speaks slowly, clearly, and with repetition. This way, even if I zone out for a few seconds, I can pop back in and still understand what's going on. Every episode includes a transcript, and every syllable of the transcript includes clearly designated tones. She has a Ph.D. in linguistics, and this is evident in her approach to teaching, distinguishing her from some other podcasts where people may just jump in and try to start teaching. Moreover, the combined content of the episodes strongly overlaps the Thai I think we'll need to know most for our time there. Finally, when I did have the occasional burning question, she was quick to respond via email.

My only hope is that she continues producing episodes!

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