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This could be a good introduction to the language, but then you'll have to buy something else to really drill. But they're not useful for listening to over and over, because there simply isn't enough Thai language spoken to justify the expenditure of time. These CDs would be helpful to someone who knows no Thai, and who wants the language explained to them in English. The vocabulary and dialogues presented are very useful and practical for travellers, such as ordering in a restaurant, talking to a taxi driver, asking for directions, checking into a hotel. (It's best to learn a language through frequent repetition -- hearing and repeating Thai words and phrases. Some other programs do a better job of that). The dialogues on these CDs are similar to what's in the book, Teach Yourself Thai, though they're watered down a bit and are easier. I like the book very much.
Proper tone in Thai is important and I find knowing what tone I am trying to identify or pronounce helps.Still, I found it quite ironic when the narrator tried to reassure me that spending plenty of time listening to Thai speakers would help me learn to hear Thai tones properly. I like to listen while I'm driving, and this "interactive" method is not what I was looking for.
I liked his first Teach Yourself Thai (Complete Course) book with accompanying CDs. I was pleased to see a new release from David Smyth.
Overly long introductions to the short dialogs leave so little room for listening to the Thai part that you are asked to hit the back button to replay the Thai sections. It wasn't complete; but no single book could be.This package contains a very small booklet and 3 CDs, and is intended for people with absolutely no previous knowledge of Thai, even though the introductory statement in the CDs says those who want to refresh their knowledge could benefit too.The first Teach Yourself Thai comes with a much more substantial book, and also teaches the alphabet and tone rules.
The booklet with this item contains only English transliteration.My main issue with the set is that 95% of each CD seemed to me to be in English. I suspect that even complete beginners would rapidly tire of what seems like a 5 minute English intro to a 30 second Thai dialog.Audio quality is good, but the English narrator's audio quality seemed better to me than that of the Thai speakers.One good feature is that when they do introduce new words, the tone of each syllable is clearly identified.
These CDs won't give me that chance.
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