Chiang Mai to Pattaya

Traveling from Chiang Mai to Pattaya has several options including various planes, trains, buses, and mini-buses and taxis, if desired. For a good balance of cheap and fast, the best option is CNX to BKK and a 2 hour bus from BKK to downtown Pattaya / Jomtien. For the fastest / most expensive there are ... Read more

Thai vs English Language

For someone who is learning Thai as a second language (and knows English), it is useful to get an overview of the differences between the languages so that certain assumptions don't impede language acquisition. Differences in Written Thai from Written English The Thai script is used, and may include use of Thai numerals (Thais also ... Read more

Story Learning Foreign Languages

Olly Richards' Story Learning Olly Richards' a polyglot, has a method for language learning he calls story learning. He has actually taken out a trademark on this term, and claims that it protects "the invention of a powerful new method." But in fact patent protects inventions, trademarks only protect trade marks. That said, there is ... Read more

Learning how to listen

This is about learning how to hear a new language. Many so-called experts recommend trying to speak immediately, but one cannot say what one cannot hear. Also, while in some cases sounds are considered the same, there are nonetheless differences. Capturing and recognizing these differences is important. Pigeon Holes When there are recognized sounds that ... Read more

Air Pollution in Thailand

Air pollution is a significant problem in Thailand. Northern, Northeastern, and Central Thailand all suffer from seasonal air pollution from seasonal fires and air patterns. Even Southern Thailand can suffer bouts of air pollution from nearby Sumatra Island. Also, year-round air pollution plagues the larger metropolitan areas in Thailand because of the preponderance of diesel-burning ... Read more

Anki for Learning Thai

Anki is one of the most popular flashcard software programs for memorization, and it is one of the first. It includes a spaced repetition algorithm for optimized learning, and a host of configuration options. Anki is multi-platform (Linux, Mac, Windows, Android, iOS), and free (except for iOS). There is also a web version, and all ... Read more

Prosody in Thai Language

> In linguistics, prosody is concerned with those elements of speech that are not individual phonetic segments (vowels and consonants) but are properties of syllables and larger units of speech, including linguistic functions such as intonation, tone, stress, and rhythm. Such elements are known as suprasegmentals. Prosody vs. Discrete Phonology In learning Thai, or any ... Read more

TSwipe-Pro Thai Keyboard for Android

The standard Android keyboards such as Android Keyboard (AOSP) and Gboard do not display all the Thai characters. Instead, half the Thai characters are not visible until the shift key is tapped. This is a problem for people who do not have the key positions memorized. Therefore a different keyboard is needed. That keyboard is ... Read more

Sustainable Packaging

It is important for our physical products to have a reasonable environmental footprint. We print on recyclable paper with soy-based inks. We do use a thin plastic to protect our products while on our distributors shelves, and are looking for a non-oil-based plastic to replace the current product. For external packaging we use bubble-wrap and cardboard boxes. The bubble-wrap is also unfortunately an oil-based plastic, and with most plastics are non-biodegradable.

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