Improving Your Thai Pronunciation (Book & CD) [Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Benjawan Poomsan Becker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2003 | Series: Book & CD

This booklet and CD is designed to help foreigners maximize their potential in pronouncing Thai words and enhance their Thai listening and speaking skills. Students will find that they have more confidence in speaking the language and can make themselves understood better. The book and the CD are made to be used in combination. The course is straight forward, easy to follow and compact.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Benjawan Poomsan Becker was born in Bangkok and spent her childhood in Yasothon, a small province in Northeast Thailand. Her family is ethnic Laotian, so she grew up speaking both Thai and Lao. She graduated from Khon Kaen University in Thailand in 1990, with a B.A. in English. Benjawan gained extensive experience teaching Thai to foreigners while studying for her M.A. in Japan with the Japan-Thailand Trade Association and Berlitz Language School, and in the US with Thai temples, Stanford University and private students. She now resides in Berkeley, California where she continues to write and publish books on the Thai and Lao languages. Her books include "Thai for Travelers", "Thai for Beginners", "Thai for Intermediate Learners", "Thai for Advanced Readers", "Thai-English/English-Thai Dictionary for Non-Thai Speakers", "Improving Your Thai Pronunciation", "Practical Thai Conversation DVD Series", the popular "Speak Like a Thai Series" and many other titles on the Thai language.

Product Details

• Audio CD: 48 pages
• Publisher: Paiboon Publishing; Pap/Com Bl edition (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1887521267
• ISBN-13: 978-1887521260
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #169,083 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #11 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Foreign Language > Thai
  • #55 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > Instruction > Southeast Asian

More About the Author

Benjawan Poomsan Becker was born in Bangkok and spent her childhood in Yasothon, a small province in Northeast Thailand. Her family is ethnic Laotian, so she grew up speaking both Thai and Lao. She recevied a B.A. in English with first class honor from Khon Kaen University, Thailand. While obtaining her M.A. in Japan, she gained extensive experience teaching Thai to foreigners at the Japan Thailand Trade Association and the Berlitz Language School. In the United States, she taught Thai language at Stanford University, at several Thai temples, and in private classes. She operated a successful Thai and Lao translation business and is a registered Thai and Lao court interpreter in the state of California. She now resides in Berkeley, California where she continues to write and publish the leading learning books on the Thai and Lao languages. Her latest book, "The Interpreter's Journal" is the recipient of the 2011 Asian Book Publishing Award for Best Book / Best Writer on Asian Socio-Economic or Media scene.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brush up your pronunciation, April 22, 2003

By 

Richard Barrow (Paknam, Thailand) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Improving Your Thai Pronunciation (Book & CD) (Audio CD)

I was delighted when I first bought this book and CD in Thailand. It is not just for beginners but for us old timers too! It is a handy reference tool to all those difficult to pronounce vowels and tones. The tongue twisters are a bonus. The chapters include:

Guide to Pronunciation
The Five Tones, The Vowels, The Consonants
Clusters, Confusing Words, Poly-Syllabic Words
Thai Intonation
Tongue Twisters
Thaiglish

The series of books written by Benjawan are well worth the investment.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great concept, so so delivery, July 30, 2005

By 

Hoke (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Improving Your Thai Pronunciation (Book & CD) (Audio CD)

First here is what you get:

One CD and one small booklet.
the course covers:

1. Guide to pronunciation
2. The 5 tones, the vowels, and the consonants
3. Clusters, confusing words, poly-syllabic words
4. Thai intonation
5. Tongue twisters
6. Thaiglish

This is a mixture of new material and material available in other programs by Poomsan Becker. It was a great idea and a very tough task to go after. It falls short of my expectations. First the material seems a little skimpy and at times goes too fast. There could have been more exercises. Also sometimes it is hard to follow along with the reading material. You have the English, the Thai phonetic and then the written Thai. It is very easy to lose your place and then the audio beats you to the punch.

I have mixed feelings about recommending this product or telling people to stay away. It may help but it is no miracle worker by far.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars very good. Not enough, July 30, 2007

By 

M. H. Frijda "Michael Frijda" (Amsterdam. Holland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Improving Your Thai Pronunciation (Book & CD) (Audio CD)

It offers just that which the Poonsawan-Becker courses, like all other Thai courses, omit; attention to tone and pronounciation, and only that.

Apart from the question: shouldn't it be in 'Thai for Beginners' one other remark: much more space is available on any cd to add more practicing material.

Resuming: Although unique and necessary in it's approach, it lacks in variety and number of exercises.
Nevertheless, my advise to anyone interested in learning to understand Thais speaking and understanding Thai language in general: Buy and use it. Even Bangkok languageschools never focus so much and so efficienly on this.

Michael