Frequently Asked Questions
Thai Lessons FAQ: Your Questions Answered
Common questions about lessons, payment, scheduling, and what to expect.
About Thai with Nariss
Thai with Nariss offers live online Thai lessons, in-person classes in Koh Samui, video courses, and ebooks. Kru Nariss is a TEFL-certified native Thai speaker with five-star Google reviews and over six years of teaching experience. She teaches in English. Payment is accepted via Stripe, Thai bank transfer, and PromptPay. Lesson hours never expire.
Below you will find answers about getting started, scheduling, payment, refunds, and learning Thai in Koh Samui. For questions specific to a service, visit the service page directly.
Getting Started
First time here? Start with these.
No. Most students start as complete beginners. Nariss assesses your level during a free 15-minute consultation and builds your curriculum from there.
Book a free 15-minute consultation. Nariss listens to your goals, assesses your level, and recommends the best format for you. After that, you choose a package and schedule your first lesson.
Yes. Nariss teaches Thai using English as the bridge language. You do not need to know any Thai to begin.
It depends on your goals and schedule. Private lessons are the fastest path because Nariss tailors every session to you. Group classes work well for couples or friends learning together. Video courses let you study at your own pace. Bundles combine products at a discount: most pair a video course with private lessons, and the Beginner Reading Pack groups three ebooks together. Not sure? Book a free consultation.
No. Nariss has taught students in their 60s and 70s. Thai grammar is simpler than most European languages: no conjugations, no gendered nouns. Tones take practice at any age, and Nariss is patient. See the beginner's guide for more on what learning Thai looks like in practice.
About Learning Thai
How hard is Thai? How long will it take? Do you need to learn the script?
With consistent study (2 to 3 lessons per week plus self-practice), most students can handle basic conversations in 2 to 3 months. Reaching comfortable fluency in everyday situations typically takes 6 to 12 months. It depends on your starting point, goals, and how much you practice outside lessons. The beginner's guide breaks down what to expect at each stage.
The tones are the main challenge for English speakers. Thai has five tones, and the wrong tone can change a word's meaning entirely. But Thai grammar is surprisingly simple: no verb conjugations, no gendered nouns, no plurals, and the sentence structure (subject-verb-object) is the same as English. Most students find it easier than they expected once they get past the initial tone adjustment.
It depends on your goals. For travel and casual conversation, romanization works fine. For living in Thailand long-term or reaching fluency, reading Thai helps you understand signs, menus, and texts on your own. Nariss uses romanization in her video courses so you can start speaking right away. In private lessons, she can teach you Thai script if that is your goal.
Apps and YouTube are helpful supplements, but they cannot correct your tones or adapt to your specific goals. A native teacher hears pronunciation errors that apps miss and builds a curriculum around what you actually need. Many of Nariss's students combine her video courses with private lessons for exactly this reason.
Scheduling and Logistics
Booking, rescheduling, and what you need for a lesson.
A stable internet connection, a device with a camera and microphone (laptop, tablet, or phone), and Zoom installed. Nariss sends you the Zoom link before each session.
Yes, with at least 24 hours notice. Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice count as a completed lesson.
If you are more than 15 minutes late without notice, the lesson is marked as missed and counts against your package.
Payment and Pricing
How to pay, what currency, and whether there is a trial.
Stripe (all major credit and debit cards, Apple Pay), Thai bank transfer, and PromptPay. If you need a different method, just ask.
Yes. Stripe sends a payment receipt to your email after every purchase. If you need a formal invoice, contact Nariss and she will arrange it.
Prices are listed in THB (Thai Baht). Your bank or payment provider converts automatically at the current exchange rate.
Nariss offers a free 15-minute consultation (not a full lesson) where she assesses your level and discusses your goals. After that, you can book a single trial lesson (1 hour) before committing to a package.
Cancellation and Refunds
What happens if you need to cancel, and when refunds apply.
You can reschedule with 24 hours notice at no cost. Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice are non-refundable.
Yes. After your first session, if you feel it is not a good fit, Nariss will refund the remaining lessons in your package minus Stripe processing fees (approximately 7%). This only applies to live lesson packages, not video courses or ebooks (digital products are non-refundable).
Your lesson hours never expire. There is no deadline to use them. Most students complete their packages within 3 to 6 months, but you can take your time.
Koh Samui and In-Person
In-person lessons on the island, where they happen, and how to switch between online and face to face.
Yes. Nariss is based in Plai Laem, Koh Samui, and travels to students in the free zone (Plai Laem, Choeng Mon, Bangrak) at no extra charge. Extended areas (Chaweng, Lamai, Bophut) have a small travel fee. See the full details on the Koh Samui lessons page.
At your villa, hotel, a cafe, the beach, or wherever you prefer. Nariss comes to you.
Yes. Your lesson hours work for both formats. If you are on the island, meet in person. If you leave, continue online via Zoom. Your progress and materials carry over.
Looking for Something Specific?
Each service page has its own FAQ section with detailed answers.
Still Have Questions?
Book a free 15-minute call with Nariss. She answers everything personally.
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