I am an American and now that I have decided to come to Phuket for 2 months, I think it would be a good idea for me to learn to speak and possibly read some Thai. Anybody agree? I know that many Thai speak English, but I wouldnt mind knowing what people are saying in every day life, it would help when I am watching TV and the news, and I think I might enjoy learning the language, although it will probably do me little good once I return to the states. I also think that if people realize I am trying to speak with them in their own language, they might be a little more willing to help me out understanding me and correcting me.

Im just wondering how others have learned Thai. I saw a computer program called Rosetta Stone, it's priced at around $200 but I dont want to buy it until I figure out if it's worth it. I have around 7 weeks before I leave for Phuket, and I would like to at least get a basic understanding of the language before I get there.

For over 12 years in school I studied French, and it turned out to be largely useless, I visited Paris once and didnt like it! I can conjugate anything in French but Im wondering if I need to go to that extreme for a 2 month Thai vacation? I would like to start learning here, and then continue when I get to Thailand. Should I just focus on daily conversational phrases?

Thanks!

Rob