News Forum - Is poor English proficiency holding Thailand back?

[Thaiger]

The government of Thailand has been working hard to make it a world-class destination for not just tourists, but digital nomads and business and technology innovators. But do the people of Thailand speak English well enough to fully attract these business opportunities? Thailand is ranked second to last among the countries that make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It is ahead of only Laos, which is ranked dead last out of 111 countries in the EF English Proficiency Index. Singapore is the top-ranked ASEAN member and number two globally. Thailand, however, barely cracked the top 100, ranked 97th. […]

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[Giltee]

My stepdaughter and niece learn English at school but they may as well not bother. They learn written English but not vocal. If they’re very lucky they have a good teacher and they don’t. At high school teachers are told to grade passes to students even if they don’t go to school. Until schools develop curriculums for learning with standards set on world wide levels Thailand will continue on its dismal English economic levels. 

[palooka]

Have been asked by my stepdaughter to assist her with her English exams in Uni (basically do the online test for her) and have done so, only realize the teachers are using a very outdated system that they themselves cannot understand correctly. 

She scored 70%.  I think who ever made up the questionnaire was having a lend, blatant grammar errors are profound.

So, until they update the system they'll struggle.  Spoken to the teachers and told them the errors but they say they have to abide by the rules etc. 

So, some lazy ratbag (at a guess American, from the syntax) who helped implement this system is dragging the country backwards.

[Grumpish]

Like it or not, English is pretty much the international business language - so while difficulty in communicating is all just part of the fun for tourists, it can be a hindrance for anyone doing business on the international stage. I have to admit though, that like far too many English people, my own language skills are appalling, being limited to English and Louder and Slower.  

[Ramanathan.P]

To start with Thai education system has to be revamp and English teachers has to be brought in from regional countries to be included in the system. 

[TheDirtyDurian]

34 minutes ago, Ramanathan.P said:

To start with Thai education system has to be revamp and English teachers has to be brought in from regional countries to be included in the system. 

Thailand is inundated with Filipinos and Africans teaching English. That's not the ploblem... 

[Soidog]

5 hours ago, Thaiger said:

The government of Thailand has been working hard to make it a world-class destination for not just tourists, but digital nomads and business and technology innovators.

Don’t make me laugh. Working hard! 
 

Although proficiency in English is obviously well bellow where it needs to be, this a a low priority compared to many other things the country needs to change to make it a first world country and a world class destination. 

[Skip]

Whoever advocated "parroting" as a way to teach a language to anyone should be shot... unfortunately that is the current technique in the Thai schools

[BainaiThai]

1 hour ago, Skip said:

Whoever advocated "parroting" as a way to teach a language to anyone should be shot... unfortunately that is the current technique in the Thai schools

I can recall spending hours in a language lab in the US when studying French and Germain.  Parroting fails only if the parrot does not speak the language well.

[MrStretch]

I've taught in 10 different countries over the last 26+ years.  Thailand's level of English is never going to improve until the Thai teachers of English actually speak it and use it in the classrooms.  In my experience, the only Thais I've met that are reasonable in understanding and using English had foreign teachers in school or studied/lived in an English speaking country for some time.

13 hours ago, palooka said:

...some lazy ratbag (at a guess American, from the syntax) who helped implement this system is dragging the country backwards.

Seriously doubtful that the Thai government would EVER turn to a farang to help or plan a curriculum.  Most likely a Thai who studied American English or even went to the US for higher education.  It's the reality of Thailand, don't ask the foreigner for help.

[thingamabob]

My son attended one school in Bangkok where the so-called English teacher couldn't speak even one word of English.

[cowslip]

No - English eduction is not that bad - it isn't just schools - in fact REAL English language education is focused on Adults and tertiary education.

people base their assessment of EL on the wrong criteria - i.e. schools and that ridiculous EF league table that is just rubbish designed to sell English courses.

Schools are. a red herring - e.g. - Brits were all taught French at school but few can speak it..

There is in industry a failure to recognise the importance of English and a general parochial attitude in government that considers it unnecessary. ...but all companies who want an ISO must show an EL program is regularly given to employees.

I've trained teachers and taught English in various countries - the general breadth of EL teaching in Thailand is well within that of other countries and probably more pervasive.

 

 

[SkyDogJack]

Yes. This goes back to 2016 as an important issue.  Cited are the 2016 abstract and a December 2022 article and the last July 2022 article.

https://ph01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/easr/article/view/69658

https://www.thailand-business-news.com/business/94596-low-english-proficiency-in-thailand-could-hinder-the-countrys-development-prospects

https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/thailand-education-services

For a personal perspective, before my wife and I moved back to the USA, she got an email from her university in Bangkok for degreed alumni to receive, tuition free, language classes to learn to speak, read and write Chinese.  To me, that in and of itself speaks volumes.

 

Edited December 7, 2022 by SkyDogJack
More info

[cowslip]

1 hour ago, SkyDogJack said:

Yes. This goes back to 2016 as an important issue.  Cited are the 2016 abstract and a December 2022 article and the last July 2022 article.

https://ph01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/easr/article/view/69658

https://www.thailand-business-news.com/business/94596-low-english-proficiency-in-thailand-could-hinder-the-countrys-development-prospects

https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/thailand-education-services

For a personal perspective, before my wife and I moved back to the USA, she got an email from her university in Bangkok for degreed alumni to receive, tuition free, language classes to learn to speak, read and write Chinese.  To me, that in and of itself speaks volumes.

don't follow the point here - apart from the central citation which is based on the same fallacious report the all the others are based on....a one quote wonder.

[kalyan]

yes, of course, thai in general are really scared of english. It is with every country in the world which promotes their own language has this particular deficiency. Given a priority Tourism for Thailand, adaptability comes to top priority. In order to impress an tourist, not only nature, temples, booze and girls will not work, at many times language makes people more comfortable. In case of learning an language especially tourist is a small option as the tourist are going to stay for shorter time and they would like to concentrate in other issues. Hence it Thai who would need to improve in language skills not sticking to only thai.

[palooka]

On 12/7/2022 at 9:03 AM, MrStretch said:

Seriously doubtful that the Thai government would EVER turn to a farang to help or plan a curriculum.  Most likely a Thai who studied American English or even went to the US for higher education.  It's the reality of Thailand, don't ask the foreigner for help.

Stepdaughter doing English at Uni asked for help with an assignment. Basically, did it for her, got 79%.  Queried where I went wrong and finally discovered the test had been devised by a yank who was passing through Bangkok many years ago and maybe took advantage of the situation.

Must have been drunk as his answers were in some cases "one off" to the questions.

Some teachers are aware of this but shrug and say what can we do?

Further find that their bosses are totally non-conversant in English, not interested in correcting a bad mistake and suspect that many of them had their parents buy their position, wife a teacher, believed some had basic education only, well below a level expected for the position.

So, lose, lose for Thais.