Thailand falls further behind in English language skills

By The Nation

 

EF Education First has released its annual global ranking of English proficiency, placing Thailand in 64th position globally, a drop from last year’s 53rd place, and 16th out of 21 in Asia.

 

For the fourth time in eight years, Sweden tops the EF English Proficiency Index (EF EPI), bumping last year’s top-scorer, the Netherlands, to second place.

 

EF is an international education company that specialises in language training, educational travel, academic degree programs, and cultural exchange. The rankings draw on data from 1.3 million non-native English speakers in 88 countries and regions.

 

“Thailand dropped 11 slots in one year in our global ranking of English proficiency,” said Dr Minh N Tran, EF’s senior director of research. 

 

“Our EF EPI research shows that countries and individuals that invest in English education and that recognise the importance of the language as a lever for competitiveness improve their proficiency year after year. Published by EF, this ranking has become the de facto reference point for governments, companies, and educators when they discuss English skills,” she added.

 

Key findings of this year’s EF EPI include:

 

Europe remains the global leader in English proficiency. Eight of the top 10 spots in the ranking are held by European countries.

 

For the first time ever, an Asian nation enters the top three slots, with Singapore ranking third. However, Asia continues to possess a large regional divide between the highest (3rd rank for Singapore) and lowest proficiency countries (86th rank for Uzbekistan).

 

Africa shows stronger gains in English proficiency than any other region, with Algeria, Egypt, and South Africa improving by two or more points.

 

Latin America is the only region to show a slight overall decline in English proficiency. Scores in the region remain more uniform than anywhere else, with only a small gap between the lowest and highest proficiency countries. 

 

Women continue to outpace men in English skills worldwide, and this gender gap has been widening since 2016. 

 

New correlations indicate that societies with higher English proficiency are more egalitarian. Among other metrics, these countries enrol more girls in preschool and report a greater proportion of women with bank accounts.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/Economy/30358249

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-9

Thailand turned to China because they back up the Junta. The damage done will get worse and may take generations to fix, if ever. English language is one of the casualties.

3 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

Thailand turned to China because they back up the Junta. The damage done will get worse and may take generations to fix, if ever. English language is one of the casualties.

Hmmm. Not sure the China factor is involved here, I suppose it would be if the incidence of literacy in Mandarin goes up but otherwise, I suspect you'll need to blame Thais for Thai weakness and not the Chinese, though I'm sure there will be diverse downsides to cuddling up so cosily.

Quote

Thailand falls further behind in English language skills

*Thai-lan

In the BKK malls in the suburbs is absolutely nobody who speaks english...not even at the reception where one can report a crime. It's really terrible..but also at MacDonalds, Pizzacompany or Burgerking they can't spea a word inlit...

 

 

English is the international language. Why is it that most girls in a bar can speak fluent English but Thai generals, government ministers and leaders of the country can't get their tongues around the most simplest of English words.

The answer is easy; bar girls live in an international world: Thai politicians live in their own little conceited Thai bubble world. 

9 minutes ago, Thian said:

In the BKK malls in the suburbs is absolutely nobody who speaks english...not even at the reception where one can report a crime. It's really terrible..but also at MacDonalds, Pizzacompany or Burgerking they can't spea a word inlit...

 

 

 

Yes, this matches my own experience. I suspect that after xyz years of 'studying' English, as soon as a Thai meets a native speaker, they quickly realise how useless the whole exercise has been.

 

"No have..."  instead oof "I'm sorry, we don't have that' or any one of a couple of dozen perfectly good alternatives. Gimme a break, the problem is simple. Thais ar lazy and if they don't see a quick advantage or a quick buck, thwn they won't do it.

 

Why is it that Bangkokians call Isaan people 'kwai'? Because they're smart, clean and industrious? Or because they're not? But ssshhh! Bangkokians are just the same because many of them came from Isaan to start with.

Edited November 9, 20187 yr by HalfLight

1 hour ago, DrTuner said:

Thailand turned to China because they back up the Junta. The damage done will get worse and may take generations to fix, if ever. English language is one of the casualties.

Mai phen rai....

Best be brushing up on your Chinese linguistic skills.

 

????

25 minutes ago, Thian said:

In the BKK malls in the suburbs is absolutely nobody who speaks english...not even at the reception where one can report a crime. It's really terrible..but also at MacDonalds, Pizzacompany or Burgerking they can't spea a word inlit...

 

 

 

 

Farang Fall Further Behind in Thai Language Skills.

To be expected.

11 minutes ago, HalfLight said:

Why is it that Bangkokians call Isaan people 'kwai'?

I've never heard that..and i know plenty real bangkokians who are born here..they can't speak Isan because it's mixed with Lao language.

 

But even my wife who really does her best in english and is pretty good in it still makes the same old mistakes which i tried to correct for 15 years..For her job she works with consultants from London and so and when i tell her those guys must be laughing so hard when she makes silly mistakes she even doesn't care.

 

But ALL her collegues (with technical university degree's) can't speak a word english neither so the big boss ordered them to follow english class 4 hours a week at the office during worktime...He hired a teacher from the UK and they all followed lessons for more than a year now...result: They still can't speak a word english and also won't sit near me anymore hahaha..

 

It''s totally hopeless...they are very ashamed for eachother to try it but they laugh hard when i speak thai and make stupid mistakes..it's something cultural i think...

 

 

 

 

4 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

 

 

Farang Fall Further Behind in Thai Language Skills.

To be expected.

Yes and i also don't care cause i have the money...if i don't like a place/shop/person i go elsewhere.

 

In a bakery today i put for 1500 baht of breads on the counter and wanted to pay...the employee asked something in thai (i do speak a littun thai) but i didn't understand what she asked. She had 5 collegues who also couldn't help.

 

I pointed at the breads and showed my wallet but she asked it again...(whatever it was). i showed her some thousands to make sure she understood it...then she started packing.

I guess she asked in thai if i wanted to buy all of that...yes of course, why else would i bring all that to the counter???

 

It's so frustrating if they can't speak english and i can't speak enough thai.

 

 

2 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand falls further behind

the issue isnt just language; you might say 'thailand falls further behind in {any/everything}';

this place is not progressing ; how can progress be achieved under military governments ?

All goes wrong in the brainwashing machine called Mathyom. By the time these students reach university they have supposedly studied "English" for 12 years in a class room but can't speak a word and if you say something to 80% of them the best they can do is "A-rai-wah"...pathetic, and they still can't reform high school education. Universities aren't the problem really...it's high school.

This is the report:

 

https://www.ef.co.th/epi/

Thais have zero knowledge of the outside world, and zero interest in the outside world, which explains their lack of English skills.

44 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

 

 

Farang Fall Further Behind in Thai Language Skills.

To be expected.

Pointless persiflage.

 

To be expected.

 

Little fish.Miniscule pond.

 

You are not even a legend in your own lunchtime.

Edited November 9, 20187 yr by Odysseus123

15 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Thais have zero knowledge of the outside world, and zero interest in the outside world, which explains their lack of English skills.

I don't agree, i know plenty thai who love to travel...(and put pics on fayboo)...our friends go all over the world, even the ones who can't spea inlit...they go in grouptours. Mostly the woman can speak english, the men can't. But they have university degrees. He must be following his wife like a dog all day to not get lost in Moscow, New York or Paris.

 

 

 

 

 

 

13 minutes ago, Sir Dude said:

All goes wrong in the brainwashing machine called Mathyom. By the time these students reach university they have supposedly studied "English" for 12 years in a class room but can't speak a word and if you say something to 80% of them the best they can do is "A-rai-wah"...pathetic, and they still can't reform high school education. Universities aren't the problem really...it's high school.

Many reasons.

 

1. Teachers

 

Thais teaching English are generally totally unqualified, simply making the children repeat bits of sentences "good morning how are you?" which they both don't understand...hence the children coming back from school at 4pm and telling me "good morning, how are you?"

 

Foreign teachers recruited according to dubious "qualifications" such as being a native English, or being below 40 or anything but having a proven competence and experience in teaching.

A 55 year old German having taught English for 30 years won't be considered but a 25 year old Australian fisherman will be welcome.

 

2. Thai language

 

That's the main obstacle and the least understood.

If there is one thing for which Thailand is really not same, it is its unique writing and reading system, called "scriptura continua" and abandonned in the rest of the world centuries ago.

The result is that when it comes to language, Thai brains are wired differently (this has been studied scientifically).

Try to learn writing and especially reading Thai, and you will have some idea of the difficulties they experience when learning English, but in reverse.

 

3, No political will

 

Like many neighboring populations, Thais could be introduced to international writing and reading systems, and grammar, while keeping their own alphabet, which could certainly be simplified and modernized.

 

Yet, it appears that having a large population of obedient analphabetics is convenient for those who are afraid of reforms and of losing their privileges...

46 minutes ago, Thian said:

I've never heard that..and i know plenty real bangkokians who are born here..they can't speak Isan because it's mixed with Lao language.

 

But even my wife who really does her best in english and is pretty good in it still makes the same old mistakes which i tried to correct for 15 years..For her job she works with consultants from London and so and when i tell her those guys must be laughing so hard when she makes silly mistakes she even doesn't care. 

 

But ALL her collegues (with technical university degree's) can't speak a word english neither so the big boss ordered them to follow english class 4 hours a week at the office during worktime...He hired a teacher from the UK and they all followed lessons for more than a year now...result: They still can't speak a word english and also won't sit near me anymore hahaha..

 

It''s totally hopeless...they are very ashamed for eachother to try it but they laugh hard when i speak thai and make stupid mistakes..it's something cultural i think...

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, I'm sure you're right, it is a cultural thing - toxic.

 

Off on a tangent: "when i tell her those guys must be laughing so hard when she makes silly mistakes she even doesn't care. ". I'll bet she does, I'll bet she cares a lot, but  the Thai compensation for losing face is to ignore it and pretend it doesn't matter, and both of those are major impediments to learning anything. This explains I think a great deal about the Thai education system, and about how Thais learn English language in particular. Come on, gimme a break; a 3-year-old in UK can learn English but a 30-year-old Thai in Thailand can't? That makes no sense, there has to be something about mentality in there somewhere, and I'll be prepared o bet the quality of teachers is a big factor.

 

I send my step-daughter to a 'high-class' school (I don't know about class but I certainly know about cost). In every building, there is the same braggadoccio about how proficient the teachers are and how the school will educate lady and gentlemen [sic] to speak the best English language in Thailand. It's gibberish, and when Thais even lapse into gibberish when bragging, you know there's a problem.

3 minutes ago, HalfLight said:

Yes, I'm sure you're right, it is a cultural thing - toxic.

 

no serious, i guess there's something missing in the thai brain which causes them to not be able to learn real english...but the ones i know who have studied in the usa sometimes can speak it fluent, better than me.

 

The Chinese also have that issue, the R and the L are mixed up often, no matter how hard they try or how many years they speak english. My wife can't say the word 'broccoli'   no matter how hard she tries or practises.

 

I wonder how that happened though, that R and L thing..thai also say kob kun klab in BKK, i rarely hear the proper kob kun krab...

 

Guess you also have seen the banners on the streets for english language schools but they even can't spell it properly. So funny.

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

Many reasons.

 

1. Teachers

 

Thais teaching English are generally totally unqualified, simply making the children repeat bits of sentences "good morning how are you?" which they both don't understand...hence the children coming back from school at 4pm and telling me "good morning, how are you?"

 

Foreign teachers recruited according to dubious "qualifications" such as being a native English, or being below 40 or anything but having a proven competence and experience in teaching.

A 55 year old German having taught English for 30 years won't be considered but a 25 year old Australian fisherman will be welcome.

 

2. Thai language

 

That's the main obstacle and the least understood.

If there is one thing for which Thailand is really not same, it is its unique writing and reading system, called "scriptura continua" and abandonned in the rest of the world centuries ago.

The result is that when it comes to language, Thai brains are wired differently (this has been studied scientifically).

Try to learn writing and especially reading Thai, and you will have some idea of the difficulties they experience when learning English, but in reverse.

 

3, No political will

 

Like many neighboring populations, Thais could be introduced to international writing and reading systems, and grammar, while keeping their own alphabet, which could certainly be simplified and modernized.

 

Yet, it appears that having a large population of obedient analphabetics is convenient for those who are afraid of reforms and of losing their privileges...

Ah yes..the foreign teachers..they're to blame.

 

Terrible lot..bad English-just as all motor vehicle fatalities in thailand are caused by 'farang' and all bananas are bent by Queenslanders..

As good as it gets...

Edited November 9, 20187 yr by RotBenz8888

5 minutes ago, Odysseus123 said:

Foreign teachers recruited according to dubious "qualifications" such as being a native English, or being below 40 or anything but having a proven competence and experience in teaching.

One day i was at the fuel station and a thai man came to ask me if i wanted to work on his school...some school close to here...i told him i'm not english native, have no work permit and am not looking for a job but i gave him my businesscard when he asked for it.

 

Later i got an email from his daughter (the director of that school) in very bad english if i wanted to work there as english teacher..i corrected her english and sent it back, i added that this first lesson was free and that i was not interested in any more lessons....

5 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

As good as it gets...

Better than the 4,327 military Napoleons now running Rice Paddy Paradise.

3 minutes ago, Thian said:

One day i was at the fuel station and a thai man came to ask me if i wanted to work on his school...some school close to here...i told him i'm not english native, have no work permit and am not looking for a job but i gave him my businesscard when he asked for it.

 

Later i got an email from his daughter (the director of that school) in very bad english if i wanted to work there as english teacher..i corrected her english and sent it back, i added that this first lesson was free and that i was not interested in any more lessons....

 

3 minutes ago, Thian said:

One day i was at the fuel station and a thai man came to ask me if i wanted to work on his school...some school close to here...i told him i'm not english native, have no work permit and am not looking for a job but i gave him my businesscard when he asked for it.

 

Later i got an email from his daughter (the director of that school) in very bad english if i wanted to work there as english teacher..i corrected her english and sent it back, i added that this first lesson was free and that i was not interested in any more lessons....

Sorry but the quote you have attributed to me is someone else's.

 

i feel sure that it was a genuine mistake on your part and so no hard feelings..a genuine hail fellow well met and a gentle (but non patronizing) pat on the shoulder for you.

 

How is the treatment for your Stockholm syndrome going?Slow but steady progress,I expect?

Edited November 9, 20187 yr by Odysseus123

Hit a truthful nerve, did we....?

Your insecurity and inferiority complexes are leaking. 

 

Disconnected.

Dumbed down.

3 minutes ago, zzaa09 said:

Hit a truthful nerve, did we....?

Your insecurity and inferiority complexes are leaking. 

 

Disconnected.

Dumbed down.

Who are you responding to?

 

Not ex PM Ms Yingluck Shinawatra,I presume?

1 hour ago, Thian said:

no serious, i guess there's something missing in the thai brain which causes them to not be able to learn real english...but the ones i know who have studied in the usa sometimes can speak it fluent, better than me.

 

The Chinese also have that issue, the R and the L are mixed up often, no matter how hard they try or how many years they speak english. My wife can't say the word 'broccoli'   no matter how hard she tries or practises.

 

I wonder how that happened though, that R and L thing..thai also say kob kun klab in BKK, i rarely hear the proper kob kun krab...

 

Guess you also have seen the banners on the streets for english language schools but they even can't spell it properly. So funny.

 

"Guess you also have seen the banners on the streets for english language schools but they even can't spell it properly. So funny."

 

Yes I have, but it's not so very funny imho, one wonders about the quality of the output.

 

Over the years, I've learned to have a healthy contempt for Thais and the stupid things they do, it's but I confess it's also been useful to me, in trying to uderstand why they do some of them, and I think it it boils down to stupidity, laziness and fear, all of which are linked. I can't even get a Thai to paint a wall for goodness' sake... I spotted someone's member description a while back and immediately adopted his self-description for my sig line. Yes, I'm selectively misanthropic. Over the years I've come to a pretty good understanding of Thais and I have to say I don't like what I've come to understand very much. I now understand why Thailand is a backwater which is doomed to become a stagnant pool. I understand why people call some Thais 'kwai' - other Thais, that is, never themselves, though most Thais qualify imho..

 

R and L? laziness. and a need to make their voices loud and dominate verbally (the 200 metre conversation). You can't pronounce 'R' loudly but you can shriek 'L' from afar. Yes, it comes from the Chinese, along with most strains of the 'flu. Thailand will have quite a long time to reflect on the wisdom of becoming a vassal state of China, though I agree that USA wouldn't necessarily have been a better choice, in my view, everything in this world that is loathsome either comes from or reached it's apotheosis in the good ole US of A, but tha's a different conversation, though they also mutilate the English Language so they can call it the American language.

 

Have a good evening, I'm just off to srit my lists.

 

Just remembered why Thais get R and L all mixed up (well, pronouncing R as L anyway, it's this ridiculous custom of putting on a fake smile  at every opportunity, you cannot pronounce 'R' while grinning...

Edited November 9, 20187 yr by HalfLight

14 minutes ago, HalfLight said:

"Guess you also have seen the banners on the streets for english language schools but they even can't spell it properly. So funny."

 

Yes I have, but it's not so very funny imho, one wonders about the quality of the output.

 

Over the years, I've learned to have a healthy contempt for Thais and the stupid things they do, it's but I confess it's also been useful to me, in trying to uderstand why they do some of them, and I think it it boils down to stupidity, laziness and fear, all of which are linked. I can't even get a Thai to paint a wall for goodness' sake... I spotted someone's member description a while back and immediately adopted his self-description for my sig line. Yes, I'm selectively misanthropic. Over the years I've come to a pretty good understanding of Thais and I have to say I don't like what I've come to understand very much. I now understand why Thailand is a backwater which is doomed to become a stagnant pool. I understand why people call some Thais 'kwai' - other Thais, that is, never themselves, though most Thais qualify imho..

 

R and L? laziness. and a need to make their voices loud and dominate verbally (the 200 metre conversation). You can't pronounce 'R' loudly but you can shriek 'L' from afar. Yes, it comes from the Chinese, along with most strains of the 'flu. Thailand will have quite a long time to reflect on the wisdom of becoming a vassal state of China, though I agree that USA wouldn't necessarily have been a better choice, in my view, everything in this world that is loathsome either comes from or reached it's apotheosis in the good ole US of A, but tha's a different conversation, though they also mutilate the English Language so they can call it the American language.

 

Have a good evening, I'm just off to srit my lists.

Me rikey! 

4 hours ago, Thian said:

In the BKK malls in the suburbs is absolutely nobody who speaks english...not even at the reception where one can report a crime. It's really terrible..but also at MacDonalds, Pizzacompany or Burgerking they can't spea a word inlit...

It's understandable. These are the living quarters of office drones working in dead-end 100% Thai jobs in BKK with a smattering of various non-hiso students added, very little incentive to learn and even fewer chances of spending any time with native speakers. Spent a couple of years on the dark side of the muddy river and the mood certainly ain't festive, more like resigned to their fate. 

Edited November 9, 20187 yr by DrTuner
Forgot a part