Language barrier major challenge for Thais seeking to work in Saudi Arabia, official says

[webfact]

 

By Panithan Onthaworn

 

Thai skilled workers wishing to work in Saudi Arabia must pass language requirements to avoid exploitation, an official said, as Thailand seeks to export workers to meet Saudi Arabia’s labour needs.

 

With the restoration of diplomatic ties between the two nations, Saudi Arabia is seeking personnel in its industrial and hospitality sectors, with around 8 million jobs opening for foreigners.

 

Prapas Phromkambutr, an official at the Department of Employment, said on Friday that workers need to pass a language proficiency test of the destination country to be able to communicate with their employers. 

 

Full story: https://www.thaienquirer.com/37656/language-barrier-major-challenge-for-thais-seeking-to-work-in-saudi-arabia-official-says/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Enquirer 2022-02-19

 

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[RubbaJohnny]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

seeking personnel in its industrial and hospitality sectors

From my experience they will be highly unlikely to mingle with natives, rather agents, supervisors from the sub continent. 

 

Trance Form Asians PO BOX Tea Money Klong Toey soon offering free online head wobbling prep courses,

Advance wibble will of course restricted by the Tur Ban, In Shallow.

[Albert Zweistein]

14 minutes ago, RubbaJohnny said:

From my experience they will be highly unlikely to mingle with natives, rather agents, supervisors from the sub continent. 

 

Trance Form Asians PO BOX Tea Money Klong Toey soon offering free online head wobbling prep courses,

Advance wibble will of course restricted by the Tur Ban, In Shallow.

As Thailand seeks to export workers............................., in the civilised world people got convicted for human traficking.

[ChipButty]

Teach the Saudi's to speak Thai, sorted

[edwinchester]

"...an official at the Department of Employment, said on Friday that workers need to pass a language proficiency test of the destination country."

 

I guess they'll be teaching Arabic in schools then.

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Prapas Phromkambutr, an official at the Department of Employment, said on Friday that workers need to pass a language proficiency test of the destination country to be able to communicate with their employers.

Ohh dear never mind, was a good idea while it lasted.

"I am fine, and you" doesn't cut-it any more?

[Chang_paarp]

There are millions in the south that will not have that problem. Their biggest problem is to get permission to leave the "temporary" control area. This could in fact do a lot of good for the south if they see a path to getting ahead, it may reduce the radicalisation and independence pathway. If the Generals allow it.

[ChaiyaTH]

Thai skilled workers? They can hardly even be found within the country and there is a huge shortage. How can one even be skilled if not being able to deal with basic English in the first place, let alone to learn another language on top.

What a show is this, the only thing they actually have to brag about is to have restored ties with the Saudi's, who the rest of the world hate too. I'd rather die than moving there.

 

Thailand skilled workers: we are accepted in Israel and Saudi Arabia, LOL!

[sqwakvfr]

The number one language in the Middle East is English and not Arabic.  English became the default language because there are so many OFW's(Overseas Foreign Workers) throughout the Middle East.  I have lived, worked, and traveled extensively throughout the Middle East and just about everyone spoke English.  Most Saudi's, Kuwaitis, Omani's speak fluent English.  Otherwise how would they communicate with their maids, drivers and foreign girlfriends.  

[sanuk711]

Language barrier major challenge for Thais seeking to work in Saudi Arabia--: repeat after me....

 

." I will love you long time" ....

 

 

[tlcwaterfall]

11 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Thai skilled workers? They can hardly even be found within the country and there is a huge shortage. How can one even be skilled if not being able to deal with basic English in the first place, let alone to learn another language on top.

What a show is this, the only thing they actually have to brag about is to have restored ties with the Saudi's, who the rest of the world hate too. I'd rather die than moving there.

Agree.  Compare the Thais English skills to the 2.2 million overseas Filipino workers around the world. I know I would much prefer to hire a Filipino or Filipina with good English skills compared to a Thai person with very limited English.

 

Thai people are at a huge disadvantage due to their poor education system and their governments lack of serious belief in English language tuition in schools.

[ChaiyaTH]

4 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

Otherwise how would they communicate with their maids, drivers and foreign girlfriends.  

They needed a translator for uncle, I guess he needed to cover that himself lol

[ChaiyaTH]

2 minutes ago, tlcwaterfall said:

Agree.  Compare the Thais English skills to the 2.2 million overseas Filipino workers around the world. I know I would much prefer to hire a Filipino or Filipina with good English skills compared to a Thai person with very limited English.

The language skill would be one, the attitude and culture another. I would never hire a Thai abroad, that is just madness. Not even for cooking Thai food, I'd send a foreign chef to TH and learn it.

 

The best Thai food and restaurants I have been were outside of TH lol.

[ChaiyaTH]

5 minutes ago, tlcwaterfall said:

Thai people are at a huge disadvantage due to their poor education system and their governments lack of serious belief in English language tuition in schools.

They know it is important, they just don't want the Thais to find out how the world really works.

 

That aside the definition of skilled and degrees in TH equals to high school level in my country…

[ChipButty]

28 minutes ago, ChaiyaTH said:

The best Thai food and restaurants I have been were outside of TH lol.

And no Thai staff

[ChaiyaTH]

Just now, ChipButty said:

And no Thai staff

Actually they did have Thai waiters and partly a Thai owner but the kitchen were all foreign chefs indeed.

[Iron Tongue]

Perfect timing!

Saudi Arabia is needing more workers since 70% of the almost 1,000,000 Philippino workers have reported physical & psychological violence and sexual abuse by their employers. Not to mention outright wage theft. 

The Philippines government constantly threatens to ban foreign workers to Saudi Arabia because of this.

Looks like the Saudis will be getting a new source of labor to abuse.

[SooKee]

43 minutes ago, tlcwaterfall said:

Agree.  Compare the Thais English skills to the 2.2 million overseas Filipino workers around the world. I know I would much prefer to hire a Filipino or Filipina with good English skills compared to a Thai person with very limited English.

 

Thai people are at a huge disadvantage due to their poor education system and their governments lack of serious belief in English language tuition in schools.

Indeed.  The mandate for children to also learn Chinese will dilute that even further.  Other than 'suck up' that will achieve little.

[BangkokReady]

9 minutes ago, Iron Tongue said:

psychological violence

No such thing.

[herfiehandbag]

How can this be - were we not reassured some years ago now that Thai would be the international language for the world?

 

Best the Saudis get a move on and learn it, for a start:

เครื่องประดับของฉันอยู่ที่ไหน = where is my jewelry?

[Iron Tongue]

1 hour ago, BangkokReady said:

No such thing.

I don't know why I wrote that.  Too much exposure to political correctness.

I should have written "mental abuse and constant denigration".

 

[Misterwhisper]

I always cringe when continuously reading about Thailand's intention to "export" workers to Saudi-Arabia.

 

It conjures an uneasy image of hundreds of people being crammed into shipping containers and being sent on their way.

A mere commodity rather than human beings applying for job openings abroad.

Speaks volumes about the Thai government's attitude towards its own people.

They are little more than trade goods that will bring in financial benefits.  

[Cake Monster]

4 hours ago, edwinchester said:

"...an official at the Department of Employment, said on Friday that workers need to pass a language proficiency test of the destination country."

 

I guess they'll be teaching Arabic in schools then.

I hope they get better results from that than their English.

[ChipButty]

5 hours ago, edwinchester said:

"...an official at the Department of Employment, said on Friday that workers need to pass a language proficiency test of the destination country."

How much will that cost?

[Burma Bill]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

workers wishing to work in Saudi Arabia must pass language requirements

 

(Stock photo)

[Mr Meeseeks]

5 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Teach the Saudi's to speak Thai, sorted

According to our Imperious Leader, Thai will be the international language of choice soon, so they only have to wait.

[Mr Meeseeks]

3 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

 

(Stock photo)

Romantic.

[Neeranam]

7 hours ago, Albert Zweistein said:

As Thailand seeks to export workers............................., in the civilised world people got convicted for human traficking.

Are you saying Thailand is uncivilized? 

[RafPinto]

Wowwww

Saudi Arabia's population stands at 35 Million but they have an 8 million jobs opening for foreigners.

Looking for slaves probably.

[newnative]

A barrier not just for Saudi.