Get Ready Thailand: Asean Economic Community Is Coming In 2015

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Get ready: Asean economic community is coming in 2015

Wannapa Khaopa

The Nation

Opportunities, crises predicted; language skills will be needed

Thailand may encounter both crises and opportunities when the Asean Economic Community is implemented in a few years. But if Thais prepare thoroughly, the AEC would not affect them that badly and they may even find opportunities, academics said recently.

However, after seeing no concrete move towards preparing for the AEC by the government, Visanu Vongsinsirikul, director of Dhurakij Pundit University's Asean Community Preparation Centre (ACPC), the most influential body with the power to prepare the country for changes, called on the government to think and act as soon as possible. Otherwise Thailand would lag behind other countries rather than be able to grasp the opportunities.

"Thailand has advantages over other Asean countries in terms of geographical features, weather, races and cost of living. The question is how can we make use of the advantages we have?" he said.

"Foreign languages, English in particular, are our big problem. But we can learn them," he said.

"We cannot escape the AEC. Even if we don't want to work in other Asean countries, citizens from those countries will certainly come to work in Thailand," he said.

The government should put preparing for the AEC on the national agenda.

"Prime Minister (Yingluck Shinawatra) should assign each ministry to study what it should do and present its own proposals to the premier. Then, the ministries implement the proposals. If the government tries to achieve good preparation and successfully does that, it will be the government's great accomplishment."

ACPC is trying to educate people about the Asean community, including the AEC, to help them understand Asean and inspire them to find possible opportunities in the new setup.

ACPC has provided seminars and courses on the Asean community to requesting agencies, including educational institutions, and has invited experts on Asean to share their knowledge.

It has joined hands with the Thailand Development Research Institute to carry out research on the state of preparation of institutions in basic, vocational and higher education in Thailand and compare that to Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia.

The centre has also surveyed business owners on how they think the AEC will affect their business, what they want the government to do to help and what kinds of employees they want.

The ACPC will help them voice what they want so that they can seek assistance from the government. The survey results will also be used as a guideline for education so educators will adjust their curricula to produce more qualified workers for the AEC.

Entrepreneurs and educators should work together to revamp curricula.

However, most teachers do not understand the AEC well enough while officials at the Education Ministry who shape policies show inadequate preparation.

The ministry should find more people with English communication skills and let them teach at schools. The curricula revamp should encourage students to think analytically and be able to solve problems so they are able to handle problems when growing up. Teachers should study and understand the ways of life and cultures of other Asean countries, he added.

Wiriyah Ruechaipanit, founder and coach of www.eduzones.com, a popular education site in Thailand, said students should keep four things in mind to deal with the coming challenges from the AEC.

"Only a bachelor's diploma is not enough. They should learn an occupation, like cooking or haircutting, that will give them more job opportunities. They should learn how to search for knowledge by themselves. When studying what they like, they should study it deeply. Lastly, they should not forget to adhere to what people consider as morality," he said.

"Now, teachers use only 50 per cent of their capacity. They are interested in and alert to the challenges, but they have been working in the same system for a long time. I'm not sure how much they will be able to prepare students," he said.

So, teachers should work harder and think "out of the box", he added.

Both academics recently hosted seminars together in each region of the country to inspire teachers to prepare themselves and their students for the AEC. The ACPC plans to organise more seminars in more provinces this year.

"Don't wait until we experience the impact as it may be too late. We should prepare ourselves first," Visanu said as a warning to his fellow countrymen.

-- The Nation 2012-01-09

[Jingthing]

"Thailand has advantages over other Asean countries in terms of geographical features, weather, races and cost of living. The question is how can we make use of the advantages we have?" he said.

Races?

What's that supposed to mean?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8QcEQEKjc8

[Somtamnication]

Too late. Their neighbours have far better English skills and with their xenophobic agenda, they forever will be last with English skills.

[xthAi76s]

"Thailand has advantages over other Asean countries in terms of geographical features, weather, races and cost of living. The question is how can we make use of the advantages we have?" he said.

Races?

What's that supposed to mean?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8QcEQEKjc8

I think he means the immigrant Chinese.

[FOODLOVER]

"Foreign languages, English in particular, are our big problem. But we can learn them," he said.

Keep up the good work!​

"Thailand has advantages over other Asean countries in terms of geographical features, weather, races and cost of living. The question is how can we make use of the advantages we have?" he said.

Haven't you heard? Their importing NASCAR

[Jingthing]

If they think they can effect mass fluency in English in a few years, that is shocking really that they even would think that is even possible. Sure, start now for twenty years from now. Better than nothing. But do we really believe there will be a sincere effort to make English fluency important here? It was a huge mistake not to do this years ago.

[Sydebolle]

Races is quite simply explained with "Alien"; the "Alien" business law and the "Alien" as stipulated by the Immigration Division. In Europe you would be taken to court if you would call anyone out of town an "Alien".

30 years ago the Philippines were ahead of Thailand and now it is opposite. Thailand had its chances over the last 25 years and missed it due to tremendous corruption, oligarch structures and medieval thinking. Even Burmese, having been militarized for the last 50 years, have a better understanding of English.

Thailand is going down the halligalli in overdrive; fine for me, bad for business!

[PingManDan]

Thailand is reverting back to the dark ages now, leaning more towards a fourth world country, hence not third world, corruption, verbal changes in the laws, can be made daily, thinking they can manage the furture by themselves.

[daiwill60]

Yes, the Burmese have a very good understanding of English, as do many of the countries that were once British colonies.

However, yes, Thailand does have an extremely long way to catch up with many ASEAN countries.

If Thailand does pull up its socks very quickly and get over the face thing, it will be open to a great sense of self realisation, when it understands that its citizens, that are needed to support the entry into ASEAN, have to maybe spend less time sleeping when they have nothing to do, begin to watch educational TV programs instead of the endless drivel that seems to be poured out to them most of the time, be a bit more determined to learn in the class room, be generally more adventurous, and less lazy about improving their lives and doing things differently to their predecessors.

It therefore I guess comes down to, providing an education that is not so driven by a need to give the kids so much Sanuuk and copy everything and awarding failure with pass marks to save the face / image of the school and maintain its profitability, as encouraging the kids to think for themselves and work harder, to find answers in more logical ways. Thailand has to also let the kids develop what they are good at rather than allowing classes of greatly mixed abilities to be together, this prevents 1. the bright kids developing, 2. Kids who need nurturing in their abilities from getting useful help, and finally 3. disinterested, disruptive kids distracting the kids in points 1 and 2.

YES THAILAND, YOU HAVE A VERY LONG WAY TO GO, and then some I am afraid.

[KKK]

"Foreign languages, English in particular, are our big problem. But we can learn them," he said.

In my almost 30 years here I would say English language skills of the Thais has increased 0%. Yes that's ZERO PERCENT. The only Thais I find that can speak English (excluding pillow talk) well are those with English speaking farang dads. They are the ones that will succeed in the years to come.

[TackyToo]

"Only a bachelor's diploma is not enough.”

Right! Definitely not as long as exam results and diploma can be bought!

“They should learn an occupation, like cooking or haircutting, that will give them more job opportunities.”

Does someone really believe the 500.000 unqualified hairdresser and 1 million food stall cooks of Bangkok, are needed in any of the AEC countries?

“They should learn how to search for knowledge by themselves. When studying what they like, they should study it deeply”

Is anyone expecting this from students not allowed to ask questions in class?

“Lastly, they should not forget to adhere to what people consider as morality."

With millions of hookers, porn sold openly on the streets, illegal gambling dens, extremely high rate of alcoholism and corruption accepted as part of the Thai culture,- what morality is the guy actually talking about?

[BTempleman]

It seems that Thailand will get bankrupted by its neighboring countries if it joins the ASEAN EC. Germany and France are having the same issue with Greece and other European EC nations. Before it joins into an economic alliance with other countries, the 1st question to ask is "What does Thailand stand to gain from this alliance?" This article alludes to the challenges Thailand will face, but not the advantages. This article is poorly written and shows ASEAN to be a losing proposition for the Thai people.

[filguy]

Millions of unemployed Filipinos will certainly take advantage of this such as in medical fields, information technology and business outsourcing.

[anterian]

This is becoming a standard joke, Thais learning English! Many can't even speak mutually intelligible Thai. Contrast this with Malaysia where many are fluent in several languages and can get by in several more. The Thai education system is abysmal, it will take years to sort it out even if there was a genuine will to do so.

[bushwacker]

"Only a bachelor's diploma is not enough. They should learn an occupation, like cooking or haircutting, that will give them more job opportunities..."

Too funny! Go to university to get a bachelor's degree and learn how to cut hair. Hahahahaha .... I think they teach students how to cut hair in university here!

[blackthorn2005]

"Thailand has advantages over other Asean countries in terms of geographical features, weather, races and cost of living. The question is how can we make use of the advantages we have?" he said.

Races?

What's that supposed to mean?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8QcEQEKjc8

How is supercar racing in Bangkok relative?

[kartman]

"Thailand has advantages over other Asean countries in terms of geographical features, weather, races and cost of living. The question is how can we make use of the advantages we have?" he said.

Races?

What's that supposed to mean?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8QcEQEKjc8

How is supercar racing in Bangkok relative?

Because the other Asian countries would consider a Nissan 370Z before a couple of old Lotus tossers.

[sparebox2]

"Foreign languages, English in particular, are our big problem. But we can learn them," he said.

Really? Thailand didn't bother to start learning English (in a serious manner) for the past 400 hundres years. WHY START NOW?

[livinthailandos]

Seems reality is not being applied here. To many things not being mentioned

1. Will Thailand even make it to 2015 especially since the last 3 years or more have shown that Thailand faces more political turmoil and violence to come

2. Lets wait and see how Europe plays out before the so called aec comes together

3. Will asean countries really work together especially in the face of their own countries interest

4. Anti immigrant resentment will happen after migration of immigrant labor flows into other countries.

Last point besides the above Thailand should focus more on becoming a stable country first and less corrupt.

Posted with Thaivisa App http://apps.thaivisa.com

[Kaysom]

What will happen to all those carefully nurtured protectionist trading and employment laws that Thailand has striven so hard to promulgate over the past 50 years ? All suddenly going to disappear overnight are they ????? I do not think so. Will there be a brain drain of the best and the brightest English speaking Thai graduates to the CBD's of KL, Singapore, Jakarta ?????. Will there be a mass exodus of all those extremely competent "office flowers" with their English language capabilities, to the aforesaid capitals ????? No I think not.

Thailand will find it very hard indeed over the next 20 years, irrespective of whether they can speak English or not. The phrase " Gop nai galar" comes to mind.

[TomTao]

I wonder what will happen if ASEAN goes the same way Europe did and has an open border policy with all the member nations? How will the tea money be collected at the border when there would be no need for visas or Immigration checks? How long will the Thai people be able to cope before they realise just how far behind they are and begin to the blame game? Then who will they blame, the government, the other member nations or will they simply swallow their pride and get on with intergrating? Its going to be an interesting show to watch.

[soomak]

"Foreign languages, English in particular, are our big problem. But we can learn them," he said.

In my almost 30 years here I would say English language skills of the Thais has increased 0%. Yes that's ZERO PERCENT. The only Thais I find that can speak English (excluding pillow talk) well are those with English speaking farang dads. They are the ones that will succeed in the years to come.

The doctors at Bumrungrad speak good English

But they charge 1,000 baht per 10 minutes..

Edited January 9, 2012 by soomak

[Payboy]

Dhurakij Pundit University's Asean Community Preparation Centre (ACPC), the most influential body with the power to prepare the country for changes

About sums it up.

[Foggy Bottom]

"Thailand has advantages over other Asean countries in terms of geographical features, weather, races and cost of living. The question is how can we make use of the advantages we have?" he said.

Races?

What's that supposed to mean?

I think he's referring to them dragon boat regattas held during the rainy season

[xthAi76s]

"Foreign languages, English in particular, are our big problem. But we can learn them," he said.

In my almost 30 years here I would say English language skills of the Thais has increased 0%. Yes that's ZERO PERCENT. The only Thais I find that can speak English (excluding pillow talk) well are those with English speaking farang dads. They are the ones that will succeed in the years to come.

The doctors at Bumrungrad speak good English

But they charge 1,000 baht per 10 minutes..

Most of the Thais I know who speak very good English don't live in Thailand. They've chosen to reside in the West. Almost every one would hope to never have to return to live in Thailand. True story.

[thanchart]

30 years ago the Philippines were ahead of Thailand and now it is opposite. Thailand had its chances over the last 25 years and missed it due to tremendous corruption, oligarch structures and medieval thinking. Even Burmese, having been militarized for the last 50 years, have a better understanding of English.

Thailand is going down the halligalli in overdrive; fine for me, bad for business!

Honestly if u compare the chances that Thailand has over Philippines (English or may I say Taglish speaking), I think Thailand has a better chance. for many reasons. Infrastructure is far far better, though there is room for improvement. It is not the end of the world but there is not much time, I agree.

What can we do as English-speaking folks to make a difference in terms of speaking English for the Thai people ariound us? Surely there is something we can do to make some difference? It only takes a Spark to get a Fire going...

I see it happening in the Thai company I am in. During meetings, English is the language used. Thai is only allowed occassionally - it works to a large extent. All the leaders attending thre meeting are able to communicate in English, though not neccessarily perfect English.

One of the security guards at my residence speaks to me in English whenver he gets the chance. Not good but we are communicating, and he's slowly getting better over the last 2+ months. His "Good Morning" is also used as "Good Evening", but who cares? What's important is I understand him. Even the food stall vendor I buy my "chok" and "kway chap" from, tries to speak English to my Filipna wife. She is using us as practice and I encourage her. Perfect spoken English is not a requirement to communicate.It's also, if not more about giving chances, and that's where we all come in.

But of course if we do nothing to influence the Thais around us and only hang around with those who speak English, then there is NO contribution on our part.

So, Engkish speaking TV members who can also speak Thai (fluent or not) we all have a part to play, don't we?

[sirchai]

So, teachers should work harder and think "out of the box", he added

Well said! But how do they get out of the box???

What was first, the chicken or the egg?

Edited January 10, 2012 by sirchai

[sparebox2]

So, teachers should work harder and think "out of the box", he added

Well said! But how do they get out of the box???

What was first, the chicken or the egg?

Thai to lean English is not a problem.

The big problem is how to get the reminding ASEAN countries to learn Thai.

[Jerrytheyoung]

10 years ago, there was not a big difference between Thailand and Malaysia. Today, Malaysia is becoming a modern Country, open to the International in spite the 3 major races (Malays, Chinese, indian) living in a social order. Malaysian politicians take care of their Country and the people, a lot more than in Thailand. Education is very developped with universities mushrooming everywhere, modern houses have replaced old wooden ones nearly everywhere. Driving from Bangkok to Johor bahru (Sister city of Singapore), you can see the difference. But do not try to bribe a Malaysian policeman, you may finish in jail. Yes Malaysia is not exempt of corruption but certainly far below the Thai level. For expats, 90 visa granted to western people arriving by air, sea or land. you can buy houses and lands (but there is a minimum price). You can get a 10 years visa retirement easily.....but the Thai wives want to live ....in Thailand.

plenty of expat living in Langkawi with Thai Ladies......

Malaysia has understood that the "farangs" were bringing more than money, also ideas....

Malaysia is interested in ASEAN because it is a wider market for developing the businesses, they will be winners without any doubt.

Do not misinterpret, I love Thailand but I would like to find there the same conditions and the same friendly relationship (without this xenophobia background- that I have never felt in Malaysia).

Wishing that Thailand will evolve and change its mind...

[Skywalker69]

Yes, the Burmese have a very good understanding of English, as do many of the countries that were once British colonies.

However, yes, Thailand does have an extremely long way to catch up with many ASEAN countries.

If Thailand does pull up its socks very quickly and get over the face thing, it will be open to a great sense of self realisation, when it understands that its citizens, that are needed to support the entry into ASEAN, have to maybe spend less time sleeping when they have nothing to do, begin to watch educational TV programs instead of the endless drivel that seems to be poured out to them most of the time, be a bit more determined to learn in the class room, be generally more adventurous, and less lazy about improving their lives and doing things differently to their predecessors.

It therefore I guess comes down to, providing an education that is not so driven by a need to give the kids so much Sanuuk and copy everything and awarding failure with pass marks to save the face / image of the school and maintain its profitability, as encouraging the kids to think for themselves and work harder, to find answers in more logical ways. Thailand has to also let the kids develop what they are good at rather than allowing classes of greatly mixed abilities to be together, this prevents 1. the bright kids developing, 2. Kids who need nurturing in their abilities from getting useful help, and finally 3. disinterested, disruptive kids distracting the kids in points 1 and 2.

YES THAILAND, YOU HAVE A VERY LONG WAY TO GO, and then some I am afraid.

Yes, Thailand has a long way to go and it´s all up hill.