Get Ready Thailand: Asean Economic Community Is Coming In 2015

[Skywalker69]

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?

The egg came long before the bird.

[xthAi76s]

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?

I think I 'get' your idea, but what a strange concept it would be for me to believe or feel that I should go out of my way to help in such a manner in a country that offers me very little rights/protections. I'm sure there are some 'good samaritans' out here in Thailand -- maybe there are many -- but as 'good' and helpful as I'd like to be, I cannot reasonably and in good conscience focus on helping random Thai people as it is dam_n hard here just protecting myself and those who matter most to me ...

The simple truth is probably that mobilizing an entire nation to speak a new, foreign and very different language will only happen if the populace believes the massive undertaking is 1) worthwhile and in the case of Thailand 2) does not degrade the 'unique Thainess' of the Thais.

These two items are tricky.

The country's leaders need to sell English language, and how do they do that without going against the nationalism Thailand has been building for the past several decades? Tough. I'm sure many Thais know that much of the world's collective knowledge will open up to them if they have sufficient grasp of English, but how many leaders would push the agenda using this truth?

It may not seem related, but the Thai language itself has a few major issues that affect this entire topic. It's been argued (by people better educated on the topic than I am) that Thais spend a relatively large amount of time become proficient in Thai. Especially reading and writing. It's so much a problem that indeed many Thai adults don't read or write as well as top Thai educators believe they should. The writing system, in particular, is said to be unnecessarily complex, old. Certainly simplifying this system would go a long way toward freeing them up for other endeavors. The vietnamese simplified their writing system and it enabled them to teach/learn Vietnamese rapidly. Same with Korean.

Anyway, I fear I'm rambling on, but someone has got to sell this thing or Thais won't buy it. The Japanese don't speak good English at all; they, of course, don't seem to need to ... Will the same be true for Thailand?

Edited January 10, 2012 by ThailandMan

[nong38]

Is it neccessary for Thailand to speak English? If non Thais were really clever they would be able to learn Thai! So why do we need to speak English! I wonder how many Thais take this view? How many Thais now know who the Asean are and who are the countries it encompasses?

This starts in the education system but it probably wont, Thais are not too aware of the world outside of Thailand, even if its next door.

Could do better.

Headnaster.

[exeter]

The asean could be a rude awakening for Thailand. Prepare now to avoid a loss of face later.

[Jingthing]

Maybe they should put their effort into forcing the rest of Asean to speak Thai? More likely to succeed at that than getting Thailand English fluent in five years.

[exeter]

I dont know if this happens to you but when I walk along someone who is really smart points and shouts farang!

So I was thinking at an Asean meeting do the the Thai delegation jump and down and shout Farang at the other members of this group?

Edited January 13, 2012 by exeter

[Payboy]

I dont know if this happens to you but when I walk along someone who is really smart points and shouts farang!

So I was thinking at an Asean meeting do the the Thai delegation jump and down and shout Farang at the other members of this group?

Nah, they're probably too busy shopping or looking for Thai noodle shops.

[GazR]

Ok - here are a couple of very do-able 'no brainers' to kick things off:

1. No more flip-flops in making English the official second language - which would normally require at least bilingual signage or signage in English phonics.

2. Don't waste another 20 years to begin doing what Malaysia started last year i.e. recruiting experienced foreign teachers to re-train local teachers en mass

3. Make it easy to work up to 20 hours per week legally - as Malaysia already does.

PS: Drop all those insulting and disgusting sodomy charges against Thaksin - I mean Anwar - I mean Doh!