Chinese most popular foreign language for Thai students

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Chinese has become the most popular foreign language among Thai students, according to a top education official.

Almost 300,000 students at 700 schools administered by the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) study Chinese, said Usanee Watanapan, deputy director of the Bureau of Academic Affairs and Educational Standards at Obec.

Japanese and Korean are also becoming more popular, she said, with around 34,000 students studying Japanese at 175 schools and 12,000 studying Korean, which has only been offered at Obec schools for a few years.

Usanee said Asian languages had become more popular, while Western languages - especially French - were less popular.

"From the 2007-2011 academic years, fewer students studied French. Only 383 teachers at 221 schools still teach the language, with 35,000 students taking it. In the past, almost all Obec schools taught French as an elective subject. With fewer students, many schools have stopped teaching this language.

"China's economy is strong and growing, while the economies of Western countries are weaker. This has caused students to pay more attention to Asian languages. [The upcoming] Asean Economic Community has also affected students' decisions, with more of them deciding to study Asian languages, including those used in our neighbouring countries. Not only people in this region are studying [Asian] languages; more Westerners are also studying Chinese," she said.

Schools administered by Obec teach 11 languages as elective subjects, including French, German, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Burmese, Vietnamese and Khmer.

-- The Nation 2012-04-24

English?

An other clear message for the "what will they do without us" brigade.

I also predict the end of the western expat. Two month ago, we had to fill urgently an expat position and the best candidate was a young Hong Kong Chinese guy. It's a fantastic success. He get along very well with his local colleagues, we don't need to babysit him like his western colleagues. After two month he is able to speak basic Thai. We know realize that in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan we have a big source for our future expat executives, we will now think twice before hiring European expats.

An other clear message for the "what will they do without us" brigade.

I also predict the end of the western expat. Two month ago, we had to fill urgently an expat position and the best candidate was a young Hong Kong Chinese guy. It's a fantastic success. He get along very well with his local colleagues, we don't need to babysit him like his western colleagues. After two month he is able to speak basic Thai. We know realize that in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan we have a big source for our future expat executives, we will now think twice before hiring European expats.

Hilarious baiting comment. Well done !

I would think it would be silly to start on a third language where they cant even come close to master a second language in English. Some believe doing business with china you have to know their language...actually doing business with china you have to talk money and watch your back.

The article means (but doesn't say outright) is that Chinese is the most popular elective language class. English is not an elective subject, it is part of the national curriculum.

Thai and Chinese are much more similar to each other than they are to any European language. For a Chinese to learn Thai or vice-versa is like an English speaker learning Spanish. There is already some shared vocabulary and pronunciation and grammar are not too dissimilar.

Language experts say that it takes someone who speaks one European language about 500 hours of instruction and practice to become fluent in another (related) European language. However, it takes most European language speakers about 1,500 hours to become reasonably proficient in a totally non-related language like Chinese or Thai. I would think that the same is true for Thai and Chinese speakers.

I would think it would be silly to start on a third language where they cant even come close to master a second language in English. Some believe doing business with china you have to know their language...actually doing business with china you have to talk money and watch your back.

with china you have to talk money and watch your back - If this is the case Thais should flourish in China 555

An other clear message for the "what will they do without us" brigade.

I also predict the end of the western expat. Two month ago, we had to fill urgently an expat position and the best candidate was a young Hong Kong Chinese guy. It's a fantastic success. He get along very well with his local colleagues, we don't need to babysit him like his western colleagues. After two month he is able to speak basic Thai. We know realize that in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan we have a big source for our future expat executives, we will now think twice before hiring European expats.

Make sure to let us know when he replaces you.

I would think it would be silly to start on a third language where they cant even come close to master a second language in English. Some believe doing business with china you have to know their language...actually doing business with china you have to talk money and watch your back.

If Thais put the same time and effort into Chinese as they do English, then Chinese won't get any traction. They will just speak two foreign languages badly.

The students can practice their new acquired language skills with Chinese tablet pc manufacturers!

Seriously, my cousin studies at one the more prestigious schools in Chiang Rai, she learns Chinese, English and Japanese. When I ask her about the level of competency, I get a big smileand nothing more. With Thai schools being the way they are, Thai won't even learn their own language!

Learning Chinese and English , however, and the especially the ability to use it would be a great asset to have for any Thai that wants to get involved in the international business community. Unfortunately, about 60% of the Thai youth will end up in jobs carrying the minimum wage! I don't think that China will import cheap factory laborers from Thailand.

Edited April 24, 201214 yr by KireB

Both economically and geographically, Chinese is an obvious choice to study.

However, it's the quality of output that matters. Until I see native Chinese tour guides replaced by Chinese-speaking Thai tour guides, then I won't believe in any eventual success stories that are peddled around.

Both economically and geographically, Chinese is an obvious choice to study.

However, it's the quality of output that matters. Until I see native Chinese tour guides replaced by Chinese-speaking Thai tour guides, then I won't believe in any eventual success stories that are peddled around.

Thai University students can speak Chinese at near native level. This contrasts to English. They respect Chinese, they like Chinese and they love learning Chinese. They have a passion to learn Chinese and this is why their Chinese is so incredibly excellent, spoken and written.

An other clear message for the "what will they do without us" brigade.

I also predict the end of the western expat. Two month ago, we had to fill urgently an expat position and the best candidate was a young Hong Kong Chinese guy. It's a fantastic success. He get along very well with his local colleagues, we don't need to babysit him like his western colleagues. After two month he is able to speak basic Thai. We know realize that in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan we have a big source for our future expat executives, we will now think twice before hiring European expats.

Singaporean talent?

Good luck with that one.

Only tangentially related to the topic.....but I saw this today and if you can set aside the hyperbolic nature of the headline, it's an interesting style of presentation:

"Learn To Read Korean In 15 Minutes"

http://ryanestradadotcom.tumblr.com/post/20461267965

CHEERS!

D

Chinese is much more useful for Thais than English. There are more Chinese speakers within 4 hours from Bangkok than the total population of Europe and Northern America, and as has been pointed out: there are lots of similarities between the Chinese and Thai languages.

An other clear message for the "what will they do without us" brigade.

I also predict the end of the western expat. Two month ago, we had to fill urgently an expat position and the best candidate was a young Hong Kong Chinese guy. It's a fantastic success. He get along very well with his local colleagues, we don't need to babysit him like his western colleagues. After two month he is able to speak basic Thai. We know realize that in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan we have a big source for our future expat executives, we will now think twice before hiring European expats.

I predict the end of the western expat PACKAGES. Western expats are still in demand, but they are not getting the salary packages they once got.

(there are always exceptions of course.)

An other clear message for the "what will they do without us" brigade.

I also predict the end of the western expat. Two month ago, we had to fill urgently an expat position and the best candidate was a young Hong Kong Chinese guy. It's a fantastic success. He get along very well with his local colleagues, we don't need to babysit him like his western colleagues. After two month he is able to speak basic Thai. We know realize that in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan we have a big source for our future expat executives, we will now think twice before hiring European expats.

I predict the end of the western expat PACKAGES. Western expats are still in demand, but they are not getting the salary packages they once got.

(there are always exceptions of course.)

Agreed 100%

An other clear message for the "what will they do without us" brigade.

I also predict the end of the western expat. Two month ago, we had to fill urgently an expat position and the best candidate was a young Hong Kong Chinese guy. It's a fantastic success. He get along very well with his local colleagues, we don't need to babysit him like his western colleagues. After two month he is able to speak basic Thai. We know realize that in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan we have a big source for our future expat executives, we will now think twice before hiring European expats.

Make sure to let us know when he replaces you.

Done already. My two previous position are now held by Hong Kong people.

And now instead of European interns, we start hiring Chinese (mainland) interns. While it's difficult to find senior executive in China (typically people over 40), I'm really impressed by the quality of the young graduates.

Both economically and geographically, Chinese is an obvious choice to study.

However, it's the quality of output that matters. Until I see native Chinese tour guides replaced by Chinese-speaking Thai tour guides, then I won't believe in any eventual success stories that are peddled around.

Thai University students can speak Chinese at near native level. This contrasts to English. They respect Chinese, they like Chinese and they love learning Chinese. They have a passion to learn Chinese and this is why their Chinese is so incredibly excellent, spoken and written.

I would like to know who gave you that information, I speak both, chinese and thai, currently i am studying at a thai university, have many friends that are studying and others that already finished their studies at Ransit university and at Ramkhanhaeng universty, and until now i hav never met one single thai who can speak chinese fluedly even the teachers' pronunciation suck cuz there are many sounds in chinese that Thai just can't pronounce like: ch; zh etc they better learn english , is more useful and easier to learn.

Edited April 24, 201214 yr by Om85

Basically, more hyperbole in support of a desired procurement budget. It won't be the last - AEC integration is the new justificatory vocab for all sorts of procurement requests.

Excellent! Now Thailand can sell more of it's soul in Mandarin. It'll be needing a source of revenue, because corruption isn't a good formal diplomatic tool unless you're willing to auction-off everything to Beijing. I'm sure everyone in China is thrilled with the prospects of Thailand; they just need to get rid of those pesky 51% Thai ownership rules. Good thing there's a thing called corruption...

Thai University students can speak Chinese at near native level. This contrasts to English. They respect Chinese, they like Chinese and they love learning Chinese. They have a passion to learn Chinese and this is why their Chinese is so incredibly excellent, spoken and written.

Either you are a troll, or extremely limited in your mental abilities. Thai University students, exceptions there, are fluent in the manuals of their new I-phones and nothing else. Btw, my wife studies and teaches Chinese and can only confirm this.

Thai University students can speak Chinese at near native level. This contrasts to English. They respect Chinese, they like Chinese and they love learning Chinese. They have a passion to learn Chinese and this is why their Chinese is so incredibly excellent, spoken and written.

Thai university students that can speak Chinese at near native level are most likely third generation Chinese-Thai whose grand parents speak only Chinese.

Thai and Chinese aren't closely related, they in separate language families.

http://en.wikipedia....betan_languages

http://en.wikipedia....Kadai_languages

There are some loan words of course because of immigration. Thais don't use Chinese writing and instead use an alphabet, so that alone makes Chinese harder to learn than English. Learning how to read and write Chinese is a major undertaking.

But they tell me it is compulsory and my three children do not get a choice in the matter.

An other clear message for the "what will they do without us" brigade.

I also predict the end of the western expat. Two month ago, we had to fill urgently an expat position and the best candidate was a young Hong Kong Chinese guy. It's a fantastic success. He get along very well with his local colleagues, we don't need to babysit him like his western colleagues. After two month he is able to speak basic Thai. We know realize that in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan we have a big source for our future expat executives, we will now think twice before hiring European expats.

Make sure to let us know when he replaces you.

LOL. Sooner than he thinks and much sooner than he hopes.

Chinese is much more useful for Thais than English. There are more Chinese speakers within 4 hours from Bangkok than the total population of Europe and Northern America, and as has been pointed out: there are lots of similarities between the Chinese and Thai languages.

Rubbish. English is the primary international language for all purposes, throughout the world. The fact that China is nearby, has a lot of people and a language similar to Thai make very little difference to the fact that English is far far more useful to Thais than Chinese.

And this will remain so. Chinese will never replace English as the primary international language, for a whole host of reasons.

Another ridiculous headline, another highly misleading story. What it should say is that in the schools of OBEC, amongst the elective languages on offer, Chinese is the most popular. It should make clear that in Thailand as a whole, English is the foreign language with the most learners by a million miles.

The 'press release' in the original post, and heard on radio news this morning, so studiously avoided even mentioning English - the Elephant in the room - that it seemed to me it was driving an agenda.

Edited April 24, 201214 yr by bbradsby

An other clear message for the "what will they do without us" brigade.

I also predict the end of the western expat. Two month ago, we had to fill urgently an expat position and the best candidate was a young Hong Kong Chinese guy. It's a fantastic success. He get along very well with his local colleagues, we don't need to babysit him like his western colleagues. After two month he is able to speak basic Thai. We know realize that in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan we have a big source for our future expat executives, we will now think twice before hiring European expats.

Make sure to let us know when he replaces you.

Done already. My two previous position are now held by Hong Kong people.

And now instead of European interns, we start hiring Chinese (mainland) interns. While it's difficult to find senior executive in China (typically people over 40), I'm really impressed by the quality of the young graduates.

So why not hire Thais instead - quality not good enough for you?