T A T To Open Language Schools In A Bid To Shore Up Thailand's Lack Of Skilled Tour Guides

[bushwacker]

Problem: Too many Chinese and Russian tourists and we cannot speak to them.

Solution: We need to teach the Thai people English!

[cup-O-coffee]

As I mentioned in another thread; this is simply another example of a Thai getting a brain-storm idea in his or her head and putting on their blinders and rushing, head down, right into the thick of it, without any thought of the consequences of their actions on others. Absolutely no peer-to-peer communication other than to steal ideas, copy or plagiarize. And the only reason I can suggest is in all likelihood money; the scent of money and a piece of the pie; a pie which is being cannibalized viciously and will lose all usefulness in the near future.

[madmitch]

the langauge issue is only a small problem in an industry that is plagued with problems...the toursim industry in thialand needs a''complete makeover''and franklly i dont thik it will change until you pay people a decent wage....language problems.haha....try ''respecting the tourist ''and yes i know and have seen very very rude tourists,that combined with min wage...i would be exactly the same as the thais are,if i were in thier shoes...

But while tourism makes money for those that count then nothing will change.

[IAMSOBAD]

If they allow tour guides from other countries it will lead to tourists NEVER renting a jet ski... NEVER taking a tuktuk... NEVER being drugged by pros and the list goes on. That would NEVER be allowed.

Sent from Me to You.

[Markaew]

Will they recruit any native speakers or will they add Thais teaching bad ... to Thais teaching bad English ?

That was going to be my point. The education system isn't successful with Thai English teachers now but you can bet these new language centers will do the same. This has nothing to do with Thais learning English.

After the implementation of the AEC, other countries will laugh their butt off at all the rhetoric about learning English in Thailand and after experiencing it themselves the laughter will begin.

[Markaew]

Why oh why, must they always do it the hard way?

How many expats willing to take a job here as a tour guide for a bit of pocket money. I am sure than can find EVERY language under the sun right on their own doorstep.

Although your statement is logical, I believe they would have to change the law where foreigners could provide this service.

[Markaew]

We all know that foreign tour guides is the way to go.

We also all know that this isn't going to happen....at least not legally.

How long is it going to take for a Thai, or any other nationality for that matter, to speak Russian to a level to be able to conduct tours and answer questions? Especially as most students will be starting from scratch.

Why don't the powers that be realize that native tour guides may be attractive to prospective tourists from Russia and other countries?

Ironically where are they going to find Russian speakers capable of teaching Thai's Russian?

Wouldn't it be a smidgen quicker to employ these teachers as tour guides?

I replied to your other post, but after thinking about it now I understand. Thailand doesn't really care about the tourist. They are just creating more jobs for their friends.

[NongKhaiKid]

We all know that foreign tour guides is the way to go.

We also all know that this isn't going to happen....at least not legally.

How long is it going to take for a Thai, or any other nationality for that matter, to speak Russian to a level to be able to conduct tours and answer questions? Especially as most students will be starting from scratch.

Why don't the powers that be realise that native tour guides may be attractive to prospective tourists from Russia and other countries?

Ironically where are they going to find Russian speakers capable of teaching Thai's Russian?

Wouldn't it be a smidgen quicker to employ these teachers as tour guides?

Ummm Russia!

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

I hear that just about every beach resort is full of them, some of the occasionally, legally or illegally moonlighting as tour guides.

Hopefully, a good amount of Russians have married well in the resorts, and their spouses are learning pillow Russian every day, so the void should be filled in about 3 to 5 years.

OKski, I go 11ski, honeyski

[englishteacher556]

I try to educate the Security Men at my Condo in respect of English language and British Etiquette.

[chooka]

Why oh why, must they always do it the hard way?

How many expats willing to take a job here as a tour guide for a bit of pocket money. I am sure than can find EVERY language under the sun right on their own doorstep.

But Thais can do it better.

[chooka]

Problem: Too many Chinese and Russian tourists and we cannot speak to them.

Solution: We need to teach the Thai people English!

English is the universal language and if you go to any country on the planet people in the tourism industry will generally revert to english if you do not speak the native language. A third language (or a 5th 6th or 7th) is not really needed. English as a 2nd language is what they should concentrate on.

[hellodolly]

The schools may be necessary, but I 'm puzzled by TAT opening them. Isn't this encroaching on the turf of the Ministry of Education, the department which gets close to 20% (THB 420 billion) of the National Budget to 'educate' Thai?

Well I agree with you it should be in there jurisdiction. But if it is turned over to them it will just amount to less money spent on education.

For instance a child with terrific engineering abilities will not get the chance to develop them due to the time being taken up in learning Chinese.

Also another point for Chinese is that they often travel in group tours that all ready have Chinese speaking guides. In many cases Chinese is there first language.

[hellodolly]

I try to educate the Security Men at my Condo in respect of English language and British Etiquette.

In other words you try to get them to forget their own culture and learn to hold their pinky finger out when sipping tea.

Are they all planing on taking a trip to England.

It is people like yourself that tend to cause dislike of foreigners. How would you like it if you were back in England and some self appointed teacher was teaching you a language and customs you would never have the need for. Security personal do not make enough money to go to England. In stead of trying to change them spend the time to learn their language and customs. learn to wai

[englishteacher556]

You say that but where I live is the "Higher End" of the market. They ask me for help and advice, even the restaurant owner on his menu. As I don't charge them they seem very happy. As for the "pinky finger" comment. There is allay some idiot that takes it too far. Does that remind you of anyone?

[kinmaew]

The schools may be necessary, but I 'm puzzled by TAT opening them. Isn't this encroaching on the turf of the Ministry of Education, the department which gets close to 20% (THB 420 billion) of the National Budget to 'educate' Thai?

420B? are you for real, about $14B, I am in a developed country and our budget (Annual) is no where near that, where on earth does Thailand get this kind of money to spend on education?

[otherstuff1957]

I recently went on a kayaking trip down south with some visiting friends and relatives. The head Thai tour guide spoke enough English to get his points across "We eat lunch now, then go to next island", though the boat handlers spoke little or no English.

There was also a Russian tour guide there with about 20 Russian tourists. She spoke Russian and English, but I never heard her speak any Thai. She was the most annoying woman imaginable. She got on a microphone and nattered away in Russian NON-STOP for the entire 7 hour trip! The only moments of peace we had were when we were out on the canoes or off swimming. At least we didn't have to listen to her in our van. The other 4 non-Russians were trapped on a bus with her!

[joepattaya1961]

Why oh why, must they always do it the hard way?

How many expats willing to take a job here as a tour guide for a bit of pocket money. I am sure than can find EVERY language under the sun right on their own doorstep.

The reason that TAT is going to re-invent the wheel, is that there will be a certain budget for this project.

Using existing schools will save probably 30-40%. With the exploitation of their "own" schools, some TAT-folks will take care of 10-15% of the budget.

[billd766]

We all know that foreign tour guides is the way to go.

We also all know that this isn't going to happen....at least not legally.

How long is it going to take for a Thai, or any other nationality for that matter, to speak Russian to a level to be able to conduct tours and answer questions? Especially as most students will be starting from scratch.

Why don't the powers that be realise that native tour guides may be attractive to prospective tourists from Russia and other countries?

Ironically where are they going to find Russian speakers capable of teaching Thai's Russian?

Wouldn't it be a smidgen quicker to employ these teachers as tour guides?

Ummm Russia!

Sent from my i-mobile i-STYLE Q6

I hear that just about every beach resort is full of them, some of the occasionally, legally or illegally moonlighting as tour guides.

Hopefully, a good amount of Russians have married well in the resorts, and their spouses are learning pillow Russian every day, so the void should be filled in about 3 to 5 years.

OKski, I go 11ski, honeyski

Give this man a job as a Russian language teacher.

[kimamey]

Yes Rubi!! Isn't it the requirement of the school curriculum to teach Thai children to speak English? They declined the chance to make English a second language even though many signs are dual lingual.

This means conversational English not the ''Hello, how are you?' 'I'm fine' learnt by rote. Does nobody have a headache, a sore leg or a hangover in Thailand?

We have introduced English only evening mealtimes to overcome this but there is no desire to question anything.

I think they're talking about languages other than English .

[HeijoshinCool]

We all know that foreign tour guides is the way to go.

We also all know that this isn't going to happen....at least not legally.

How long is it going to take for a Thai, or any other nationality for that matter, to speak Russian to a level to be able to conduct tours and answer questions? Especially as most students will be starting from scratch.

Why don't the powers that be realise that native tour guides may be attractive to prospective tourists from Russia and other countries?

Ironically where are they going to find Russian speakers capable of teaching Thai's Russian?

Wouldn't it be a smidgen quicker to employ these teachers as tour guides?

Thais will teach Thais Russian, you silly!

[belg]

they might consider use ROSETTA (any language) for thai

but i guess after the cultural "incident" on SNL, they will never use it

loooooooooooooool

[NongKhaiKid]

I try to educate the Security Men at my Condo in respect of English language and British Etiquette.

No such thing as British culture, the Untied Kingdom is 4 different countries with their own culture. unfortunately there are too many misguided people, always English, who regarded the words UK, England and Britain as one and the same and therefore inter-changeable which they are not

[Robby nz]

Saw quite a few bus tour groups recently when we were around Kanchanaburi , pretty much all Russian or Chinese and most seemed to have a Thai guide with them talking to them in their own language.

So there must be a good number of Thai who can already speak other than Thai.

I agree that most of the secondary school students grasp of English seems to extend to 'hello' or 'hay you', however there does seem to be some effort being made now to get some English into the primary school kids.

Unfortunately many of the teachers tasked with the job aren't up to it although they no doubt do their best.

But the kids all have, or soon will have tablets so they can teach themselves, problem solved.

It will have to be because once they take the ongoing cost of the tablets out of the education budget there wont be much left for anything else.

[hellodolly]

You say that but where I live is the "Higher End" of the market. They ask me for help and advice, even the restaurant owner on his menu. As I don't charge them they seem very happy. As for the "pinky finger" comment. There is allay some idiot that takes it too far. Does that remind you of anyone?

Yes Stiff upper lipped Englishmen

[englishteacher556]

You say that but where I live is the "Higher End" of the market. They ask me for help and advice, even the restaurant owner on his menu. As I don't charge them they seem very happy. As for the "pinky finger" comment. There is allay some idiot that takes it too far. Does that remind you of anyone?

Yes Stiff upper lipped Englishmen

Absolutely - are you a cloned sheep? "Dolly" Baa...

[hellodolly]

Saw quite a few bus tour groups recently when we were around Kanchanaburi , pretty much all Russian or Chinese and most seemed to have a Thai guide with them talking to them in their own language.

So there must be a good number of Thai who can already speak other than Thai.

I agree that most of the secondary school students grasp of English seems to extend to 'hello' or 'hay you', however there does seem to be some effort being made now to get some English into the primary school kids.

Unfortunately many of the teachers tasked with the job aren't up to it although they no doubt do their best.

But the kids all have, or soon will have tablets so they can teach themselves, problem solved.

It will have to be because once they take the ongoing cost of the tablets out of the education budget there wont be much left for anything else.

Not sure the pad will help at all unless it has a vocal dictionary. I know when I try to use the Thai word that my dictionary gives me my wife corrects me. Would be interesting in seeing them learn to say very good instead of good very and all other reversals in the wording of the two languages.

If the pad can just teach them to add 2+2 =4 with out a calculator it will be a success.

[thequietman]

All they have to teach them, is the following,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, "No have."

Job done.

[ginjag]

All they have to teach them, is the following,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, "No have."

Job done.

Wrong--No hab

[edgarfriendly]

2 little

2 late

2 lazy

mun mun mun mun mun paeng...

Edited April 27, 2013 by edgarfriendly

[NongKhaiKid]

Any Thai who's English,Russian or other language proficiency is good enough to take and reasonably answer a foreign travel groups questions is probably going to swim upstream for a better pay cheque.Apart from anything else a Russian group would most likely enjoy the tour better with a Russian tour guide, as no one can "learn" the nuances and compatriot realities that exist,the same would apply to any other nationality-better all round...except in Thailand.

I taught for a year in a rural university and a highly favoured future occupation was tour guide not for the salary as much as the tips potential.