Thailand ranks near bottom in English proficiency: survey
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- THAILAND RANKS near the bottom in an English proficiency survey, showing the persistence of one of the key competitive weaknesses of the Thai economy.

Out of 60 countries and territories where English is not their mother tongue, Thailand manages only 55th place - outdoing only Panama, Kazakhstan, Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, according to the EF English Proficiency Index.

The survey on adults was conducted by the global leader in international education, EF Education First, which is based in Zurich, Switzerland.

Poor English skills indicate the small base of competent adult English speakers necessary for a globalised workforce.

"Comparison of countries with their neighbours, trading partners and rivals provides a fascinating study in divergent national priorities and educational policies worldwide," Christopher McCormick, head of EF's Academic Affairs and Research Network, said yesterday.

"We found that by engaging in a national dialogue about English, stakeholders can help align goals, improve incentives and focus on teaching English for communication. The economic impact of such a coordinated programme is clear."

All over Asia, Thailand's ranking is only above Kazakhstan. Leading the regional league is Malaysia with a score of 58.99 score, followed by Singapore. The others - India, Hong Kong, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and China - are all over 50 points, while Thailand gained only 44.44.

The survey was conducted in the realisation that English is now a communication tool in the globalised era, when work becomes more delocalised and information more decentralised.

Educational institutions, driven by the demands of society, are increasingly embracing English language learning. Many school systems now require English study starting in primary school, much as they do math or science. University professors are delivering lectures in English to prepare their students better for life after graduation.

Corporate language

Companies both large and small, international and domestic, are mandating English as their corporate language. And individuals, whether jobseekers or ambitious parents, are pouring money into private English training.

"Some Asian countries, in particular Indonesia and Vietnam, have transformed their English proficiency over the six-year period. China has also improved, although less dramatically. Japan and South Korea, despite enormous private investment, have declined slightly," the report said.

In another report on "Doing Business in English", EF Education First noted that an increasing number of companies have recognised the long-term advantages to productivity and growth that adopting English as a common company language can have. Nokia, SAP, Samsung, Aventis and Renault have already mandated English as the corporate language.

Joining its peers in 2010 was Rakuten, Japan's first and largest online marketplace. The primary challenges were to make sure the new policy was implemented uniformly, to motivate employees to raise their level of English quickly without undermining their self-confidence and to minimise productivity losses during the period when many employees' English was still limited.

"It is clear to many business leaders that English is increasingly a key component of their competitiveness. Many companies, both large and small, are taking the logical next step by asking their employees to use and improve their English every day in the workplace."

This year's EF EPI Index country rankings are based on tests taken by 750,000 adults from 60 countries last year. The analysis of evolving English proficiency over a six-year period (2007-12 inclusive) uses test data from nearly five million adults.

Other key findings include the fact that seven European countries, excluding France, that show the strongest English are all small European nations, whose size compels them to adopt an international outlook. The Middle East and North Africa are the weakest regions in English.

-- The Nation 2013-11-07

English is only the international language of diplomacy, banking, computing, medicine, business, science, technology, research, why should Thai be bothered learning it? Everyone knows Thai more important, lakorn always in Thai and so are the menu's.

Again? Enough already.

Thailand ranks near bottom in English proficiency

And PM Yingluck's interview with CNN proved it beyond a shadow of doubt.

55 and on the way to 60. The DECLINE over the past 20 years is staggering.

Thailand beats only Kazhakistan in English proficiency. Wow! What a travesty of Thai leadership and educators for all these years and all these tourists. The best that Thais can do is beat Kazhakistan. What a squandering of resources, leadership and energy in Thailand. Unimanageable waste and lack of concern for its own people.

South Korea and Japan ahead of Thailand on this list? That does surprise me tbh.

This is hilarious.

This result is an embarrassment and will probably be countered by the Education Ministry. They may, just may, concede there's always room for improvement but things are not as bad as the survey claims BUT Oh Yes They Are !

Those of us who have been / are involved in education are only too well aware of what goes on in the system as a whole but since this is about English language I will address my comments to that.

We have all come accross Thai ' English ' teachers who can't put a spoken sentence together, who teach by writing on the whiteboard then teaching in Thai and who do not use English conversation in class due to their own shortcomings.

I think it's fair to say that many obtained their qualifications in the usual Thai manner and as they themselves now ' pass ' their own students.

The whole system needs a shakeup of earthquake proportions and that's something that isn't going to happen because of the opposition from within.

This survey may have been a paper exercise but the reality of the results will be all too apparent when the AEC gets going and it will be too late for Thailand although I don't for a minute believe they will admit there's any problem.

Schoolclasses are too full... sometimes one teacher with fourty kids. Most of the education is merely reproducing. Improving the teacher's education would do much good. Facilitate it and challenge the teachers to improve themselves. The taxanomy of Bloom f.i. will not mean anything to the average teacher in Thailand.

The heaps and heaps of English courses often are done by unskilled staff.

Doesn't look good for that planned English Language HUB.

"Thailand ranks near bottom in English proficiency: survey"

No sh!t? Really?

IMO, some of the best english language speakers are bar girls......

IMO, some of the best english language speakers are bar girls......

Don't know any so I can't argue with you on that one.

IMO, some of the best english language speakers are bar girls......

Don't know any so I can't argue with you on that one.

Get out more. They can be very interesting to chat to!

Sent from my phone with the app thingy.

IMO this report is quite accurate.

Having worked throughout the region with University Educated people the English language skills of the Thai's are generally the weakest - This is in comparison to Vietnamese, Malaysians, Indonesian, Bangladeshi's... Labourers in these countries have very little English capacity, much the same as Thailand.

But at University level the difference is noticeable and to a significant detrimental effect to the quality of work and understanding of job specifics, much of the training for which is in English text.

It's a real shame, as the Thai's I work with put in plenty of effort and do their best to apply themselves, but comprehension hinders their operations and as a consequence take away numerous misunderstandings or give up on task due to confusion.

South Korea and Japan ahead of Thailand on this list? That does surprise me tbh.

Same here. I do about four business trips to Seoul every year. I am constantly frustrated by the lack of English skills there, and I am not just talking about taxi drivers and soup shop operators. I have been to some fairly substantial offices in Seoul where the receptionist could understand spoken English. At meetings, one must always have a translator as more than half of the attendees, regardless of education, understand little to no English.

I am not sure how this "study" ranked various countries, but from a practical experience, Thailand has far better day to day English skills than Korea.

...and they will be the red light at the end of the train called ASEAN. Thailand is not really compatible to join the club. It is just amazing how they manage to ignore the writing on the wall. Oh I forgot- it's about not loosing face and if anything goes wrong they blame it on evil spirits. If it only were that simple...

I was at a bank recently and only 1 person there spoke a bit of English. The manager? None. This bank is located right in the middle of one of the largest populations of foreigners here in Thailand. Terrible.

South Korea and Japan ahead of Thailand on this list? That does surprise me tbh.

 

Same here. I do about four business trips to Seoul every year. I am constantly frustrated by the lack of English skills there, and I am not just talking about taxi drivers and soup shop operators. I have been to some fairly substantial offices in Seoul where the receptionist could understand spoken English. At meetings, one must always have a translator as more than half of the attendees, regardless of education, understand little to no English.

 

I am not sure how this "study" ranked various countries, but from a practical experience, Thailand has far better day to day English skills than Korea.

Perhaps they do understand but feel that a translator means they can be comfortable in the negotiations. Same in Japan and in fact France (Europe's non English speakers)

Sent from my phone with the app thingy.

Been to Cambodia three times recently. On average, their English is much better than Thai's. And to boot, they all seem to be attending classes after work. In general they are studying English, French, Thai and World History. All while working, all on their own Nickle.

Is it really a surprise?

IMO, some of the best english language speakers are bar girls......

Going back a long time but that's what I used to find. Just shows you that even poorly educated Thais can learn when they have an incentive. My sister in law got a German boyfriend and learned passable English in 6 months. Most of the people I know who speak good English here did not learn it in state Schools, that's where the problem lies, and where nothing will be done to improve things

Thailand is the center of the universe.

Is the rest of the world really out there?

"Mai Pen Rai!"

ASEAN is the future for S.E. Asia.

Thailand lives for today, not the future.

" Don't think about it!"

It is O.K. that money allocated to hire more and better English teachers to improve the English speaking proficiency in Thai schools vanishes into thin air and thick wallets.

Why invest in the future when you can spend the money today?

"How are you? I am fine thank you and you?"

That's all the English you need to know!

Thailand should be the leader of ASEAN countries, not the anchor!

Mai Pen Rai!

I was at a bank recently and only 1 person there spoke a bit of English. The manager? None. This bank is located right in the middle of one of the largest populations of foreigners here in Thailand. Terrible.

Yes that's one of my pet hates, Bank staff even in tourist areas all with degrees and quite a few in their 20's who cannot understand basic banking requests in English. Ok we should learn Thai who live here, but it's laughable when you go outside of such a Bank and all the tuk tuk drivers, vendors and waitresses with basic education can do what the Bank staff, with all the degrees and superior attitude cannot.

I believe it goes hand and hand with Thai Officials wanting to keep the population ignorant. This allows corruption to continue.

I watched our lovely PM addressing the UN the other day. Her inability to communicate in English was embarrassing.

The 'survey' was conducted by EF English First. This is a commercial organization that attempted to establish a chain of language schools in Thailand 10 years ago and failed miserably. Their 'research' means little.

IMO, some of the best english language speakers are bar girls......

Then that may be the best "school" - the University of Life.

I seems to knock spots off some of the US ones that have been mentioned.....

South Korea and Japan ahead of Thailand on this list? That does surprise me tbh.

Same here. I do about four business trips to Seoul every year. I am constantly frustrated by the lack of English skills there, and I am not just talking about taxi drivers and soup shop operators. I have been to some fairly substantial offices in Seoul where the receptionist could understand spoken English. At meetings, one must always have a translator as more than half of the attendees, regardless of education, understand little to no English.

I am not sure how this "study" ranked various countries, but from a practical experience, Thailand has far better day to day English skills than Korea.

Have to agree, I have exactly the same experience on business trips to Korea.