Thailand ranks near bottom in English proficiency: survey

[Prbkk]

I must be missing something re MdM Yingluck's English and the mirth it seems to be causing. She is a second language speaker ( probably third or fourth taking into account Chinese and dialects). This issue is being overstated. It's not THAT bad.

[rodroy]

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

Quite obvious you were nowhere near here 20 years ago.

It was an act of God to find a local who spoke english in a bank, hotel, restaurant not even considering a taxi or a cop 20 years ago!

The difference to today is like night and day you can even argue your phone bill in English!

The competence might not be BBC quality RSE but light years ahead of the past!

[chooka]

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.

FYI. Whilst on the subject of English 40 is spelt forty, not fourty. 5555

Depends where you come from. American English and English are different. I am constantly putting a line through the homework teachers send home for my son and correcting their American spelling. ( he has a teacher from the U.S which is corrupting him) I want my son to be able to spell in the real English style which is universal.

You need to realise a few things about English. Firstly, there are two main forms, called British English and American English. Secondly, on the international stage, the two forms are equally valid. Thirdly, some countries and some institutions prefer one form above the other. Fourthly, most of the world doesn't know the difference between the two forms and doesn't care. Fifthly, it's up to you to choose which form you prefer, but you should not tell your son that American English is wrong, only that you yourself prefer British English.

Yes I do realise that there are two different types of English. We have the American and the English form there is no disputing that, no argument from me.

PLEASE, PLEASE, do not take this as American bashing as it is not my intention.

I know in Melbourne Australia, in the courts the American style of English is total not allowed. Many cases have been thrown out of court due to misspelling, using American. It came to a point that Victoria police after having to pay millions in costs had to remove the American version from the word spell/grammar check program.

As the courts in Australia have passed this I am sure any American company or corporation doing business in Australia would have to register documents etc in the English form of English and not the American form.

Where you say fourthly that the world doesn't know the difference or even cares is totally wrong. Some countries in the world do actually know the difference and they do actually care immensely.

I prefer my son to learn the internationally form of English being British as he will go and study in Australia and he already gets failed by his American teacher in Chiangmai for not using American English. His spelling is perfect by English standards but not by American.

[beautifulthailand99]

For those Fahrang who are being sarcastic, insulting and making fun of my country, if you don't like it here, get the F out, go back to your country. Why are you here?. I admit the fact that Thai people are not good at English. But there must be a lot of things here in Thailand that you Farang must like and appreciate besides those bar girls. So BE RESPECTFUL ! or go home. I have lived oversea for 25 years and traveled a lot so I know my country is one of the best place on earth.

My wife (Thai) would disagree with you there having lived in the UK for 11 years we prefer to just come to Thailand on long visits. As she says Thailand as a country bores her apart from the family it is same same every day. On top of that we would like to die quietly in our sleep in our beds not mangled in a twisted box metal on your unforgiving roads.

[SchuetzRob]

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

Not surprising with koreans, low educated thai,s and indians teaching English! it is the Thai's themselves who are to blame! there are many retired Expats from the U.S.A and England in thailand who would volunteer to teach english but the Gov't will not allow it!

with all due respect, but being a native speaker as the only qualification does not automatically mean that they are good teachers. considering that so many schools in thailand insist on native english speakers for teaching communication skills to thai students and the success - or lack of success - of this effort should be an indication that korean, indian, philippine teachers could probably not do much worse. the problem is most probably not the origin of the teachers but more one of the perceived usefulness of learning english. add the fact, that very rarely - if ever - a student will fail an english exam and you will probably also see that the motivation to actually make an effort and learn english is minimal. to put it in a nutshell, if students have no wish to learn nor see the usefulness - nor are shown the usefulness- of learning english, they will probably not succeed in learning english.

by the way, the present pm of thailand has visited a university in the usa and has obtained a mba. i guess the teachers of english at this university were native english speakers and qualified at that. i rest my point.

[elzach]

Even China ranks higher! Now that's impressive.

In any event, Thai people don't care, they know they live in the best country in the world, their capital is the best city in the world etc.....till they step out of the border, that is.

Edited November 7, 2013 by elzach

[Prbkk]

actually, it's 40 years of close observation /involvement in Thailand but the rate of decline has been most evident over the last 20 ( with the exception of the hospitality sector and some sections of the business community..Yes, agree....there are now the call centres/helplines ( phone/bank/retail) but that simply masks the overall decline ( albeit it a useful way). Ask any Thai academic of mature age....they will agree and bemoan the decline I describe

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

Quite obvious you were nowhere near here 20 years ago.

It was an act of God to find a local who spoke english in a bank, hotel, restaurant not even considering a taxi or a cop 20 years ago!

The difference to today is like night and day you can even argue your phone bill in English!

The competence might not be BBC quality RSE but light years ahead of the past!

[IDL]

For those Fahrang who are being sarcastic, insulting and making fun of my country, if you don't like it here, get the F out, go back to your country. Why are you here?. I admit the fact that Thai people are not good at English. But there must be a lot of things here in Thailand that you Farang must like and appreciate besides those bar girls. So BE RESPECTFUL ! or go home. I have lived oversea for 25 years and traveled a lot so I know my country is one of the best place on earth.

Thanks. A good post. Would people here respect each other, (including Thais respecting foreigners who're working at schools), things would be different.

I'm really concerned about your government's policy, as they don't seem to know how to solve this problem. Our son will be 18 when ASEAN will kick in and his chances finding a decent job might be pretty slim, as for example Filipinos, Burmese, or Laotian people will do the same job for less money.

The same happened in Europe, hope it will never be the same for people from Thailand.-

Hmmm...is pointing out facts so disrespectful?

Not only being told to leave if you have an opinion that upsets a Thai, but being told in a very offensive manner. Nice!

Just a little curious as to why somebody loving their country so much, would spend 25 years overseas...? Can only assume this person is over 50, and has at least spent half their life in "one of the best place on earth", surely...?

[papa al]

"I love it win people jump in to criticize the language skills of Thais and shoot themselves in the foot while doing so."

I love it WIN this happens also.

[almavro]

We are soooooooooo lucky they didn't show Burma, a country cut off from the known world for decades but with better English capabilities than ours.

[Prbkk]

well, yes. This whole issue is about Thailand's future development. In 2017, the number of Thais of working age will start to decline as Thailand faces the same demographic issues as Japan and China. The necessary restructuring of the economy to pay for an ageing society is not even on the political agenda here. IE, the value-added industries, goods and services required for a transition to first world status. English is central to that.

For those Fahrang who are being sarcastic, insulting and making fun of my country, if you don't like it here, get the F out, go back to your country. Why are you here?. I admit the fact that Thai people are not good at English. But there must be a lot of things here in Thailand that you Farang must like and appreciate besides those bar girls. So BE RESPECTFUL ! or go home. I have lived oversea for 25 years and traveled a lot so I know my country is one of the best place on earth.

Thanks. A good post. Would people here respect each other, (including Thais respecting foreigners who're working at schools), things would be different.

I'm really concerned about your government's policy, as they don't seem to know how to solve this problem. Our son will be 18 when ASEAN will kick in and his chances finding a decent job might be pretty slim, as for example Filipinos, Burmese, or Laotian people will do the same job for less money.

The same happened in Europe, hope it will never be the same for people from Thailand.-

Hmmm...is pointing out facts so disrespectful?

Not only being told to leave if you have an opinion that upsets a Thai, but being told in a very offensive manner. Nice!

Just a little curious as to why somebody loving their country so much, would spend 25 years overseas...? Can only assume this person is over 50, and has at least spent half their life in "one of the best place on earth", surely...?

[Frampleton]

i worked with a thai english teacher once who didnt think i was fit to be a teachr because i found some of the classroom conditions to be unacceptable. however i didnt think she was fit to be an english teacher because she seemed to be unable to speak or understand the language.

she said to me one day that the reason she has trouble understanding and speaking is because she studied english education and you see this means that she is only trained in how to "teach" english not use it.

this has been a common excuse used by many teachers to justify their inability to utililize the language as it was meant to be used, for communication. that is tbe point of languages after all.

my reply to teachers who hold this point of view is that it if you only know how to " teach english" and not how to use it then all you all you are doing for your students is teaching them how to teach english. the master cannot teach the student that which he does not know. so inevitably these students will be filed along and moved through without ever reaching a level beyond what their nstructor was capable of achieving.

Sent from my GT-I8160 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited November 7, 2013 by Frampleton

[techboy]

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

Talk about a whimsical jab...Hoo boy!

[lostinisaan]

Thailand ranks near bottom in English proficiency

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

Before:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XJonMclsEw

After:

Sent that woman to the Sahara and bring back Aphisit. Not just his English is better. His brain's developed, Yingluck seems to have a serious mental disorder.

[Rorri]

I wonder what the proficiency of Thai speaking is for the British and Australians is. It's close zero here in the States. It is nonsense to think Thais or any other country should learn another language when they are doing business in their own country. Give me a break!

You completely missed the point of the story. As for English, you really need a few lessons yourself.

[DocN]

http://youtu.be/s9ak2HkBvK4

This can't be played enough!

Ever!

[stickylies]

jojathai, on 07 Nov 2013 - 06:57, said:

For those Fahrang who are being sarcastic, insulting and making fun of my country, if you don't like it here, get the F out, go back to your country. Why are you here?. I admit the fact that Thai people are not good at English. But there must be a lot of things here in Thailand that you Farang must like and appreciate besides those bar girls. So BE RESPECTFUL ! or go home. I have lived oversea for 25 years and traveled a lot so I know my country is one of the best place on earth.

Here for:

1. weather

2. cheap living

3. food

Not here for:

1. thai language skills

2. bar girls

3. thai people who think thailand is best place on earth (it is not) because they lived 25 years oversea

Edited November 7, 2013 by stickylies

[yasorab]

English is given to students here but by only semi proficient Thai national teachers or ex pat TEFAL teachers, and then in American English which I find unacceptable. My step daughter got a high mark at her high school for spoken and written English. She has little or no real comprehension of the spoken language and certainly not the written one. How can she get such high marks ? I spoke to her teacher and she did not understand my questions ! I rest my case !

[mittheimp]

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.

having lived in both Thailand and Korea, it doesnt suprise me at all. There is a massive generational diffetence in Korea, but most under 30 can speak English to some degree. Although nothing like as good as the money and time spent on learning the language. Koreans spend more of both learning English than anywhere else.

A lot of my friends who have only visited Thailand on holiday claim Thailand is much better, but of course in tourist areas it will always be good.... i do kind of admore Thailand for not being obsessed with English, in Korea i feel they have lost a sense of proportion over how important it is.

[techboy]

As far as I am concerned the survey is either using a poor algorithm, skewing results or falsifying them. Over the years one of the biggest impediments to my learning/improving my Thai language skills is the fact that so many Thais have good English skills and I keep falling back on that. I travel around a lot and am referring to multiple venues- not just bars and Tuk Tuks.

Most foreigners living in this country cannot speak Thai for squat. They do not bother to get better at it because they do not need to do so- They depend on the fact that so many of the people here do have good English speaking skills.

Edited November 7, 2013 by techboy

[Prbkk]

Samsung, Hyundai, Daewoo, LG

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.

having lived in both Thailand and Korea, it doesnt suprise me at all. There is a massive generational diffetence in Korea, but most under 30 can speak English to some degree. Although nothing like as good as the money and time spent on learning the language. Koreans spend more of both learning English than anywhere else.
A lot of my friends who have only visited Thailand on holiday claim Thailand is much better, but of course in tourist areas it will always be good.... i do kind of admore Thailand for not being obsessed with English, in Korea i feel they have lost a sense of proportion over how important it is.

[chrissables]

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.

FYI. Whilst on the subject of English 40 is spelt forty, not fourty. 5555

Depends where you come from. American English and English are different. I am constantly putting a line through the homework teachers send home for my son and correcting their American spelling. ( he has a teacher from the U.S which is corrupting him) I want my son to be able to spell in the real English style which is universal.

You need to realise a few things about English. Firstly, there are two main forms, called British English and American English. Secondly, on the international stage, the two forms are equally valid. Thirdly, some countries and some institutions prefer one form above the other. Fourthly, most of the world doesn't know the difference between the two forms and doesn't care. Fifthly, it's up to you to choose which form you prefer, but you should not tell your son that American English is wrong, only that you yourself prefer British English.

ฺBritish English is the original and correct form. So i would think he could tell his son that.

I actually would like to know why Americans change the spelling of the words, if you think about it, it is a bit strange.

[beautifulthailand99]

Please keep the "no have" though - I love it when Thais say this.

[maxx58]

“Anyone who can only think of one way to spell a word obviously lacks imagination.”

― Mark Twain

[techboy]

English is given to students here but by only semi proficient Thai national teachers or ex pat TEFAL teachers, and then in American English which I find unacceptable. My step daughter got a high mark at her high school for spoken and written English. She has little or no real comprehension of the spoken language and certainly not the written one. How can she get such high marks ? I spoke to her teacher and she did not understand my questions ! I rest my case !

Your case is a case of one bad teacher? Put that into perspective. Frankly, over the years I have come to realize just how few so called "teachers" of any sort are actually worth squat. And language teachers?! The worst! Do not be singling out Thai English teachers. Out of nine language teachers I've had in three different languages only two of them ever qualified. My point is that your "case" does not prove anything about English language deficiency in Thailand.

[Emdog]

For those Fahrang who are being sarcastic, insulting and making fun of my country, if you don't like it here, get the F out, go back to your country. Why are you here?. I admit the fact that Thai people are not good at English. But there must be a lot of things here in Thailand that you Farang must like and appreciate besides those bar girls. So BE RESPECTFUL ! or go home. I have lived oversea for 25 years and traveled a lot so I know my country is one of the best place on earth.

I can understand your feelings. Lots of bashing goes on here. I think it is the emotional response to the frustration many of us feel when we see the near constant repetition of disasters in transport, corruption etc and nothing is done to remedy the situation other than another press conference. I am not saying farangs are wiser, but many of us come from countries where citizens become outraged and demand action. That doesn't seem to happen here. It is more "kill the messenger if you don't like the message". Some posts may not be respectful as you would like, but perhaps you will see that many of the suggestions would be helpful if they were put into action. In our cultures, people earn respect, it is not automatic.

[johnlandy]

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

And it will be eons before it bottoms out

[roego]

Yes as a twice a year visitor it is very noticeable that over the past 15 years it has gotten worse.

But this can also be because the people just resent it.

But regardless of the fact that Malaysia is higher up, they will be slowly dropping as less and less English is being taught in Government schools.Older generations many very fluent.

I wanted to get a job teaching English, or even what is better conversation English.No salary only a room. Could not get a reply from many places. And as far as the Education Department is concerned, too old.

Edited November 7, 2013 by metisdead
Bold font removed.

[johnlandy]

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.

That may be correct but this report is consistent with the many others carried out and published by independent agencies. I feel real sorry for you if your opinion holds that Thais are up there with the best.

You need to get out more often

[Benmart]

Again? Enough already.

It does seem a laboring topic, but one that will not go away. There is the power off button.