More moronacy

I work with Chula engineering grads.. Their english stinks when they first start work (English is the primary language in the workplace) but they learn quickly on the job. They run rings around the expats who dont speak a lick of Thai

Well, if they needed a 550 TOEFL before starting their degree, their English shouldn't be too bad at all. It doesn't mean they can speak any of it, mind you, but it'll be in there somewhere. It'll just need practice and confidence to get it out. TOFEL isn't much of a test of English productive proficiency, but you still need to know the language to get 550. Quite honestly, I know plenty of native speakers who'd struggle their way through the use of English and reading sections......

in my home country is not such thing like english for engineers...for what? they work domestic and if they want to work international they will learn it...

C'mon guys don't take your language too serious!

as next you'll require english proficiency from every street vendor to make it more comfortable for you and you don't have to learn another language...

what is the old saying:if in Rome do as the Romans do....haven't met many english speaking ppl there..

The damn course is in English, not Thai.

I know plenty of native speakers who'd struggle their way through the use of English and reading sections......

The major risk for NES taking tests like TOEIC is that they will become extremely bored, stop paying attention and score less than one would expect. It's really not supposed to be taken by native speakers - there are other tests that are much more appropriate.

I hope there won't be an outbreak of building and bridge collapses after the new intake of lower quality students graduates and starts building stuff.

Engineers and languages rarely go well together.

.... The country needs engineers as does the UK. The engineering is far more important to the country than a foreign language......

The language isn't important.

I raised this exact point at what is an almost exclusively science and engineering program university here in the Middle East. Why not just teach the undergrads the degree material in their native language and save a whole raft of grief and tears? The reply, from an Arabic speaking engineering professor, was that 90 percent of the material which the students need to research and learn is written and produced in English. Consequently there's no option but to learn English.

No doubt the same issue is faced by prospective Thai engineering graduates as it is by Arabic ones.

So why not add one year of intensive English up front?

Dumbing down is the way forward ...

... to Idiocracy