PM urges Thais to learn and practice English via 'Echo English' application

[webfact]

PM urges Thais to learn and practice English via app.Echo English



BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha has urged Thai people to learn and practice English through the Education Ministry’s application Echo English which can be accessed by their smartphones or tablets.

He said that the application which is expected to be fully completed at the end of this month will help Thai people learn and practice English with native speakers free of charge via their smartphones of tablets.

He said that he would like Thais to know a second language which could be English or Chinese which would benefit them in the long run.

Thais should have the courage to speak English without worry that they may make grammatical errors because foreigners can understand them, said the prime minister, adding that he practices English by reading books in English language and tuning to sound track when watching movies.

On the occasion of the International Women’s Day on Tuesday, the prime minister stressed that his government had always attached importance to the promotion of women’s roles in the society and women’s problems.

He met with representatives of network of women’s groups from four regions who presented him with an eight-point demand which includes protection against domestic violence, human trafficking and violence against women and children.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/154147


-- Thai PBS 2016-03-09

[ukrules]

Here's an idea, why not hire 1000's of professional native English language speaking teachers to deploy all over the country and pay them a decent competetive salary. When I say competetive I'm talking about competetive on an international scale.

In my opinion until this happens and continues over a long period of time (decades) Thailand will continue to be at a disadvantage on a worldwide scale.

Right now there's an exemption in the work permit regulations which allows English language teachers to be paid less than other foreign workers. So the previous governments have made calculated and deliberate choices to do it on the cheap.

You get what you pay for and the results are very clear !

[stickylies]

Arai Na?

[dcnx]

How many millions did that cost? Can't imagine it will be updated and maintained properly.

I agree with the first poster, hire native speakers, pay them a fair salary, and don't restrict how they teach. But that's crazy talk, I know.

[shirtless]

I think you should be pushing the Chinese language as most westerners will be going somewhere else.

[Bluespunk]

Hmm, I recall another poster getting very irate about a suggestion taxi drivers in particular and Thais in general learn English on a current thread about taxi drivers.

Would they care to comment on the pm's advice?

[stoneyboy]

Having watched the PM himself in action over the past months he should take up his own suggestion.

[thesetat2013]

What kind of app convinces foreigner to try talking with Thais in English and teaching them to do it correctly, for free? This must be just another gimmick to waste the MOE budget on useless software. Like the free junk tablets

[NeverSure]

Learn Chinese, huh. And the Chinese are busy learning English for real. English is the language of international business and trade not Chinese.

[ezzra]

Thais dose not have the 'ear' for other languages and they slow and easily intimidated by learning another

language plus the fact that they asking themselves why do I need this? not as if I'll be conversing

in English anytime soon working in the field or a factory right?.....

The only segment of Thai people that comes in contact with foreigners should heed the PM advice,

the others, will be a waste of time unless you practice speaking English often.....

[jerojero]

Another stupid short-sighted, cheapo directive from the all-knowing Supreme One. Thailand, hub of stupid ideas from Government.

[thaiduncankk]

Listening and paying attention at school would be a good start ?

[Bluespunk]

You know that guy in the background of the picture looks like a certain someone...

[aussieinthailand]

You know that guy in the background of the picture looks like a certain someone...

,, Yu'p, And he can Speke English.

[JAG]

You know that guy in the background of the picture looks like a certain someone...

It is the new "Thaksin Echo App". Jolly clever - every time a member of the junta picks up a tablet or smartphone an animated hologram of Thaksin appears behind him grinning sardonically at him.

Version 2.2, due to be released in the next month or so will have him looking at a calender and asking about dates for an election. I believe that they are working on a version (2.3) in which he will offer everybody jam sandwiches.

[ramrod711]

How about encouraging the resource on their doorstep, us? Over the years many of the students in our village have come to our home to get me to answer their school project questions answered. Remember the ones that school kids would ask you a bunch of questions like, "where you come from" and "what is your favorite color, then take a photo of you together. I was always happy to do it, partly because I didn't think the kids should have been approaching complete strangers in malls to complete the forms and partly because it was in my own best interests for the local people to see that I was approachable and had an interest in them. I would have loved to have people stop by for a chat, and was asked to help teach. I had to refuse, because with a retirement visa you can't do it. Make it "legal" for us to help, I'd do it for free.

[Thunder26]

Here's an idea, why not hire 1000's of professional native English language speaking teachers to deploy all over the country and pay them a decent competetive salary. When I say competetive I'm talking about competetive on an international scale.

In my opinion until this happens and continues over a long period of time (decades) Thailand will continue to be at a disadvantage on a worldwide scale.

Right now there's an exemption in the work permit regulations which allows English language teachers to be paid less than other foreign workers. So the previous governments have made calculated and deliberate choices to do it on the cheap.

You get what you pay for and the results are very clear !

It's true. Schools that have qualified teachers perform better and the English proficiency of the kids is outstanding. One app will not make any difference. Education must be changed from the core.

[ronwparker]

I hope they do as outside tourist centers the Thai people are the worst English speakers in Asean and English is their only common Language!!!!

[Emster23]

"Thais should have the courage to speak English without worry that they may make grammatical errors because foreigners can understand them, said the prime minister" See, occasionally he makes sense. Even a blind squirrel finds a few nuts.

[bobmac10]

I live within earshot of a primary school.

The things that I see the children are taught and made to do each day make me shudder.

The standard of education and the methods used here are a bad joke.

Until they overhaul the curriculum and the way teachers are taught to teach, they will continue to lag behind other Asian countries.

[TEFLKrabi]

Education and English teaching is far more complex than most people seem to think. There needs to be a curriculum that should be followed but can be adapted to suit needs. It's not the fault of the teachers in most cases but it's the guys in the ministry who've never stood in front of a class in their lives and tried to teach. Sure we need more English teachers (native speakers) but the salary isn't the main issue. It's the Ministry setting a poor national curriculum and the head teachers not setting rules for classroom discipline and attendance. It starts at the top!

[LannaGuy]

and he's going to start with himself?

[LannaGuy]

You know that guy in the background of the picture looks like a certain someone...

teleportation? but... but... but...

Edited March 9, 2016 by LannaGuy

[Prbkk]

He's working hard to perfect the Dr No look, with some success.

[bluesofa]

What kind of app convinces foreigner to try talking with Thais in English and teaching them to do it correctly, for free? This must be just another gimmick to waste the MOE budget on useless software. Like the free junk tablets

At the risking of sounding negative about this app, does it in reality have Thais talking in real-time with English speakers? Or is there some other angle to it?

The reason I'm asking that, is with the current crackdown on anything involving ferangs, the immigration definition of "working" is the expending of energy doing something. So if they wanted, "talking" with Thais using this app could be possibly seen as akin to working without a work permit?

I'm not trying to be obtuse, but to understand how the app works, and if there could be repercussions.

[tbthailand]

Learn Chinese, huh. And the Chinese are busy learning English for real. English is the language of international business and trade not Chinese.

re: Chinese: ... but it is a very useful language if your career path includes being a general in the Thai army...

[NextStationBangkok]

English next, he should listen to Thai first from own people.

[Thian]

Having watched the PM himself in action over the past months he should take up his own suggestion.

He's reading english books which is good but it doesn't teach how to speak.

When i hear Thai speaking english on the radio/tv i always have to chuckle....Fayboo, wurlwaaiweb, appun and so on.

Just stop making thai soap-series and let them watch english series with subtitling, works much better to learn english.

I can't even order a hamburger at the MacD or a Pizza superdeluxe at the Pizza company because they don't understand me.

[wabothai]

Better to have the Thai folks be taught English by the generals, isn't it.

Foreigners? No, we don't need them.

Fool !

[wabothai]

Having watched the PM himself in action over the past months he should take up his own suggestion.

He's reading english books which is good but it doesn't teach how to speak.

When i hear Thai speaking english on the radio/tv i always have to chuckle....Fayboo, wurlwaaiweb, appun and so on.

Just stop making thai soap-series and let them watch english series with subtitling, works much better to learn english.

I can't even order a hamburger at the MacD or a Pizza superdeluxe at the Pizza company because they don't understand me.

Even when the ordering is in perfect thai. they usually walk away and find somebody who speaks 2% english.

On the outside joking would be the answer, on the inside.......grrr

Edited March 9, 2016 by wabothai