PM urges Thais to improve English skills

[rooster59]

PM urges Thais to improve English skills

Thammarat Thadaphrom

BANGKOK, 9 July 2016 (NNT) - Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha said today that the English language is the most important and universal language in the world while urging his citizens to acquire English language skills.

With the ability to understand English, the prime minister said one will have an unlimited access to information. And with unlimited information, he said one will be able to improve oneself and connect with others in different parts of the world.

Therefore, he said the government places a great emphasis on improving people’s English skills and has made the issue one of its priorities.

The government recently launched a mobile application called “Echo English” which is expected to help users get better at understanding the universal language.

He said people are the backbone of the nation, thus an enhancement of human resources is the key to stability, prosperity and sustainability.

Lastly, he said one must have the will to learn, because no person can force another individual to act, when it comes to learning.

-- NNT 2016-07-09

[The stuttering parrot]

By the way the travel industry looks he should have included Russian and Chinese also.

Especially Chinese with all the so called deals he's doing with them. Unless the Billion dollar submarines comes with user intructions in Thai!

[nong38]

He has to start with the education system then and get teachers who can read write and speak English to a good level so that it can be taught properly which it is not now.

Just basic skills and how to communicate is simply all that is required and I am sure that the expats here could play a roll if asked, dont worry about losing face do you want to get a better grasp of English or not?

[Your Thainess]

His English is atrocious.

[tbthailand]

Two thoughts come to mind immediately:

1. Doctor, heal thy self, and ...
2. Why is this news?

[JHolmesJr]

But that would require proper english teachers...not the 35k backpacker type.

[harrry]

It also would require a rethink about the screening of films and tv in English without the atrociois charges the networks are taxed if they do so.

[cockatoowho]

Surely there has to be somebody in a higher position than this man, this is like sesame street, pushing messages with puppets.

[peterrabbit]

If you want the Thais to learn English then it starts in the education system.

You have to employ teachers who are native English speakers ie (English/Irish/American/Australians/NZ etc) to teach the kids English.

NOT Thais, Filipinos, Indians etc. as they will only teach them 'Tinglish' and not English. The kids would benefit so much by just listening to and talking to native English speakers.

I'm sure there are lots of native English speakers over here who would volunteer their time and language skills if asked. To learn English you have to experience different dialects and accents. You cannot learn that from a text book or a none native English speaker.

Why can't the Thai government create a 'Native English speaking volunteer teachers' association' similar to the foreign 'volunteer police'?

You would obviously have to vet them etc, but teaching qualifications wouldn't be necessary as they would be supervised by a qualified teacher. Their role would be to let the kids experience English spoken by a native English speaker and learn from them how to converse in "real life" English.

This would be better solution than any text book.

[worgeordie]

Surely there has to be somebody in a higher position than this man, this is like sesame street, pushing messages with puppets.

Afraid not he is the Top Dog.

regards worgeordie

[Ruud4u]

Bravo Mr. Prayut

There is much miss-communication between Thai and farang and missed a lot business.
It is a pity you are already far behind Cambodia, Vietnam

Get people from the Philippines, because they had at school all their lessons in English, can read, write and speak...and are cheap... so you can get many teachers.from a good quality.

Many Thai can only speak, but not write or read English.

[lemonjelly]

<<With the ability to understand English, the prime minister said one will have an unlimited access to information.>>..... How's the "single gateway" coming along?

[Srikcir]

with unlimited information, he said one will be able to improve oneself and connect with others in different parts of the world

Prayut has for more than two years through the NCPO and the NCPO-appointed NLA assured censorship of unlimited information to confine information to nefarious standards set by the NCPO. Prayut's focus on developing the Single Internet Gateway is not designed with unlimited information in mind. Prayut des not trust the Thai public with access to unlimited information as shown by his many arbitrary, vague and severe limitations on freedom of expression regarding the referendum for the draft charter.

Where freedom of information is the currency of democracy, suppression of information is the gold of fascism.

[casualbiker]

Well I downloaded the app. It is a video cartoon format for the lessons and I found a spelling mistake within a few minutes. Spelling mistakes happen BUT not if it's been properly proof read.. and it was the faculty of education page..Joy!

Edited July 9, 2016 by casualbiker

[lostinisaan]

If you want the Thais to learn English then it starts in the education system.

You have to employ teachers who are native English speakers ie (English/Irish/American/Australians/NZ etc) to teach the kids English.

NOT Thais, Filipinos, Indians etc. as they will only teach them 'Tinglish' and not English. The kids would benefit so much by just listening to and talking to native English speakers.

I'm sure there are lots of native English speakers over here who would volunteer their time and language skills if asked. To learn English you have to experience different dialects and accents. You cannot learn that from a text book or a none native English speaker.

Why can't the Thai government create a 'Native English speaking volunteer teachers' association' similar to the foreign 'volunteer police'?

You would obviously have to vet them etc, but teaching qualifications wouldn't be necessary as they would be supervised by a qualified teacher. Their role would be to let the kids experience English spoken by a native English speaker and learn from them how to converse in "real life" English.

This would be better solution than any text book.

" You cannot learn that from a text book or a none native English speaker."

My uncle in Germany taught English at a well known high school for 25 years and then became the principle.

His pronunciation is clear, his grammar knowledge unbelievable and you wouldn't know that he's from Germany if you'd meet him somewhere.

The English language in Europe is so important because of all the different languages in the European Union.

Many universities in Germany these days offer BA's in English only, including the one where I graduated.

But teaching isn't just being good in a language.

You need psychological skills, be good in grammar and be able to manage a class with 50 + students.

You can't learn at a university how to teach 50 + Thai students who aren't even interested in learning the language and they know that they pass anyway.

Could Thai students fail and have to repeat a grade, there would definitely be a lot of more good English speaking students.

It's unbelievable that a country that spends 22.6 % for education has such a poor educational system.

But having a general, or an admiral as the boss of the Ministry of education doesn't help the country at all.

All the important positions are given to soldiers?

Considering that Thailand's struggling for so many years and the quality of English hasn't improved in the last 15 years, it's really time to rethink all.

Why not sending all Thais who want to become English teachers to an English speaking country and when they come back after 4 years with a BA in education, they do speak English perfectly and they do not lose face anymore.

If I'd have something to say, I'd stop all the "dubious agencies" offering experienced NES teachers, but finally send some East European, Russian, African and other "teachers" who never taught English before. Does the good general not know that?

Most of them bypass the existing laws, as they're not directly employed by the schools and they do some fishy tricks to get them a visa and work permit. ( Of course are there a lot of "teachers" without a work permit and on tourist visas)

Expenditure on education as % of total government expenditure (%) Thailand spends 22.6 % on education.....

Source: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.XPD.TOTL.GB.ZS

.

We foreign teachers have to do the same procedure year by year, pay our tax and even after 15 years of working here legally, there's no 5, or 10 year visa offer, even when married to a Thai citizen.

The salaries for experienced NES teachers are questionable/laughable and there are plenty of other countries who appreciate good teachers.

Agencies are at least part of the dilemma, then the everybody's passing each grade and the quality of many Thai English teachers does the rest.

The CEFR test results for all the primary and secondary English teachers were so bad that they didn't even come up with any numbers.

What a loss of face that would be.

If the superiors can't figure that out, then good night Thailand..

.

[Reigntax]

Be careful PM. With unlimited access to information they may start to realise the main cause of most of Thailands problems with most originating from behind the barracks walls and the current appearing as a reflection in your bathroom mirror.

How will they react when they discover the centre of the universe is not where they were taught?

[Thechook]

With the ability to understand English, the prime minister said one will have an unlimited access to information. And with unlimited information, he said one will be able to improve oneself and connect with others in different parts of the world.

Meanwhile.... In Section 1.2 of the June 30 Cabinet Resolution, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology [MICT] is told it must proceed with implementation of a single gateway to be used as a device to control inappropriate websites and flow of news and information from overseas through the internet system.

[Thechook]

With the ability to understand English, the prime minister said one will have an unlimited access to information. And with unlimited information, he said one will be able to improve oneself and connect with others in different parts of the world.

Meanwhile.... In Section 1.2 of the June 30 Cabinet Resolution, the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology [MICT] is told it must proceed with implementation of a single gateway to be used as a device to control inappropriate websites and flow of news and information from overseas through the internet system.

[Thian]

Hire a sexy blond native english teacher with big headlights, give her a sexy dress and much make-up and put her on Thai Tv 24hrs with english conversation lessons. Not to forget the Western manners which come with speaking english!

Have you heard the english lessons on the radio? It can't get worse then that.

[Somtamnication]

I always tell my students to watch English language news and read online. So, Mr. PM, unblock dailymail.co.uk and let them read it.

[jerojero]

He has to start with the education system then and get teachers who can read write and speak English to a good level so that it can be taught properly which it is not now.

Just basic skills and how to communicate is simply all that is required and I am sure that the expats here could play a roll if asked, dont worry about losing face do you want to get a better grasp of English or not?

... Not if you want them to roll down a hill? Try role.

[jerojero]

More pontificating, with no substance in Education reform towards English language proficiency. Spouts need for English but does nothing to support it amongst citizens.

[NongKhaiKid]

More pontificating, with no substance in Education reform towards English language proficiency. Spouts need for English but does nothing to support it amongst citizens.

Exactly, just more hot air to try and sound good.

If he's in the least bit serious he would be ensuring the govt takes the lead in proper English language training and not what's currently on offer of Thai teachers who can barely put a sentence together and who don't allow conversation in class as they can't handle it plus so much more.

As for the bit about access to important information, well that's good coming from someone whose govt does it's very best to prevent people knowing anything other than what the govt decides they should and which actively prevents free discussion.

[greenchair]

I and my thai husband were recently prosecuted for teaching 3 and 4 year olds English after school in my home. If I continue to teach I face 1 year in prison and my husband 6 months.

These are the alleged laws we must follow.

can teach only 7 students per day.

Can teach 7 students per time.

Can teach 7 students per term.

Can teach 7 students per instructor per room.

Nobody can decide which of the above is correct.

If i go over 7, I must get a licence to be nonformal school.

You cannot live on the premises of a non formal school, so we would need to leave our home.

The building office (prosecute my husband ) says, if you teach 1 child per week you must change the category of your building from place of living to education building. To do that we need 2 toilets for girl,2 toilet for boy, and 1 toilet if we live in building, so 5 toilets. We need floor to ceiling height of 3 meters.

All standard house in Thailand is 2.50 meter.

Apparently, even house that teaches in any way, shape or form is illegal as their house is too short. Anybody can be prosecuted at any time and face 6 months in prison. This includes thai people, Chinese, and English tutors.

The ministry of education is the biggest obstacle to thai learning English.

[ukrules]

Teach them nothing, tell them nothing, give them only what they pay a fair price for.

Garbage In, Garbage Out....an old computer saying.

[selftaopath]

I and my thai husband were recently prosecuted for teaching 3 and 4 year olds English after school in my home. If I continue to teach I face 1 year in prison and my husband 6 months.

These are the alleged laws we must follow.

can teach only 7 students per day.

Can teach 7 students per time.

Can teach 7 students per term.

Can teach 7 students per instructor per room.

Nobody can decide which of the above is correct.

If i go over 7, I must get a licence to be nonformal school.

You cannot live on the premises of a non formal school, so we would need to leave our home.

The building office (prosecute my husband ) says, if you teach 1 child per week you must change the category of your building from place of living to education building. To do that we need 2 toilets for girl,2 toilet for boy, and 1 toilet if we live in building, so 5 toilets. We need floor to ceiling height of 3 meters.

All standard house in Thailand is 2.50 meter.

Apparently, even house that teaches in any way, shape or form is illegal as their house is too short. Anybody can be prosecuted at any time and face 6 months in prison. This includes thai people, Chinese, and English tutors.

The ministry of education is the biggest obstacle to thai learning English.

Just thought:

A new "resort" was visited by officials who practically carried a book of laws re: a new resort. They said, "this is wrong this is wrong/ that is needed that is needed." But when the proprietor gave them a contribution they and the book of laws departed. Nothing more was said. Land of the corrupt.

[Thailand]

Do as I say etc.

[Thian]

I and my thai husband were recently prosecuted for teaching 3 and 4 year olds English after school in my home. If I continue to teach I face 1 year in prison and my husband 6 months.

These are the alleged laws we must follow.

can teach only 7 students per day.

Can teach 7 students per time.

Can teach 7 students per term.

Can teach 7 students per instructor per room.

Nobody can decide which of the above is correct.

If i go over 7, I must get a licence to be nonformal school.

You cannot live on the premises of a non formal school, so we would need to leave our home.

The building office (prosecute my husband ) says, if you teach 1 child per week you must change the category of your building from place of living to education building. To do that we need 2 toilets for girl,2 toilet for boy, and 1 toilet if we live in building, so 5 toilets. We need floor to ceiling height of 3 meters.

All standard house in Thailand is 2.50 meter.

Apparently, even house that teaches in any way, shape or form is illegal as their house is too short. Anybody can be prosecuted at any time and face 6 months in prison. This includes thai people, Chinese, and English tutors.

The ministry of education is the biggest obstacle to thai learning English.

I saw an english school called "Wallstreet English" in the central Westgatemall and when i peeked inside i saw about 50 people listening to a teacher.

So you must have been told different rules i guess. Or maybe that school wasn't really teaching when i looked.

[Mosha]

But that would require proper english teachers...not the 35k backpacker type.

The Thai English teachers that I know can't hold a basic conversation in English. A friend in Chumpon told me at the school in his village, the teacher would put the same CD on every lesson, and go sit in the staff room.

Sent from my SMART_4G_Speedy_5inch using Tapatalk

[samuijimmy]

Duplicate post removed in page one.