Why ‘My Mate Nate’ Is The Most Hated Farang At The Moment

[Flashermac]

The English speaking level has improved considerably from what I encountered back in the 1970s. That's because almost no one spoke English 40 years ago except for the very well educated. Compulsory education was only through grade 4, though a few years later it was raised to grade 6. (Even now it's only grade 9.) As English wasn't introduced until the upper primary years, most Thais never studied it at all.

 

Nowadays every Thai receives some instruction in English, but what is needed is a greater emphasis on conversation. Instead, students are subjected to boring grammar lessons and mostly reading English, with very little speaking practice. Even at my university, the conversational ability outside of the English majors and minors wasn't very high. However, the students could read passages in English and understand them fairly well. That's not of much use when you're dealing with people face to face.

 

With the opening last year of the ASEAN Economic Community, nationals of the member states can now work freely in each others' countries. Thais are about to find themselves at a serious disadvantage, since the English level in Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines is already much higher. Even Burma has better English ability, thanks to its decades as a British colony. Vietnam has also embarked on a serious attempt to improve the English level of its nationals, and the Thais will to pay for their reluctance to take English seriously. Before long we can expect to see foreign nurses, doctors, architects, and even hotel employees snapping up some of the best paying jobs.

[Flashermac]

When my fluent English speaking and writing daughter was in a Thai school, she never got a perfect exam result, even though her answer was 100%, and often the exam written in poor English!

 

I wanted to complain but her and her mother typical Thai response was

 

"But this is Thai English, of course you don't know the answers, you only know English English"

 

Serious! The school tried to pretend that the English I "knew" wasn't the same as that taught at school therefor they was right and I was wrong

 

FARK ME

 

 

An American colleague's half-Thai daughter speaks fluent English with a perfect MidWest accent, since she'd spent several summers in the States as a child. But she said that when she was in school she'd always speak with a fake Thai accent. That was because she didn't want to be picked on as a "look Farang". She had to dumb herself down.

[pasathai1]

it does not take much to tune delicate thai egos

[Flashermac]

There are many more Thais who do speak decent English, but they are in polarized markets such as bank or phone service provider help lines. DTAC comes to mind.

The other thing that needs to happen is for them to resolve the uni entrance examination criteria - it is, I believe, still in Thai and though there have been half-hearted mumblings as to change I do not see this as a real agenda. This is a major stumbling block for those who have enrolled in and paid a much higher premium for the English Program.

I speak from experience and wrote a short article for Stickman's website voicing an opinion on the eduaction system and the worries of a concerned parent.

 

Wonder what it would be like if a Thai tried a similar stunt in the Bible Belt?

 

 

There is an English section of the entrance exam, but it's not that important unless you want to major or minor in English. The real problem is that students who plan to attend at the top universities will study for weeks - if not months - at expensive schools designed to prepare them for the exams. Thus they know what to expect and are ready for it. Poorer students, especially those from rural areas, can't afford this kind of preparation and are relegated to the "rachapat universities", which have more or less become the universities for poor folks. These are cranking out so many thousands of graduates that the majority will not be able to find a job after they graduate. I've encountered I don't know how many such graduates driving cabs. It's the only work they could find.

[bust]

The level of Thai spoken by Australians here in Sydney is appalling

Only just the other day I went to buy a new TV and when I said to the salesperson "Ga ru na lot ra ka hai noi khrup" ...... they just looked at me confused.

 

I understand English to be a second language in most asian countries. Expectations of a perfect grasp are unrealistic.

[radioman]

I recall that there is a law requiring all members of parliament to hold at least a bachelors degree. Lowering the standard is most likely the only way the anointed could qualify.

 

[Flashermac]

Because of that requirement, you'd be surprised how many MPs suddenly registered in "universities". Amazingly, they all graduated without even having to attend classes. Quite a few even "earned" PhDs with amazing speed.

[Flashermac]

More on Wee Willie Wanker ...

 

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1146029/youtube-star-under-fire-after-student-prank

[Coss]

Make you tube numbers = merit

 

thats what they think these days.

[baa99]

Make you tube numbers = merit

 

thats what they think these days.