A Giant Leap for Thailand

          Rita Mae Brown, an American writer and feminist, once wrote, “Language exerts hidden power, like the moon on the tides.” The power of the English language, however, is in no way hidden. English is the second largest language in the world, spoken by about 358 million people worldwide, and it is also the world’s most important literary language (Brown, 1988). This fact, however, seems to escape the people of Thailand completely, where English language learning is held in low regard, with lack of proper curricula and inappropriate texts and teaching styles (Khamkhien, 2010). As a result of this ignorance, Thailand is deprived of the many advantages that proper English language learning has too offer. It is for this reason that I believe that English language learning should be prioritized in Thai schools because it leads to more effective communication, better job prospects, and helps in cognitive development.


          The ability to communicate effectively is important in all aspects of life, and prioritization of English language learning in Thai schools would empower the Thai youth with better communication skills. This is what the youth of Thailand need right now. A National survey conducted by the Ministry of Education in the years 1997 and 1998 showed that when assessed by ‘standardized benchmarks of achievement,’ Thai students did poorly in the skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking when compared to students from other Southeast Asian countries (Wiriyachitra in Khamkhien, 2010:184). Prioritization of English language learning, with proper curricula and competent teaching methods, could seek to change that, because it would mean that there would be more focus and better guidance in English language learning in Thai schools. This would allow Thai students to communicate with a wider range of people and communities. Not only that, prioritization would also expose the youth of Thailand to the culture and literature that make up the world’s most prominent and important literary language and as a result, open the doors to whole new possibilities for Thai students. Hence, prioritization of English language learning should become a reality in Thai schools.



          Apart from leading to more effective communication skills, prioritization of English language learning in Thai schools would also lead to better job prospects. Over the course of the past few years, employers of various companies have been seeking bilingual workers to work for them. According to Morsch (2009), a careerbuilder.com keyword search in 2009 turned up more than 6,000 job postings seeking bilingual and multilingual applicants, which was much more than the job postings for monolingual applicants. Better job prospects, in turn, could mean working in an area away from home that would, therefore, enlarge the geographical scope of one’s relationships, which is a welcome added benefit (Longren, n.d.). Moreover, Warschaw (2012) explained that companies today need people who can communicate to a certain extent in at least two languages ‘to see to the needs of their clients,’ since big multinational companies have clients in various countries. This would bridge the communication gap not just between the company and the client but also the employer and the employee. In that regard, Thai people with fluent English speaking skills would have significant advantages over those who can only communicate in one language.


          The main benefit of prioritization of English language learning in Thai schools, however, lies in the many effects bilingualism has on the human brain. The benefits of bilingualism on cognitive development have been demonstrated time and again. In the ‘Stroop task,’ where people are shown words of colors and are asked to name the color of the word’s font, bilinguals outperformed their monolingual counterparts and were faster at giving the correct answers, thereby proving that

bilingualism results in better inhibitory control and makes individuals better at switching between tasks and responding to their environments (Marian & Shook, 2012). Furthermore, a study led by neuropsychologist Tamar Gollan of the University of California, San Diego, concluded that individuals who knew two or more languages had delayed onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (Gollan in Bhattacharjee, 2012). It is evident from this that the benefits of bilingualism also extend well into our old age. Apart from that, research has also shown that bilinguals have a stronger working memory, which makes them better at mental calculation, reading ‘and many other vital skills.’ (Morales et al in Dean, 2013). These facts go a long way in showing how prioritization of English language learning in Thai schools can be beneficial to Thai students, because it would make them adept at two languages and expose them to all the benefits of bilingualism.


           It is often said that the youth of today are the leaders of tomorrow, and for good reason too. As seen above, prioritization of English language learning in Thai schools would lead to smarter children and thus smarter, better leaders of tomorrow, which is only better for our country. Not only that, according to Kim (2013), the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center at the University of Montana trains young American military personnel about the languages and cultures of Afghanistan so that they can communicate with the local people and help to attain and maintain peace in such war-torn societies, instead of making a statement through violence. As far-fetched as it may sound, prioritization of English language in Thai schools could, therefore, actually help to improve relations with English-speaking countries. Would the skill of English speaking not then be an asset to our country? From what has been established above, should the opportunities to get better jobs, earn better pay and consequently lead better lives be ignored and neglected? After all, ignorance is not always bliss.


          Of course, there are limitations to any system, and prioritization of English language learning in Thai schools would be no exception. Some will argue that prioritization would divide us along ethnic lines and create a barrier between the people who speak English and the people who only know the vernacular language. This can especially happen if prioritization is not welcomed in society, and as a result, it could lead to segregation in society, which is not something we want. Moreover, prioritization could also stand against the culture of Thailand, where Thai has been the only important language for centuries. Be that as it may, the benefits of prioritization are numerous and it would be wrong to just assume that our country cannot adapt to change. We must not let our vanity cloud our understanding of the potential boon in English language learning in Thailand. The appeal to tradition, while it might be justified, however, also stands directly in the way of a better future for our country, and thus I believe that prioritization is a risk worth taking.


          Apart from that, it is often thought that learning two or more languages can lead to confusion and inefficiency in the languages. Many people believe that knowing more than one language means that we cannot focus on one language entirely and thus we won’t be as skillful in any language at all. On the contrary, research over the past decades have allayed these myths and shown that bilingualism, in fact, can make us more fluent in our mother language, as well as make us better at understanding even more languages. (Chipongian, 2000). The arguments don’t end there either for still other people believe that learning an extra language means heavier workload and thus, less time to study. However, while there might be heavier workload, we cannot dismiss the fact that proper time management, coupled with the benefits of bilingualism, would no doubt greatly help students with their studies. It is clear then, from all this, that if prioritization of English language in Thailand may have its limitations, its benefits will far outweigh those limitations.

           Today we live in a world where the English language is understood by a majority of the human population. In that regard, Thailand, for its lack of a proper English language education system, falls far behind other countries, but prioritization of English language learning in Thai schools could change that. With better communication skills, more job prospects and overall increased cognitive development, Thai students will find it far easier to live in this world torn by competition and rivalry. All that we have to do now is be sincere about learning the English language. We must prioritize English language learning in Thai schools. After all, George Orwell (1946), famed English novelist, in his collection of essays, ‘Politics and the English Language,’ once wrote, “The greatest enemy of clear language is insincerity.” So let us take that leap to sincerity. It will be a great leap for our people; A giant leap for Thailand.

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