Necessity of English in Thailand's workplace

Advancement of technology and population increase make globalization inevitable. As time progresses and borders between countries becoming more borderless, English language pervades into the country. Many years ago in Thailand, English is considered to be a complete foreign language and mastering it with a fluent accent proves difficult. When compared with other neighboring ASEAN countries, Thailand’s English language skills is quite low. Researchers have also noticed that the English courses in Thailand’s universities are not sufficient to satisfy the needs of the English language used in the real workplace. English in Thailand's workplace has become a requirement and a necessity for numerous companies in the country. English is currently the main language used in many global businesses. In order for Thailand to compete at an international level, learning how to speak good English is crucial. It is crucial not only for the mere sake of understanding the main point of the business, but it assists the Thai business people to express themselves, perform negotiations, and be one step ahead of the game.

Since Thailand is also a tourism country, knowing how to speak English is necessary for communicating with the foreign tourists. Ever been on a job hunt? You skim through a list of jobs advertised in the newspaper and on the Internet. Notice something? Many companies stated that the candidate who knows good English will get special consideration. Other times, they might mention that the following job position requires good verbal and written English skills. It is understandable why companies consider English to be vital for their business growth. After all, the geographical site of Thailand makes it a key business point in Asia. Thailand needs to know English to converse with tourists and investors. Multinational companies are located all over Thailand especially in Bangkok where English is used as the primary language for communication.

Employers feel that it is necessary for their staffs to learn the basic level of English even if the job position might not necessary require it. Why? Competition is high. The more knowledge and skill, the better. Many large firms would send their employees to study English at a language school or they may hire teacher from the school to come teach at their company. Wall Street Institute, Thai Language Solutions and Paradigm Language Institute are just some of the many English language schools available in Bangkok. Companies should take note that different schools have different teaching styles. This may affect the result on how well the students may actually use the language in the real workplace. Some schools go by the book and the students’ English skills might be limited only to the things they learn from the textbook. Creativity and devising activities in a classroom are vital in the development of critical thinking skills, fluency, and confidence. Therefore, it is important that the company do a little research on the courses that the school offers before sending their employees to study English. Some schools may send representatives to the designated company to help explain about their course outline. Additionally, they may discuss and arrange the possible study plan that is most suited and beneficial for your company.

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