Quote:
Originally Posted by Dame
Why? Anyone understand why it's not made a national priority to have a English fluent nation? The contrast with other Asian countries is marked - take S Korea, for example, where they have only English speaking TV channels and I've witnessed many examples of parents speaking to their children in English as a first language. You have to admire that level of self sacrifice. The thousands of Koreans that flock here every year seem happy as larry and very affluent.
I understand this is Thailand. I understand its inherent difficulties in terms of demographics and infrastructure, but what I can't get my head round is why people on an individual level don't take responsibility to learn the language so many people rely for their livelihoods. I tell all my Thai friends who can speak English to make it their number one priority to teach their kids the language, but the importance of it doesn't seem to sink in. Why?
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really depends on the circle you keep.
the well-to-do, generally speak fluent english.
everyone else, are generally shy to speak a foreign language in their own country.
down to national pride, of course.
much like the french or japanese (if you can't bother to speak my language, why did you come in the first place?).
why is thailand slower in picking up the language?
I don't think that is really the case.
Asians take pride in being Asian.
We speak other languages only to be a good host.
In any case, most Koreans speak Korean.
Most Chinese speak Chinese.
etc, etc...
and it has to be said... English is not the be all and end all for languages. The world is getting so small that I've met farangs who speak better Bahasa Malaysia than I do.