“Thai-English” as New Type of English in Asia

By. Mr. Ian Glenn C. Labtic

There is no doubt that English nowadays gains an international status and has become a
lingua franca for across border communication. It is also the most preferred language used in
research, education, business, government, tourism, and foreign affairs. Even in Thailand, a
country which no history of colonization by any English speaking countries, English is still
widely used in certain range and depth. Although foreign subjects such as German, French,
Japanese, Malay and Chinese are taught optional in some schools, English is still the most
important language and compulsory subject for Thai students to learn and master. In fact there
are many international schools, bilingual schools, institutions, and tutorial centers offered special
courses for students to develop their English. However, none of them encourages Thai students
to recognize a new type of English called “Thai-English” which students can learn and use for
their day to day communication.

In line of what I have mentioned earlier, given the status of English as an international
language, lingua franca for cross cultural communication, and considering the amount of users of
English in Kachru outer circle and expanding circle, thus there is no need for Thai students to
master only one type of English used by the countries in the inner circle such as America, The
United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. As argued by some scholars like Kachru (1985)
and Crystal (2003), when English is used for international communication, it is not necessary to
follow all the linguistic regulations designed by the Native English speakers. So, in this paper,
the author would like to recommend possible reasons to recognize a new type of English “Thai-
English” that go along teaching the “Standard-English” in Thailand.

First, there is no need for Thai students to change the style of Thai greetings that they
usually do in Thailand. They can speak English without imitating the western style of greetings.
They can use “Wai” (a Thai style greeting by placing the index finger right in front of their
nasal) instead of shaking hands. In my opinion, doing “Wai” shows more politeness and respect
than to shake hands which amongst the most important values in Thai culture. In addition, I
think there is no need for Thai students to say “How are you?” in greetings, instead they can say
their style of greeting by asking “Have you eaten?” or “Where are you going?” as they are
commonly observed in Thai society. To greet someone, Thais usually asked “have you eaten?”
or “Where are you going?” which these question do not really need serious answers. By doing
this, Thais are speaking English with the Thai mindset.

Second, while speaking English, there is no need for Thai students to replace polite
articles before a name to address someone such as “khun” for mister, miss and stranger, “Pee”
for elders, “Nong” for young, “Paa” for auntie, and “Long” for uncle, “Kru” for teacher, and
“Ajarn” is for professor, and more. To address someone without a proper article can be
misunderstood that you are rude and discourteous in Thai customs. The use of polite articles
before names indicates on how Thais emphasize relationship. So for the sentence structure it will
go like this: polite article + names. For example, the sentence begins like this: Khun Chang, may
I go out please, Pa Sherly, would you like some water? Kru David, where are you going? Ajarn
Kristof, thank you for teaching us, you are such a brilliant professor.

Third, when using idioms for learning English, it is not necessary for Thai students to
learn lots of Native English speakers’ idioms since the most of them have no equivalent
meanings to Thais context. For example, “Break a leg!” this is an English idiom use commonly
by the Americans to talk about “Good luck” like wishing to win lotto or jackpot in a casino.
Another example is, “Hit the sack”, usually this idiom is added at the end of a sentence by asking
someone to sleep. One more example is, “under the weather” which means someone who is “sick
or not feeling well”. Given the examples I mentioned above, idioms of the native English
speakers, I wonder how Thais students would interpret them since they have no meaning at all if
translated in Thai language. Therefore, to make English closer to Thai learners, instead teachers
teach idioms of the native English speakers in the English classroom, why not Thai idioms. I
think there are good Thai idioms which are easy to relate and comprehend. For example, “eating
salt and shrimp paste”, for Native English speakers this idiom is meaningless, but for Thai
people this means that enduring poverty and hardships in order to survive. One more example,
“eat only one bowl of namrepk” which means to live with only one wife. For Native English this
idiom is difficult to understand because of Thai namprek which is not in usually in western
cuisine; however for Thai’s the meaning is cleared and easy to interpret.

Fourth, for teaching English vocabularies, there are words that following the codification
of “Standard English” is unnecessary because they carried meanings which are already
comprehensible by the general public. According to Kachru (1986), considering the nativisation
and the localization of the English language, a new type of English can coexist with the
“standard English” when it is used in certain level by group of people to serve the norms of the
society and interaction purposes. Therefore, there are some vocabularies need to be considered to
be incorporated during the process when “Thai-English” is officially accepted in Thai English
classroom. For example, Thais usually identify white skin - brown hair- western travelers
“Farang”. So most of the times, when Thais describe Americans, British, or Europeans traveling
in Thailand, and if their skin is white then they are labeled “Farang”. However, for people whose
skin is black, whether he is American, British, Canadian or not, he is labeled “Khun Dam” rather
a “Farang”. And for Asian, whose skin is brown, like people from the Philippines, Malaysia and
Indonesia, they are known among Thais as “Tang Chat” or “foreigners” in English. In addition,
the word “Van”, Thais, instead of saying “I go to Phuket by Van”, they would say “I go to
Phuket by ween.” If you notice, a modification is made from the “standard English”, but amongst
Thais English speakers they understand the meaning because they are used according to their
neutral context. There are more examples, which I cannot discuss all in this paper. What I would
like to point out is, when English is used as international language, nativisation, and its
localization in a particular country, a modification is made which is unavoidable. No wonder
why that Philippines English, Malaysian English, Singaporean English, and Indian English are
now recognized and internationally accepted as new types of English in Asia.

Lastly, when Thai students are learning the English grammar, there is a need to make the
“Standard-English” grammar simple for Thai learners. According to the Thai Ministry of
Education (2008), Thai students should learn and communicate successfully and use the
language with grammar based on the native speaker’s English. However, it is noticeable that
when Thai write English sentences, their first Language always interfere that they cannot
produce a good sentence based on the “Standard English” roles. Many failed their ONET Exams
because of poor grammar skills. It is interesting that even native English speakers seldom make
grammar mistakes due to grammar complicated structures. Therefore, there is a need to modify
the grammar structure when Thai students learn English. This tends to construct sentences in
English that are simplistic but still comprehensible. The adjustment may be can start with the use
of pronouns (I, you, she, he, she, they, we, and it), which they are constructed different in Thai
grammars structure. For example, instead of saying “I will go to Hatyai”, Thais mostly say first
the names “Peter will go to hatyai”. In Thais grammar they do not have the infinite article and
definite article, so instead of saying “an apple” in “Standard-English”, Thais’ would rather say
“apple”, which is actually comprehensible even there is no “an” article. There is also doubling of
a few English words such as “same same”, “near near”, etc… And about the verb tenses, Thais
only have few verbs for past tense and for future tense. For example, “I have been to London”
would likely be said “I went to London”, and for “I am going to, I will be going, I am about to”
can be said in type of verb future tense “I will….”. “Standard-English” grammar is complicated
because of lots of roles which are not easy to memorize, whereas Thai grammar is simple but
comprehensible.

As English gains an international role, even a country like Thailand who has a strong
national language, it cannot be denied the significance of English in different sectors and
institutions. Although Thais learn “Standard-English” based on the native speakers (often
American or British), there is a noticeable evidences as what I mentioned earlier that “Thai-
English” has emerged itself to a certain degree level. Distinctive features of “Thai-English” have
naturally developed after some years at various areas in linguistic studies, i.e. speech, speaking,
discourse, vocabularies, and grammar. It can be concluded that the current information presented
denotes a leeway for “Thai-English” to be recognized a new emerging type of English in Asia,
and to incorporate “Thai-English” in teaching English in Thailand.