Thailand to Focus on Enhancing English Proficiency

PRESS RELEASE:

Thailand has been actively working to enhance its English proficiency, as evidenced by recent initiatives such as the virtual English classrooms hosted by various schools in Bangkok. Despite these efforts, the country still ranks 8th in the ASEAN region and 101st globally in the English Proficiency Index 2023.

According to a report by EF Education First, the index, which assessed the English skills of 2.2 million adults across 113 countries, places Thailand in the ‘very low’ proficiency category with a score of 416. This places the country just behind Cambodia, which scored 421. However, this ranking highlights the potential and opportunity for growth in English language education in Thailand.

In comparison, Singapore leads the ASEAN region and is 2nd globally, with a ‘very high’ proficiency score of 631. The Philippines and Malaysia also showcase strong English skills, ranking 2nd and 3rd in ASEAN and 20th and 25th worldwide, respectively, both classified as ‘high’ proficiency. Vietnam and Indonesia are ahead of Thailand, positioned at ‘moderate’ and ‘low’ proficiency levels, respectively.

Thailand’s current ranking in the English Proficiency Index indicates an area for development. With ongoing educational initiatives, officials hope for future improvement in the country’s global language proficiency standings.

The preceding is a press release from the Thai Government PR Department.

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Goongnang Suksawat
Goong Nang is a News Translator who has worked professionally for multiple news organizations in Thailand for many years and has worked with The Pattaya News for more than four years. Specializes primarily in local news for Phuket, Pattaya, and also some national news, with emphasis on translation between Thai to English and working as an intermediary between reporters and English-speaking writers. Originally from Nakhon Si Thammarat, but lives in Phuket and Krabi except when commuting between the three.