Language Policy and Thailand's Sustainable Development

Janpha Thadphoothon

Despite Thailand's greater roles in the regional and global levels, its language policy seems to be lagging behind other neighbors such as Myanmar and Laos. More and more countries have redirected their language policies, embracing ethnic languages / mother tongues, in line with the United Nations' call for the use of mother tongues in education and society.

Any language policy to be adopted by Thailand should embrace the notion of diversity. I would like to offer my suggestion to the Thai policy makers that it's high time we really have to devise our own language policy.

What languages should we use in Thailand? 

- Love our mother tongues

- Fluent in Thai - our national language

- Competent in the global languages (English, Chinese, Japanese, etc), 

- Embrace the languages of neighboring countries

รักภาษาถิ่น เก่งภาษาไทย ได้ภาษาสากล ฝึกฝนภาษาอาเซียน