CHINESE LANGUAGE STUDY RISING IN NORTHERN THAILAND, BUT NOT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 CHIANG MAI 000073 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SCUL ETRD PREL TH CH SUBJECT: CHINESE LANGUAGE STUDY RISING IN NORTHERN THAILAND, BUT NOT SUPPLANTING ENGLISH REF: 2006 CHIANG MAI 74; 2006 CHIANG MAI 18; 2004 CHIANG MAI 278; 2004 CHIANG MAI 34 CHIANG MAI 00000073 001.2 OF 002 -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. Though not at the cost of English language students, Chinese language learning is growing more popular across northern Thailand, from high school students to Royal Thai Government (RTG) officials. Despite this trend, English study continues to be the students' preference as it comes with the highest pay-offs in the job market. The growing popularity of Chinese language study here reflects the trend of northern Thailand growing more accommodating to Chinese visitors and, consequently, Chinese commercial activity. End Summary. -------------- More Chinese = More English -------------- ¶2. More Thai students studying Chinese does not mean fewer students studying English, according to high-level officials at Chiang Mai University (CMU). "If you want to work in Asia, you'll need both English and Chinese," one Vice President told us. Although he described the PRC as "aggressive" in its promotion of Mandarin Chinese study in Thailand, the preference to study English is still strong and certain barriers to expanding Chinese language learning exist. ¶3. On the preference to study English, he said that although Chinese language learning at CMU is increasingly popular, English is still the top choice for students who wish to pursue graduate studies overseas. Because English is a required subject in the Thai secondary education system, Chinese is typically selected as a third foreign language at the university level. Thus, students usually graduate from university with stronger English skills and, therefore, a preference to pursue graduate studies in Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, or the U.S. ¶4. The combination of English as the main second language and Chinese as a third foreign language is increasingly popular for students who are seeking business careers in Asia. A CMU student majoring in English with a minor in Chinese said that knowledge of English and Chinese language skills opens more career opportunities in the Asian business world. This student is a common example of one who has advanced English skills because of more years of study and time spent practicing overseas, in his case in the United States, combined with intermediate Chinese skills acquired while at CMU. He said that although Chinese language is more important in regional commercial affairs, students continue to perceive English as the primary means of communication within the region. -------------- Not Your Average Students -------------- ¶5. Chinese language students in Thailand typically fall into three categories: those who elect to study Chinese at the university, those whose parents selected Chinese as a second language, and those already in the labor force whose jobs now require Chinese language skills. The first group is growing rapidly at CMU as students start to observe more job opportunities for English and Chinese language speakers in Asia. For some of these students, study abroad in China and Taiwan is becoming more popular; however, these programs tend to last for a single semester or summer and only cover Chinese language study. Most students are not at a proficiency level sufficient to take other coursework taught in Chinese, according to a CMU official in the International Affairs Department. ¶6. The second group is those whose parents decided that Chinese languages skills are important for their children and had them taught at an earlier age. These students are in the minority, but popularity is also growing as parents begin to foresee the benefits of Chinese skills for their children. In Chiang Mai, students in this category are typically graduates of the Xin Sheng High School, which requires Chinese language study of all students. Many of these students continue their Chinese studies at the university level and pursue careers where Chinese language is a basic requirement, such as working for the Chinese Consulate in Chiang Mai, a Chinese airline, or teaching Chinese to Thai students. ¶7. The third group, which is also growing rapidly, are those already in the labor force and whose employers have decided that Chinese language is relevant or necessary for job functions. One example is RTG customs and immigration officials who work along the northern Thai-Lao and Thai-Burma borders. As trade across the border increases, more Chinese are entering Thailand CHIANG MAI 00000073 002.2 OF 002 either to transport goods, to conduct other business transactions, or for tourism; and, consequently, the demand for Chinese-speaking border officials is increasing. The Confucius Institutes at CMU and Mae Fah Luang University in Chiang Rai are the main venues for RTG officials to study Chinese in northern Thailand. Operating as a non-profit organization with support from the Chinese government, the Confucius Institute at CMU currently only offers courses to "government officials who need Chinese language skills for their jobs," according to the Institute's director. The Confucius Institute plans to expand operations to provide instruction to CMU teachers and students; but with a staff of only three instructors, the director says that they are teaching at full capacity already. He hopes to expand to six teachers in the near future to meet the growing demand for Chinese language study in northern Thailand. -------------- Fewer Chinese Students in Thailand -------------- ¶8. Whereas Thai students' interest in Chinese language learning is growing, interest is not strong in the reverse direction. Our CMU Vice President contact said that although Chinese students would like to pursue higher education overseas, language barriers have limited the success of exchange programs in the region. He cited a three-year-old exchange program between CMU's Faculty of Social Sciences and Chinese universities. In the program's short history, enrollment dropped from 30 students per year to three. Those three current Chinese students must enroll in courses taught in English; and, although they know conversational Thai, they do not have advanced Thai skills to take topical courses in the host language. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶9. The growing popularity of Chinese language learning among Thais reflects the trend of northern Thailand becoming a more culturally accommodating space for Chinese traders, business people, and tourists as well as for Chinese commercial activity more broadly. As the region grows more integrated through programs such as the Greater Mekong Subregion infrastructure project, this trend should contribute positively to the north's goal of becoming a logistics hub for regional trade. ¶10. While more students learn Chinese, however, the popularity of English as their first "second language" has not faltered. Thai students continue to perceive strong English skills as having the greatest pay-off by facilitating communication across the region, not only with China. With many students seeing the greatest benefits in knowing both languages, English language learning will continue to flourish in northern Thailand, even as Chinese becomes more and more popular. MORROW