Bilingual Journey: Embracing the Best of Both Worlds in Thai and English!

Written by Paul

Grade 6 at International School Bangkok

What's your mother tongue? Mine is Thai. I went to a bilingual school until fifth grade because it was the best private school near my home. Then, in sixth grade, I switched to an international school. My parents wanted me to improve my English and other skills. The people at the international school are different. In my grade, there are only a few students who are good at Thai.

In the bilingual school, I got a lot better at Thai, but my progress in English was just a little bit. We spent half of the day studying Thai subjects and the other half learning English subjects, which was much easier. During our break time, we always spoke in Thai because our Thai was better. But our English isn't bad either. Many of my friends also switched to an international school like me. I think knowing both languages is good because it gives you the chance to attend either a Thai or an international school.

I'm a native Thai speaker, and I don't have any plans to go to another country yet, so I'll need to keep using Thai throughout my life. Not everyone in Thailand speaks English fluently, so it's important for us to be able to communicate in Thai. Another reason is to preserve our unique culture, which has a really long history dating back to the Sukhothai period. The third reason is so that we can understand Thailand's ancient artifacts and learn more about our history.

The challenge I faced at the international school regarding Thai is that most people speak English because there are students and staff from many different countries. Most Thai students aren't fluent in Thai. This made the Thai lessons easier, but English became harder.

I use three techniques to keep up my Thai skills. The first one is easy if you have someone who's good at Thai and can help you. You just need to speak in Thai with them. The second technique is to watch Thai movies and listen to Thai songs. It makes you feel more familiar with the language. The third technique is to read road signs. Sometimes the words are difficult, but most signs also have them written in English. It's a good way to practice reading.

As you finish reading this, I want everyone to know that your native language is important. If you're in a bilingual or international school, I hope you try to practice your Thai skills using your own techniques or the ones I use. It'll help you have a better life in Thailand.