1. Introduction
1.1 English Education Failure in Thailand
Thai students spend twelve years studying English in primary and secondary schools, but the results are
questionable. When compared to people in neighboring countries, Thais’ English proficiency is relatively low.
The 2010 Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) showed that Thailand ranked 116th out of 163
countries. The Netherlands topped the list with an average score of 100 out of 120, followed by Denmark and
Singapore with the average scores of 99 and 98 respectively. The international average score was 80 but the Thai
average score was 75, which was a little higher than the average scores of Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and
Myanmar, but was trailing far behind other ASEAN countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and
Singapore. On the 2011 report, the Thai average score was still the same, 75 (Test and Score Data Summary for
TOEFL, 2011-2012).