As Thailand prepares for the opening of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) next year, Thai Premier League team Suphanburi FC has unveiled a unique initiative to prepare students across the province’s 32 schools for the 600 million-strong AEC with one official language — English.
“We are delighted that it is Suphanburi FC, a provincial football club, who lead the charge rather than one based in Bangkok,” Suphanburi FC president Varawut Silpa-archa said.
After spending many years in England, he knows the importance of equipping the people of his province with the language of business, communication and football.
“We are delighted that our first partner school, Sa-nguan Ying, is a girls’ school,” Varawut said. “We open up all the resources of Suphanburi FC to our future captains of industry, role models and ASEAN leaders.”
Varawut said that initially 35 students of different English abilities, from new learners to high-flying members of the school’s intensive English programme, will select key club tasks such as writing English match day programme articles, interviewing players and staff, or preparing to be match announcers.
“The only requirements are drive, enthusiasm and determination to improve,” he said.
Overseeing the programme are two club ambassadors who are fluent in English.
“They will take care of our VIP guests and be the faces of our whole programme,” Varawut said.