More than 24 per cent of Thai youngsters can't recite the Thai alphabet, according to a Ministry of Culture survey. That's a relief. As an aspiring Thai learner, it's one of the first things I learned - and one of the first things I forgot, too.
Thais traditionally recite the alphabet by calling on the aid of names of objects, people or animals which start with the same letter. So, the first character in the alphabet, Gor, goes with the word for chicken, Gai. Unfortunately, there are 36 of the things to remember, and it's hard to recall them all when you want them.
Another 32 per cent of youngsters surveyed say they make spelling errors regularly, 42 per cent say they have trouble composing ornate sentences, 56 per cent say they have trouble with long sentences, and 53 per cent say they have difficulty writing essays.
The ministry surveyed 3,360 children and teenagers on what it means to be Thai. Almost 36 per cent said they thought traditional Thai dance was boring, 27 per cent thought traditional Thai manners were no longer so important, and 32 per cent reckoned they could not give a decent wai.
An impressive 84 per cent regarded themselves as honest - but 42.8 per cent thought Thais were inclined to cheat. More than 92 per cent thought Thais were more generous than other nationalities, while 62.2 per cent thought the famous Thai smile was disappearing. On Thai dress, 86.9 per cent said Thai teenagers wore clothes which were too revealing.
The survey shows the influence of the West on Thai culture, with 36 per cent saying they preferred farang names such as John, Anne or Bird to Thai names. It said in one village of Khon Kaen alone, almost all the children had adopted farang nicknames.
One reader at the Manager website, where news of the survey appeared, suspects the inability of many youngsters to recite the Thai alphabet is a result of the new focus on child-centred learning, which encourages children to 'understand' things, rather than memorise them.
In the wake of the survey, the ministry says it will step up efforts to encourage a love of things Thai.
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