Non-natives awarded for outstanding Thai command

BANGKOK, July 28 (TNA) – Four non-native Thai speakers on Thursday received an award in honor of their excellent command of Thai language. The awarding ceremony on Thursday chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tanasak Patimapragorn took place at Thailand Cultural Center to mark the National Thai Language Day, which is annually observed on July 29. At the event, Shigeki Kobayashi of the Japanese Embassy in Bangkok, Peter Haymond of the US Embassy, Peter Michener of Mitr Phol Group, and Vibeke Lyssand Leirvag of the Thai-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce, were among 15 people with outstanding Thai proficiency named in the list for the honorary award. Haymond, one of the awardees, said he started learning Thai language when he was seven years old. His language skill has been improving since he came to Thailand for work at the U.S. Consulate for the first time in 1994. He currently serves as the chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok. Haymond also shared his techniques for learning languages. He said he was not just practicing Thai in the classroom but also trying to communicate with native speakers when he learned the language. He noted that Thai is one of the most beautiful languages in the world. (TNA)