Thailand to open more language training centres nationwide

BANGKOK, October 22 (TNA) - The Labour Ministry is opening more language training centres for Thai workers and students nationwide by the end of this year, as part of national preparations for the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015. Permanent Secretary for Labour Dr. Som-kiart Chayasriwong told journalists of the progress on his ministry's policy on the expanding training centres for the English, Chinese, Korean and Myanmar languages to serve both Thai workers and students on Monday. Dr. Som-kiart said that the move was suggested by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to develop Thai nationals' foreign language proficiency in the lead-up to the Single Economic Community of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) over the next three years. Dr. Somkiart acknowledged that his ministry's Department of Skill Development and the Ministry of Education's Office of Basic Education Commission (OBEC), have jointly set up 27 language training centres at skill development institutes in all Thai regions and provincial skill development centres nationwide, including Nonthaburi and Suphanburi provinces, where there are also 50 small-scale foreign language training centres operated by local schools. According to the senior labour ministry official, 2,576 people also participated in his ministry's training courses on the English language for services and sales, the Chinese language for work and the Myanmar language for communications from July-September 2012. (TNA)