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BACK IN THE DRIVING SEAT
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It is almost guaranteed that visitors to Thailand will find themselves in the hands of our humble taxi and tuk-tuk drivers. They are the foot soldiers in the tourist industry’s never-ending campaign. They, more than anyone, are confronted by the needs of the average tourist. Tourists turn to the drivers for advice, guidance and information. But how well equipped are these foot soldiers to meet such needs?
The problem
 Taxi drivers are a frequent subject of tourist complaints, but the problem can be often traced to communication breakdowns.— SOMCHAI POOMLARD |
Any foreigner who has spent time in the Kingdom (without studying Thai) will have a few horror stories to tell. Here are some typical complaints culled from a walk down Khao San Road.
"The driver took me twenty miles in the wrong direction."
"He took the wrong route on purpose."
"We got into an argument when he couldn’t understand me."
"All he kept saying was me-you-go-massage-bar."
"Why didn’t he know Victory Monument, that’s the name on the map?"
"Every driver I stopped just shook his head and sped off. Why?"
"Why didn’t he tell me the expressway cost extra?"
"The drivers were so rude."
Clearly the overwhelming problem for most taxi drivers is language. English is the most commonly spoken language among tourists whether native speaker or second language status.
Of course the majority of drivers speak little or no English. Why should they? With most taxi drivers on low pay and long hours they have little incentive to register with a language school or institute.
The Solution
Thankfully, over the years, the personnel at the Tourism Authority of Thailand have become keenly aware of this situation. Finally they decided it was time to do something about it.
Representatives from TAT approached the higher management of NAVA, the well-known local language school. After some in-depth consultations it was agreed that TAT would sponsor NAVA to write a course especially for taxi-drivers. That is to say an ESP course or English for Specific Purposes.
One reason in choosing NAVA was their previous experience in putting together ESP courses in Thailand. Just prior to this initiative the NAVA team had written an ESP programme for the Airports Authority. Hence they already had the expertise and skills needed for the new project.
So how do you go about writing an ESP course like this? Conrad Woodhouse-Clarke, NAVA’s General Manager at the Head Office at Seacon Square kindly shared the story with the learning post.
"The first step was to research the drivers’ needs. In this case, our Managing Director and the Director of Studies personally interviewed a cross section of fifty taxi drivers to find out their needs and problem areas.
"Perhaps the major challenge was the limited education of the drivers. After all, some of them are not totally literate in their native Thai. Many come from working backgrounds with a low level of schooling."
And what kinds of English do drivers require to fulfil their job?
"The needs of the taxi drivers included: small talk, recommending tourist spots, extra charges for toll way and polite phrases. These became target topics in the eventual product.
"We also found the drivers wanted very much to improve themselves and be able to communicate with foreign passengers. They were very eager to learn since they had immediate professional needs."
Mr Woodhouse-Clarke continued, "After the preliminary research came the pilot stage. We tested the materials on our own drivers and staff. Not only did they learn a lot but so did we, from their feedback."
The Self Study Pack
 Somsak Thepsuthin (right), former Minister of the PM's Office is pictured presenting a copy of the English for Taxi Drivers self-study pack to a representative of the public vehicle drivers association. |
Eventually, all this hard work resulted in the English for Taxi Drivers Self-Study pack. It was written by NAVA’s Managing Director and edited by the Director of Studies using a communicative and practice-orientated methodology. NAVA’s teachers were also recruited to voice-in the recordings.
The pack consists of a booklet, a tape and the big laminated sheet. The profile of the typical driver shaped the booklet. The print is large. Every item is accompanied by Thai translations. Moreover the English words and phrases are written twice, in English and then phonetically in the Thai script.
The learning is divided into specific topics, such as directions, locations, transportation, at the airport and recommendations. Start off at page 39 for example, for famous attractions in the city. Everywhere is listed, from the Shed of Royal Barges to the Weekend Market.
There are also some phrases that should most definitely NOT be used! The page of impolite expression includes ‘hey you’ and ‘look here.’
The booklet is accompanied by a corresponding tape. The recordings dovetail neatly into the written phrases in the book, providing the necessary listening and speaking practice.
Perhaps the best brainwave is the big laminated sheet. This was designed for drivers to take with them in their taxis. It contains crucial destinations and useful phrases in both languages. So many of those sticky moments can now be deftly avoided. Either the passenger or the driver can simply point to the necessary translation. Hey, presto, instant communication! All foreign citizens of Bangkok have at one time or another dearly wished for an aid like this. Maybe the big laminated sheet has marketing potential.
Fittingly for such a significant innovation, the self-study pack kicked off with a grand launch. The ceremony took place in front of Le Concorde Building at TAT head offices. The then Minister of Tourism, Mr Somsak Thepsutin, presided over the festivities. About six hundred taxi and tuk-tuk drivers were invited and given complimentary copies. Mr Woodhouse-Clarke remembers the drivers and their representatives were so excited to have a special opportunity to learn English. Packs were also distributed to taxi cooperatives and companies.
For hard working and underpaid drivers perhaps the best news is that the English for Taxi Drivers self-study pack is FREE. Any driver can pick up a copy from the TAT head office at 1600 New Phetburi Road, Makkasan, Rachathewi, Bangkok 10310.
Results
However, a spokesperson for TAT informed the learning post that of the original 45,000 sets printed only forty-five remain in stock! So anyone wanting a copy should consider contacting the Tourism Development Services at Phetchburi road soon.
That so many have been taken speaks volumes for the self-study pack’s success.
Indeed, TAT has received a lot of positive feedback. Drivers found it easy and convenient to use. They can read it while driving home. The pack helps them to start communicating with their foreign passengers quickly.
Mr. Woodhouse-Clarke adds "we’re proud of the response we got from drivers. They were very appreciative. Usually they have so few chances to learn."
The English for Taxi Drivers pack has clearly hit the mark as far as tourists and drivers are concerned. So it is not surprising to hear that TAT is considering reprinting the course. There’s even talk of extending the course’s catchment areas nationwide alongside regional training days.
As for NAVA, they have gone on to produce ESP self-study packages for other organizations, such as the Bank of Asia (for bank tellers) and TOPS Supermarket. Currently in the pipeline are plans to develop English for traditional Thai masseuses (Is this the correct plural?) who are working in spas abroad, especially in Germany.
NAVA’s History in Thailand
NAVA Language School has been established in Thailand for several years. In addition to teaching at its own schools, NAVA works with primary schools, kindergartens and businesses, offering a variety of English language courses at their sites. Currently NAVA employs 65 full-time native-speakers of English who teach a staggering 13,000 plus students, ranging from bank executives and business managers to personnel at some of Thailand's leading companies, such as Caltex, Grammy Entertainment, and Fuji Photo Film. NAVA also teaches at the Public Relations Department and other Government departments.
Yet the NAVA story began with just one person. Archarn Kanittha Navarat is the founder and Managing Director of the NAVA Language School’s network throughout Thailand.
Her career in education began with a BA (First Class Honours) in German and English from Chulalongkorn University. From there, as a Fulbright Scholar, she went on to complete an MA in TESOL at the University of Illinois, USA.
From 1978 to 1995, Archarn Kanittha taught as Associate Professor in the Department of Foreign Languages at Mahidol University. She also held the voluntary position of President for Thai TESOL from 1993 to 1995, and continues today as the organization's Chairman of the ELT Management Group.
Summing up
The English for Taxi Drivers self-study pack has proven the effectiveness of student centred ESP language courses. With proper research and qualified input, under the guidance of the appropriate teaching theory, ESP can be successful and fun. After all, thousands of satisfied Bangkok drivers couldn’t be wrong.
So bear this in mind the next time you’re in the back seat of a cab. If the driver eyes you in the rear mirror and starts practising his English, don’t groan and grumble to yourself. Instead, think of all the hard work that he and the team at NAVA have put into getting this far. Focus on the compliment of someone wishing to engage you in your native language. If you can talk back and help his confidence, in turn you’re helping the legions of tourists yet to come. If you were in their shoes wouldn’t you expect the same courtesy?
terryfrd@ksc15.th.com |
Your taxi driver is on the front line of the tourist industry, but often he won’t speak enough English to make a favourable impression. If he does, there is a good chance he has taken advantage of an innovative ESP programme developed right here in Bangkok.— TERRY FREDRICKSON