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The Journal of the Royal Institute of Thailand Volume III - 2011 Udom Warotamasikkhadit and Kirk Person 37 Thai listening, speaking, reading and writing. A British Council official who attended several subcommittee meetings cautioned that too much English too soon could actually damage children. The subcommittee chair felt that some Thai children in some of the lower quality bilingual (Thai-English) and international schools were actually becoming çilliterate in two languages.é Thus, this subcommittee agreed with other subcommittees on the importance of early learning taking place in the childûs motherfitongue. As for languages other than English, the subcommittee found an increased interest in the Korean language, due to Korean culture (music, movies, television series, food) and Korean business interests. Japanese continues to enjoy a level of popularity. Chinese has grown in importance to the business sector. While most Thais of Chinese ancestry are no longer fluent in the language (due to past assimilation policies and social trends), many are now studying the language, or encouraging their children to do so. Thais remain apathetic toward the languages of neighboring countries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for example, offered 12 scholarships to study Cambodian; only 2 students applied. This attitude may be causing Thailand to miss out on business opportunities, and also increases the chances for miscommunication between the countries. Chinese-built roads now crisscross the Mekong countries, making travel much more convenient than ever before. When the bridge is completed connecting Laos to Thailandûs northernmost province of Chiang Rai, it will only take six hours to drive from Thailand to China. Similarly, the trip from Northeastern Thailand to the Vietnam coast can now be made in a single day, and it is possible to drive from Bangkok to Phnom Penh, and on to Ho Chi Minh City. The situation of neighboring languages is one area where Thailand has underdeveloped resources. Northeastern Thailand is home to many Vietnamese immigrants; while many have abandoned their heritage language, there is still a significant Vietnamese- speaking community. Policies encouraging the preservation of the language among these communities could benefit Thailand. Similarly, the 1 million Thai-Khmer speakers along Thailandûs eastern border would be able to learn Standard Khmer with relative ease. 6 7 29-44_mac9 4/26/12, 8:31 PM 37