Ideas to help reform of the Thai language
I may be labelled an unpatriotic heretic, but feel Thailand must change its outdated mindset toward its official language approval system to reflect the changing times. The challenge is how best to reconsider and adopt progressive language reform, moving
1. Use the Roman alphabet as a script for writing Thai.
2. Rethink linguistic reform as the addition of a contemporary writing system to enhance the knowledge of an already literate people.
3. Consider the phonic realisation of words to facilitate correct spelling, reading fluency and communicative competence.
4. Use consistent symbols in the International Alphabet for <ch>. <j>, <ng>, <sh>, <th>, <aw> and <oy>.
5. Create a common spelling system that is practical, simple, flexible and acceptable to the fair-minded majority of decision-making parties.
6. Implementation would require names of places, roads and institutions to undergo a change of appearance.
7. All the graphemes would consist of characters on a standard computer keyboard and printing machines.
8. For loan words, admit consonant clusters in the initial and final positions of words, such as think, exports, graphics.
9. Adopt a common scientific terminology, resulting in shared norms for international sports lists and educational subject offerings.
10. A grace period after enactment would be required to pave the way to accommodate future growth in education, communication,
economics, trade and mass media.
Referring to the cultural pact among Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei as the base, for Thailand
and Laos to ultimately have the same language as their national and official language would only enhance rather than detract from national identity, harmony and pride with a unified, interactive mode shared among diverse ethnic groups.
Charles Frederickson
Bangkok
