A Saudi Arabian company has signed an agreement with a group of private schools in southern Thailand to elevate the Arabic language skills of Thai students.
Many people in Thailand can read Arabic but cannot understand the meaning, said Koddari Binsen, president of the Private Schools Association Confederation of Southern Thailand.
“Students at private Muslim schools are taught how to read Arabic in the Koran but they cannot use the Arabic language in daily life,” he said on Thursday at the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Saudi Arabian learning company Arabic for All.
The Saudi government has provided a quota for Thai labourers to work in the Middle Eastern country, but few workers have applied as most of them cannot understand Arabic, he said.
Mr Koddari expressed hope that the agreement would help elevate Arabic language learning to ensure that Thai children can understand the language.
Saleh Bin Nasser Al-Dalaan, a manager at Arabic For All, said the organisation has been advocating for Arabic language education in 54 countries, including Thailand.
Arabic for All staff members are now providing training to Thai teachers in Satun province, he said.
The MoU, he added, would provide a foundation for further cultural exchange and development of Arabic language teaching between the two countries.
Monthon Parksuwan, secretary-general of the Office of Private Education Commission, said the agreement was not just about advancing Arabic language teaching, but also opening the doors of opportunity for Thai students to understand the world.
It would also help to create trust in the Arabic world and mutual respect between regions, Mr Monthon added.
“It marks a bilateral determination to enhance education and expand cultural horizons,” he said. “In this interconnected and borderless world, language and cultural exchange are crucial, especially the Arabic language which is the world’s third largest spoken language.”