In Asia, Mandarin is on the rise
(CRI)
Updated: 2006-01-13 19:43

Thai is for recess

Starting from kindergarten, the 230 students at Concordian spend their days immersed in English and Mandarin, while chattering away in Thai during recess (a handful of non-Thais attend). After Grade 5, most classes are taught in English, with Mandarin as a foreign language and additional instruction in Thai.

"Not everyone is linguistic. Not everyone can learn languages well when they are older," says Varnnee Ross, the school founder. "But languages can be learned naturally when you're a child."

Like most of her students, Ms. Varnnee hails from Thailand's successful ethnic-Chinese minority. Her father, who began by raising chickens, is among the country's wealthiest men and reputably the first to invest in China after Deng Xiaoping opened the door to foreign capital in 1978.

However, few Thai-Chinese students speak Mandarin at home.

Typically, their grandparents are the last link to China, and often like the idea of passing on their culture and language, says Ms. Varnee.

The motivation of the parents, though, is "the logic of the businessman" who sees the value of communicating with Asia's economic powerhouse.

"I think I'm more romantic than them," sighs Ms. Varnnee. "I would like my children to appreciate beautiful poems and beautiful Chinese writing and understand the meaning in paintings because it's another level of culture."