Factors Affecting Thai Students’ Ability in Learning Spoken English

Abstract

This study investigates the factors affecting Thai students’ proficiency in learning spoken English, with a comparative perspective between learning contexts in Thailand and Indonesia.

Despite the importance of English for global communication, many Thai students struggle to develop their speaking skills. This study employed a mixed-methods, qualitative descriptive design, involving four Thai students with learning experiences in both countries, and used semi-structured interviews and Likert-scale questionnaires. The findings reveal that both internal factors, such as speaking anxiety, low self-confidence, and fear of making mistakes, and external factors, including teaching methods, communicative activities, and classroom environment, significantly influence students’ speaking ability. The study also

highlights differences in instructional practices, with more communicative-oriented approaches in Indonesia supporting greater speaking confidence compared to grammar-focused methods in Thailand. The results suggest that implementing communicative teaching strategies, increasing speaking practice,

and fostering supportive learning environments can enhance students’ speaking proficiency. These findings provide practical implications for improving EFL instruction.