Conservation activist Siranudh “Psi” Samutt criticised foreign workers in Thailand, arguing that those working in the country should make an effort to speak Thai, prompting widespread agreement from Thai social media users.
Psi shared his views about foreign employees using English in Thailand on his X account, @Psisamutt, on Saturday, August 8.
In the post, Psi said he usually responds in Thai when foreign employees at restaurants speak English to him. He said that if they cannot take his order in Thai, he asks to speak with a Thai employee instead.
“I’m in Thailand, and I prefer to speak Thai,” Psi wrote, adding that he considered foreign workers who work in Thailand without being able to speak Thai to be taking advantage of the country.
Psi also argued that Thai people working overseas are expected to develop language skills because countries such as Japan and the US have strong cultures and global influence.
The activist further criticised business operators who he said chose to reduce costs by hiring migrant workers, despite the minimum wage for Thai workers not being high. He called on businesses to employ Thai people and encouraged Thai workers to improve their skills.
Psi’s comments attracted significant attention from Thai netizens, with many expressing agreement with his position on foreign workers in Thailand.
Some social media users said they had needed to communicate in English throughout trips to Phuket and Koh Tao. Others said they had encountered Indonesian and Filipino employees working at hotels in tourist areas.
Some Thai users said they felt uncomfortable about having to speak English while travelling or receiving services in their own country. They said they had made an effort to communicate with foreign workers in English, but felt those workers had made less effort to learn Thai.
Several commenters called for the government to introduce a Thai language test for foreigners seeking employment in the country, similar to requirements they said were used in some other countries.
According to a Department of Employment report released in November last year, Thailand had around 3.9 to 4 million foreign employees, including migrant workers who came to work in the country under memorandums of understanding.
The data showed that the number of foreign workers in Thailand increased sharply during 2025, although the total began declining after reaching its peak around the middle of the year.
The story Conservation activist Psi Samut calls for foreign workers to learn Thai as seen on Thaiger News.
