Language Barriers and English Oral Communication Strategies: A Case Study of Thai Vendors Interacting with Foreign Tourists in Hat Yai, Songkhla
Keywords:
Language Barriers, Listening Difficulties, Speaking Difficulties, English Oral Communication Strategies, Thai Vendors in Hat Yai, Foreign Tourists in Hat YaiAbstract
In Hat Yai’s tourism sector, local marketplaces act as key economic hubs and major attractions for international tourists. However, limited English proficiency remains a barrier to effective communication, hindering commercial activities. Recognizing this issue is essential for research that supports career development and local tourism promotion, yet empirical studies in this specific context remain limited. This research aimed to: 1) investigate the language barriers encountered by Thai vendors while interacting with foreign tourists in English at the markets in Hat Yai, and 2) examine the strategies employed by the Thai vendors to overcome these language barriers. This qualitative study employed purposive sampling to conduct interviews with 30 vendors operating in three major markets in Hat Yai. The findings indicated that the primary listening difficulty was understanding tourists’ accents (76.67%), followed by vocabulary issues (56.67%). With regard to speaking, challenges primarily involved limited vocabulary (83.33%) and pronunciation (33.33%). To resolve these challenges, vendors regularly asked tourists to repeat themselves (43.33) and used Google Translate as a strategy to facilitate communication (43.33%). When speaking, they often relied on non-verbal cues, such as gestures, to complement their speech (63.33%). The researcher recommends organizing training sessions to enhance vendors’ English listening and speaking skills, as well as instructing them on how to use translation applications. These recommendations could significantly improve communication and make smooth business interactions.
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