Thai Cultural Aspects in English Language Textbooks in a Thai Secondary School

Abstract

This study explores Thai cultural aspects in six English language textbooks called World Wonders 1 and My World Series 2 - 6 used at a secondary school located in the district of Sai Yok, Kanchanaburi province, Thailand. The findings reveal that Thai culture in these textbooks can be categorized into five main aspects, which are 1) products (rice, sepak takraw, tuk-tuk); 2) practices (cooking, eating and Thai boxing); 3) persons (Siamese king, Vanessa-Mae); 4) perspectives (Thai people, traffic congestion, food, weather, and Thai language); and 5) places (tourist sites such as Phi Phi Island, Phuket, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Lopburi). This study potentially offers some possible implications for English language textbook development that is culturally appropriate for language teachers and learners at a secondary school in Thailand.