I know for a fact that since the native English speakers have spoken English since the time they were born, they think they will do better as an English teacher. Given the fact that it can be true, it is not fair to be stereotyped that Filipinos could not speak good or better English than a native English speaker. I do have to argue that even ‘Farang’ from non-English speaking countries such as Spain, Italy, Germany, etc. is somehow considered as native English speakers even though they are not. Is this all about the skin color? The race? Therefore descrimination is there. I believe that when discrimination is present, then good education is not.

Another argument is how do you categorize a “Native English Speaker”? I can be a Filipino, born and raised in the Philippines, but grew up with English as a first language or I can be an American with both pure American parents that lived in Peru which makes my first language Spanish.

What about a Filipino without a Filipino accent? Well-educated, well-traveled, and with credentials more than qualified to have the “Native English Speaker” salary against a German dude who just finished his high school and decided to teach in Thailand? What they should understand is what they really want to be good at? Let’s say English. Okay, my skin color doesn’t speak English but my tongue is. As a matter of fact, proving it with my authenticated university credentials and TEFL certifications or even challenge it with personal, phone interview, or much better a teaching demonstration.

How can you degrade a service price because of the skin color? Of someone’s race? By continuously going with this un-ideal policy, it will gain bad reputation, progress will not be that fast because of the absurd reason behind all of it. It’s unfair. If they keep living this way, then they will encourage more unqualified and wrong people in those positions, and those qualified people will just have to find a better place for themselves. Where better working conditions and attitude lies. In return, those unqualified teachers will of course, produce unqualified students.

I hope Thai people will understand that they have to look more closely and deeper to it.

Lyndsay Anne Cabildo