Thailand
From AASL
| Name of the country/area | Thailand |
|---|---|
| Formal name of the country/area | Kingdom of Thailand |
| Country/area information | The World Factbook (CIA) |
| Wikipedia (English) |
Indigenous signs for "Thailand"
Movies
Sign of country name "Thailand" (Data offered by Deaf informants in Thailand; movie made by Japan Institute for Sign Language Studies)
Illustrations in the literature
"Thailand" (In: Japanese Federation of the Deaf ed. Supervisor: Hedberg, Tomas. 2003. Country name-signs. Helsinki, Finland: World Federation of the Deaf. 14.)
Spoken languages
Thai
Sign languages
Extinct sign languages:
Original Chiangmai Sign Language
Original Bangkok Sign Language
Related sign languages:
Population of Deaf/deaf people
- 51,000 profoundly, prelingually deaf people in Thailand (1997 C.Reilly). 20% of deaf children go to school, where they get the opportunity to learn this language. (Ethnologue web edition)
- The National Government’s official number of Deaf people : 90,000. National Association of the Deaf in Thailand's official or approximate number of Deaf people: 300,000. (WFD. 2008. Global Survey Report. : See Bibliography below.)
Legal status of sign languages
- Status of the National Sign Language(s) from WFD. 2008. Global Survey Report. (See Bibliography below).
1. The government recognises the country's sign language(s) in : the Policy.
2. The year when the country’s government formally recognises the country’s sign language(s): The Ministry of Education certified Thai Sign Language as the National Language of Thai Deaf people on 17th August 1999.
3. Deaf Association/Deaf Group lobbies the government for the recognition of the country’s sign language(s)
Organizations and associations of the Deaf/deaf
National Association of the Deaf in Thailand (WFD member; established in 1984. (WFD. 2008. Global Survey Report. : See Bibliography below.))
Institutes, associations and universities for sign language studies
Ratchasuda College, Mahidol University
Education for the Deaf
- Access to Education from WFD. 2008. Global Survey Report. (See Bibliography below).
1.The government recognizes that Deaf children and Deaf students have the right to receive an education.
2.Legislation or policies on Deaf Education:
- The Disabled People' Rehabilitation Act 1991
3.The government provides those educational settings for Deaf children and Deaf students:
- Early intervention (Up to 5 years old)
- Kindergarten (Between 3/4 years old to 5/6 years old)
- Primary (From 5/6 years old to 12/13 years old)
- Secondary (From 12/13 years old to 17/18 years old)
- University (After 18 years old)
- Vocational Education/Training
4.The government provides bilingual education using the country’s sign language(s) for Deaf children and Deaf students in those educational settings:
- Early intervention (Up to 5 years old)
- Kindergarten (Between 3/4 years old to 5/6 years old)
- Primary (From 5/6 years old to 12/13 years old)
- Secondary (From 12/13 years old to 17/18 years old)
- University (After 18 years old)
- Vocational Education/Training
5.Total number of schools specifically for Deaf children and Deaf students in the country, and the educational approach for communicating with Deaf children and students at the Deaf School:
- 14 schools.
- Bilingual Education
- Oral Method
6.Deaf people’s access to a University education and sign language interpreting services at University:
- 4 Universities provide access to studies for Deaf people.
- Sign language interpreting services are available.
Sign language interpretation
- National Association of Thai Sign Language Interpreters (NATSI) from WASLI. 2010. Sign Language Interpretation in Thailand. In :WASLI Newsletter 2010-02 : (See Bibliography below).
- There is an association of sign language interpreters in this country. from WASLI Activities Report 2007-2011 (See Bibliography below).
- Status of Sign Language Interpreting Services from WFD. 2008. Global Survey Report. (See Bibliography below).
1.The number of sign language interpreters in the country:
- 20 Interpreters
2.Sign language interpreting qualifications in the country:
- There is.
3.The provider of the training for people who want to become qualified sign language interpreters:
- University
- National Association of the Deaf
4.Total years of training to become a sign languate interpreters:
- 4 years or 1.5years
5.The number of sign language interpreters who have formal interpreting qualifications in the country:
- 20 Interpreters
6.The way Deaf people access sign language interpreters:
- Through the NADT.
7.The provider of the sign language interpreting services:
- National Association of the Deaf
8.The area of life sign language interpreting services are available:
- Social Services
- Health/Medical Services
- Employment Services
- Court Services
- Educational Services
- Counselling Services
- Financial Institutions
- Funerals/Weddings
- Entertainment
- Others: Political Issues
9.The payment for interpreting services, and those who are responsible for paying:
- Sign language interpreters receive payment for interpreting services
10.The average hourly rate of payment for sign language interpreters:
- 1,000 Baht one day (21.65€ on 31st January 2008)
11.Sign language interpreters do not provide voluntary service for all sign language interpreting assignments.
12.National Association of Sign Language Interpreters:
- Independent from the National Association of the Deaf.
13.National Code of Ethics for sign language interpreters:
- There is.
14.Legislation or policy in the country which states that the government has a responsibility for the provision of sign language :
- A new law will be ratified soon.
- Data on sign language interpretation in this country collected in 2006 by a similar questionnaire research by WASLI are in the WASLI Newsletter 2007 issue six (See Bibliography below).
1. The sign language in the country :
2. Spoken languages:
- Thai
Deaf communities and cultures
Religious activities by the Deaf
Famous Deaf persons and hearing persons concerned with sign languages
Sign language dictionaries
Suwanarat, Manafa, Anucha Ratanasint, Vilaiporn Rungsrithong, Lloyd Anderson and Owen Wrigley. 1990. Pathanukrom phasa mu Thai: chabap prapprung lm khayai (The Thai Sign Language dictionary: Revised and expanded edition.) Bangkok: Samakhom Khon Hu Nuak hng Prathet Thai(The National Association of the Deaf in Thailand).
Suwanarat, Manafa, Anucha Ratanasint, Vilaiporn Rungsrithong, Waruunee Buathong, Charles Reilly, Lloyd Anderson, Soontorn Yen-Klao and Owen Wrigley. 1986. The Thai Sign Language dictionary: Book one. Bangkok: The National Association of the Deaf in Thailand.
Bibliography
Earth, Barbara. 2013. Culture of Schooling in Thai Deaf Schools. Poster presentation at the International Conference on Sign Linguistics and Deaf Education in Asia, 2013, 30 January – 2 February 2013. The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Nonaka M. Angela. 2012. Language ecological change in Ban Khor, Thailand: an ethnographic case study of village sign language endangerment. In : Zeshan, Ulrike and Connie de Vos eds. Sign Languages in Village Communities : Anthropological and Linguistic Insights. De Gruyter Mouton (Boston/Berlin), Ishara Press (Nijemegen, The Netherland). 277-312.
Nonaka M. Angela. 2012. Sociolinguistic sketch of Ban Khor and Ban Khor Sign Language. In : Zeshan, Ulrike and Connie de Vos eds. Sign Languages in Village Communities : Anthropological and Linguistic Insights. De Gruyter Mouton (Boston/Berlin), Ishara Press (Nijemegen, The Netherland). 373-376.
Zeshan, Ulrike and Connie de Vos eds. 2012. Sign languages in village communities: Anthropological and linguistic insights. Sign Language Typology Series 4. Berin: Mouton de Gruyter.
Nonaka, Angela M. 2011. Interrogatives in Ban Khor Sign Language: A Preliminary Description In: Mathur, Gaurav and Donna Jo Napoli eds. Deaf around the World, The Impact of Language. 194-220. New York, USA. Oxford University Press.
WASLI (World Association of Sign Language Interpreters). 2011. WASLI country report 2011 Thailand Kampala, UGANDA.
WASLI (World Association of Sign Language Interpreters). 2011. WASLI Activities Report 2007-2011. Kampala, UGANDA.
WASLI (World Association of Sign Language Interpreters). 2010. Sign Language Interpreting In THAILAND. In : WASLI Newsletter 2010‐02 Kampala, UGANDA.
Hope M. Hurlbut. 2009. THAI SIGNED LANGUAGES SURVEY – A RAPID APPRAISAL. SIL International.
Nonaka, Angela. M. 2009. Estimating Size, Scope, and Membership of the speech/sign Communities of Undocumented Indigenous/village Sign Languages: The Ban Khor Case Study. In : Language and Communication 29. 210-228.
World Federation of the Deaf and Swedish National Association of the Deaf. 2008. Global Survey Report. WFD Regional Secretariat for Asia and the Pacific (WFD RSA/P). Global Education Pre-Planning Project on the Human Rights of Deaf People. World Federation of the Deaf. Finland.
Brubaker, Dan, Beverly Buchanan, Stefan Goldschmidt and Simeon Hart. 2007. What Makes a Good Deaf Leadership Camp in Germany, Thailand, and the United States? In : Goodstein, Harvey ed. The Deaf Way II Reader : Perspectives from the Second International Conference on Deaf Culture. Washington,DC: Gallaudet University Press. 398-394.
Nonaka, Angela. M. 2007. Emergence of an indigenous sign language and a Speech/Sign community in Ban Khor, Thailand. In : Language in Society. Unpublished University of California, Los Angels.
WASLI (World Association of Sign Language Interpreters ). 2007. WASLI Newsletter 2007 Issue 6 Kampala, Uganda.
Kato, Mihoko and Nobuyuki Honnna. 2006. Deaf people and their sign language in Thailand. In: Sign Language Communication Studies. (Japan Institute for Sign Language Studies, Japanese Federation of the Deaf) 59(2006.03) :70-77.
Reilly, Charles B. 2005=2006. Scial Inclusion Fostering Language Growth :Case of the Deaf Thai. In: Sign Language Communication Studies. (Japan Institute for Sign Language Studies, Japanese Federation of the Deaf) 59(2005.12) :66-67. (translated by Kamei, Nobutaka: in Japanese)[ Report of American Anthropological Association 104th Annual Meeting Washington DC Dec. 1. 2005 7:45 PM–9:30 PM. "Endangered World Languages : Sign Languages and Their Variations"]
Branson, Jan, Don Miller and Jitprapa Sri-on. 2005. A history of the education of deaf people in Thailand. Bangkok Chulalongkorn University Printing House.
Charles B. Reilly and Nipapon W. Reilly. 2005. The rising of lotus flowers : Self-education by Deaf children in Thai boarding schools. Washington, D.C.: Gallaudet University Press.
Osugi, Yutaka. 2004. The ongoing project on "Practical dictionaries of Asian-Pacific sign languages". In: Sign Language Communication Studies. (Japan Institute for Sign Language Studies, Japanese Federation of the Deaf) 53(2004.09):12-20. [Including information of Asia (general), Cambodia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam ]
Nakayama, Sinichiro. 2004. Make a Comparison of Word Order between Sign Language and Language for writing : From study about sign language used in Asia and Africa. In: Sign Language Communication Studies (Japan Institute for Sign Language Studies, Japanese Federation of the Deaf) 52(2004.06):22-26. [Including information of [ Ghana, Zambia, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines and Thailand ]
Nonaka, Angela M. 2004. The forgotten endangered languages: Lessons on the importance of remembering from Thailand's Ban Khor Sign Language. In : Language in Society. New York : Cambridge University Press. 33 : 737-767.
Woodward, James. 2003. Sign languages and Deaf identities in Thailand and Viet Nam. In: Monaghan, Leila, Constanze Schmaling, Karen Nakamura and Graham H. Turner eds. Many ways to be Deaf: International variation in Deaf communities. Washington, D.C.: Gallaudet University Press. 283-301. [Including information of Ban Khor Sign Language, Chiangmai Sign Language, Original Bangkok Sign Language , Original Chiangmai Sign Language, Haiphong Sign Language, Hanoi Sign Language, Ho Chi Minh City Sign Language ]
Japan Institute for Sign Language Studies ed.(translated by Japanese Federation of the Deaf) 2003. The human rights of the Deaf: Able to use sign language at anytime and everywhere. In:Sign Language Communication Studies (Japan Institute for Sign Language Studies, Japanese Federation of the Deaf) 50.(2003.12):57,60-61.[WFD News. Jul.2003. Including information of Uganda, Thailand and New Zealand ]
Nonaka, Angela M. 2002. Indigenous & original sign language varieties : Thailand's forgotten endangered languages. Presentation at the 8th international Thai studies conference : Nakhon Phanom, Thailand.
Stack, Kelly. 2002. Personal correspondence about sign language linguistics and Ban Khor Sign Language.
Nonaka, Angela M. 2001. Languages socialization in Ban Khor : Preliminary hypotheses from the case study of an infant girl named "Watermelon" : Video documentary.
Nonaka, Angela M. 2001. Selected findings from a first-pass linguistic field survey of Ban Khor Sign Language. presentation to the UCLA linguistics anthropology laboratory, Los Angeles.
Kullavanijaya, Pranee. 2000. Devices of forming Entity. Denoting Signs in Thai Sign Language, Essay in Tai Linguistics.
Nonaka, Angela M. 2000. Unpublished findings from "Exploring Ban Khor," a two-month ethnographic pilot study of Ban Khor, presented to the International studies overseas programs office and the department of anthropology at the university of California, Los Angeles.
Woodward, James C. 2000. Sign languages and Deaf identities in Thailand and Vietnam. In : Emmorney, Karen and Harlan Lane eds. The signs of language revisited : An Anthology in honor of Ursula Bellugi and Edward Klima. Mahwah, New Jersey : Lawrence Erlbaom associates, Inc., Publishers.
Woodward, James. 2000. Sign languages and sign language families in Thailand and Viet Nam. In: Emmorey, Karen and Harlan Lane eds. The sign language revisited: An anthology in honor of Ursula Bellugi and Edward Klima. Mahwah, N.J.:Erlbaum Associates Inc. 23-47.
Takada, Eiichi. 1999. On the "Japanese-Sign Language Dictionary" (The Last Part: Thai Sign Language Book). In: Sign Language Communication Studies. (Japan Institute for Sign Language Studies, Japanese Federation of the Deaf) 31(1999.03) :78-80.
Reilly, Charles, and Sathaporn Suvannus. 1999. Education of deaf people in the Kingdom of Thai. In : H. William Brelje ed. Global perspectives on the education of the deaf in selected countries. Hillsboro, Ore. : Butte Publications. 367-398.
Kobayashi, Masayuki. 1998. Deaf in Asia(2) :Thailand. In: Sign Language Communication Studies. (Japan Institute for Sign Language Studies, Japanese Federation of the Deaf) 30(1998.12) :57-59.
Woodward, James (Ratchasuda). 1998. Sign language and Deaf identities in Thailand and Vietnam. In: Sign Language Communication Studies. (Japan Institute for Sign Language Studies, Japanese Federation of the Deaf) 27(1998.03) :57. (translated by Nakamura, Karen: in Japanese) [the report from the invited panel on sign language sociolinguistics at the 96th Annual Meeting of the America Anthropological Association. Washington DC. Nov.11-19 1997]
Nonaka, Angela M. 1997. A comparison of Thai & American name signs. presentation at the First Australasian Deaf studies conference : La trobe university , Australia.
Woodward, James C. 1997. Sign languages and Deaf identities in Thailand and Vietnam. Presentation at the annual meeting of the American anthropological association. Washington, DC.
Woodward, James C. and Angela M. Nonaka. 1997. A pilot study of Ban Khor Sign Language. Unpublished report to the Ratchasuda Foundation. Research department, Ratchasuda College, Mahidol University at Salaya, Nakhonprathom, Thailand.
Woodward, James. 1997. A preliminary examination of Ban Khor sign language, typescript. Research Department, Ratchasuda College, Mahidol University at Salaya.
Woodward, James. 1996. Modern standard Thai sign language, influence from ASL, and its relationship to original sign language in Thailand. In: Sign language studies 92:227-252.
Reilly, Charles. 1995. A deaf way of education: Interaction among children in a Thai boarding school. Ph.D.dissertation, M.D., USA: University of Maryland.
Suwanarat, Kampol. 1994. Deaf Thai culture in Siam: The land of smiles. In: Carol J. Erting, Robert C. Johnson, Dorothy L. Smith and Bruce D. Snider eds. The Deaf Way. Perspectives from the International Conference on Deaf Culture. Washington, D.C.: Gallaudet University Press. 61-64.
Collins Ahlgren, Marianne. 1990. Spatial-Locative Predicates in Thai Sign Language. I : Lucas Ceil ed. Sign language research: theoretical issues. Washington, DC : Gallaudet UP. 103-117.
Suwanarat, Manfa and Owen Wrigley. 1990. Sign language research in Thailand. In: Edmondson, William H. and Fred Karlsson eds. SLR´87: papers from the Fourth International Symposium on Sign Language Research. Lappeenranta, Finland July 15-19, 1987. Hamburg : Signum. 276-278.
Suvannus, Sathaporn. 1987. Thailand. In : Van Cleve, John V. (editor in chief), Gallaudet College eds. Gallaudet encyclopedia of deaf people and deafness. New York : McGraw-Hill. vol.3. 282-284.
Films and videos
Sign Media Inc. ed. 1990. Signs around the world. Thailand. Burtonsville, Maryland: SMI (30 min.)
Researchers
History of sign language research
Events
Links
Sign Languages in Asia: Thailand (Data offered by Deaf informants in Thailand; movies made by Japan Institute for Sign Language Studies)
Deaf cultures and Sign Languages of the world: Thailand
NECTEC's Web Based Learning: Learn on the Internet by NECTEC
Notes
| Asia (general) | Asia (general) |
|---|---|
| East Asia | China | Japan | Mongolia | North Korea | South Korea |
| Southeast Asia | Brunei | Cambodia | East Timor | Indonesia | Laos | Malaysia | Myanmar | Philippines | Singapore | Thailand | Vietnam |
| South Asia | Bangladesh | Bhutan | India | Maldives | Nepal | Pakistan | Sri Lanka |
| West Asia | Afghanistan |
| Areas and others | Hong Kong | Macau | Taiwan |
