Chinese language courses are gaining popularity in Thailand, where it is seen as the new dialect of business and diplomacy in East Asia.
English is still compulsory in public schools, but thousands of schools are starting classes to teach students Mandarin, the Christian Science Monitor reported.
The goal is to have 30 percent of all high school students in programs within five years, the newspaper said.
Beijing has promised to train more Thai language teachers, send native speakers to work in Thai schools, and provide free teaching materials. Currently, more than 30 million people worldwide are studying Mandarin, the Chinese news service Xinhua reported.
China's Education Ministry has opened language centers called Confucius Institutes in over 20 countries since 2004, including South Korea, Australia, Singapore, Sweden, and Kenya, Xinhua said.
© Copyright 2006 by United Press International
