The Development of Tuk-Tuk Drivers’ English for Communicating with International Backpackers at Ayutthaya Railway Station Community

Abstract

The purposes of this research and development study were 1) to study the problems and needs for English for communication for Tuk-Tuk drivers at Ayutthaya Railway Station Community, 2) to develop a handbook for communication English designed for entrepreneurs, and 3) to try out the mentioned handbook. This study included thirty-five Tuk-Tuk drivers who were employed as the key informants. The research instruments used for data collection were an observation form, a semi-structured interview, and the English handbook. The content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. The findings revealed that most international tourists were from Asia and they were not proficient in English. The Tuk-Tuk drivers’ education was not high, so their English abilities were quite limited. They needed to be more capable of English in some specific areas, such as explanation on service rates and distinct features of a Tuk-Tuk as well as those of tourist attractions. The Tuk-Tuk drivers needed to use English in short and easy forms due to time constraints. The use of the English handbook which contains short and easy words, phrases, sentences, nonverbal communication, visuals, and intercultural communication was a necessary material to solve the problems. The experiment on the use of the handbook showed that using English as suggested in the handbook facilitates their English communication, they are able to communicate faster, and communication problems were mitigated.