Muay Thai headbands, sports day medals and educational videos at Buddharangsee Thai Community School, photograph Ed Giles.
Thai-English typewriter, courtesy Thai Welfare Association, photograph Ed Giles.
Thai Language
The Thai language is a symbol of national pride. Unlike neighbouring nations that were colonised, Thai has retained its original script. The Thai alphabet consists of 44 consonants, 32 vowels and four tone markers, Thai is a tonal language which uses no punctuation or spaces between words.
Access to Thai language services has been very important for Thai migrants, not only for ease of communication and understanding, but also to reinforce their identity. Language is not only a means of communication, but also contains cultural nuances and forms of etiquette.
The Thai language media in Sydney was formed in response to the rapid growth of the Thai community. The Thai language media enables the Thai community to access current affairs and advertise their events and services. In 1989 a Thai program began broadcasting on SBS Radio. In 1990, Thai-Oz newspaper was started. Thai-Oz now has a circulation of about 7,000, covering local, Thai and international news.
The University of Sydney opened its Thai program in 1990 with 14 students. Many graduates of the program have gone on to work in Thailand or have forged lasting links with the Thai community in Australia. The Thai studies program was moved to the University of Technology Sydney from 2006 due to Federal Government funding cuts. Other universities in NSW have also run Thai programs in the past.
By the 1990s there was a substantial second generation of Thais living in Sydney. Thai parents found their children's Thai language skills declined when they began school. The Buddharangsee Thai Community Language School started in 1991, held on Sundays at the temple in Stanmore. The monks allowed them to use a small library at the temple as a classroom. They had one trained teacher. Parents and one grandmother joined her as educators.
The school teaches not only Thai language but also Thai culture, including manners, etiquette, classical dancing and music. The school has become a vital element of the Thai community in Sydney, drawing parents together and maintaining second-generation links with the culture and language.