The four-year plan to upgrade the English curriculum is expected to cost Bt2 billion.

The Education Ministry hopes to ensure that half of the students studying English become proficient and 10 per cent attain the "excellent" level.

According to the plan, some 60,000 graduates will each year enter the job market with the ability to communicate in the language.

The ministry plans to revamp the English curriculum to focus on communication skills.

The plan calls for setting up a model school in every district, raising awareness of English studies and encouraging the practice of the language outside the classroom.

Some 20 per cent of secondary, vocational and university students will be encouraged to study and master Chinese.

About 4,000 students are expected to specialise in Chinese studies and some 100,000 workers should be adept in the language.

Meanwhile, caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday used his final radio show before the election decree takes effect on Thursday to go over his major achievements in his five years in office.

He said the economy had advanced in all areas under his watch.

The statistics speak for themselves, he said.

l Industrial exports soared from Bt2.38 trillion to Bt4 trillion.

l Tourist arrivals rose from 9.5 million to 12 million per year, contributing Bt400 billion to the country.

l More than two million jobs were created, boosting the workforce to 35.8 million.

l Annual per capital income jumped from Bt79,000 to Bt101,000.

l Non-performing loans were reduced from 25 per cent to 8 per cent of total bank loans.

l The stock exchange index recovered to 711 from 269, taking its market capitalisation from Bt1.28 trillion to Bt5 trillion.

l State-enterprise contributions to the state coffers more than doubled from Bt62 billion to Bt137 billion per year.

l State revenues rose from Bt748 billion to Bt1.28 trillion, helping the government to balance the budget after having faced a fiscal deficit of Bt110 billion when it took power.

l Foreign-exchange reserves were beefed up to US$58 billion (Bt2.18 trillion), while foreign borrowing was cut to $56.8 billion from $79 billion.

l Although public debt swelled from Bt2.8 trillion to Bt3.2 trillion, its ratio to GDP improved from 57 per cent to 41.7 per cent.

l The loan portfolios of commercial banks advanced from Bt4.6 trillion to Bt5.6 trillion. Including non-bank loans, total loans outstanding amounted to Bt7.7 trillion, up from Bt5.7 trillion.

l Households have been building up debt but the burden remains at 0.9 times earnings.

l Some 96 per cent of the population enjoy access to healthcare, compared to 76 per cent five years ago.

l Workers with secondary school education now make up 25 per cent of  the employed from 19 per cent.

l The proportion of disabled people receiving allowances rose from 4.6 per cent to 7.1 per cent. Pensions were paid out to some one million senior citizens, while only 400,000 received anything before.

l Drug cases were slashed from 422 to 160 per 100,000 people.

Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation