Ice is popular name in Trat

The other popular English names were "May" and "Fluke" while "Ploy", "Nam" and "Sai" were the top Thai nicknames, she said.

The Trat Cultural Office surveyed 7,244 children from kindergarten to third graders and found that 53 per cent of them had English nicknames and 44 per cent Thai nicknames. About 1 per cent each had Korean, Japanese, Chinese or Arabic nicknames.

The media played a crucial role in parents choosing to call their kids after famous actors, singers, tools and musical instruments.

Foreign languages have crept into people's daily lives, so Thai language promotion was very necessary, she said.

Permanent Secretary Vira Rojpojchanarat said the Culture Ministry would next week gather usage problems and hold a meeting of experts before drawing up guidelines for a master plan to promote Thai and local dialects.

The plan would be subjected to a public hearing before it is submitted to the Cabinet in October, he said.

The ministry would also organise a seminar on His Majesty the King's literature and language genius in December to celebrate his 80th birthday, he added.