Abstract:
The purposes of this research were to examine the level of speaking English Proficiency, which classified according to language functions, and to identify the styles of English used by the Thai tourist guides in Chiang Mai Province. The sample consisted of 15 Thai tourist guides who had used English for communication with their tourist, while visiting Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep Rajawarawihasm, and 30 foreign tourists who had used the Thai tourist guides' service. The instrument used were the observation by using a tape recorder recording the conversational communication between the Thai tourist suides and their foreign tourtists, and a questionnaire to collect data from the foreign tourists. Data were analyzed by means of arithmetic mean, standard deviation, and percentage through the SPSS for Windows program.The results indicated that the level of proficiency of the thai tourist guides in using vocabulary was good in every language function. The proficiency in using English grammar was at a very good level in the function of social formulas; whereas the level of proficiency in the main function and making communication work was good. In the aspect of pronunciation, the Thai tourist guides could pronounce with moderate to good proficiency in every function concerning the proficiency of task achievement, it was at a very good level in the main function. For social formulas and making communication work, the level of proficiency was good. With regard to the style in using English language, the Thai tourist guides used the neutral style to communicate with tourists. Formal style was found when they used language in social formulas; While informal style was found in the fuction of making communication work.