Speaking ‘Tinglish’: a bridge or barrier?

The status of Thai English (TE) remains contested in Thailand’s Deep South (TDS), where linguistic diversity and sociopolitical factors influence perceptions of English use. This qualitative study examines how 18 secondary school students, nine teachers, and nine school administrators from nine schools perceive TE as a legitimate variety, a communicative tool, or a linguistic deficiency. Data were collected through a Global Englishes (GE) Awareness Development Workshop, focus group discussions, and semi-structured interviews. Content analysis reveals that TE is gaining recognition, though disputes remain over whether it should preserve local identity or meet global communication needs. Exposure to GE and teaching English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) encouraged participants to view TE as part of cultural identity and linguistic diversity, warranting acceptance. However, entrenched biases privileging Inner Circle norms and concerns about intelligibility continued, especially in educational and professional contexts. The study suggests that TE should no longer be regarded as a deviation from standard English but as a flexible, context-dependent variety. Legitimacy depends on society moving beyond native-speaker ideologies and promoting English use appropriate to local contexts. This study makes a significant contribution to linguistic legitimacy, English diversity, and the role of localized English varieties in multilingual societies.