Speaking before chairing a meeting of chiefs of Royal Thai Army’s organic units on Tuesday, Army chief Gen Chalermchai Sitthisart said he would issue an order for all battalion chiefs to be tested for their physical fitness next month at the Royal Thai Army Club. They would need to take an English competency exam, too.

The English test requirement could be a response to an order mentioned by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha during a speech on the 12th Economic and Social Development Plan and Thailand’s future at Muang Thong Thani in Nonthaburi.

He said any recruitment test for civil servants from now on would include a mandatory English language test.

Prayut addressed the importance of English, saying official documents should all have Thai and English versions.

“It will show the development and be well-informed. At least it [an English document] can help about the literacy rate. I don’t want others to be dumb like me,” Prayut said.