Thailand is committed to linguistic diversity and making sure minority language learners are not left out of the national education system, a senior Education Ministry official said.
"Our nation is home to 72 unique ethno-lingusitic groups -- a wealth of diversity that is among our national treasures," deputy permanent secretary for education, Watanaporn Ra-Ngubtook said this week.
He was speaking at a conference to commemorate International Mother Language Day 2018 at Unesco's Bangkok office.
This started in Bangladesh in remembrance of two students who died fighting to protect their native language, Bangla, in 1952.
Mr Watanaporn said the government recognises cultural and linguistic diversity as cornerstones of national development and had put in place steps to safeguard them.
"Recognising the different linguistic and cultural backgrounds among our people, the Thai government has worked hard to protect and promote this cultural diversity," he said.
He highlighted Thailand's advances in this area, including Mahidol University and Unicef's Patani Malay-Thai Bi/Multilingual Education programme.
This improved the academic achievements of Malay learners of a certain grade.
The programme won the 2016 Unesco King Sejong Prize for Literacy.
Unesco's Bangkok director, Maki Hayakishiwa, said millions of primary school-aged children are not learning the basics.
He called the lack of access to learning in a familiar language an "invisible barrier".
