Needs Analysis of English Skills for Logistics Business Among Thai University Students Prathomwat Suraprajit Faculty of Management Sciences, Kasetsart University, Thailand Pimpisa Chanted Faculty of Management Sciences, Kasetsart University, Thailand Nipapat Pomat  Faculty of Management Sciences, Kasetsart University, Thailand Abstract—Logistics plays a vital role in driving the global economy forward. Within this profession, English serves as the primary means of communication. However, not all logistics personnel, especially those for whom English is a second language, find it easy to use. The aim of this research is to conduct a needs analysis for English skills in the logistics industry. A questionnaire was distributed to 156 Thai logistics management students and employed Google Forms together with Microsoft Excel for quantitative analysis. The findings revealed the following: 1) The four core skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) and vocabulary were reported extremely important, while grammar was rated as important. 2) The most frequently utilized English skill was reading, the skill most desired to improve was speaking, the skill that lacked the most was grammar, and the skill requiring the greatest development in their future were reading, listening, speaking, and writing, respectively. The implications of this study are significant for the development of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses. Index Terms—English for logistics business, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), course development I. INTRODUCTION A. Background English, as one of the most widely spoken languages worldwide, is utilized by individuals for various purposes. Firstly, it serves as a means for academic communication, known as English for Academic Purposes (EAP). EAP is particularly valuable for students and educators in higher education institutions located in non-English-speaking countries, as it helps them address challenges and obstacles encountered during the learning and teaching processes. Secondly, English is employed for specific purposes, commonly referred to as English for Specific Purposes (ESP). ESP is a needs-based approach that determines the specific language skills that should be emphasized or focused on to facilitate children’s success. By providing learners with opportunities to engage with English in contexts that they comprehend and find intriguing, ESP enables them to naturally acquire the language. In this manner, ESP opens doors for learners to develop their English proficiency in a meaningful and captivating manner. In Thailand, where English is taught as a foreign language to some extent, having a strong command of the English language is crucial for achieving optimal job performance. Furthermore, English proficiency serves as a crucial tool for Thai employees to accomplish their objectives in the global labor market. As highlighted in the comprehensive report on English language usage in professional settings (Cambridge English Language Assessment, 2016), English is the primary language for international business transactions, irrespective of whether countries have English as their native or non-native language. This holds true for Thailand, which stands as a prominent player among the top-performing upper-middle-income economies (Logistics Performance Index, 2018). However, the significance of English extends beyond individual employees to encompass companies as well. The report reveals that English proficiency is considered important by over 95% of employers in countries where English is not the official language. In the logistics sector, a crucial component of transportation and distribution, 77% of employees whose first language is not English acknowledge the importance of English for their respective businesses (Logistics Performance Index, 2018). Attaining proficiency in English is a significant milestone in achieving effective communication in the language. However, numerous studies have highlighted the challenges and difficulties faced by Thai employees across all four language skills. For instance, research has shown that listening skills pose challenges (Sanjit, 2016; Tamtani, 2019; Jeharsae, 2014; Jampa & Denis, 2016), speaking skills encounter obstacles (Srisuwan & Kardkarnklai, 2014; Pratoomrat & Rajprasit, 2014), reading skills present difficulties (Boonruk, 2019), and writing skills raise concerns  Corresponding Author. ISSN 1798-4769 Journal of Language Teaching and Research, Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 719-726, May 2024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1503.04 © 2024 ACADEMY PUBLICATION