MEXTESOL Journal, Vol. 44, No. 4, 2020 1 Reading Comprehension Ability of Future Engineers in Thailand 1 Kho Siaw Hui 2 , Kuching District Education Department, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia Karwan Mustafa Saeed 3, 4 , Koya University, Koya, Kurdistan, Iraq Thapanee Khemanuwong 5, 6 , King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok, Thailand. Abstract Profiling students’ reading comprehension ability provides essential data to educators to identify students struggling with reading. However, tertiary-level test-takers and test-givers are not always aware of the makeup and design of profiles, which creates real challenges in the use of profiling of test results to diagnose problematic areas in reading. This research hoped to unveil the English reading comprehension ability (ERCA) of first-year undergraduate engineers by employing the Thai Reading Evaluation and Decoding System (T-READS). The sample consisted of 751 first-year undergraduate engineers at a Thai public university. Researchers analysed data using descriptive statistics (i.e., T- READS results) and inferential statistics (i.e., one-way ANOVA). Data analysis led to two major findings. First, the data revealed that 74% of undergraduate engineers were at Band 3 and above, which was the minimum university requirement of ERCA. Second, statistically significant differences in the T-READS scores among four groups of performers (Above Standard, Meet Standard, Below Standard and Academic Warning) (F [3,747] = 1476.66, p = 0.00) were found. Major findings hold pedagogical implications that provide English programme planners at the tertiary level with insights into the reading comprehension difficulties faced by undergraduate engineers and the use of T-READS as a formative assessment tool that can be localized for the planning of targeted interventions. Resumen Perfilar la comprensión de lectura de los estudiantes proporciona datos esenciales a los educadores para identificar a quienes tienen dificultades en lectura. Sin embargo, los examinados de nivel terciario y los examinadores no siempre son conscientes de la composición y el diseño de los perfiles, lo que crea verdaderos desafíos en el uso de la elaboración de perfiles de los resultados de las pruebas para diagnosticar las áreas problemáticas de la lectura. Esta investigación esperaba revelar la capacidad de comprensión de lectura en inglés (ERCA) de los ingenieros de pregrado de primer año mediante el empleo del Sistema de decodificación y evaluación de lectura tailandés (T-READS). La muestra consistió en 751 ingenieros de primer año en una universidad pública tailandesa. Los investigadores analizaron los datos usando estadísticas descriptivas (resultados de T-READS) y estadísticas inferenciales (ANOVA de una vía). El análisis de datos arrojó dos hallazgos importantes. Primero, los datos revelaron que el 74% de los ingenieros de pregrado estaban en la Banda 3 y superior, que era el requisito universitario mínimo de ERCA. En segundo lugar, se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en las puntuaciones de T-READS entre cuatro grupos de artistas (por encima del estándar, cumple con el estándar, por debajo del estándar y advertencia académica) (F [3,747] = 1476,66, p = 0,00). Los principales hallazgos tienen implicaciones pedagógicas que brindan a los planificadores de programas de inglés en el nivel terciario información sobre las dificultades de comprensión lectora que enfrentan los ingenieros de pregrado y el uso de T-READS como una herramienta de evaluación formativa que se puede localizar para la planificación de intervenciones específicas. Introduction Increasing productivity and enhancing Thailand’s overall competitiveness especially in the Southeast Asia region would be the key factor for the country’s economic development. In view to this, Thailand 4.0 entails boosting the country’s economic productivity through human capital development (Koen et al., 2018). Within this premise, Thailand 4.0 focuses on building its national ability using innovation-based concepts and trading internationally. In recent years, the development of English language skills has taken the centre stage in Thailand’s effort to accommodate globalisation and internalisation (Charubusp & Chinwonno, 2014). Therefore, as industry becomes more integrated and globalised, job requirements expect competency in the English language as one of the mastered skills in job applications. With regards to Thailand 4.0, Thailand’s education hopes to enhance Thai graduates’ English language competency given the crucial role of English as the global language for business and trading. 1 This is a refereed article. Received: 13 March, 2020. Accepted: 14 June, 2020. 2 kylin11@hotmail.com 3 Department of English Language, Faculty of Education 4 karwan.saeed@koyauniversity.org 5 Faculty of Liberal Arts 6 thapaneekhe@gmail.com