This qualitative case study examines factors affecting ELT teachers’ culture teaching practices in an English language classroom of a private school in Bangkok, Thailand. The data were collected within five months through classroom observations, pre- and post- interviews and document archives, with the participation of six Thai teachers and one South African teacher teaching at the lower secondary level. The research shows that teachers’ pedagogical practices are affected by both internal and external factors, including the influence of Standard English ideology among Thai people on the school’s administration and policy. Nonetheless, teachers themselves are the most decisive factor in implementing intercultural education. Their cognition primarily dictates what culture should be taught as well as how to teach culture. Therefore, the study demonstrates the way ELT teachers integrate culture into their classroom, and explains how their teaching and learning experience, especially within teacher education and professional development contexts, profoundly impact their practices in teaching culture and intercultural communication.
Key words: English as a lingua franca, intercultural communication, intercultural awareness, teacher cognition