This chapter presents the core empirical findings of the study, highlighting both the barriers Thai-speaking pupils face in their English Language Learning (ELL) journey and the strategies they employ to cope with these challenges. Four key obstacles emerge from classroom observations and pupil narratives: language barriers, limited socialisation with peers, experiences of racial discrimination, and the impact of classroom seating arrangements. These barriers are shown to intersect, affecting pupils’ confidence, participation, and overall academic engagement. Yet, alongside these difficulties, the chapter also foregrounds the agency and resilience of pupils. Coping strategies include code-switching between Thai, Malay, and English, forming supportive peer networks, seeking help from sympathetic teachers, and cultivating self-motivation to persist despite exclusionary practices. These strategies reflect a combination of individual initiative and collective cultural solidarity, underscoring how minority learners negotiate their place within a schooling system that often overlooks their needs. By examining both constraints and coping mechanisms, the chapter provides a nuanced understanding of minority pupils’ learning trajectories. It illustrates that while resilience enables adaptation, structural reforms are necessary to ensure that pupils are not left to carry the burden of adjustment alone. This dual focus sets the stage for the pedagogical and policy recommendations explored in the next chapter.