Given that English plays an important role as a lingua franca in the ASEAN region far outside the so-called Inner Circle, a question has been asked whether the present-day English is still the sole property of people in native settings, or whether it has already been shared by a vast majority of speakers in particular outer- and expanding-circle countries where English is utilised as a second language and a foreign language by users of diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. This concern voices a call for increased attention to ESL and EFL learners’ language appropriation and their identity formation to see the relationships between these learners’ sense of self and their positioning with respect to English. The present study was designed to explore Thai postgraduates' opinions or feelings about their taking ownership of English as an International Lingua Franca (EILF) in ASEAN and how they view themselves in relation to the language. A qualitative approach was applied, using open-ended interview questions to obtain the data from the participants. 44 postgraduate students who enrolled on existing courses of the two English-related programmes were taken as a sample group. The study finds no shared sense of ownership of English amongst these students, but the idea that English is used as a language for communication is highlighted. Since the students’ need for further improvement of English is widely recognised for the sake of their educational, economic and social growth and future prospects, the assumption that ‘the West is the world’ is still prevalent. Although getting involved in various English-related activities, these students’ identity through their national language remains firm. English is not considered the main determinant of their identity. The study provides pedagogical suggestions that aim for valuing gains in English proficiency, together with instilling a respect for ASEAN local languages and cultures.