Education & Schooling in Thailand

The three government agencies responsible for the development of the educational system in Thailand are the National Education Commission, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of University Affairs.

• The Ministry of Education is responsible for the provision of pre-school education, primary education, secondary education, teacher education, vocational and technical education and curriculum development. The Ministry of Education plays the most important part in children's education in Thailand
• The National Education Commission is responsible for educational policies, planning and research
• The Ministry of University Affairs manages the state universities (in Thai)

Types of School

Private and international schools

The facilities and quality of teaching in international schools are usually of a very high standard and the class sizes are small. There are over 70 international schools in Bangkok but they can also be found in Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin and on the Eastern Seaboard. From pre-school to higher education, there are internationals schools for every age.

The curriculum may vary between schools although most follow either the American or British curriculum. There are also schools that offer the International Baccalaureate or use national systems from Germany, Switzerland, Japan or India. International school students study internationally recognised courses such as AP, GCE “A” Level, IGCSE and the IB, which allow them to attend higher education institutes in countries outside Thailand.

All schools have to be externally accredited by law to ensure they follow set procedures and meet standards. NEASC, ECIS, WASC and CIS are all accepted accrediting organisations in Thailand. Typically, teachers teach in their native language.

Thai studies are a compulsory subject in international schools as in government schools. Most international schools offer wide ranging extra curricula activities including sports, arts, dance and community service.

Each school will follow its own admissions procedure which can include placement tests and inspection of prior academic records. Typically there is a fee for the admissions process. Normally, schools will require students to have a Non-immigrant ED visa in order to enrol. The parent must make direct contact with the school before attempting to obtain a Non-immigrant ED visa and if possible, prior to coming to Thailand. If the family is on a tourist visa, they will be required to leave the country in order to obtain the necessary visa (see Admission requirements below).

Public/government schools

Education is compulsory for all Thai children from ages six to fifteen. It is not compulsory for preschool children to attend school, however, there are facilities for children aged three to five to attend nursery and preschool.

Government or public schools are free for Thai nationals. Children that have at least one Thai parent are considered Thai nationals if their birth was registered in Thailand by the Thai parent. As a Thai national, they are able to register in a Thai public school and receive all of the educational benefits allocated to a Thai national. The only documents required when registering are a birth certificate and House Registration Document (Tabien Baan).

Parents are required to pay a nominal fee for books and necessities. They are also required to buy a school uniform.

The following are the five areas in the government school curriculum:

• Basic skills in Thai language and mathematics
• Life experiences including social studies, natural science, health education, citizenship, conservation
• Character development including moral education, physical education, music and performing arts, art education
• Special experience (for grades five to six) involving English language or special vocational skills relevant to the needs of the community
• Thai studies (except in preschools)

Although there have been recent improvements in the teaching of the English language in Thai schools, many acknowledge that there is still much to be done to improve this.

Many government schools run an English-language programme that may be available to foreign students, but there are fees for this. The programme varies from extra English language classes to a completely separate school within a school where 50 percent or more of the classes are carried out in English with native English speakers. These programmes are considerably cheaper than an international school, but class sizes will be bigger and the method of teaching may be more learning by rote.

• For a list of these schools: Click here (in Thai)

Higher education institutions

The different types of higher education institutes are:

• University
• Technical Institute
• College
• Vocational College
• Teacher College

Exchange study programme or university enrolment for foreign students

Parents wishing to enrol their children in an international exchange study programme or university in Thailand should contact:

• Division of International Cooperation
  Ministry of University Affairs
  At: 328 Si Ayutthaya Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400 Thailand
  Tel: 02 245 8268
  Fax: 02 246 4030
  e-mail
  Website

The Educational System

Since 2001 Thailand's educational system is divided into three levels:

• Level 1: first three years of school
• KG1 to KG3 – 3 years to 5 years old
• Level 2: Primary or elementary school (Prathomsuksa or Prathom)
• P1 to P6 – 6 years to 11 years old
• Level 3: Secondary school (Mattayomsuksa or Mattayom)
• M1 to M6 – 12 years to 18 years old

Level 1 is optional, but Thai children are required to complete levels P1 to M3.

At the end of each year, students must take a test in order to move on to the next level. If the student cannot pass the test, they may have to repeat the last completed year or may be given an option of attending a summer school programme at the end of which the student will be retested. Students cannot continue to the next level until they pass the test. However, it is not common for students to be held back as, typically, the student can take the test again with the assistance of a teacher. This can be repeated until the student passes the required exam.

After completing the final obligatory year, M3, students who wish to continue their education must take the Ordinary National Educational Test (O-NET). At the end of M6 they take the Advanced National Educational Test (A-NET) in order to graduate. Graduating from M6 is the equivalent to graduating after taking A levels, the International Baccalaureate or the Standardised Achievement Test (SAT) in the US.

In order to attend a university after graduating from M6, students must pass the Central University Admission System (CUAS). This system is based on the scores of the O-NET and the A-NET as well as the Grade Point Average from M4.

The Grading System

Thailand uses a number grading system in primary and secondary schools.

• Highest: 4
• Lowest: 1

Many English programmes and some individual teachers still use the A, B, C, D and F gading system with F being the failing grade.

Grading at the university level is based on a credit points system. Each subject is graded individually and the points are tabulated.

Finding a School & Enrolling a Pupil

The first decision will be whether to send the child to a government school (if allowed) or a private, international school. Places in government schools are not allocated on a catchment area basis.

Applications for all schools need to be made at the school itself.

Admission requirements for foreign students

If a student has one Thai parent and their birth was registered in Thailand, that student is classified as a Thai national and is entitled to all the benefits of a Thai national.

Some or all of the following documents are usually required for foreign students enrolling in international or government schools. Check with the school for individual requirements.

• Passport valid for six months beyond intended length of stay
• Non-immigrant ED visa 
• All documentation from previous school (if applicable)
• Birth Certificate
• Health Certificate
• Immunisation Records

The following documents are required for foreign students enrolling in a higher education school:

• High School Certificate or equivalent
• Academic records from previous schools
• Non-immigrant ED visa

An admission exam may also be required before a student is accepted into a program of study.

Academic School Year & Public Holidays

Government school times do vary but the school day usually starts at 08:30 when the National Anthem is sung. It ends at around 15:30. International schools may have differing start and finish times depending on the school.

Private international schools each have different dates for the school vacations. However, they are more likely to follow the Western timetable with a five-week holiday in July and August and two weeks for both Christmas and Easter. Contact the school for exact dates.

All Thai state schools follow the same school year but there will be slight variations between individual schools and provinces. Contact the school for exact information.

There are two main holidays in the state-school year:

• October: One month starting from around 1 October
• March and April: Two months starting approximately at the beginning of March until the end of April

For further information contact the Ministry of Education:

• Ministry of Education
  Tel: 02 281 3441
  e-mail
  Website

Further Information

• Portal For Education in Thailand
• International Schools Association of Thailand
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs