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An Expat Guide to The International School System in Thailand

BY ฺBridge Estate

Thailand, especially its capital city Bangkok, is home to many regional operating headquarters of multinational corporations from all around the world. Its openness to foreign talent makes it an attractive destination for international migration, especially. Expat parents do not have to worry about their children’s educational needs in Thailand as its international schools rank highly in all of Asia, with outstanding learning spaces and facilities that offer holistic, child-centered education.

International schools in Thailand usually adopt either international curricula recognised globally such as International Baccalaureate (IB) and Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE), or the native curriculum of a different country. This ensures that children can resume their education without disruption after they migrate to a different country.

We look at the structure of the international school system in Thailand.

 

Tiers of International Schools
International schools in Thailand are typically categorised into three broad tiers, based on factors such as school history, facilities, funding, and others. These categories are largely subjective however and do not definitively indicate the quality of the schools.

Tier 1
Schools in Tier 1 are considered to be the “best” schools in the country. Typically owned and operated as foundation schools or by wealthy business families, they usually boast multiple national and international accreditations (e.g. ONESQA, CIS, NEASC etc.). Educators are often highly qualified, ‘Western’- educated from all around the world. With their world-class facilities, these schools naturally also charge a pretty penny as fees, which can be anywhere from 400,000 to 1 million baht annually.

Tier 2
Tier 2 schools are usually owned by large corporations or investors. They also have national accreditations and typically at least one international accreditation to their names. In comparison to Tier 1 schools, Tier 2 schools have a more equal mix of local and international educators as well as a larger student body. Fees are also relatively lower, in the range of between 200,000 to 800,000 baht a year.

Tier 3
Schools in this next tier are mostly owned by individuals or families. They usually hold just the national ONESQA accreditation with no international ones. The majority of the teaching and student body tend to be Thai, with fees ranging from 80,000 to 300,000 baht, significantly lower than that of the schools in Tier 1 and 2.

 

International School Curriculum

As expats in Thailand come from all over the world, Thailand’s international schools offer a wide range of curricula for students.

International Baccalaureate (IB) – This curriculum sets a high standard for success and places great emphasis on both creative and critical thinking. Some international schools offer one or more of the IB programmes – Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the

Diploma Programme (DP). Examples include NIST International School and Concordian International School.

British – The National Curriculum of English is the most popular international school curriculum in Thailand. It is highly student-centered and places great emphasis on achieving clear goals and standards. British curriculum schools include Bangkok Patana, Harrow International School, Shrewsbury International School, among others.

American – The American curriculum is the second most popular curriculum in Thailand, covering a wide range of courses that provide their students with a holistic education.

Others – Other curricula offered in Thailand are Singaporean, Australian, German and French.

 

Things to Consider When Choosing a School

The high quality of the international school system across all tiers in Thailand means that parents will be spoilt for choice when choosing a school for their children.

One of the main considerations for parents is the accreditations that the school has earned. Studying in a school that has multiple national and international accreditations would ensure that the certification that the student receives at the end of their education is recognised around the world.

Another important factor that parents need to consider is their budget for annual fees. This will then affect the school facilities, class size and other co-curricular activities that their children will be involved in.

Location of the schools is also a crucial aspect of the child’s education, especially in a city like Bangkok which has inevitable traffic woes. While schools usually provide dedicated transport, the length of the commute can be very long.

Developments like SC Asset’s Chambers On Nut Station and BEATNIQ are located conveniently within 10min of reputed international schools like Wells International School, Australian International School, Anglo Singapore International School and Bangkok International Preparatory and Secondary School.

The expat community is set to grow as Thailand opens up further opportunities for foreign talent to complement the workforce in the country. This will help take the country forward towards its vision of becoming a leading education hub in the region.

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