Education in Thailand

Population: 65 million people

Literacy Rate: 92.6 %

GNP: USD 2,750 per capita

Human Development Index: 0.78

Thailand Academic Year from May to following year March.

There are two semesters in Thai academic year with an optional summer semester. From kindergarten to high school the first semester opens from mid May and continues until the end of September. The second semester lasts from November until end of February (or early March). The university academic year is slightly different, lasting from June to October and mid November to mid March.

Education in Thailand is provided mainly by the government through the Thai Ministry of Education. Education is divided into two major levels with 6 years of elementary / primary school (Prathomsuksa) and 6 years of high / secondary school (Mattayomsuksa).

After 2001, the Ministry changed the system of education into ´Children Centre,´ and divided into four levels: the first three years in elementary school is the first level, the second level is the other half, the third level is the first three years in high school, and the last is the other half of high school. After each level, students need to pass the NET (National Educational Test)to graduate.

Children are required only to attend six years of elementary school and at least the first three years of high school. But, if they have graduated the sixth year of high school, there are two important tests following: O-NET (Ordinary National Educational Test) and A-NET (Advanced National Educational Test). After graduating from high school, lots of students in the major cities like to continue their education in bachelor level, so they need to pass CUAS (Central University Admission System) which contains 50% of O-NET and A-NET results and the other half of the forth level GPA (Grade Point Average).

Since 2001, Thai Education has changed its face. Lots of students in the major cities don´t like the CUAS system and protest it, because there is no standard of GPA result from each school, but there is opposite situation in country area. So, some university boards decided to avoid the problems by receiving students before the CUAS.

There are public and private schools. Some local schools have only elementary school and 3 years of high school.

Teachers have been criticized for looking the other way when students and colleagues plagiarize. Some believe that the allowance of plagiarism stifles learning and creativity in many Asian countries.

Updated On: 15.02.09