[Atmotteenrift]

Hi Steve,
Just wondering... which is the number 1 university in Thailand?
I know it should be Chula, Thammasart.... and Kasert? Is there a order in rankings for these University? What about International School like ABAC?

Just curious....

[Khurlxgq]

hehe.. thanks for the info.. this will come in useful for me..
But i've never heard of King Mongkut University????

King Mongkut's Institute of Technology.

Actually there is a KMIT in Nonthaburi/North Bkk just near you 'Bucky'. I think you say in Thai "Chula jom klao phra nakhorn neu-a"

[Khurlxgq]

In theory, 9 years of education is now....compulsory. I use the word in theory as in practice if a kid drops school at his/her own accord before Grade 9 the authorities do nothing in regards to forcing that kid to attend school.

In theory too, education is free up to Grade 12 but unless the kid's family can prove to the school/local education board that they honestly don't have any financial means, the family will be asked to pay for this and that.

This and that means: lunch, books and uniforms etc... Parents are also asked to pay for extra-tutorial/pvt teachers such as 'The Foreign English Teacher', 'Computer Usage' and after school activities etc....

Every parent knows that having their kid study privately with their home-room Thai teacher etc.... will bring in better grades but again they will have to pay for that. That's all i'll say on that matter, better keep my mouth shut on that subject!

Yes, Thailand too has it's core and elective subjects just the same as the US.

In fact, the Thai state education system is based on that of the US, ie..Grades 1 through to 12 etc.... but the English Language syllabus is English/English.

Just as in western countries the kids at the age of 16 or after graduation of Grade 9 have the choice to drop their studies altogether, continue on to Grade 12 in the hope of going on to uni. or attend a vocational college instead.

Thailand's top state universities are of a high international standard. Perhaps someone would like to argue with that but the statistics show that the quality is right...up there.

As an educator, i can only agree to a certain point with what Bagwan has said in relation to 'Standards are low by UK benchmarks'

Statistics show that Thai students who go abroad to western countries to study for a year or so are far superior, on average, to their local counterparts in 'Maths and Science'.

Thailand's top state high schools have exceled on an international level at 'Maths and Science'.

For the past month i have been teaching a Grade 8 kid who has been in New Zealand studying for a year and a half. Just last night we were discussing this exact topic. On completion of Grade 6 he never once got in his class' top ten for Maths and Science but ever since he has been at school in New Zealand he has been scoring first or second.

Just call up any Bkk based company working in the field of 'sending Thai school kids to study abroad for a year' and they will tell you exactly the same thing and that includes the UK.

But....in some other subjects, especially 'Social Sciences' the Thai kids lag behind their western counterparts.

Finally, i would agree with bagwan in terms of 'Examinations being shaky!!'

Thai kids just love teamwork and trying to get away with the most copying and cheating is just the ....norm!

[Khurlxgq]

Unless i am in the classroom actually supervising the kiddies strictly they spend half their time: reading cartoon books, drawing silly pictures, playing gameboy, sleeping or throwing plastercine in each others eyes.

Talk about copying homework! Geez, notice half the kids in the morning sat around just copying up each others work.

If i ever walk into the room with an actual serious lesson plan half the room bellow out complaining "Teacher Play Game!"

Not so stupid like, just before i collect their scores, some of them say things like "Oooh teacher you such a handsome man" "teacher you look so young" or talking about being corrupt, they already know that they ought to offer the teacher a sweet or cake if they want higher marks!!

[Atmotteenrift]

hehe.. thanks for the info.. this will come in useful for me..
But i've never heard of King Mongkut University????

[Immampdah]

I went to Rangsit uni because i was interested in seeing the differences between the UK and Thai degree studies, I went to a law degree class and the day was split into four three hour lessons which was mainly lecturing and seemed a bit dull possibly because i didnt understand it all , in the three hour computer lesson i was in the teacher sat at the front with all the screens facing the other way while everyone played on games and talked on messenger for the lesson she was talking but i couldnt hear anything hehe... i mean this is just my experience but it was quite confusing, i guess very different from UK studies, maybe just this university i don't know....was still great fun!

[Khurlxgq]

Hi Bucky:

Since we've moved away from talking about popular Eurasian girls cum pop stars turned movie stars! 555.....

ABAC doesn't count as that's a 'privately owned' institution. Actually, ABAC isn't as popular as it once was after the establishment of loads more international unis in Bangkok.

ABAC was Thailand's first international uni. but sadly it is past it's heydays!

Top State Unis also provide international courses now, which are very popular amongst Bkk's smartest (money needed too though!) such as Silpakorn and Mahidol etc...

Top of the bunch is probably Chulalongkorn University for sure. Why? Because of overall standard. They offer Thailand's best under/postgraduate courses in a variety of fields.

Thammasart used to be a close front runner with Chulalongkorn but has slipped rather since the uni opened up its new huge campus in the middle of nowhere on Rangsit; i mean no-one wants to study there! Plus folks these days arent that interested in political science etc... like they used to be in the old days of Thailand's student rebellion.

In fact Kasertsart University is on equal par these days with Thammasart at number two (according to some popularity figures/entrance exam i read a year back)

Silpakorn is Thailand's top for art.

King Mongkut is as popular as Chula for its engineering etc....

Mahidol is famous for its medicine etc....

Chula is top for law, but even Thailand's biggest open university Ramkhamhaeng is famed for its 'Law'

[BaselBimbooooo]

I'm curious to know if the Thai Education System has a curriculum of core classes and electives like that in the US?

How many years of education are required before graduation?

And do they promote subjects along the lines of computer technology, application development, system's administration, advanced computing platforms...etc?

I understand that Thailand is the worlds largest exporter of rice. But, do they offer and promote other career avenues in the area of technology?

Just curious...

[ChrisGoldstein]

I really do not think so,,You can't find a Tech to fix a computer here, they have the worlds worst ISP service,Internet connection is always iffy at best, Even with new equipment it never works right and they can't get it to work.

My service is ADSL and supposed to be 512/256 and it never hits the meter at over 50 kbps and sometimes 23 kbps or even less will not connect to the web.

[Unwiseevove]

I'm curious to know if the Thai Education System has a curriculum of core classes and electives like that in the US?

How many years of education are required before graduation?

And do they promote subjects along the lines of computer technology, application development, system's administration, advanced computing platforms...etc?

I understand that Thailand is the worlds largest exporter of rice. But, do they offer and promote other career avenues in the area of technology?

Just curious...

The quick answer is yes but standards are low by UK benchmarks. The examination standards and gaining passes is flaky to say the least. The PM's son was caught cheating in an examination but then ...........................