Higher Education in Thailand

Abstract

In its over 132 years of existence, higher education in Thailand has expanded access and increased in quality. During that time, Thai universities have evolved alongside Thai society to meet the nation’s needs. A steady presence and supportive force for Thai higher education has been the Thai monarchy, and Thai royalty has conferred degrees to every graduate since the 1930s. While challenges remain in terms of quality, internationalization, inclusion and equity, and science and technology, great strides have been made in recent years to support Thai universities. One key mechanism has been the conversion of traditional public universities to autonomous universities with their own governance structures. Under the new Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, higher education in Thailand is entering a new phase focused on higher education as an engine for national growth. While governance has evolved from centralized to autonomous, Thai higher education has not lost its values of supporting national development, Thai language and culture, morality, and the monarchy.