Thailand ‘a rising star in the international school market’
International schools in Thailand are in high demand as foreign students, including an increasing number from China and Hong Kong, flock to the kingdom to study.
Toryos Pandejpong, board director at Denla British School (DBS) – one of the leading international schools in the region, says Thailand is now a rising star in the segment, with nearly 60,000 foreign students studying in 175 international schools. Ten years ago there were not more than 100 such schools in the country.
It’s not only foreigners but Thai parents as well who send their children to international schools, due to the perception that these schools demonstrate a global standard in quality, ensure excellent education and opportunities for students to enter the world’s top universities, he said.
DBS, for example, delivers an enhanced British curriculum from the UK taught by experienced English native teachers, Toryos said, adding that Mandarin subjects are also taught.
“Another reason why international schools are attractive is because foreigners have confidence in Thailand’s strength and stability and that’s why they send their children to our country to study,” he said.
“At DBS, we have foreign students from the UK, Australia, Portugal, USA, Canada, France, India, Japan, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, etc. We have received increasing calls from parents living in places with an unstable situation. We recently received 30 per cent more calls from Hong Kong and also from Chinese parents. We have a suitable curriculum and experienced native teachers. Our facilities, which are fully equipped with technologies, are recognised as being the best among British schools here,” Toryos said.
DBS covers more than 60 rai of land on Ratchapruek Road. The school enrolls students from their early years to Year 9 (the equivalent of kindergarten to Matthayom 2) and has a pre-school class named “DBS Mini Dragons” for children aged 2-3. DBS presently has 60 experienced English native teachers and 50 learning assistants.
The international school works under four principles of its “Unique DBS Vision” – an enhanced British curriculum, academic excellence for all, entrepreneurship and creative thinking, and global and community perspectives, including preserving Thainess. “These contribute to DBS students’ development in all areas. Their success can be seen in the many academic and non-academic awards they have earned,” he said.
According to Toryos, DBS has passed the standard evaluation from the International School Association of Thailand and the Council of International School, the pre-eminent institutions for evaluating and recognising international schools in Thailand and worldwide.
