is it possible to do a Thai degree if you're a non native speaker?

[Clive]

I was wondering if it is at all possible to do a degree in Thailand in Thai Language. My son who is half Thai but doesn't speak Thai at all wishes to live in Thailand in the future and would like to do a degree in Thai when he's older as Ive heard that non Thai speakers can do this as they start at the very beginning; basic language and build up.
Can anyone please tell me if this is so and what would be the approximate cost?
Many thanks 

[Scott]

I've moved this.   You are likely to get better advice in the Teaching section. 

[dotpoom]

With respect. Is it not simply a question of whether your son has the ability to learn the Thai language fluently enough to do a degree in that language. What other obstacles do you see.

[Falcon]

Nothing wrong in wanting to do a degree in Thailand, other than that it’s almost a waste of time if he wants to use it in any other country apart from Thailand. It’s well known around the world that there is a no fail system here in any exam, including any degrees. As for the learning Thai, if he’s placed in a position where only Thai is spoken and heard, it’s surprising how fast you pick it up.

[malcoml]

Take your son aside and tell him to do a degree in a western country.

 

Wealthy Thai people send their children abroad for an decent education.

 

I had a friend in manufacturing in Thailand and they would only employ as engineers Thais who had been educated abroad.

 

If the pink elephant in the corner is sone young guy thinking of chasing Thai flange. Tell him to study externally and dont worry he will get enough of that.

[LukKrueng]

to the op - there are thai universities where they teach nearly all subjects on English, and in many other universities there are English programs in some faculties. In order to do a degree in thai language just speaking and understanding thai won't be enough. He'd have to be able to read and write as well.

And to falcon - don't know were/what you heard about thai universities but you are totally wrong. I don't know if ALL universities, but certainly many thai universities are recognized around the world. I personally know many thai people that got their first degree and/or second degree here in Thailand and then studied further in other countries such as in Europe, Australia and the USA. I also know many exchange students from around the world who come to Thailand for a semester our 2 and credits earned here count towards their degree in their home countries and many thai students that go overseas on exchange programs as well.

I also personally know students who didn't reach the minimum gpa needed for their degree and couldn't graduate until they retook some subjects and got the higher grade and needed gpa

[malcoml]

Yep it's Harvard, Oxford, then Udon Thani....

[KKr]

1 hour ago, malcoml said:

Yep it's Harvard, Oxford, then Udon Thani....

that, I have not seen yet, but a degree from a Thai University, not a college, and then a Foreign degree I have seen many examples.

[abrahamzvi]

3 hours ago, Falcon said:

Nothing wrong in wanting to do a degree in Thailand, other than that it’s almost a waste of time if he wants to use it in any other country apart from Thailand. It’s well known around the world that there is a no fail system here in any exam, including any degrees. As for the learning Thai, if he’s placed in a position where only Thai is spoken and heard, it’s surprising how fast you pick it up.

I entirely agree with you as far as learning Thai is concerned. However I can't agree with your statements about Thai degrees. True, quite a few universities have a very bad reputation, quite justifiably so, but to state this about all Thai universities is wrong. If one has a good degree from one of the better Thai universities ( 4 of them are listed in the best 200 worldwide universities (Chulalongkon, Thamassat, Mahidol and Khon Kaen), auch degrees are recognized in most countries. As a matter of fact, I do know two physicians with practices in Harley Street, London, who got their first medical degrees (MD) from Mahidol University. They are both half Thai.

[SteveB2]

I am still trying to understand the Thai Educational system  - For what its worth, here is the route I have took...

 

Study like hell (self study, tutor whatever) at least to the point where you can read kinder garden books, sing the alphabet song, national anthem & Royal Song.

 

Enroll in the Free Thai Government Gor.Sor.Nor. (ก.ศ.น.) education system for adults who have not completed formal education.

 

Complete Pratom (junior school), Matiyom(Don&Plai) high school education with Gor.Sor.Nor. so as to obtain formal proof of education certificates.

 

FInaly, sit the Thai university entrance exams (using the eligibility educational certs obtained in Gor.Sor.Nor.

 

Other comments:-

 

I think it unlikely that Thai universities language courses would begin with teaching basic Thai reading and writing skills - since that is taught in infant school.

 

Here is your link to one of the better Thai language courses at the Sirindhorn Thai language institute at Chulalongkorn University - likely Thailand's best university - Yes, all the course information is in Thai language, underlining that folks who study this course are already expected to read Thai.

 

• Just one question - Why study Thai language to such a high level?

 

As per the guidance and comments given in many of the posts above, there is no reason at all to do so, unless (I guess) he wants to follow a career that involves being an expert in Thai language, culture & History 

[timendres]

A good friend got his MBA at Bangkok University knowing only a few Thai words (although his Thai improved significantly over the course of his education). As mentioned previously, all of his courses were taught in English, which seemed to be one of the reasons Thais were keen to study there. I would agree with previous comments that a US degree might be more beneficial, however, there are many universities in the US that are worthless, just as there are universities here that are quite good.

[Clive]

Thank you for all your replies. Definitely food for thought.
Just to add a little information on my thinking. My son struggles with learning as he has ADHD but he wishes to live in Thailand when he finishes his secondary education in the UK.
I have been told (maybe incorrectly) that in order to have a decent job in Thailand a degree is required hence my thinking regarding a degree in Thailand as I know that he would not be able to pass the entrance exam or get the required exam results for a degree in the west.  
I was wondering is there an alternative path he should consider in order to reach his goal of living in Thailand, getting a decent job by Thai standards and being able to speak, read/write Thai?
Many thanks

[khunPer]

13 hours ago, Clive said:

Can anyone please tell me if this is so and what would be the approximate cost?
Many thanks 

Try to take a look at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University...

[TPI]

9 hours ago, LukKrueng said:

to the op - there are thai universities where they teach nearly all subjects on English, and in many other universities there are English programs in some faculties. In order to do a degree in thai language just speaking and understanding thai won't be enough. He'd have to be able to read and write as well.

And to falcon - don't know were/what you heard about thai universities but you are totally wrong. I don't know if ALL universities, but certainly many thai universities are recognized around the world. I personally know many thai people that got their first degree and/or second degree here in Thailand and then studied further in other countries such as in Europe, Australia and the USA. I also know many exchange students from around the world who come to Thailand for a semester our 2 and credits earned here count towards their degree in their home countries and many thai students that go overseas on exchange programs as well.

I also personally know students who didn't reach the minimum gpa needed for their degree and couldn't graduate until they retook some subjects and got the higher grade and needed gpa

Three of my Thai nieces went to Australia to improve their chances of getting a good degree, when they applied they were told to go back to High School and redo the 2 year HSC (year 11 & 12) as no university in Oz would accept their Thai results! They have now completed their 2 year course, topping parts of their courses! Just think how wonderful it would be if Thai students were allowed to shine in Thai schools? Of course Thai teachers couldn't be their teachers!

[harrry]

I think it is very hard for many overseas students to convert to a University program in Australia without a bridging course.  There are special Government High Schools in some states which do a repeat year for those Australians had trouble with the HSC because they were from non English speaking families.

TAFE programs in their field are also good bridging courses as they have facilities for ESL.  These also help to point out the differences in learning patterns in Australia where students need to be proactive and ask questions. Many do not though here.

 

In regard to Thai Universities they are often criticied here3 for not failing. True but of the student in my nieces courseonly half are still there in the final year, almost all of the leavers were quietly told that there would be no degree staying there and helped to transfer to an easier University.  One however in the final year was just told she failed her research project and hence the course as she had not atended any of the meetings with the students.  My niece said all her friends fully agreed with that and wished they were in his class as he provided lots of time and help but made his students work.

 

[LukKrueng]

12 hours ago, TPI said:

Three of my Thai nieces went to Australia to improve their chances of getting a good degree, when they applied they were told to go back to High School and redo the 2 year HSC (year 11 & 12) as no university in Oz would accept their Thai results! They have now completed their 2 year course, topping parts of their courses! Just think how wonderful it would be if Thai students were allowed to shine in Thai schools? Of course Thai teachers couldn't be their teachers!

I don't know what happened with your nieces - where they studied high school and what were their grades / GPA, but I know of many Thai universities - government and private ones that have academic relationships with universities around the world. There are exchange programs by which foreign students come to Thailand for a semester or a year and the credits they earn here count towards their degrees in their home country and vise versa Thai students that study a semester or more overseas and the credits earned are counted here. I know many Thai people that after completing bachelor degree here studied for their master degree in Australia as well as in other countries and many that have done their PhD's overseas as well (after completing bachelor or master here in Thailand). I personally know of a Japanese PhD student that although studying in Japan, conducts his research in conjunction with a university here in Thailand. I suppose that like in many countries around the world here in Thailand there are good and not so good universities, some that might not be recognized academically overseas, but most are.

[LukKrueng]

15 hours ago, Clive said:

Thank you for all your replies. Definitely food for thought.
Just to add a little information on my thinking. My son struggles with learning as he has ADHD but he wishes to live in Thailand when he finishes his secondary education in the UK.
I have been told (maybe incorrectly) that in order to have a decent job in Thailand a degree is required hence my thinking regarding a degree in Thailand as I know that he would not be able to pass the entrance exam or get the required exam results for a degree in the west.  
I was wondering is there an alternative path he should consider in order to reach his goal of living in Thailand, getting a decent job by Thai standards and being able to speak, read/write Thai?
Many thanks

Yes, to get a decent job a bachelor degree is needed, and master degree can land even better job and better salary. However, if your son has difficulties studying back home, it won't be easier in Thailand, and add to that the fact that life here is in a language he doesn't speak nor understand. I'd say that if his goal is to actually live in Thailand as a Thai - he should first master the Thai language by taking a good course that goes from the basics all the way to read/write. Only then consider academic degree.

[SlyAnimal]

I'm probably a bit late on the reply here, but have some useful information I can share for the OP.

When I studied at the Chulalongkorn Intensive Thai course, I met an American guy there who was studying at the university.  He was on level 7 or something of the Intensive Thai course (So very advanced), and then was also studying I think political science at the university.

His Thai must have of course been amazing, although he said that it was definitely still far from perfect for when it came to studying university level Thai.  He said though, that the other Thai students in his class helped him a lot, and he in turn helped them too as a lot of the required readings were actually originally written in English but then translated into Thai for the course.  Thus, if he could find the original version of the article, he could potentially gain a deeper understanding of the material than the Thai students.  He would of course run into vocabulary during the lectures etc which he wasn't familiar with, and so they were able to explain to him the true meaning of the word (He'd usually of course have a rough idea as to it's meaning based on context etc), and in return he'd help them with getting a deeper understanding of the theory since he had read the original.

So in answer to your question, yes non native Thai speakers can study at Thai universities.  I also know a lot of Chinese students that went through the Thai univerisites to finish their bachelor degrees (They first studied in China then finished the last 1-2 years of their degrees in Thailand), and some Cambodian etc students who came to Thai universities to do their doctorates etc.

For a course which is primarily based on learning the language, most of the top universities have a Thai course for foreigners that they operate.  I have the link for the Chula one, but you should be able to find courses for the other major universities as well if they're more conveniently located.  They aren't degree courses, and will just provide you with a certificate, but provided your son is willing to work really hard (It has a crazy workload), he'll get a lot of value out of it.  Also being half Thai, he likely knows a lot more Thai than what the foreigners doing the course do, so might find it a bit easier.  When I studied there, there were two sisters who were half Thai, that had been brought up in the UK, who were doing the course to learn how to read/write (They had grown up speaking to their mother in Thai, but just never learnt how to read/write).

http://www.arts.chula.ac.th/CTFL/ctfl/intensivethai.html