Affordable schooling in Bangkok?

[AnnieSeek]

I am beginning once again to look at schools in Bangkok. We live in the Sukhumvit area around Asok. Amongst our family we have a child in junior school and one in senior school. They are from the UK.

 

Is there any such thing as 'affordable international schooling' in Bangkok? The prices i am seeing are horrifically high. 

[blackcab]

What is your budget? Affordable is not the same amount of money for everyone.

 

Also, what do you want in terms of schooling? A Thai language only school? A Thai/English speaking school? An international school? Do you want a certain curriculum taught, such as British curriculum or American curriculum?

 

As you mentioned, top tier schools in Bangkok are expensive.

[AnnieSeek]

We are looking at the UK ciriculum - GCSE. 

 

Budget is flexible - but nothing like some 400,000 baht some of these schools are quoting me ! And that 600,000 was one of the cheaper options ! I had one on the Riverside quote me 800,000 ! 

 

Ideally i'd like something like 150,000 a year or round about that. Somewhere with easy access to transport, bearing in mind we have one child for senior and one for junior. 

 

We saw one of these crazy expensive schools and it was in the middle of nowhere, about 5 minutes from the airport ! 

[blackcab]

What area do you live in, because this will have a big impact on what is available.

[Airalee]

58 minutes ago, AnnieSeek said:

We are looking at the UK ciriculum - GCSE. 

 

Budget is flexible - but nothing like some 400,000 baht some of these schools are quoting me ! And that 600,000 was one of the cheaper options ! I had one on the Riverside quote me 800,000 ! 

 

Ideally i'd like something like 150,000 a year or round about that. Somewhere with easy access to transport, bearing in mind we have one child for senior and one for junior. 

 

We saw one of these crazy expensive schools and it was in the middle of nowhere, about 5 minutes from the airport ! 

From what I have seen, they can get much more expensive than even your highest quote.  ฿150,000 per year is not going to happen.  Not even close.

 

Here is a website that lists fees for a number of international schools around Thailand (although the fees listed are mostly wrong) You can click through to the schools websites to see the actual fees.  Remember that tuition is just one of the fees.  There will be initial registration fees, meal fees, uniform fees, extra curricular activity fees etc etc etc.

 

https://www.juwai.asia/main/news/1430
 

 

[wordchild]

Good international schools in Bangkok are expensive, that is the plain truth. i feel for you it this situation but things are what they are.

If you want an education standard similar to what you would get in the UK (for free) you have to pay a great deal more than your budget. think 500k up (more for senior years)  and with all the extras on top.

And i am afraid fees, for the best schools, are unlikely to fall, because many expats have this covered by their employers anyway and also because there are many wealthy Thais who are prepared to pay a high price for an "International education". At my kids school, Thai families have to pay a significant premium (in the form of a donation to the school) in addition to the already high basic fee which expats pay. 

Education costs are one of the things that needs to be right up there on your list of considerations when you become an expat.

In your situation I would really have to think hard about returning to the UK.

If that is not an option then, as others have said above, consider Thai schools. There are some pretty good Thai schools that offer a full English program, from what i have heard. Maybe others can add suggestions.

 

  

[KarenBravo]

But, do his children speak Thai?

[BKKBike09]

On 6/2/2021 at 1:36 AM, AnnieSeek said:

We are looking at the UK ciriculum - GCSE. 

 

Budget is flexible - but nothing like some 400,000 baht some of these schools are quoting me ! And that 600,000 was one of the cheaper options ! I had one on the Riverside quote me 800,000 ! 

 

Ideally i'd like something like 150,000 a year or round about that. Somewhere with easy access to transport, bearing in mind we have one child for senior and one for junior. 

 

We saw one of these crazy expensive schools and it was in the middle of nowhere, about 5 minutes from the airport ! 

UK curriculum will be another limiting factor, I suspect, as more and more schools are moving to IB (also becoming more popular as a choice in the UK).

 

150K a year - forget most of the international schools. Some of the Christian-linked schools like (in your rough catchment area) Ekamai International School are in that bracket and I would think as good as many more expensive schools. But that's US curriculum and linked to Seventh Day Adventists, if that bothers you. 

 

[brewsterbudgen]

I researched this extensively for my son.  You could try RC International School at Ploenchit. It has a UK curriculum and term fees are in the region of 50,000 baht (3 terms) which includes lunch.  In terms of facilities and quality it is somewhat below the more expensive international schools like Patana and Bangkok Prep, but my kid is very happy there.

 

http://www.rcis.ac.th/

 

Other possibilities would be Ekkamai International (US curriculum) and Trinity at Thong Lor.  Both are cheaper than the top tier international schools.

[Why Me]

I know Thais who send their kids to boarding school in India. Top-tier English-medium there would be a fraction of the cost here. Of course, not an option at the moment because of the virus.

[Sunderland]

9 hours ago, Why Me said:

I know Thais who send their kids to boarding school in India. Top-tier English-medium there would be a fraction of the cost here. Of course, not an option at the moment because of the virus.

I would have hated my parents if they had jetted me off to another country to be stuck away in a boarding school.

[Why Me]

6 hours ago, Sunderland said:

I would have hated my parents if they had jetted me off to another country to be stuck away in a boarding school.

I would too. Boarding schools are a British thing. Those in India and Pakistan started in colonial times and apparently the leading ones are highly prestigious.

Edited June 3, 2021 by Why Me

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

I once taught at a private school in BKK. Fees were exorbitantly high. My pay however, was not. Heh. I'm now making about the same here at a government school out in Issan, thankfully without the hassles and pains of that previous school.

 

As such, the quality of the education in that school was sorely lacking. Their emphasis was on paperwork and procedure, making it appear as though there was a rigorous curriculum, while really there was not. Copying and cheating were rampant. Whenever this was highlighted there were no disciplinary measures, for this or much anything else. In fact, teachers were the ones penalized for making trouble. Students quickly learned that without consequences, they simply didn't have to put forth much effort. Couple this with the hi-so attitude they get from parents paying those high fees, and you have a complete farce where not much of anything takes place, yet is ridiculously expensive, and I suppose looks impressive. I actually get more effort and better attitudes out here at the Issan govt school.

 

Parents, be careful. When shopping for schools, ask for a tour during normal operating hours, and take note of the following. Is there an overemphasis on the look of the facilities, decor, electronics? Ask yourself, perhaps this is more important to them than other things? In the classrooms, are the students actually being directed and supervised, or allowed to do whatever? Are they actually doing schoolwork on their electronic devices?

 

The more this type of school is rejected, in favor of better, more practical options, the more those options should become the norm. Thanks and good luck.