Continuing Study In Thailand

[phormio]

Thanks, phormio.  I'm still confused and ignorant, or dazed and confused.  The new pdf that you just posted is little more than a green and white single page ad, that says the course goes from January to December (not the same as the prior URL that said it starts on August 28, 2005).  Which program is this?  How much does it cost?  How many hours per week, which days of the week?  Is it 15 or 18 credit thingies?  Does the MoE accept it?  Does the MoE not accept something else?

Thanks.  Sorry to keep bothering you.  Looks like the 500 baht is still safe in my wallet.  I know I'm being picky, and honestly I'm not likely to go this route, anyway, for personal reasons like my age.  But before some aspiring younger, serious teacher spends up to 40,000 baht and countless hours of graduate-level work, what's it worth when they finish?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's no bother, I appreciate your comments and questions. I agree with you - the program description on their site is not very good - though it does say that the Summer Program begins on August 28, 2005 and the application deadline is August 15, 2005.

As for the benefits of attending and obtaining the Professional Teaching Education Certificate, I'd say they are :

1. MOE(Ministry of Education of Thailand) approves the program

2. Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), one of the major accrediting agencies for international schools, reportedly will accredit schools who hire teachers that have received their Professional Teacher's Certificate from Mission College's program.

I've heard this from two independent sources - from the program director of Mission College(who talked to a director of studies a midsized, about 500 students, international school, who told him that teachers from Mission College's program were acceptable to WASC when accrediting schools). I've also heard this from a 25 year veteran of Thailand (who started his own international school a year or two ago and is currently undergoing accredidation), he was the person I originally heard about this program from. He has may contacts at MOE and has worked in many of the top name internationals in Bangkok over the years.

As for whom I believe would benefit from this program - individuals who:

1. have a Bachelors Degree in some field

2. don't already have a great deal of teaching experience

3. plan to stay in Thailand a long time

4. want to work in the international school system here in the LOS

If you hear anything else about this program, or teachers who have been through it, I'd love to find out how attending this program has impacted their teaching careers here in the LOS.

[Uli]

I just browsed all these postings in education fields. Interesting, how prices vary for international and EP schools. I would like to add an information on making the next step, an academid degree in an international program (English program, for business administration degrees there is a Chinese program since recently as well).

For three years now, I work as an adjunct professor at Thailand's largest university, Ramkhamhaeng University. Degrees offered in the international program are Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts (Mass Communication), and Bachelor of Arts (English Language). Tuition fee for these programs including books is 60-70,000 Baht per year.

Master programs (250,000 for two years part-time) include MBA, MA (Political Science), and MEd (Educational Administration).

PhD (Political Science) is 750,000 Baht, PhD (Business Administration) is 1 mio Baht.

There are less than 10% Thai lecturers. Allmost all professors are 'imported' for one month to conduct their course. The hold chairs at well-known universities, mainly in the United States and Europe. They certainly apply their own standards to their courses what contributes to the overall quality and state-of-the-art lecturers as well.

For more information, just have a look at http://www.iis.ru.ac.th. In case of questions, don't hesitate to ask me ([email protected]).

Other universities charge much higher prices and, then, offer the Thai program with Thai lecturers who try to speak some English. These lecturers are considered well able to teach in an international program when they received a PhD 15 years ago from a second class university in Australia or the US. Sorry, when I say it that clear, but I have first hand experience from conducting lectures at other well-named universities in Thailand as well.

I want to invite all those who teach in such international programs

a) to challenge that in which I work (we only can get better)

to share their experiences

Have a nice day!

Uli

[astral]

I looked at an MSc degree in information technology, from a reputable UK university

The cost was US$22,750 (930,000 baht).

It was internet based with direct interaction with the professors where necessary. So your prices sound about right to me.

[Uli]

So your prices sound about right to me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks a lot :-)

Anyway, I don't want to advertise our programs. Ramkhamhaeng is a State Open University with the duty to make education possible and affordable to everybody.

Many of our expats have children they want to send to a university. Not everbody is so well suited to be able to afford sending them abroad.

After working quite a while, I today tend to say that as better known the brand (university name, as more students in the international programs get cheated, with a probalbe exception by Thammasat and Chulalongkorn and very few others.

Since everybody knows in Thailand that Western professors are expensive, everybody expects an international program being more expensive than a Thai program. In Thailand, we have since the last educational reform about two years ago, 120 Thai (private and public) universities plus AIT (Asian Institute of Technology in Rangsit).

Under pressure by educational reform and public relations, more and more universities offer an International College to compete on this lucrative market. Each university says the same to school leavers: We have experienced international lecturers, modern books, and multimedia classroom equipment.

When you look behind the curtains, the "experienced international lecturers" consist of one or two English teachers, the rest are Thai professors who received a PhD many years ago from a second-class Australian or U.S. university, and since then were very busy with administrative tasks rather than doing research or keeping in touch with their fields.

The "modern books" often turn out to be copies of U.S. college books from a few years ago. Even when new books are copied, the digital complement delivered with these books (companion Web sites, additional readings, short movies, and so on) are certainly not copied.

The multimedia classroom environment turns out to be a nicely renovated room with air-condition and good optics, bad ergonomics. A TV set is usally available, but if you look for a computer and and beamer for your PowerPoints - that is ordered already and will come soon. Can you so long print your PowerPoints out?

Coincidentally, the dean of such a new college very often is the president of the university. Officially, because he / she wants to show to public how meaningful this college is. With regard to the higher tuition fee, I cannot stop to have the idea that additional duties are paid separately ...

In good as in bad international programs, the students are always the same - curious, unexperienced, and nice people. It depends very much on the institution whether they will develop those skills needed to work succesfully in an international environment after graduating.

Do I need to say that those less nice programs usually cost double the tuition fee?

Among brand-devouted Thais, Ramkhamhaeng is of lowest value. Among foreign students from currently 33 students who do not know anything about the brand ranking among Thai universities in public perception, Ramkhamhaeng international program is obviously of highest value (otherwise, they would drop out quickly).

Within this limited environment of an expat community, I just try to start a (certainly, quite limited) discussion with colleagues and those who are on the customer side, may it be parents, future students, or friends of both.

Uli

[Uli]

My apologies for the many writing mistakes. One should not publish in a forum when in a rush.

I will tell my students :-)

Uli

[mbkudu]

Hi Uli,

I have visited Ramkhamhaeng's IIS campus and even sat in on a class. The director of studies, Dr. Piboon Puriveth is a very nice guy and runs a good program. The building is nice, modern, classes not too big, professors all western Phds and the cost of tuition amazingly affordable. See you in June, 06. Mbk

[Uli]

Hi, mbk,

you're welcome ;-)

Cu,

Uli

[Ladphrao]

I have taught in a number of International university programs, some better than others. I agree with some things Uli says but would question others. Uli seems to think "Thai professors who received a PhD many years ago from a second-class Australian or U.S. university" are not as good as "foreign teachers" (regardless of educational level?). Although I am a foreigner, I don’t think that makes me automatically a better teacher than a Thai. Different, yes, but better? In my opinion the good international programs have a nice mix of local or foreign faculty to give the students a broader education, after all these are international programs, not American or British programs and Thailand is part of the international community. I have talked to a number of foreign students in international programs that appreciate having some Thai instructors as well and value the diversity of styles of ideas.

The basic problem is that there are too many international university programs in the country competing for a limited number of students with the ability to perform at university standards in a foreign language, English, and the few foreign students wanting to study in Thailand. There are also limited numbers of qualified foreign teachers willing to work for wages that are possible with current tuition fees, leaving some schools no choice but to rely heavier than they would like on local talent. Market forces prevent many of these schools from holding students to the standards they would like to. But let us not forget, the country is in the early stages of developing international educational programs and foreigners at times seem to be overly critical of anytime Thai that doesn't measure up to western standards. I can tell you that there are many universities in the USA and Australia (and I suspect other countries as well) that are less than perfect centers of academic learning, Thailand should not be singled out for having some less than stellar educational programs. From my years working in Thailand in the International University programs, I see steady year by year improvements, but will agree that there is still much room for improvement.

I have not been involved with the international program at Ram, but I have researched it a little and from a distance it looked like a good program (but hardly an elite one), but there is no need to slam the other international programs in the country to make this point.

[Uli]

Certainly, no one is a bad lecturer only because of being Thai, and no foreigner automatically a good lecturer. Please don't understand me black-and-white.

However, there are some environmental and societal aspects coming along with Thai professors. First, after receiving their PhD they have to overtake administrative tasks, far more than in any Western university. As it was stated by Suntaree Komin (Psychology of the Thai People, NIDA 1991), this is still a typical academic career in Thailand that hardly leaves any room for being state of the art.

State of the art does not mean elite, it simply means to know and understand what is going on at the frontiers in one's own field of expertise.

Second, again with regard to Komin, within Thai society knowledge is regarded a personal issue. This means if you criticise one's knowledge or lack of it, you criticise the person, and that is not acceptable. Any academic or open discussions are impossible with the vast majority of Thai professors, at least outside very private face-to-face environments. This may be the reason why hardly any Thai researchers publish in English as well.

To avoid such personal criticism, the vast majority sticks close to the textbooks and performs lectures in the traditional understanding of this word.

Western professors (I don't speak about less costly colleagues from India or Bangladesh who increasingly appear in international programs now since I don't know them) are different in their communication style and in focussing more on skills than on factual knowledge. Again, I don't want to generalize, but from my experience, I can say it that way.

This difference is not a matter of the number of PhDs one may hold, or of purely academic honours. I come from management, for example, and as such, I am more a coach than a pure academic is. Over the past three years, I was lucky to see how these approaches of my Western colleagues (includes two Korean colleagues as well) and my own led to skill development among our students.

I am sorry to say that, but in three universities (one for three years, one for eight months, and one for one and a half year, the latter two in parallel to the first one), I found less Thai colleagues interested in skill development than I have fingers on one hand.

I am sorry that you think I am unfair against our Thai colleagues. However, your general defence does not meet my experiences either, nor those of international program students at Chula, Thammasat, Burapha, and others who are discussing with me per e-mail.

In my humble opinion, an international program is something else than a Thai program with Thai students and Thai lecturers (and, may be, an English language teacher) conducted in English. If a university cannot afford to offer, appropriate quality or does not find enough students who are willing to pay for that quality, this university is simply not competitive. There is a need neither for each university to offer such a program, nor for any student to study it. D'accord?

[Ladphrao]

Uli,

I don't think we have any serious disagreement. I would think the prime reason that most Thai Ph.D.s don't publish in English Journals is the extreme difficulties of writing at that level in a foreign Language. Very few native speakers below the Ph.D. level could pull off writing at the level required for an academic publication. My publication list isn't as long as some, but it is something I am working on and I have had many Thai co-workers want to work with me, not because I am brillant, but because I was lucky enough to be born in a country the uses the language of academic publication as a native language.

I have no doubt, the majority of other foreign teachers think Thai education is at a lower level than it is in the most advanced countries in the world. It is at a lower level, who would expect anything different?

If one compares Thai education with the education provided in other countries with similiar levels of development, I think Thai universities would stack up quite well.

I agree that "international" education needs to be more than strictly Thai education taught in English. But I don't think Thais teachers should be excluded completely from international education programs either.

I doubt we are too far apart in our views, but I do think at times we foreign teachers are too critical of everything Thai and don't look at the big picture of the country, its development and progress that is being made.

I prefer the half full over the half empty perspective.

Cheers

[Uli]

My warm greeting to Ladphrao from Ladphrao Soi 140!

At least with regard to the perspective, we definitely agree 

We currently have around 200 foreign students from over 30 countries on five continents. Considering their needs, having a Thai lecturer is an important part of cultural experience.

As more prominent (‘elite’) an institution, as more applications are submitted. From these applications, the institution can choose those who have the greatest potential. The average student quality so is quite high.

With regard to this, Ram is sure not an elite university and its international program is not an elite program. This is well in line with the task of Ram to offer affordable education to anybody as an open-admission university.

This situation gives people like me (sorry for mentioning my personal approach again) the freedom to develop new ways of teaching techniques, applied seminars, and so on. In contrast to far the most of my colleagues, I permanently live in Thailand and do for three years now nothing more than learning how Thai students, in combination with foreign students, develop best.

Eventually, we will agree that there is no ‘never’ in nationality or other characteristics. Besides personal qualification (that is in no way limited to the number of publications or degrees), even a very typical (in my quite negative diction) Thai lecturer fits well into an approach of diversity. Thai students did not expect anything different at all, and for the foreign students it is a cultural experience. We all have a cognitive blueprint by the societies we come from. For Thai students today, however, the Thai societal cognitive blueprint is unlikely helpful, and (apart very few exceptions) a Thai professor remains what it says, a Thai professor.

My apologies when I did not make my point clear enough. The university system is not my topic. Too little information is available worldwide on what it needs to prepare students for a globalised environment with ever-speeding changes and in which degree knowledge looses importance against skills.

Best regards,

Uli

[thaibebop]

Okay, I am planning, though not for sometime, to come to Thailand to live. I will research for publishing proposes while I am there. I am now in school to become a history Professor, I will leave America with no less than a Masters in History, depending on time and money I mighy leave with a Phd. I know that I will mostly likely end up teaching english, not history, however I was wondering a few things that you guys here might know the answers too.

Is there a place (university level or otherwise) for a History Professor with a masters or Phd?

If researching Thailand and South-East Asian history, is there a college(s) that have any recommendations over others in this field?

How many colleges are around the Bangkok area?

If I have a masters but not a Phd is it possible to get a Phd from a Thai College in History?

Thanks, Thaibebop

[Neeranam]

Mate, I'm having lunch today with a professor from Khon Kaen Uni - I'll ask him and tell you later. Contact - Sabajai, he is very knowledgable on these matters

[Abandon]

There are jobs teaching subjects other than English. There are lots of international schools and uni's to apply to that teach in English medium. You can always teach English while you find your bearings and apply for jobs.

Also do not limit yourself to history. The level of education in the West is far superior to Thailand, and you might find yourself able to fill all kinds of teaching and managerial positions.

You can do your Phd here no problem. The intensity of study is far lower and you should be able to take it while you are workind full time (which is usually about 25 teaching hours per week) It will be far, far cheaper for you to do it here, and will also be useful in looking for futher work in Thailand if you want to stay here long term. There are a few good universities in and around Bangkok, including Culalongkorn, Mahidol, Thammasart, APEC ....

It will also likely be much more fun to finish your Phd here ... Though there are places that teach in English, you can also study in Thai medium - all universities will allow you to write everything in English, including taking exams, even if you are in a thai medium course (meaning you will need rudimentary Thai so that you can communicate with teachers and follow lectures .. )

Edited February 4, 2006 by Abandon

[thaibebop]

Thanks for your replies guys. It really helps to get information from people rather than internet sources. So, much of what I found doesn't address my issues. So, thank you very much.

Thaibebop

[PeaceBlondie]

But, if you're teaching at a uni in Thailand, do you also have time to study for an advanced degree? And if he gets a Ph.D. in Thailand, what's it worth, outside of Thailand? And if he only earns a salary as a non-doctored lecturer in a Thai uni, can he afford to pay tuition in night school? I doubt it. But I know nothing about post-graduate, other than the master's degrees my own kids have earned.

[Neeranam]

You could get 25,000 baht a month for about 12 hours teaching. Heaps of overtime if required whn you can earm good money - over 1000 an hour. You should easilly be able to afford it. They'll love you for doing a PhD and make it easy for you.

[sabaijai]

Generally speaking, Thaibebop, if you were to teach history at the average Thai uni, you would be expected to teach that subject in Thai. An American friend I've known since the first year we both arrived in Thailand teaches political science at Chula, but he does so entirely in Thai.

An exception would be small private unis where the language of instruction is partially or entirely in English.

Most Thai universities with a tourism dept also have a westerner or two on staff who teach certain tourism courses in English as it's thought to enhance the course since the objective is to obtain a job in international tourism. I serve on the directory council of Rajabhat University (as an outside consultant, not faculty, I haven't taught since 1987) and together with other members of the council, am often involved in the evaluation of new faculty candidates. We have hired a few westerners to teach subject content in English, but at the moment the only subject that comes to mind where that was the case is tourism.

I don't suppose you're a specialist in the history of tourism? If not my advice would be to focus on private colleges, esp the ones which have links to institutions in London, etc.

[sabaijai]

If I have a masters but not a Phd is it possible to get a Phd from a Thai College in History?

As with teaching, any decent university in Thailand would require that you do the coursework in Thai, and write your thesis in Thai (not to mention taking a Thai entrance exam). In fact the good Thai universities are rather selective when it comes to foreign candidates seeking post-grad degrees. I've been looking into doing a PhD at Silpakorn, and might just squeeze in with my MA and background in Thai studies, plus a few recommendations from Silpakorn grads who are friends. But it does not look like a very easy or straightforward process, and I'm not sure I'm up for the challenge.

A better alternative might be to set up some kind of PhD program in conjunction with a university in your own country, one that would involve private coursework with a Thai professor or two, in English, resulting in a PhD from your home country, if that's possible.

There's also the question PeaceBlondie raised - how useful would it be for you to have a PhD from a Thai university?

[thaibebop]

But, if you're teaching at a uni in Thailand, do you also have time to study for an advanced degree? And if he gets a Ph.D. in Thailand, what's it worth, outside of Thailand? And if he only earns a salary as a non-doctored lecturer in a Thai uni, can he afford to pay tuition in night school? I doubt it. But I know nothing about post-graduate, other than the master's degrees my own kids have earned.

Very good, points PB. I have no clue how a Phd from Thailand will be received in the west, I guess I should make that one of my questions. The reason I thought of getting a Phd in Thailand is because my family and I might need to leave the US before I could get a Phd. My daughter in three right now and I am two years away from a bachelors, then another two years for a masters, so maybe the time needed to do a Phd might mean my children will get too attached to America and not want to leave. I know many people who worked while they dealt with their Phds here in America so I would think that Thailand would be no different, unless I am missing something, which is possible.

Generally speaking, Thaibebop, if you were to teach history at the average Thai uni, you would be expected to teach that subject in Thai. An American friend I've known since the first year we both arrived in Thailand teaches political science at Chula, but he does so entirely in Thai.

An exception would be small private unis where the language of instruction is partially or entirely in English.

Teaching in Thai would not be a problem. I am currently studing the langauge. I have no intention of living in another country and not being able to speak the language. That is so crippling to myself, like shooting myself in the foot.

Most Thai universities with a tourism dept also have a westerner or two on staff who teach certain tourism courses in English as it's thought to enhance the course since the objective is to obtain a job in international tourism. I serve on the directory council of Rajabhat University (as an outside consultant, not faculty, I haven't taught since 1987) and together with other members of the council, am often involved in the evaluation of new faculty candidates. We have hired a few westerners to teach subject content in English, but at the moment the only subject that comes to mind where that was the case is tourism.

Do you think being involved with such things promotes research? When in Thailand teaching would be to pay the bills. I just couldn't pass up the opportunities of on site research. So, if getting myself involved in programs like this would help that, I am game teaching tourism.

I don't suppose you're a specialist in the history of tourism? If not my advice would be to focus on private colleges, esp the ones which have links to institutions in London, etc.

Are these colleges you are speaking of, the institstions in London I mean? I didn't know if western colleges would invest in schools in Thailand. Do you know any off hand that I would be able to look up?

If I have a masters but not a Phd is it possible to get a Phd from a Thai College in History?

As with teaching, any decent university in Thailand would require that you do the coursework in Thai, and write your thesis in Thai (not to mention taking a Thai entrance exam). In fact the good Thai universities are rather selective when it comes to foreign candidates seeking post-grad degrees. I've been looking into doing a PhD at Silpakorn, and might just squeeze in with my MA and background in Thai studies, plus a few recommendations from Silpakorn grads who are friends. But it does not look like a very easy or straightforward process, and I'm not sure I'm up for the challenge.

A better alternative might be to set up some kind of PhD program in conjunction with a university in your own country, one that would involve private coursework with a Thai professor or two, in English, resulting in a PhD from your home country, if that's possible. Now, that is a great idea! Thanks!

There's also the question PeaceBlondie raised - how useful would it be for you to have a PhD from a Thai university?

Thank you eveyone for your time, this really helps me out.

Thaibebop

[PeaceBlondie]

Thaibebop, you should be commended for planning ahead so far, when you've got a wife and a three year old daughter and halfway through a bachelor's degree. However, I would think that you're a bit premature to worry about a Ph.D. program. Many of us hadn't decided on our major field (our final one) at your point.

Let's see. Four more years to get a master's degree, at which point your kid will be seven. Thai schools are terrible. Nobody preparing for a Ph.D. would want their kid in a Thai school that costs less than....the salary of a university assistant deputy lecturer.

Thailand is not a fun place to teach English. Education here is not as 'professional' as it is in the West. Foreigners are almost always at a disadvantage. But maybe I'm wrong, and the Bangkok area is full of highly-rated universities that rank as high as 198 in the world for teaching Siamese history.

[sabaijai]

Thaibebop, you should be commended for planning ahead so far, when you've got a wife and a three year old daughter and halfway through a bachelor's degree. However, I would think that you're a bit premature to worry about a Ph.D. program. Many of us hadn't decided on our major field (our final one) at your point.

Let's see. Four more years to get a master's degree, at which point your kid will be seven. Thai schools are terrible. Nobody preparing for a Ph.D. would want their kid in a Thai school that costs less than....the salary of a university assistant deputy lecturer.

Not to mention the effort and time it will require to learn to speak Thai well enough to teach at a university level. I studied the language almost nonstop for five years, and only after 10+ years of living here did I even begin to reach a level that might be acceptable to the average Thai university student. I think your best bet is to try to find a job at a place that uses English medium. The colleges I referred to are mostly degree mills like Webster University.

One acception is Assumption University, where you could not only teach content in English but also work on an MA or PhD. I forgot to mention it earlier. A friend of mine teaches film history there in English.

AU

[thaibebop]

Thaibebop, you should be commended for planning ahead so far, when you've got a wife and a three year old daughter and halfway through a bachelor's degree. However, I would think that you're a bit premature to worry about a Ph.D. program. Many of us hadn't decided on our major field (our final one) at your point.

I knew years ago I just didn't do crap about it. A big regret for me that is.

Let's see. Four more years to get a master's degree, at which point your kid will be seven. Thai schools are terrible. Nobody preparing for a Ph.D. would want their kid in a Thai school that costs less than....the salary of a university assistant deputy lecturer.

In this I have some help. My wife comes from a wealthy family and while I intend for us do all that we can by ourselves, if we needed help to pay for a good school we have that. My wife wants to use some family money we she returns to open up a business as well, so I think between the two of us we can get our kids into good schools. I would like to teach, but as I said before researching is more important, so if I have to work some place else or with my wife in whatever she does I won't mind.

Not to mention the effort and time it will require to learn to speak Thai well enough to teach at a university level. I studied the language almost nonstop for five years, and only after 10+ years of living here did I even begin to reach a level that might be acceptable to the average Thai university student. I think your best bet is to try to find a job at a place that uses English medium. The colleges I referred to are mostly degree mills like Webster University.

I know I will struggle with Thai. I have already started learning it and Chinese (Mandrian) and I find Chinese easier! It's doesn't matter which langauge I teach in but I had thought it might be better if I worked in English.

One acception is Assumption University, where you could not only teach content in English but also work on an MA or PhD. I forgot to mention it earlier. A friend of mine teaches film history there in English.

AU

Wow, thanks alot!

[BigA]

Sabaijai, you are to be commended for calling a spade for what it really is "a spade" .

[ The colleges I referred to are mostly degree mills like Webster University.

AU

[jbowman1993]

I always get confused when people start talking about "what a degree is worth" in another country.

I recieved 3 degrees in the US, and I teach at a Thai univeristy (Mahidol). Several of my undergraduate students have gone abroard to recieve Master's degrees, and have never had any problem being accepted.

As long as a student can meet the entrance requirements, they are on their own to prove "what their degree is worth". Some will succeed, some will fail, based on their own merits.

Can anyone explain?

At Mahidol, several advanced degree programs are taught in English, others in Thai. At my College, all of our Master's students thesis papers must be written in English. That is a university wide requirement, I believe.

[ChiefBEM]

But, if you're teaching at a uni in Thailand, do you also have time to study for an advanced degree? And if he gets a Ph.D. in Thailand, what's it worth, outside of Thailand? And if he only earns a salary as a non-doctored lecturer in a Thai uni, can he afford to pay tuition in night school? I doubt it. But I know nothing about post-graduate, other than the master's degrees my own kids have earned.

Very good, points PB. I have no clue how a Phd from Thailand will be received in the west, I guess I should make that one of my questions. The reason I thought of getting a Phd in Thailand is because my family and I might need to leave the US before I could get a Phd. My daughter in three right now and I am two years away from a bachelors, then another two years for a masters, so maybe the time needed to do a Phd might mean my children will get too attached to America and not want to leave. I know many people who worked while they dealt with their Phds here in America so I would think that Thailand would be no different, unless I am missing something, which is possible.

Generally speaking, Thaibebop, if you were to teach history at the average Thai uni, you would be expected to teach that subject in Thai. An American friend I've known since the first year we both arrived in Thailand teaches political science at Chula, but he does so entirely in Thai.

An exception would be small private unis where the language of instruction is partially or entirely in English.

Teaching in Thai would not be a problem. I am currently studing the langauge. I have no intention of living in another country and not being able to speak the language. That is so crippling to myself, like shooting myself in the foot.

Most Thai universities with a tourism dept also have a westerner or two on staff who teach certain tourism courses in English as it's thought to enhance the course since the objective is to obtain a job in international tourism. I serve on the directory council of Rajabhat University (as an outside consultant, not faculty, I haven't taught since 1987) and together with other members of the council, am often involved in the evaluation of new faculty candidates. We have hired a few westerners to teach subject content in English, but at the moment the only subject that comes to mind where that was the case is tourism.

Do you think being involved with such things promotes research? When in Thailand teaching would be to pay the bills. I just couldn't pass up the opportunities of on site research. So, if getting myself involved in programs like this would help that, I am game teaching tourism.

I don't suppose you're a specialist in the history of tourism? If not my advice would be to focus on private colleges, esp the ones which have links to institutions in London, etc.

Are these colleges you are speaking of, the institstions in London I mean? I didn't know if western colleges would invest in schools in Thailand. Do you know any off hand that I would be able to look up?

If I have a masters but not a Phd is it possible to get a Phd from a Thai College in History?

As with teaching, any decent university in Thailand would require that you do the coursework in Thai, and write your thesis in Thai (not to mention taking a Thai entrance exam). In fact the good Thai universities are rather selective when it comes to foreign candidates seeking post-grad degrees. I've been looking into doing a PhD at Silpakorn, and might just squeeze in with my MA and background in Thai studies, plus a few recommendations from Silpakorn grads who are friends. But it does not look like a very easy or straightforward process, and I'm not sure I'm up for the challenge.

A better alternative might be to set up some kind of PhD program in conjunction with a university in your own country, one that would involve private coursework with a Thai professor or two, in English, resulting in a PhD from your home country, if that's possible. Now, that is a great idea! Thanks!

There's also the question PeaceBlondie raised - how useful would it be for you to have a PhD from a Thai university?

Thank you eveyone for your time, this really helps me out.

Thaibebop

Quite a few private Universities in Thailand are partners with universities in the US.

Check out Payap University in Chiangmai.

http://www.payap.ac.th/english/

Partners in the USA

Berea College

Eckerd College

Hastings College

Pitzer College

Oregon University System

St. Mary's College of Maryland

Warren-Wilson College

Whitworth College

[steveromagnino]

The partner phenomenon (that glorious phenomenon) is commonplace with the private unis in Asia; Phiyub is one, the others I know of off hand include:

ABAC

Rangsit

Bangkok U

and then you have Thammasaht doing the AIT or whatever it is called out in Rangsit, and Chula doing Sasin, although that is a business school.

I have numerous friends who have studied at some fairly ok universities around the world, let's see a place called Oxford, Stanford, Yale, Harvard, Northwestern - good enough I guess to get into using their Thai degrees from Chula, ABAC, etc. While 'educators' like to run down universities here sometimes, I would point out that good students shine wherever they go; if you want to learn business related stuff you'll manage to do it at uni level anywhere so long as there is a library and a few clued up teachers (and even then you can get by without most of the teaching staff in most business schools who really don't know much).

However, the arts are a little different to business so maybe things aren't the same there.... certainly if it is the world of publishing papers and so on, then Thailand is going to be far behind many other universities who fill the journals with academic research, so you are giving up on that. And I'd guess that ANY degree from Thailand, irrespective of how much you learn (and I don't place that much stock myself in ratings of universities) will rate lower than the better universities of USA and England.

In terms of teaching, learning Thai to be able to teach in it....man that is a big ask, you will be working a LONG time to get to that standard. You may not be able to acheive it. I would guess you are better to learn Thai, but teach in English.

[thaibebop]

Once again, thanks everyone. This gives me much to think and about and plan on.

[BigA]

Here is a list of top tier internationally recognized reputable Thai Uni's that have International programs of one sort or another. All 6 schools made the Asia Top 100 ranking by Webometrics

Chula

Kasetsart

AIT

Chiang Mai

Thammasat

Mahidol

For whatever its worth Webster Thailand and Shinawatra U. made one of the rankings Google Domain but both ranked way lower than the schools mentioned above.

Stamford was not ranked at all

[thaibebop]

Cool! Where did you find this out?