It's all a matter of scale. If you offered Harvard University a billion dollars they'd probably change their name to yours, and I know of more than one dodgy deal re. money in U.S. unis.

In my opinion, Thais mature about 5 or 7 years slower than most westerners. I've seen uni professors chewing out a group of college kids. Their offense? Hanging out at the 7-11 at 11:30 p.m.

It's childish. Most western kids at 19 or 20 are adults and treated like adults.

Certainly not in Thailand from what I've seen.

I don't know that maturity is the issue and I certainly went to University with some immature people. The difference is that we COULD fail, and some of them did and the rest of us grew up really quickly. I am sure people in other countries can/do 'pay' for the degree they get, but I think it is much less widespread and most likely the cost is something only the top echeleons of society could afford.

I do recall there was some question about Prince Harry from the UK and his situation.

Situations like that are more about individuals who can be bought, I think, and not a reflection of higher education as a whole.

Good point mod ... We could fail.

I would venture a guess that any garden variety idiot in Thailand with a Mak daddy could be granted a free-pass (attend a few classes, join the cheerboy team, show up to a lab or two) and graduate with honors.

It's clearly evident by their leadership over the past several decades.

Nary a novel idea or unique answer. It embarasses me (on behalf of my wife) to travel around Thailand and see every imaginative solution feature a plaque that says: Granted by Belgium, or Built by Brazil or ...

Thailand is a recipient state.

Full stop.

Edited July 1, 200917 yr by Texpat

Let me take different angle at this topic by saying that I wasn't all that impressed by the work I saw my daughter produce a few years ago at a major mid-west American university during the six years she took to get a hotel / rest management degree. The work I saw that she produced would not have gotten me through my programs in the 70s. What is thate saying from the bible? Something about the splinter in the other person's eye and the log in your own. Someone help me with that. Standards seem lower everywhere compared a couple of generations ago. I tutor a young Thai man with acceptance and a visa to go to Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh - one of America's beest for his speciality - and I think he will do just fine. I guess that's archival evidence.

Thanks for the post. There are huge individual differences in student ability in all countries. I think we are looking at the overall level of higher education in Thailand. I am sure there is a great deal of differences in the competency of various schools throughout the Kingdom as well.

Let's try to keep on topic.