Hi Folks

Can anyone tell me the translation for

Merit and distinction in the context of Master Degree grades? The dictionaries I have looked at, don't offer a translation in this context and I nothing of Thai higher education. Also, can someone please have a bash at translating what an MBA is?

Also, as an aside, any ideas on the Thai equivalent of PhD and Professor and the distinction between the two? I think I have it but it would be good to have some input.

The first part is more important though.

Thanks

DE

From what I understand, most Thai postgraduate programs don't have distinctions, so your best bet for being understood is probably to call it เกียรตินิยม, pronounced [เกียด นิยม] kiat niyom, which in Thailand is used at the undergraduate level. There are three degrees of distinction: เกียรตินิยมอันดับหนึ่ง (highest), เกียรตินิยมอันดับสอง (second), and เกียรตินิยมอันดับสาม (lowest). This is comparable of course to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-Class Honours in the British system, and to summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude used in American undergraduate degrees.

So even if it's not the same at least it'll be a familiar concept. For me, for example, I tried to figure out once how to translate "cum laude with honors", which are two separate kinds of distinction in the US, but I just gave up and called it เกียรตินิยมอันดับ 3.

The equivalent abbreviation for MBA is บธ.ม., which stands for บริหารธุรกิจมหาบัณฑิต, which is just a literal translation of Master of Business Administration. มหาบัณฑิต = Master. (FYI บัณฑิต = bachelor; ดุษฏีบัณฑิต = doctor.) There are standardized abbreviations for every level and branch of degrees in Thailand, and it's no uncommon for people to list all their degree abbreviations on their business cards, as a sort of mini-CV.

But บริหารธุรกิจมหาบัณฑิต is the more formal term. Less formal would be ปริญญาโทบริหารธุรกิจ. ปริญญาโท = "second degree", which refers to a Master's degree.

Informally, the difference between Thai PhD and professor is simple: a PhD is called ดอกเตอร์ "Doctor", while all professors are called อาจารย์, even if they aren't PhD holders. Unlike "doctor", there is no formal qualification required to be called อาจารย์, as even monks are called อาจาีรย์, and sometimes teachers in primary and secondary education. It's a mark of respect.

There is also a more formal term for professor, ศาสตราจารย์, which refers specifically to university-level. This is a rank that depends on one's actual qualifications. The Thai system distinguishes between lecturer, special professor, associate professor, assistant professor, and full professor.

Excellent - thank you