Will international school limit my son's choices later on?

Mishterman · July 14, 2015

My 8 year-old son is currently in a Thai school with an English programme. I want him to go to an international school but his mother thinks that this will limit his choices afterwards and he won't be able to study in a Thai university if he wants to. She is thinking along the lines of studying medicine or law. Is this true? Would this also effect his national service (or his ability to get around it) as he is a Thai national?

DavisH · July 14, 2015

A good EP is fine if he intends to study in Thailand, either in a regular program or International program (of which there are many now). If you plan to send him overseas, an International school makes more sense, providing he gets an Internationally recognised qualification. having said that, a few of my students from my EP have gone to study overseas, usually as a part of a joint program.

For medicine and law, in Thailand, he would be better off studying in a good Thai language program in school. As far as I know there are no law/medicine programs done in english in Thailand at the moment. having said that, it's a bit early to tell what your son will end up studying, as that's far off. Medicine is difficult to get into, and he would need to be consistently in the top 3 in the class based on my experience with my students. Not to mention all the extra tutorial classes he would need to attend.

Confuscious · July 14, 2015

Based on my experiences living in Thailand with a half-Thai child, I can only give you the following advices:

1. Place your child at least the Kindergarten and the Primary School (Prathom) in a GOOD English program.
Monitor your child to see if your child understand everything and if the lessons are given in an adequate way.

If not, let your child get extra lessons in the "problem subjects" by a PRIVATE teacher.

2. For the High school (Madthayom) I advise to enrol your child in a program that your child would want to graduate in.

Example, if your child would like to be later an engineer than you can chose for the High School Math program.

Some schools offer an Advanced Math program, an Advanced Science program, an Advanced Language program (specially Chinese or Japanese), etc.

My child follows the Madthayom MLP Program (Modern Languages Program).

It has ALL the benefits of a Thai or English program, but at a fraction of the cost of an Engkish program.

Chosing for an English program in High school is a waste of money and time for what I could see here where I live.

3. BE AWARE OF THE RESTRICTIONS OF A HALF-THAI CHILD.

A half-Thai child CAN NOT access some occupations.

Example (but not limited to the the list): an army pilot, a lawyer, an army nurse, a politician, etc...

My advice:

Let your child go to a school with a DECENT ENGLISH PROGRAM and DECENT ENGLISH TEACHERS for the Kindergarten and the Primary school (if you can afford it).

Let your child go to a school with a program in the field that your child masters the best and that your child would like to do later.

After the High school, fly your child to your home country and let your child follow the University abroad.

Just my 2 cents ....

Thailaw · July 14, 2015

What an amazingly slanted view of "an international school ... limit[ing] his choices afterwards." If anything, an international school, assuming that he does well, will greatly expand his choices both inside and outside Thailand. And, as regards choices outside Thailand, they will be close to non-existent if he studies in a Thai school, even with an "English Program". The amount of time spent studying Thai language at an international school will be limited, but that can and should be augmented with extra classes in Thai to improve a child's Thai reading and writing ability. That is the only drawback to an international school education, and it is easily remedied. More affluent Thais send their children to school at the international schools in Bangkok or to schools outside Thailand to get a good education, and none would consider a Thai school, even one that offers an "English Program", which is grossly inadequate for study outside Thailand, and which should be a very important option for a Thai/western child. And in today's environment, speaking, reading and writing fluent English is an absolute must for any reasonable chance of success.

I cannot speak about Thai medical schools, but Thai law schools are very poor -- the good Thai lawyers have all earned degrees outside Thailand and speak excellent English. And I seriously doubt that any student that did well at an international school would not have a very good chance of admission to a Thai law or medical school (probably better than a student from a Thai school)provided that his/her Thai language skills were equally good, and as far as a job after medical or law school, the opportunities for the international school educated student would be far better, inside and outside Thailand. Don't limit your child's future with a view of Thailand as it existed 20+ years ago (and is a major reason why its educational system lags far behind all of its peers). Thailand is part of a world community where English for the success orientated dominates, notwithstanding views from the dark ages to the contrary.

Katipo · July 14, 2015

His Mother is wrong. In my circles, all the most successful Thai's went to International Schools or studied abroad. It can provide a potent social network throughout life.

Thailaw · July 14, 2015

And a much better, options expanding, education in almost every respect, unless, of course, your goal for your child is to have him (or her) be a motorcycle taxi driver (or a hotel maid), in which case the Thai school will be just fine, with or without the English program.

hawksway · July 14, 2015

Top Universities in Thailand usually study in English these days and not admit students who cannot speak English. Try Assumption which is one of the best and importantly a Catholic University with sound discipline. Being in an English primary is a big advantage for your Son. Even Buddhists send their Childen to Assumption.

Orac · July 14, 2015

I was unaware of these restrictions - is there a list you can point me at?. Certainly there have been politicians in the past who only had one Thai parent, Meechai Viravaidya springs to mind immediately whose mother was Scottish.

recycler · July 14, 2015

If I could afford it our kids would be on an international school.

English program schools and bi lingual schools are under the Thai curriculum dictated by the ministry of education. This curriculum is highly politicized and militarized. A lot of time at school is wasted on utter nonsense and you will have to teach your kids reading, writing and math at home on top of the already ridiculous amounts of homework.

Thai culture and Thai language are closely related and your kids will be ingrained with the caste society that Thailand is becoming obedient kneelers. Communicating predominantly in Thai language will limit their development and cripple many as communicators for life.

Give them a chance to develop in an international culture with English as their main means of communication. Thais, though few that can afford it certainly do it if they can.

duanebigsby · July 14, 2015

I think eight years old is far too early to pick a career path for him.

Encourage him to get a well rounded education strong in science , math, social studies, and languages. Help him to be best he can be.

Then in about 8 years he will start thinking about his career path. If the education went well, it will be his choice of what to do.

Who knows, with bad luck he'll be an artist or musician.

Just joking, many friends are musicians and I went down the art route.

Bredbury Blue · July 14, 2015

Is this correct? A luuk-krung, with thai nationality, is banned from ANY professions/jobs. You sure? Based on what?

MatteoBassini · July 14, 2015

I think it's just an urban legend. Just because that half-Thai kid was rich enough to bribe the officials to not get enlisted in the army doesn't mean the army rejects half-Thais.

recycler · July 14, 2015

They are obviously daft here, but not that daft... Thai nationality by birth gives you full rights. Some countries have limitations on nationality acquired at a later age.

DavisH · July 14, 2015

The only restriction I'm aware of is military officer positions.

chilli42 · July 14, 2015

Your child will make up his mind what he wants to do in life ... I would be surprised if your wife will have much say in that. If he even knows what it is he wants to do by the time he is ready for university consider yourself lucky. My view, having four half Thai kids is that the good English speaking International schools offer more flexibility of choice. So for example, if he attends a Thai language school it's unlikely that he will he will be able to access foreign universities in the future. Finally, if you child really is gifted and talented he would be better off not going to university at all. It should be clear to all that a university education comes at a high cost and is no guarantee of a job being available upon graduation.

Jonathon · July 15, 2015

There are International schools which do not neglect teaching of the Thai langiage in addition to English and also offer Chinese and Japanese tution. One such school is Sarasas Ektra in Sathuphradit.

My 3 daughters (Thai and Thai / English) went there and subsequently moved to the UK to continue their education. They also have an associated Thai school in case your boy cannot pass the entrance examination first time. One of my step daughters had previously attended a temple school and had to take that route. She moved to the international school after a couple of terms.

The fees as I recall were also substanitially less then the 'conventional' international schools.

Jonathon · July 15, 2015

Most if not all professions are not open to those without a degree, usually a Masters degree nowadays.

Jonathon · July 15, 2015

If your wife has been educated through the normal Thai education system, particularly at a temple school then she is bound to be wrong. Don't blame her, blame the indoctriantion she has received.

Thailaw · July 15, 2015

Confuscious is seriously confused, at last as far as lawyers is concerned and probably other professionals (and military positions) as well. I know several lawyers practicing in Thailand who are "half" Thai by parentage. One even has a western last name. There may be an issue if the half-Thai person was born outside of Thailand, and there may be additional requirements to get a Thai birth certificate and to establish his/her Thai citizenship and to get a Thai ID card and be "house book" registered. But if a Thai leuk kreung is born in Thailand and has a Thai birth certificate issued upon his/her birth in Thailand, there should be no restrictions (at least none of which I am aware) on the professional positions that the person can hold on the basis of his/her being "half" Thai. If the person has lived outside Thailand most of his/her life and cannot read and write Thai, that may disqualify him/her from military service, but that is a separate issue from his/her nationality.

Thailaw · July 15, 2015

Your post was ok, until you got to "Finally, .....". Then it got really, really stupid! It should be clear to all that there are more reasons for going to University than just getting a good job, but getting a good job is certainly an important factor. A university degree is no guarantee of a good job, but the probability of getting a good job having graduated from a good university and done well AND having selected a area of focus (a "major") for which there is a demand in the market for those skills will increase very significantly (if you major in bible studies, anthropology or pastel finger painting all bets are off). And I want my kids to be well educated and have university degrees regardless of what it does for their job prospects; it will dramatically improve their lives and expose them to new ways of thinking and viewing the world. I am very willing to pay the "high cost" of giving them a college education (as I am happy to pay for them to attend private international school), no questions asked. University is NOT a trade or vocational school, and if that is all that you think it is, you need to give it more thought and stop worrying so much about its cost -- your kids are well worth it. And they may end up with a better perspective on what is important in life than you have gotten thus far. Better luck next life.

samran · July 15, 2015

Partly.

There are restrictions on officer level training in the armed forces if one of the parents is a foreigner.

I know a couple of dual national half Thai lawyers so that doesn't match what I've seen.

A constitutional court ruling in the late 90s overturned discrimatory MP qualifications for those with foreign fathers.

Edited July 15, 2015 by samran

davidst01 · July 15, 2015

We live in the N.E and if your child attends a normal thai govt school and if your kid is top of the class then he/she will have a better chance to get into medicine or dentistry as they have a special quota entry system for the 2 disciplines and if the student can pass the entrance test to that system then thats the way your kid can get into any of the top unis in bangkok. AFter graduating they are on contract to work at the govt hospital for x amount of years. Its part of the deal.

gerryBScot · July 15, 2015

An international school in theory should leave your son with the widest range of options especially if he wants to study overseas. However there are international schools and then there are international schools. Basically you need to send your son to one where he will be able to study an international curriculum like IB or ICGSE - if he passes the exams and assessments in such programmes he will have the entrance qualifications to support applications to the top universities in the world.

Thai academic credentials only have validity in Thailand and really don't travel very well.( An understatement if ever there was one).

Send your son to the best international school you can afford - but be warned there are many schools allowed to call themselves International which are nothing more than "Thai" schools. A poster above made reference to Sarasas schools above - these most certainly are not international schools.

DavisH · July 15, 2015

I have quite a number of graduate from my EP who currently study or work overseas. Certainly not the majority, but a number worth mentioning here. Many of them did a degree in English in Thailand, then went to study overseas. It's possible. A small number also study for an pass the SAT to study in the US. There's no need to have done a US curriculum to do those exams.

The main problem I see with the Thai curriculum is that students must study too many subjects in senior high school and cannot concentrate on subjects they like/ are good at. So they end up with having studied physics/chem/bio/maths, but have not really done enough of it and in depth. This is obvious if you compared the Thai curriculum to that of A-levels/IB/NSW HSC exams, etc. Thai kids, if they are lucky, end up as jack-of-all trades and masters of none. Sadly, that seems to be what the governments though.

Jonathon · July 16, 2015

Why worry about employment in Thailand? With a good education the RoW offers many more opportunites.

arfurcrown · July 16, 2015

Regarding the O.P

Very fine ideals but has anyone actually considered what the 8 year old child might want to do himself when he is old enough to make his own decisions?

Our mixed race children made their own decisions as to what their aims were after talking with us and then deciding what they wanted to do.

As parents we can and should guide, but we should not enforce our ideas and aims upon our children to satisfy our capricious whims and to inflate our own ego's by being able to state ''My child is a doctor, a lawyer etc.''

It's the children's lives not ours!!

Edited July 16, 2015 by arfurcrown

Thailaw · July 16, 2015

So, is this your recommended approach for getting a Thai child into medical/dental school in Thailand? Put them in a "normal Thai gov't school in the N.E" and hope and pray that your child is "top of the class and passes the entrance test" giving him/her the "golden key" into medicine or dentistry through a special quota entry system for the 2 disciplines. Almost like winning the lottery isn't it? Put your child in a sub-standard Thai government school in Issan, and then hope that he/she finishes at the top of the class and passes the entrance exam. The odds are seriously against the preferred outcome and the child will either end up in medical school or waiting tables in an Issan restaurant. Care to guess which outcome is more likely? Let me suggest that a good international school probably offers the more likely chance of success for a child, regardless of the area of study that he/she might choose to pursue. This is a nice reward for talented students who out of necessity attend Thai government schools; it, however, is not a plan for educating a child to provide options for the future. Perhaps you and the OP's wife should meet for coffee and a nice chat -- it seems like you have similar views on education in Thailand.

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