International Programs Prosper in 2013: Students from AEC Targeted (Current Issue No. 2346 Full Ed.)

International schools: KResearch expects that the student enrollment at Thai international schools will continue to climb. In 2013, the total number of students – Thai and foreign nationals – should rise 10 percent to 43,133, from 39,212 in 2012. The average annual tuition will likely increase to THB463,050 per person in 2013, from THB441,000 per student in 2012, representing an increase of around 5 percent growth. We consequently forecast that the value of international school business in Thailand will rise to THB19.97 billion in 2013, from 2012's THB17.3 billion, expanding 16 percent.

KResearch is of the view that the boom in international school business will be mostly in provinces with large expatriate populations working or operating businesses there. Potential locations in the Northeast include Udon Thani and Ubon Ratchathani, where schools can also target students from Laos and Cambodia. In Surat Thani and Khon Kaen, where international schools already exist, more should appear since these provinces are major economic centers with a large number of expatriates.

Universities: Free flows of investment and skilled labor within the AEC will provide opportunities for Thai universities to attract more students – including some from AEC member states – to their international programs. Tuition at the bachelor's degree level may increase by around 2 percent to a total of THB30.87 billion in 2013, from THB30.38 billion in 2012. This growth should occur on student enrollments expected to increase perhaps 10 percent YoY over the 7,553 students in 2013, most of whom would likely be CLMV students, whereas Thai students may remain static at 39,000 persons. If tuition costs are adjusted upward, the value of tuition at the bachelor's degree level would rise 7 percent to THB32.41 billion.

The rising number of foreign students has instigated stiffer competition between universities attempting to secure more foreign applicants. Apart from local competition, domestic universities have to compete with other ASEAN institutions that are academically more famous, e.g., those in Malaysia and Singapore. However, KResearch believes that Thai universities will appeal to foreign parents owing to several advantages. Universities in Thailand offer a wide variety of international academic majors, quality personnel plus facilities that can meet the needs of foreign students. Moreover, the fees and the cost of living here are still at agreeable levels, while teaching quality meets international standards. Other advantages include locations, climate and our Thai hospitability.