The new university admission system will cause high levels of stress among Thai students similar to those witnessed in China, Japan and South Korea, warns a private tutor.
Sutee Assavavimol, the founder of OnDemand Education, said the new admission system which makes all applicants go through a single, central exam will put more pressure on students as they will just have one chance to take the crucial exam.
Under the new system, students will have to deal with a number of exams such as the Gat/Pat technical tests and the national tests in nine core subjects within six to eight weeks, he said, adding students may end up paying for extra tutoring.
The Office of the Higher Education Commission's (Ohec) intention was to eliminate direct admissions and provide fair access to all students, he said.
Earlier, critics and parents complained the direct admission system was unfair as applicants from poor families couldn't afford to take several direct admission tests.
"However, the new system will put higher pressure on students," said Mr Sutee. The new system is similar to that used between 1961 and 2001.
But, the tutor explained, under the new system, only Grade 12 students will take the entrance exam while the previous version allowed Grade 11 students to enrol in the exam.
"In my school days, all students knew they had two chances to enter university. The first was when we were in Grade 11 and the second was when we finished high school. If students were not satisfied with the result, they could re-apply the following year, but students will now only have one chance."
Mr Sutee expects Thai students to experience high stress levels similar to those reported by students in China, Japan and South Korea.
The high-pressure college admission systems in China, Japan and South Korea are known to contribute to student suicides.
According to the China Youth and Children Research Centre, in 2010, more than 86% of high school seniors in China felt high stress, compared to 69% in Japan and 74.8% in South Korea.
Sathorn Upanwan, chief executive officer of OnDemand, said the changing educational landscape will force private tutoring institutions to adapt their services to meet student needs.
OnDemand is now organising guidance sessions for students, including how to pass the university admission exam and how to choose the right career path.
Ohec recently announced its plan to overhaul the way students enroll in universities by 2018 in a bid to solve the chronic problem of inequality between applicants from well-off families and their counterparts from lower-income families.
Under the new system, high school graduates will take a central university entrance exam scheduled some time after the middle of March each year.
They will continue to sit the usual Gat/Pat technical tests in nine core subjects.
After the results are announced, students will use the scores to apply to up to four universities of their choice.
