The Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation plans to invite prestigious universities from overseas to open campuses in Thailand in a bid to make the country a regional education hub.
The minister, Supamas Isarabhakdi, said yesterday that Thailand has high potential as a regional education hub due to many outstanding advantages, including a reasonable cost of living, great hospitality, great food, and good logistics.
She said regulations limiting foreign student numbers at universities in many countries, such as the UK and Singapore, would help provide more opportunities for universities to extend their campuses to other countries, including Thailand.
She said the ministry is looking to explore potential partnerships with universities in the UK, Australia and China next year.
"We have seen positive potential regarding the possibility of them expanding to Thailand. More details will be further discussed. If successful, this could help generate more income for the country," she said.
She further explained that the ministry would upgrade all demonstration schools under its responsibility to become international schools, adopting international curriculums.
She said the plan would provide more options for parents with limited budgets but want to send their children to international schools.
The effort is part of the ministry's policy to upgrade the country's educational system, she said.