THAILAND

Demand for international universities expected to rise
The number of Thai students enrolled in local international universities is expected to increase sharply in the next five years, as students look to equip themselves with the skills needed to compete with the regional workforce, writes Dumrongkiat Mala for Bangkok Post.According to Gilles Mahe, CEO of academic organisation Laureate Thailand, a survey conducted by his company found 60% of tertiary-level students in Thailand want to study in international programmes. However only 3% are enrolled in such courses.
"Demand for international programmes and international universities is high in Thailand now because Thai students are paying more attention to improving their capacity to communicate in English, which is considered a weak point for Thais in the era of the ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] Community," he said. For example, the number of students attending Stamford International University in Thailand, a university under the Laureate global network, has increased from 850 in 2011 to 4,444 this year. The figure is expected to rise to 11,000 by 2020.
Full report on the Bangkok Post site