Higher Education

          Higher education is the principal concern of the Ministry of University Affairs, which coordinates the operation of 16 state universities and 26 privately operated universities and colleges. Education at this level copes with the thousands of secondary school leavers wishing to continue their study further.

According to a report recently published by the private Higher Education Institutions Division, most of the privately-run colleges offer courses and programs leaning heavily toword science and technology. Courses in business administration and social science, once extremely popular, are less in demand. It is clear that these colleges are responding both to the increasing demands of a large number of high school graduates and also to current needs for advanced technology.

Admission to state-run universities is through a competitive national university entrance examination. held annually in April.

At present there are 42 universities and 36 teacher colleges in Thailand, many universities have been established in provincial centers scattered throughout the country, with status fully equal to universities in Bangkok. These include Chiang Mai University in the north, Khon Kaen University in the Northeast, and Prince of Songkhla University in the city of Pattani in the South. These universities offer a wide variety of courses at the Bachelor's Degree level, covering such fields as Agriculture, Archaeology, Architecture, Arts, Business Administration. Education, Economics, Engineering, Humanities, Law, Medicine and Nursing, Science, Social and Political Science, and Statistics.

The language of in struction at Universities is Thai, with the exception of the economics major courses at Thammasat University, which are conducted in English. Special courses given in English are arranged for foreign students at the discretion of the university. Scholarships are provided by the government and private sector for outstanding and needy students.

In addition to conventional universities, two open universities have been established to expand educational opportunities for working people and secondary school graduates. One of these, Ramkhamhaeng University, provides campus instruction in Humanity Science, supplemented by television and radio programs, while the other, sukhonthai Thammathirat Open University, employs television and radio program as well as correspondence courses and cassette tapes. The latter is said to be the most modern and best-equipped open university in South East Asia.

Not all of the institutes at the higher education level come under the responsibility of the Office of University Affairs. The Police Cadet Academy at Sampran District, for example, is under the supervision of the Police Education bureau, whereas Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy at Kao Chawjok is both academically and financially the responsibility of the Institute of Army Academies of th Ministry of Defence. Such academies offer certificates equivalent to the bachelor's Degree to their graduates, who go on to serve as police or military officers.

Education beyound the Bachelor's Degree level is also available for military officers. The Armed Forces Staff College is reserved for high-ranking officers at the administrative level who wish to pursue special training in military planning and administration.

Education at the degree level is also extended to Buddhist monks as well. There are two Buddhist universities, Mahamakut University and Mahachulalongkorn University, established with the approval of the Ecclesiastical Elders' Council and budgetary support from the Department of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Education.

Although the large majority of students at the university level are in social science or humanity science, applied science and technology is gaining in importance. King Mongkut's Institute of Technology (KMIT) is an example of such an attempt to increase graduates in these needed areas. KMIT provides direct and relevant technical training both at the Bachelor's and Master's Degree levels in the fields of engineering and architecture for the development of the nation.

Programs of study at the Master's Degree level are offered in at least 10 Universities, some of which offer classes in the evening as well as during regular hours. Thammasat University and Kasetsart University are are among those that offer both evening and regular at this level.