Thailand strengthens ties with top five study abroad destinations

The Thai International Education Consultants' Association (TIECA) has signed an agreement with education promotion agencies from five native English-speaking countries to strengthen their collaborations in helping Thai students prepare to study abroad. To mark its 22nd anniversary, TIECA recently signed the agreement with government agencies from the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US to reinforce their relationship and collaboration of more than 20 years. The agreement will enhance TIECA's trustworthiness and professionalism among Thai parents and guarantee quality of education is provided to Thai students studying abroad. TIECA President Mrs. Penprapa Vudhivate and representatives from five local embassies gathered at a recent press conference to announce the news. On behalf of the British Council, by Mr. Chris Gibson enthused, "We are delighted that year-on-year we see more students from Thailand coming to study in the UK. "The British Council and TIECA have collaborated closely over the past decade, and for the past nine years we have jointly hosted the UK Summer Schools Project for students to study English in the UK during their school break.

In recent years the number of students joining the programme has increased to over 350 students per year. The project is organised every March, April and October, and we have plans to include June and July intake in the future."

Mr. Dean Matlack from the American Embassy shared his enthusiasm, explaining that Thailand sent approximately 8,500 students to study at higher education institutions in the US last year. In addition, an estimated 10,000 Thai students are enroled in one-year high school exchange programmes throughout the US each year. Over the past 22 years, approximately 300,000 Thai students have pursued education overseas with counselling and assistance from TIECA's 73 member agencies. TIECA's move is the latest in Thailand's recent outreach efforts. Last month, the country announced that is working to join hands with more of its neighbours to drive educational improvement in the region. "Thailand and Malaysia will probably invite other countries, like Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore to provide collaboration in education [matters]," Anek Permvongseni, secretary general of the Office of the Education Council, said at the Fourth Thailand Malaysia joint educational research conference. "In the future, we may work together to jointly create educational curricula or share instructional media to learn English and studying of math. So, when students look to further higher education, Malaysian students can study a programme in English in Thailand under the co-created curricula," he said, adding that teaching and learning using technology for the future was also an issue of interest to the region. Sources: The Nation, Asia One