The international school sector has tended to grow consistently, driven by demand from wealthy parents, business people and employees of international organisations working in Thailand, who favour international schools because of their modern curricula.
Auramon Supthaweethum, director-general of the Department of Business Development (DBD), said its analysis of rising star businesses in April 2025 found that the international school business shows consistent and significant growth.
Annual tuition fees for the top 10 international schools range from 905,300 baht to 1,109,400 baht.
According to Kasikorn Research Center, Thailand has 257 international schools.
However, since the education sector does not distinctly categorise international institutions, the DBD analysed information from 20 notable international schools.
It found that the total revenue of these international schools increased by 28% year-on-year to 7.32 billion baht in 2023.
This significant growth was driven by the success of these schools in increasing student enrolment, higher tuition fees and improved curricula, which align with the demands of parents seeking top-tier education options for their children.
Meeting global standards
She said families with higher incomes, including those in the world of business and employees of international organisations, are choosing these educational institutions. They appreciate the programmes that align with their expectations for high-quality education that meet international standards.
These schools prioritise a favourable teacher-to-student ratio of 1:8, which improves the quality of education and enables more attention for each student.
Therefore, international schools in Thailand have achieved a level comparable to global standards.
This has led both Thai and expatriate parents to prefer enrolling their children in local international schools rather than sending them abroad for their education, Mrs Auramon said.
Moreover, psychological aspects play a significant role in why international schools attract wealthy parents.
She said while these educational options tend to be expensive, wealthy parents often invest in their children's education as it can pave the way for social acceptance and participation in a global network, both of which are indicators of success and wealth.
Moreover, the desire for exclusivity encourages affluent families to pursue distinctive experiences and opportunities that are not easily found elsewhere.
International schools meet this demand by providing specialised curricula, connections to global communities and environments that promote the development of international competencies, making them an appealing choice for this group of parents.
Opportunities and threats
Mrs Auramon said the international school sector is facing several challenges.
One key issue is the projected long-term decline in birth rates, which may lead to fewer new students enrolling in the future.
Moreover, rising operational costs, particularly related to teacher salaries and facility maintenance, pose a risk to net profit margins in the long run.
This situation is further complicated by increased competition from other international schools across Southeast Asia.
The opportunities for the international school market in Thailand go beyond opening more campuses, according to the DBD.
Mrs Auramon said it is crucial to meet the needs of today's learners by establishing schools in areas like Phuket, Chiang Mai and Pattaya, where there are considerable foreign communities, offering a promising path for sustained revenue growth.
The schools must develop and provide programmes focusing on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) to foster students' analytical and problem-solving skills.
Coding education is also important as it develops systematic thinking, logical reasoning and problem-solving strategies, all essential in today's world, she said.
Incorporating artificial intelligence-focused courses will prepare students for future job market demands.
By creating engaging, hands-on learning experiences that prioritise the development of key 21st-century skills, these schools can effectively cater to the evolving needs of both parents and students, Mrs Auramon added.
As of April 30, 2025, the DBD reported that there are 7,511 registered educational businesses in Thailand with a combined registered capital of 50.6 billion baht.
Out of these, the majority -- 7,362 small entities, or 98% -- are small businesses with a total registered capital of 33.1 billion baht on average. There are 122 medium-sized enterprises with a combined capital of 11.2 billion baht and 27 large businesses with a total capital of 6.23 billion baht.
In terms of business structure, limited companies hold a significant share, comprising 6,717 entities that account for 89.4% of the total with a combined registered capital of 48.1 billion baht.
There are also 790 limited partnerships and juristic ordinary partnerships, representing 10.5% of the total, with a total registered capital of 1.12 billion baht, and four public limited companies, accounting for 0.05% of all entities, with a combined registered capital of 1.34 billion baht.