Education & Health
From The Report: Thailand 2017
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Selected headline numbers generated by the Thai education sector have been encouraging. The country has a high rate of literacy, an increasing number of top-rated universities, long school-life expectancy, a strong history of education and a large education budget. Globally and regionally, it compares well by these measures. The country also has ambitions to become a major educational centre, undertaking cutting edge research and attracting students from ASEAN and beyond. Meanwhile, Thailand delivers health care effectively, fairly and at a relatively low cost. Its Universal Coverage Scheme, together with two other national programmes provide good basic benefits to all Thais, and now to most residents of the county. Because of its success Thailand is sometimes regarded as a health care model in the developing world. This chapter contains interviews with Teerakiat Jareonsettasin, Minister of Education; Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, President, Asian Institute of Technology; Dipak Jain, Former Director, Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration; and Virapatna Thakolsri, Managing Director, Biopharm Chemicals.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Learning curve: Despite a premium placed on learning, the sector has struggled to show positive results in recent years
OBG
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Selected headline numbers generated by the Thai education sector have been encouraging. The country has a high rate of literacy, an increasing number of top-rated universities, long school-life expectancy, a strong history of education and a large education budget. Globally and regionally, it compares well by these measures. The country also has ambitions to become a major educational centre, undertaking cutting edge research and attracting students from ASEAN and beyond. At the same time,…

Overview

Learning curve: Despite a premium placed on learning, the sector has struggled to show positive results in recent years
OBG
plus

Selected headline numbers generated by the Thai education sector have been encouraging. The country has a high rate of literacy, an increasing number of top-rated universities, long school-life expectancy, a strong history of education and a large education budget. Globally and regionally, it compares well by these measures. The country also has ambitions to become a major educational centre, undertaking cutting edge research and attracting students from ASEAN and beyond. At the same time,…

Interview

Opening up: Teerakiat Jareonsettasin, Minister of Education, on welcoming foreign institutions and sector reforms
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Interview: Teerakiat Jareonsettasin In which specific areas of educational reform is the Ministry of Education (MoE) planning to focus its efforts in the short term? TEERAKIAT JAREONSETTASIN: In recent years the MoE has placed great importance on education reform, including engaging in much-needed restructuring and reorganisation of our administration. One major proposed policy is to enable students in fields with teaching shortages to apply to be trainee teachers, in conjunction with their postgraduate…

Analysis

Refined reform: A new change in education aims to improve previous reforms
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Thailand’s educational system has a fairly well evolved curriculum, having gone through three major rounds of reform in recent decades, and it is generally regarded as sound. Analyses by UNESCO and others suggest that in terms of approach and theory, it is very much the same as the curricula utilised in Asian nations with highly successful educational systems. Despite having the essentials in order, Thailand underperforms in terms of student achievement and other measures of effective…

Interview

New paradigm: Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai, President, Asian Institute of Technology, on fine-tuning education to economic needs
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Interview: Worsak Kanok-Nukulchai In what ways are degree preferences among students at Thai universities and institutes currently being shaped by industry demand? WORSAK KANOK-NUKULCHAI: For us, the trend is very clear, in that the current global geopolitical situation has shifted international education towards the theme of “Looking East”. I believe that this is a windfall for truly international higher education institutes, especially in Asia. The major demand growth among students at this…

Interview

The new model: Dipak Jain, Former Director, Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration, on focusing on entrepreneurship and niche management specialities at educational institutions
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Interview: Dipak Jain Given renewed government efforts to stimulate innovation-based industries, how can Thai institutions drive entrepreneurship among students? JAIN DIPAK: In understanding the need for entrepreneurship among new graduates and young professionals, it is important to consider the historic context of the global business model as a whole. Businesses have evolved tremendously over the past decades and centuries. During the time of colonialism the major players in global commerce were…

Overview

Great expectations: The government seeks to provide greater coverage
OBG
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Thailand delivers health care effectively, fairly and at a relatively low cost. Its Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) together with two other national programmes provide good basic benefits to all Thais, and now to most residents of the county. Because of its success Thailand is sometimes regarded as a health care model in the developing world. More broadly, the country has tackled and continues to focus successfully on public health issues. Longevity is high, infant mortally is low and the…

Overview

Great expectations: The government seeks to provide greater coverage
OBG
plus

Thailand delivers health care effectively, fairly and at a relatively low cost. Its Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) together with two other national programmes provide good basic benefits to all Thais, and now to most residents of the county. Because of its success Thailand is sometimes regarded as a health care model in the developing world. More broadly, the country has tackled and continues to focus successfully on public health issues. Longevity is high, infant mortally is low and the…

Analysis

Healthy alternative: Government initiatives seek to boost medical tourism
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An expanded product range aimed at broadening the client base alongside plans to target new markets are part of Thailand’s campaign to shore up its medical tourism industry, which is coming under pressure from increased competition and weaker economic performance in key source countries. In early September 2016 the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) unveiled a new series of packages as part of the “Visit Thailand Enhance Your Healthy Life” programme aimed at increasing medical and wellness…

Analysis

Healthy alternative: Government initiatives seek to boost medical tourism
OBG
plus

An expanded product range aimed at broadening the client base alongside plans to target new markets are part of Thailand’s campaign to shore up its medical tourism industry, which is coming under pressure from increased competition and weaker economic performance in key source countries. In early September 2016 the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) unveiled a new series of packages as part of the “Visit Thailand Enhance Your Healthy Life” programme aimed at increasing medical and wellness…

Interview

Educating the market: Virapatna Thakolsri, Managing Director, Biopharm Chemicals, on alignment in the pharmaceutical segment
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Interview: Virapatna Thakolsri How is ASEAN harmonising regulatory standards for drugs and pharmaceutical products? VIRAPATNA THAKOLSRI: While the member states of ASEAN have been discussing the harmonisation of pharmaceutical standards for quite some time, this initiative admittedly has not been moving forward as quickly as we hoped. Although the region has made strides in bringing standards in line with international norms, to a large extent regulation still varies country by country. The ultimate…

Interview

Educating the market: Virapatna Thakolsri, Managing Director, Biopharm Chemicals, on alignment in the pharmaceutical segment
OBG
plus

Interview: Virapatna Thakolsri How is ASEAN harmonising regulatory standards for drugs and pharmaceutical products? VIRAPATNA THAKOLSRI: While the member states of ASEAN have been discussing the harmonisation of pharmaceutical standards for quite some time, this initiative admittedly has not been moving forward as quickly as we hoped. Although the region has made strides in bringing standards in line with international norms, to a large extent regulation still varies country by country. The ultimate…