In Thailand, the school year does not line up with those across much of the Western world. This can cause confusion for volunteers who are coming to the kingdom to teach English. Beyond this, schedule changes tentatively slated for the 2014-2015 academic school year have introduced further confusion across the board.
The school year in Thailand begins in mid-May when the monsoon rains set in. This is a good time for students to be in class, as the weather makes outside activities less desirable. Under this model, the first semester winds down in early October with end-of-semester exams, and students take a three-week break.