There are over 37,000
Educational Institutions and
nearly 20 million students in the
Thai education system.
The Thai Education system consists of 12 year free basic
education: 6 years of “Prathom” (primary education, P1 to P6)
and 6 years of “Mattayom” (secondary education, M1 to M6).
Enrolment in the basic education system begins at the age of 6.
The current Thai Education system stems from the reforms
set by the 1999 National Education Act which implemented
new organisational structures, promoted the decentralisation
of administration and called for innovative learner-centred
teaching practices. The Thai education system (Figure 1)
provides 9 years of compulsory education, with 12 years of free
basic education guaranteed by the Constitution.