Study in Thailand

About Thailand

• Geography and Locales-The country of Thailand is bordered by the country of Myanmar on the north and west. Towards its east, it has the Mekong river. Towards the south of this country, there is Cambodia. Bangkok is the capital of Thailand. It is the center of education and industry. It is also a very famous tourist destination along with Pattaya. One of the famous temples in Bangkok is known as the Temple of the Dawn. This temple is located on the bank of the Chao Phraya River. You will enjoy sometime relaxing in this temple. You can visit the palace of king Rama. You will be able to enter the thrown hall of this palace within 500 Thailand bahts. The students of History and Political Science will find this place very tempting. If you get a holiday of 4 day, do visit the beach of Pattaya. It is a lovely beach consisting of corals, water sports, and much more. You can buy souvenirs for your friends from this beach. My firend got lots of souvenirs for us.
• History-This kingdom is reach in historical facts. Firstly, it is still a kingdom. This means that Thailand is stilled ruled by a king and not a political leader. The current dynasty that is the Chakri dynasty is ruling here from the 18th century. It is said that the people of Thailand were originally the inhabitants of China. They migrated here from the southwest China. Many kings ruled this country. From ancient period, Thailand has seen Lavo kingdom, Sukothaikingddom, Ayutthaaya kingdom, Dhonburi kingdom, Rattanaakoin kingdom and much more. The current king of Thailand is a descendant of the Chakri dynasty.
• Climate-Thailand has a soothing tropical climate. The temperature remain quite soothing in the summer. This country generally enjoys three kinds of seasons, the hot summer, the dry winter and the southwest monsoons. The rains may occur during the summer time also. My friend said that she went during the summer time. She experienced heavy rainfall. So much so, that there was a little waterlogging near her hotel. The southern part of the country of Thailand experiences warm climate even in the winter. Other than that, all other parts of Thailand experience cold during the winter. Those who wish to study in Chiang Mai university can experience a temperature of 0oC during the winters.
• Economy-This country has the eight largest economy of the world. The cities near the river banks have helped in improving the economy of this country. Although tourism is a huge business in Thailand, the main strength of the Thai economy is the industrial and service sector. In fact, educational institutes comprise of a large amount of the GDP of this country. Thee economy of this country is largely influenced by the politicians and military since the year 1945. By the ‘80s, international politics also made an entry into this economy. This country is one of the peaceful countries of Asia. After the politics of this country has merged with the economy, this country has seen an upward trend in the GDP. So you can think of pursuing a career in this country after you finish your education.

  Quick Facts

  • Did you know that this country is also known as Prathetin Thai language? The meaning of this is land of the free. This country is free from any colonization of the European countries. This is unlikely of many Asian countries, including India.
  • the capital of Thailand is Bangkok and it is the largest city of Thailland.
  • If you have visited Thailand before, then you will know that it is the land of huge number of temples. In fact, a lot of tourist attraction spots over here are temples.
  • I have mentioned before also that Indian students will not have any problem when they come to Thailand. This is because; rice is a widely produced crop in Thailand. Thailand exports rice to all over the world. In fact, rice is the most exported item of Thailand.
  • This country consists of many elephants. In fact, most of the elephants of Thailand agree domesticated. This is quite an interesting and rare thing found in any country.
  • Most of the islands of Thailand has featured in the movies of Hollywood or Bollywood. There are more than a thousand of beaches in and around Thailand, which make it a great tourist spot.

  Admission Process in Thailand

  • You must submit the photocopies of the mark sheets and certificates of class 10,12, graduation/ master's degree as applicable for the course.
  • You must submit a photocopy of your passport. The photocopy should show the date of issuance and the validity period. The passport must have a remaining validity of more than one year.
  Here also you will require two letters of recommendations, in order to prove your potential in the university. It will be better if your principal or director signs and seals these letters. Other than them, you can sign such letters by any gazetted or PSU officer. The letter should establish that you are a person of good character and you deserve to get a chance to study in that college.
  • You may have to submit your latest curriculum vitae. Always check the official website of the university where you wish to take admission. Always submit the bio data in the format they have specified. They will have a format in which you are to provide your bio data. If no official format is given, submit the bio data in a standard corporate format.
  • You must clear either TOEFL, IELTS to prove your proficiency in speaking and writing English. This will be required by those courses which requires communication in English Language.
  • There should be a statement of purpose along with your application. It should state why you want to study this subject. In this letter enhance how this subject will help you in your career. This is like an informal interview, that will help the higher authority in justifying your candidature for this course.
  • You can also provide the documents of any extracurricular activity that you have done.. This could be social work, vocational courses, etc. If you have received any accolade from the government, then you must submit a photocopy of that in the application. This will increase your points for getting admission in the course.
  • Last but not the least, without the application fee, your application for admission is incomplete. You can pay the fee online.

  Student Visa Application Process

  You need to show the proof of your passport to the visa application office. Without this, your visa application will be incomplete. You can show your passport to either the visa consulate office or the Royal Thai Embassy. This visa is basically, a non-immigrant visa. If you are applying for a student visa in Thailand, then you must complete at least 3-4 semesters in the university of Thailand. So it is advisable that you pursue a degree course or a master's course in Thailand. Try not to apply for the visa when you are applying for a six month certification course. That means if you are interested in doing a workshop or summer school only, or maybe a certificate course for six months, then you should think of some other foreign university. Here the student visa is given to only those persons who will be staying for a longer period, say for at least 4 semesters.

  Lifestyle

  Some of the major beaches of this country are Patong beach, Railay beeach, Saireee beach, Sunrise beach, Pattaya beach, etc. Therefore, any foreign student would spend some lovely time on the beaches of Thailand, when he or she is not spending time in studying. You can think of scuba diving, snorkelling, para-ceiling. My friend opted for kayaking in the beach of Ko Chang, Thailand. She has a fear of both water and heights. If you also have the same fear, then you can select canoeing or kayaking. You will be given professional kayak drivers, who will show you all the beautiful locales from the kayak. In case of para-ceiling, you will be flying with a parachute. The parachute will be tied to a boat. Professional drivers drive the boats. In case of scuba diving or snorkelling, you will have to go under water and only then, you can see the beautiful coral reefs. Here also an underwater diver and swimmer will be provided with you. The cost of this will be obviously much more than kayaking or para-ceiling. The latter two can be done within 800 bahts, whereas snorkelling will cost you more than 2000 bahts. Therefore, as you may understand that Thailand provides some water sports for everybody. This way you will never be out of fun in Thailand.
  If you are a foodie person, then you will get many Thai dishes to taste from. You will get many Indian restaurants in this country. So you will never feel that you are out of India. Those who belong to Rajasthaan and are currently studying inThailand, may have a penchant for spicy food. Thereare a lotofThai curries, including chicken curry, which are very spicy. If you are a vegetarian, then also Thailand has a lot to offer. The papaya salad is a very healthy dish for morning breakfast. In fact, you can make this dish at home, before coming to the college. It takes very lesstime,andisveryhealthyfor the body. If you don't like too much spice, then you can have dishes likechicken in coconutsoup. You canthink of eatingThaifried noodles during theafternoon.You can havethisfor lunch if it is coupled with egg and shrimps. Those who are allergic toshrimps can add boiled chicken to it. However, to do thisyouhaveto cook the dish at home. In restaurants,you will get Thai friednoodles along with shrimps.This is a very tasty dish and easy tocook. This dish can become yourcheap lunchduring the student life. Sobe it food oroutdoor fun, Thailand has a lot to offer.
  The cost of a course in Thailand is quite expensive. Foreign students generally study in private universities. Such universities may cost you between 30-50 lakhs per year. The cost of studying a course in a public or government university is around 4-5 lakhs per year. You can also opt for scholarships in a university. You must decide the university in Thailand where you want to take admission. One quick suggestion here would be to keep public universities in a higher priority list than private universities. Whether or not you are eligible for the course, will be clear only when you go through the official website of the university. After deciding on the university and the subject, you want to pursue, go through the list of scholarships offered by the university. These scholarships cover the tuition fee of the colleges from 50-100%. To avail a scholarship in any university, there are two criteria. In some universities, only one condition could be considered. In some universities, both the criteria should match. Firstly, a student must have a very good academic record. Secondly, the students might have to clear a scholarship examination. The syllabus of the test depends upon the course in which you want to take admission. The marks and pattern of the examination will vary with a change in the university. Some universities offer scholarship after the first year of the course.The pattern of the examination could be either written or online.

  Cost of Living for Students

  Accommodation-You can rent an apartment. The price of the apartment varies in between Rs. 15,00 per month-Rs.80,000 per month. The cost of the apartment varies based on the amenities available in the apartment. You can get free WiFi, electricity etc. based on the room rent. Generally, a wardrobe, a desk, a chair, a bed and free Wi-Fi connection are the basic amenities available with the lowest rent for a single bedroom. You have to share the apartment with fellow students in order to cut down on the costs. You should take a 4-5 bedroom apartment and share the rent among your roommates. Your roommates will also help you in sharing other duties of the apartment. This may include, cooking, cleaning, dusting, etc. This will help you save on the costs of maintaining a housekeeper.
  FoodThe cost of food is more or less low in Thailand. You can get a nice meal in any moderately expensive restaurant within 200 bahts.The cost of steamed rice is low more or less. It is the cost of the side dishes, that raise the cost of the meal. You can also think of buying groceries from the market and cooking in your apartment. It is better not to keep housekeepers in Thailand. They are very costly. It is better to do your own house chores and cook on your own at home. The packaged bottles of water cost between 2-3 bahts. There are systems of water refill, provided by the government on the streets. You can refill your onelitre water bottle by spending one or two bahts. If you are cooking at home, then you would require more than two liters of water daily. In my suggestion install a water purifier at home (rented apartment) and cook with that water. Use that water for drinking as well. This way, the cost of buying water everyday will be eliminated.
  TransportationThere are buses, taxis, boats etc., as transportation facilities. The buses range from cheap to costly. The tickets may cost between 2US dollars to 30 US dollars. Some tourist buses provide various kinds of facilities in the buses. Accordingly, the tickets are divided into first, second and third class. You can take taxis or tuktuks to the universities. It will cost you around 50 bahts for one trip.This amount may vary depending on the distance that you cover.The cost of a drive in a tuktuk will be lesser than a taxi. A tuktukis basically a Thai version of our Indian auto-rickshaw. If you are a resident of Mumbai, Delhi, or any other metropolitan city, then you must have taken an auto-rickshaw ride to your college or university. One suggestion here would be to either avail a bus or a tuktuk to your college or university. This will help you cut down your daily expenses. There are boats available. But these are generally used to go for a marketing (in case of floating markets) or just for a ride to view the locales. Another suggestion here would be that if you have just recently come to Thailand, then do all the marketing on land. The floating markets can be very costly. Generally the new and amateur international buyers fall prey to the exceedingly high prices of the floating markets. These boats are never used for traveling from home to college or vice versa.

  Documents for University Admissions in Thailand

  1. You must take admission in a university or college in Thailand. Upon taking admission, the college or university will provide you with an admission letter or invitation letter with proper sign and seal. You need to produce the letter in the visa consulate office.
  2. You have to fill up the visa application form and submit it during the visa interview. Along with this you must pay the application fee for the visa.
  3. The validity of your passport must remain for at least for six more months and at least one of the visa pages must remain empty. The passport validity should remain for more than a year, in case you are applying for degree courses.
  4. You need two passport size photographs. The size of the photographs has been stipulated to 3.5 cm *4.5 cm.
  5. You may have to submit the copy of your air ticket. This serves as a proof of your stay period in Thailand. You may not be able to show the return ticket in case of courses more than one year long. In that case, the admission letter must mention the duration of your stay in Thailand.
  6. You have to submit a proof that you were not convicted in the past. You will get this document from your nearest police station.
  7. Last but not the least, you will have to submit one or two recommendation letters from your present institute in India. The principal or director of your institute can issue such a letter.

If you want to pursue your education in Thailand, then you must know why you should study there and where should you study that subject. You must be prepared with your priority list of Thai institutes, before actually entering this country. The following is a list of Thailand universities and colleges, and the subjects offered in those universities.

1. Chulalongkorn University-Subjects taught-You can think of studying Architectural Design, Communication Design, Aerospace Engineering Nano Engineering, Applied Chemistry, Food and Nutrition, Restorative and Implant Dentistry, Labour Economics and Human Resource Management, European Studies, Korean Studies, Southeast Asian Studies, etc. Those students who are not looking for a career in India should pursue the last three subjects. If you want to pursue a career in Thailand, in any other Asian countries, or in any European country, then the last three subjects are appropriate for you. There are many other subjects offered at this university. Of them, the subjects that could be on the priority list are mentioned here. This university provides doctoral degrees in subjects like Food and Nutrition, Medical Science, Pharmaceutical Technology, Computer Science and Information Technology, European Studies, Environment, Development and Sustainability, Polymer Science, etc. Among these, there are a few subjects like Polymer Science, Computer Science and Information Technology, etc. in which the seats for doctoral programs in Indian universities are very limited. However, the students passing their master's in these subjects are in the number of thousands and lakhs. Therefore, for them this university is an ideal choice to complete their higher studies. This university gives an ample amount of importance to research and innovation. The faculties involved in teaching higher studies are also keen in doing research work. You will be a part of the strict academic discipline followed in the university, once you take admission here.
2. Chiang Mai University--Subjects taught-This university is mainly popular for the language studies it provides. You can study English, French, German, Chinese, Japanese, etc. Those students, who want to pursue a B.Ed. course in a variety of subjects, can think of this university. You will get a number of B.Ed. courses in this university,which many Indian universitiesdon'toffer. You can study B.Ed. in Mathematics, Business Administration, Industrial Education, Health Education and Health Promotion, Elementary Education, Agriculture, French, English. In fact, few of these subjects are not taught under the education category in India, as the schools of India don't have these subjects. Therefore, if you are looking for a B.Ed. degree in such subjects, then you will have to think of a career outside India. This university also provides degree courses in a series of engineering disciplines. Some of them are Mining Engineering, Computer Engineer, Agricultural Machinery, Industrial Engineering.
Bangkok School of Management-Subjects taught-If you are thinking of studying MBA or even an M.Ed. course, then this university could be in your priority list. This university provides a B.Sc. honours degree in Business and Marketing, Business and Finance, Business and Management, etc. It provides a bachelor's in arts degree in Business and Industrial Management. A quick suggestion here would be that, if you want to study management, then it is better not to go for a bachelor's in arts degree. If you want to pursue a career in India, then a B.A. degree in management will not be fruitful for your future. This university also organizes short courses, training programs, workshops etc. These help in enriching your knowledge in upcoming financial topics. You have to pay the registration fee in order to participate in such workshops or seminars. You will learn the new areas that are being focused upon by the researchers of business management.
3. Dhonburi Rajabhat University-Subjects taught-Various subjects in engineering and technology stream, Medical Sciences. This university also provides most subjects in arts discipline. This university doesn'tprovide any housing facility. Therefore, when you take admission in this university, then you must look for hostels outside the campus. This university provides courses online and student exchange programs. In case of an online course, you have to pay the course fee online, through internet banking. You will get all the course materials, through email or airmail. The videos lectures of the professors of this university teaching the subjects of your discipline will be available to you once you have paid the full fees. You will have to give the examinations online. The higher authorities of the university will send you the certificates my email or airmail. The student exchange programs are the ones where you as a student of India will come to this university to study the subject that you are pursuing in India. In your place, a student from this university will come to India in your institute or another institute. He will basically be studying a part of his course from this Dhonburi Rajabhat University.