In the face of rapid global changes, Thailand’s future plan to become part of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 have been challenged that its basic education system remains out of touch with the modern world. A reform has been called for to make it better equipped to be responsive to the 21-century job market.

Despite extensive teaching hours in Thailand and huge public investments in basic and higher education, many Thai students still have relatively low achievements. English proficiency in Thailand, for example, ranks very low among Asian countries. This situation is considered to be due to repetitive teaching, and a content-oriented approach to study, with no new approaches to teaching and learning processes yet being put into practice.

Thailand’s Vice Minister of Education, Dr. Pavich Tongroach, who is also the chairman of the National Board of Basic Education Curriculum Reform, led a group of 14 Thai education officials and experts to visit schools and government agencies in Taiwan to learn how to overcome the various weaknesses in the Thai educational system and thereby transform the situation and help Thai students learn better to meet the challenges of 21-century.

The Taipei Economic and Cultural office in Thailand and the Ministry of Education in Taiwan, arranged for the delegation to visit Xinsheng Elementary School in Taipei City, and Yongping High School in New Taipei City on August 12. They learned about how these two schools design their own curriculum and associated learning activities, all of which are in accord with the core standards regulated by the educational authorities. The next day the delegation visited the Ministry of Education’s K-12 Education Administration to learn about the basic education policies and reforms in Taiwan.

The Deputy Minister of Education in Taiwan, Dr. Pi-twan Huang hosted a luncheon to welcome Dr. Pavich Tongroach and his colleagues, at which Dr. Huang exchanged ideas on education with Dr. Pavich, and expressed her hope for more educational cooperation and activities between two countries.

Attendees at a luncheon hosted by the Political Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Pi-twan Huang to welcome Thailand’s Vice Minister of Education, Dr. Pavich Tongroach.