75% of Thai universities at risk of closing due to 'unsatisfactory'

Low enrollment and increasingly fierce competition with foreign schools make it difficult for domestic universities to survive.

The government's decision to allow foreign universities to set up campuses in special economic zones along Thailand's borders has raised concerns among many education experts in the country, according to the Bangkok Post on May 22. According to Mr.Arnond Sakworawich, lecturer in predictive science and risk management at the School of Applied Statistics at the National Development Institute (Nida), which would put many domestic universities at risk.

Thailand’s higher education market has been shrinking for years due to the demographic transition, with fertility rates falling from high to low. “There are now only about 600,000 to 700,000 children born each year in Thailand, compared to one million 30 years ago. The National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) also predicts that the number of school-age people (0-21) will fall to 20 percent of the population by 2040, a record drop from 62 percent in 1980,” said Arnond.

In 2016, NESDB reported that 704,050 babies were born in Thailand. During last year’s intake period, universities had 150,000 places to fill in various fields of study, but only 80,000 applied. The figure is a wake-up call for the country’s 170 universities.

“When the market is shrinking and you allow more competitors, the competition will definitely be higher. I think the worst case scenario is that within the next decade, three-quarters of universities in Thailand will have to close down because they are not able to compete with famous and foreign universities,” he added.

Thammasat University is considering balancing its faculties and departments to survive. Photo: Best Masters

Pong-In Rakariyatham, a researcher on college admissions, said there has been a significant drop in student numbers and changes in the labor market are likely to have a big impact.

“New social trends may make some majors obsolete, so schools that want to stay financially afloat may have to close certain programs. Majors in the social sciences may be the first to go,” he said.

Somwang Phithiyanuwat, a scholar at the Royal Society, also said that university administrators need to start thinking about changing the number of students in each faculty to survive. “Students now prefer to study natural sciences rather than social sciences, so I think universities need to reduce social sciences majors.”

Thailand’s most prestigious Thammasat University is also at risk of being eliminated, starting to realize the decreasing number of students and is looking for ways to balance. The school is thinking of narrowing or even closing some important social majors such as law, journalism and mass communication.

According to VNE