The Support for Education Service Liberalization in Thailand

Abstract

         The objectives of the research are to assess the impact of trade liberalization in service sector in ASEAN community and regional economic integration on Thailand’s education service sector, propose international trade negotiation approaches, and recommend measures to support Thailand’s education services adapt to trade liberalization. The study found that Thai government had established national education reform plan and prepared human resource in response to ASEAN community but had not yet formulated modality for opening market in education services. Concurrently, there have been many foreign education businesses penetrating into Thai market, especially in international school, private higher education institutes, and training service subsectors. Thailand must prepare to deal with the trade liberalization for instance, developing human resource, enhancing quality of education institutes to meet international standards, exploiting foreign investment in transferring technologies, and utilizing the geographic location advantage to attract students from neighboring countries to study in Thailand.

        Trade liberalization in service sector is an instrument to elevate the standard of Thai education system. The government should pursue progressive liberalization negotiation approach and not open up to other countries more than the commitments made in ASEAN Framework Agreement in service sector. In addition, Thai educational institutes and international schools should pay attention to quality assurance compliance while the government should provide technical assistance, subsidies for education services, and evelopment schemes for Thai small and medium education service enterprises