1.Mahidol University
Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand, can be traced back to the foundation of the Siriraj Hospital, which was established by his Majesty King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1888.
The hospital had a medical school - the oldest seat of higher education learning in the country - which first awarded a degree in 1893. In 1943, it became the University of Medical Sciences before finally becoming Mahidol University, in honour of his royal highness Prince Mahidol of Songkla , also known as Thailand’s “Father of Modern Medicine and Public Health”, in 1969.
The university has three campuses across Bangkok, the biggest of which, Salaya, is located in Nakhon Pathom province. There are also two smaller inner-city bases. In addition, there are provincial campuses in Nakhon Sawan, Kanchanaburi and Amnaj Charoen provinces.
The Salaya Campus houses the most research centres, along with the institution’s student union and student accommodation.
The original medical school is based at the Bangkok Noi Campus, which is home to the faculties of Medical Technology, Nursing and Siriraj Hospital.
The university houses the Mahidol University International College which, in 1986, began teaching Thailand’s first international bachelor’s degree programme. UIC, as it is known, now offers 19 undergraduate and two master's degree programs, and has more than 3,000 students.
Mahidol University is a member of the country’s National Research University Initiative and Research Promotion programme, as decreed by the Office of Higher Education Commission at the Ministry for Education in 2009.
This programme aims to promote Thailand as a hub of internationally recognised research, education and development. It was allocated a $350 million budget.
2.King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT)
King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) is a technical university in Thailand.
In 1960 the university opened as Thonburi Technology Institute, with just 21 staff. In 1971 it merged with the North Bangkok College of Technology and the College of Communication Technology to become King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi. It was the first university in Thailand to receive full autonomy from the government.
In addition to its teaching and research, the university presents itself as a multidisciplinary think tank, educational park and industrial park.
A range of courses with English instruction is available to students at bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral level.
As a prominent research centre, KMUTT's main areas of research expertise are materials sciences, earth systems sciences, indoor air quality, energy management, bioscience, bioengineering and policy research.
The university also has a respected Faculty of Architecture and Design.
Life on campus is energised by the many clubs run by the student union. There’s the chance to take part in activities like football and cheerleading, or to try out Southeast Asia’s challenging takraw – a form of volleyball in which players can’t use their hands or arms to hit the ball.
Thonburi is a district of Thailand’s capital city, Bangkok, and is located near the city centre, next to the Chao Phraya River. One of Thailand’s most iconic temples, Wat Arun, is located in this district. Thonburi has multiple canals which locals navigate on small boats.
3.Chulalongkorn University
Chulalongkorn University is a public research institution based in Bangkok with around 40,000 students.
The institution was founded in 1917. That year, King Vajiravudh decided that the former Civil Service College was ready to become a university, naming Chulalongkorn in memorial to his father, the king regarded as having laid the foundations of modern education in Thailand.
King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) had the aim of enabling the country to resist the tide of colonialism, one element of this being to improve the educational system of Siam (as the country was then known).
In 1961, the university established the graduate school, followed by a number of research centres and institutes.
The university’s strategy for the period between 2012 and 2016 focuses on different aspects of development and improvement, with the aim of raising the institution to a level of excellence that will enable it to become a “World Class National University”.
The institution's vision is to be “Thailand’s source of knowledge and reference, a guiding light of wisdom for sustainable development”.
The university has the motto of “Pillar of the Kingdom”.
CU’s emblem is the Phra Kieo, a coronet worn by princes and princesses. When the institution was named after King Chulalongkorn, the Phra Kieo became the institution’s emblem.
The coronet housed in the CU Memorial Hall is a replica made in 1976, by royal permission, of an original found in the royal Grand Palace.
Other attractions on campus include the Museum of the Human Body, the Museum of Thai Classical Music and the Snail Museum of Thailand, part of the institution’s Natural History Museum.
4.Suranaree University of Technology
The Suranaree University of Technology in Thailand was opened in 1990 after King Bhumibol Adulyadej signed a decree recognising it as a new institute of higher learning. The university is named after Thoa Suranari, a 19th century woman credited with saving the area from an invasion by a Laotian army.
The university is located in central Thailand in the city of Nakhon Ratchasima, commonly known as Korat. A three hour drive from capital Bangkok and with established rail and road links to the other eighteen provinces in Thailand’s northeast region, studying at SUT can be ideal for students who wish to explore the country while studying.
There are six different institutes at SUT, each focusing on a different field of study. At the Institute of Social Technology a student can receive a certificate in English.
The Institute of Agricultural Technology is regarded as one of the best centres in the region in fields of Biotechnology and research into food production techniques. One of the most interesting features at the university is the Synchrotron Light Research Institute, which facilitates the study of physics and advanced research, which are taught at doctoral and masters level.
The colours of the SUT crest are orange and gold. Orange is a symbolic colour associated with the city of Korat and the colour for Thursday, the day of the teacher in Thailand. Gold is representative of prosperity, honour, and faith. The official tree of the SUT is the Radermachera ignea, which produces bright orange flowers.
Accommodation is calculated at around 2,000 rooms for 6,000 students. The term schedule is split into three trimesters, each making up 13 weeks.
5.Chiang Mai University
Named after the beautiful city of Chiang Mai in which it is located, Chiang Mai University was the first higher education institution to be established in northern Thailand.
The university opened in 1964 with three faculties that offered programmes in Science, Social Sciences, and Humanities. Today, Chiang Mai offers almost 100 undergraduate and about 160 postgraduate courses in seventeen faculties to over twenty-five thousand students.
Additionally, two of its international undergraduate programmes and 18 at Masters and Doctoral level spanning Social Sciences, Health Sciences, and Science and Technology are taught in English.
The university is organised across four campuses: Suan Sak, which is 5km away from the city centre; Suan Dok whose name translates as Garden of Flowers; Mae Hea, located south of the city and, Sri Bua Baan, the university’s most southerly campus.
It also boasts three interdisciplinary Research Institutes with other facilities that include no less than 19 libraries. The main Central Library was built at the same time as the university itself and offers books, journals and multimedia resources in several different languages.
Since 1998, the university has also been home to an Art Museum, which hosts exhibitions by renowned contemporary Thai artists, international collections, and screenings of foreign films, as well as acting as a space for students to exhibit their own work.
Chiang Mai students can also sign-up to join a number of recreational and sports clubs that offer instruction in a number of traditional Thai sports such as Thai boxing (Muay Thai), sword and pole fighting, as well as Thai dancing.
Students seeking accommodation are directed towards the university’s ‘International Hostel’, which offers fully furnished, air conditioned rooms and suites for short and long term visitors. The hostel is priced affordably and prices include breakfast.
