The senior advisor to the Deputy Minister of Education, Prof. Thanet Charoenmuang, chaired a meeting and discussion on change and adjustment of the new academic year for Thai schools and universities on 29 May 2013 at the Ministry of Education.


The following are the issues raised regarding the progress of the arrangements for the new academic year for Thailand:The Office of the Higher Education Commission (OHEC) presented some policies and asked for cooperation from universities in Thailand to change and adjust the opening and closing of the academic year of 2014 from June to August or September so that it corresponds to both ASEAN and international academic calendars. So far, 12 universities here have already done this.


The Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) arranged a seminar and survey in December, 2012. The results show an agreement to change the start of the Thai academic year in all schools from 16 May to 10 June. The new period will officially become effective in 2014. The Office of the Vocational Education Commission (OVEC) has studied an effect and appropriate period for the newly adjusted academic year and found that it does not affect teaching and learning at school because vocational colleges in Thailand focus on bilateral teaching approaches that allow students to work more than study in class. Nevertheless, it will use the same regulations as OBEC to provide more options for vocational students.


 The Office of the Private Education Commission (OPEC) has divided schools into two groups: international schools which will use the studying period standard of their country of origin and local private schools which will use the OBEC studying period standard. Prof. Thanet said that schools and universities of the Ministry of Education were ready and able to start and end academic years along with other members of the upcoming ASEAN Community in 2014. While some Thai universities have already changed these periods, schools under OBEC's supervision will change at the start of the academic year from 16 May to 10 June in 2014. Personally, he viewed that the new academic year in Thailand should depend on ASEAN and universal contexts for the sake of educational exchanges and field trips. However, use of international academic years in Thailand should take specific reasons and area characteristics into account as well.