How are They Different?

Teaching Chinese University Students in Thailand

Abstract

Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand, began educating larger numbers of Chinese students in 2016. The Chinese students arrived in Thailand to take advantage of the proximity to southern China, English-language curriculum, and readily procured visas. Programs continued during the COVID lockdowns in Thailand via online platforms like Microsoft Teams, and enrollment resumed on-campus in late 2022, a strategy many Thai universities adopted sought to protect enrolments, and balance budgets. This has caused faculty and administration to evaluate how such international programs might continue post-pandemic. At the same time though, faculty and staff are getting a sense of the opportunities, risks, and difficulties associated with educating larger numbers of Chinese students in a Thai environment.