Four private schools in Bangkok requested closure for the 2026 academic year, while an estimated 20 to 30 private schools nationwide are seeking to shut down amid economic crisis and declining birthrate.
Supaset Kanakul, President of the Association Board of Coordination and Promotion of Private Education (APPE), disclosed the figures following a meeting with the Ministry of Education chaired by Education Minister Prasert Chantararuangthong.
The meeting primarily focused on the welfare fund for private school teachers. Foreign teachers working at private schools have expressed interest in contributing to the fund so they can access its benefits.
However, no approval has yet been given for foreign teachers to join the welfare fund. The ministry said teachers must contribute to the fund for at least 10 years before becoming eligible for benefits, while most foreign teachers in Thailand work and remain in the country for an average of six to seven years.
The ministry also noted that relatively few foreign teachers had expressed interest in contributing to the fund. Prasert therefore instructed relevant departments to study the issue before any further decision is made.
The meeting also addressed private school closures. Supaset said four private schools in Bangkok had recently requested permission to close, while an estimated 20 to 30 schools across the country had requested closure for the 2026 academic year.
According to Supaset, the reported reasons included the economic crisis and declining birthrate. He added that some schools were also closing because of internal issues among their operators, while heirs at some schools had decided not to continue running the family businesses.
Supaset assured parents and the public that plans would be completed before any closures were approved to transfer students to new schools and provide teachers and educational staff with their legal entitlements.
The Education Ministry is preparing to investigate whether additional private schools are planning to request closure for the 2026 academic year.
The story 4 Bangkok private schools seek closure, 20 to 30 others nationwide shut down as seen on Thaiger News.
