As the Covid-19 pandemic begins to ease, the number of international students looking to study in Thailand's higher education institutions is starting to rise.
These students are keen to continue with their studies in Thailand due to many reasons, including the kingdom's beautiful landscape and scenery, friendly locals, cheap and delicious food, low cost of living, ease of getting around, as well as the quality of education.
The Bangkok Post spoke with a number of international students to get a deeper insight into why they chose Thailand's higher education institutions to continue their studies.
Oeng Srenich
Twenty-two-year-old Cambodian student Oeng Srenich left her hometown in Siem Reap to pursue a bachelor's degree in journalism and mass communications at Thammasat University just outside of Bangkok.
In the beginning, she said, she had to get used to her new environment. "I needed to become familiar with the place, its people and the food quickly. But once I made some friends, it all became so much easier," she said.
While the apartment that she lives in isn't as well-equipped as other accommodation in the city, Oeng Srenich said she didn't mind the basic amenities, as she's here to focus on her studies.
In her free time, the Cambodian student spends most of her time with her friends, often going to a Thai barbecue joint near the university for meals.
However, whenever she wants a taste of city life, she travels by bus or public minivan to downtown Bangkok, mostly to do a little bit of shopping, eat, or enjoy a night out.
Since she lives outside of the city, she has to rely on public transportation a great deal.
"Here, the system is more structured than Cambodia's. There's a bus network, the BTS [Skytrain] the MRT and taxis," she said, noting there are no commuter train service in Cambodia, and regular buses are only available in Phnom Penh.
Overall, Oeng Srenich said studying in Thailand is not only enjoyable, but also conducive to further learning, pointing out her university has plenty of facilities which support students' creative endeavours.
"There are plenty of student-run activities too," she said, noting there aren't many student-led initiatives in Cambodian higher education institutions.
Kolosovskiy Yan
Prior to enrolling at Thammasat University's, Rangsit campus, 24-year-old student from Uzbekistan, Kolosovskiy Yan, acquired his bachelor's degree in international trade in China.
For the young Uzbek, who has been living in Rangsit for about six months, studying in Thailand has been a "pretty OK" experience.
Having grown up in urban Tashkent, he told the Post that he found Rangsit to be "acceptable", because it is far from the hustle and bustle of the city that he is used to. "I find life in the suburbs to be less colourful," he said.
He admitted he had some difficulties making friends at the start, mostly because of the cultural differences.
"It wasn't easy for me," he said, though the Thammasat Institute of Area Studies (TIARA) student added he found the Thai education system easy to adapt to.
Still, he said it presents a unique set of challenges; "in some aspects, studying in Thailand is easier than in my country; in others, it is more difficult".
Mr Yan finds the emphasis on presentations and group work alien to him, though he appreciates the freedom for research and independent thinking as well as regular class discussions, calling it "a kind of copy of Western liberal thinking in the education process", he said.
Ana Carbonell
Ana Carbonell, an exchange student from Mexico who is studying journalism at Thammasat University described her experience as "very nice" and "interesting".
She said she found Thai people very welcoming and helpful.
During her time in Thailand, the journalism student has enjoyed travelling to the beach in the South, flying to Chiang Mai, and visiting cafes and other places around Bangkok.
She said that living near the university was convenient for attending classes, but she found it difficult to walk on some streets, where she has to share the path with cars and motorbikes.
Ms Carbonell observed that studying in Thailand is comparable to her experience at Universidad Jesuita de Guadalajara in Mexico.
"It is not much different," she said. However, having to wear a uniform for exams was a new experience for her. "The last time I wore a uniform was in middle school," she said but added that it was "not too bad".
The 22-year-old found that most professors were friendly and helpful, but she felt a barrier between them and students, unlike in Mexico, where university teachers and students were close, "almost like friends".
Ms Carbonell also felt the language barrier was an issue when ordering food at the canteen.
"It's tough to order food. People there do not speak English, I have to point at the food I want," Ms Carbonell said.
Despite these obstacles, the Mexican was enjoying her time in Thailand.
"It is really different when you are in a country on the other side of the world that you do not really know, but in the end, you learn a lot," she said.
While studying abroad may be a rewarding experience, it is not without its obstacles; yet, as Joshua J Marine put it: "Challenges are what make life interesting, overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."
