Thailand to Introduce New National Education Act Replacing 1999 Version

Key summary

Professor Dr. Pawawit Thongrot of the National Research Council's Center for Thai Education Reform stated that Thailand is preparing a new National Education Act to replace the version from 2000 (B.E. 2542), which has been in effect for nearly three decades. The draft was open for public consultation between July and August 2026 and is expected to be submitted to the Council of Ministers soon before moving to parliament. The Ministry of Education describes the new law as a new hope for national education reform, though the author notes concerns that the draft may deviate from the original intent of the independent committee that initiated the reform process.