Abstract:

The higher education system of Thailand has unique challenges for teachers and learners due to particular local cultural values. The purpose of this study is to investigate the affect of Thai cultural factors on teaching and learning in Thailand. This research will focus on two important Thai cultural factors—the hierarchical system in Thai culture and Thai concept of Kreng Jai, which is a difficult term to translate into English but has to do with obligation and respect and can impact on students’ critical thinking abilities and learning interaction in the classroom. The cultural background and context of these issues will be explored in depth to provide an understanding of the educational challenges from the Thai perspective. Teachers in Thailand grow accustomed to the respect and high status accorded them by students and the society. For the most part, they do not expect or take kindly to being challenged or questioned in class (Klausner, 1993) and students tend to remain silent when it comes to being critical of anything a teacher might say. This study intends to analyze the impact of these Thai cultural expectations in order to suggest an improved, more effective teaching and learning environment in Thailand.

Keywords:

learning style, culture, cultural value, tradition, university, higher education, Thailand, teaching method, classroom participation, hierarchical system.