By The Editorial Team
Bangkok is home to several illustrious and excellent international schools, but there seems to be heavy weightage of which school you’ve attended. The tier system is one of the international school ecosystem’s worst-kept secrets. Just like admissions to an Ivy League, where you went to high school in Thailand determines your ranking on the social pecking order.
On a night out, people might ask you what you do for work, but most people will ask where you went to school. Whatever your answer, the person who asks the question has already formed an opinion based on your response.
Sounds like something out of a British upper-class melodrama, doesn’t it? Though there aren’t any crests involved, not for the most part, people who grew up here hold a certain pride in providing their alumnus status. Masala snuck undercover into the rat pack to learn exactly how much importance a high school diploma holds.
How Much Did Your School’s Reputation Shape How Others Saw You?
“I feel like whenever I mention which school I went to, there is a palpable reaction. Some of them make me feel like I’ve already been slotted into some hierarchy, some comment silently being made about my upbringing and the kind of education I’ve received. Once or twice, someone may even say I don’t look like the type to have gone to a school like that. It always confuses me. Was there some handbook of behaviour and appearance for my school that I missed?”
— Anonymous Alum, Bangkok Patana School (BPS)
“To be completely honest, growing up and even now, my school and education are things I am tremendously proud of. I recognise what a privilege it was to attend an international school, be exposed to the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum and meet people from all over the world from such a young age. My father was, very rightfully, proud that he was able to provide me with that education.
Growing up, I think this did give me a bit of a chip on my shoulder, particularly because I went to what I would consider one of the “Holy Trinity” schools (NIST, BPS, International School of Bangkok (ISB)). When people first met me, they would often assume I was someone who kept to myself and lived in an uppity little bubble. That changed quite a bit after graduation and COVID-19, when people seemed much less judgemental and everyone started mingling a lot more.”
— Anonymous Alum, NIST International School of Thailand (NIST)
“More than I'd like to admit. Going to a small, cheaper international school out in Bang Na, I noticed the change the moment someone asked, "Which school do you go to?" When I said the name, people either didn't recognize it or gave a polite "oh, okay" and moved on.
Students from the bigger international schools already knew each other through sports tournaments, parties in Thonglor, tutoring centers, and mutual friends, so they had a shared world I was never really part of. It wasn't usually mean or intentional; I just didn't have the connections to get in. Being far from the city made it harder too, since so much of the social life happened in places I rarely got to. After a while, I started feeling like my school name decided which circles I could belong to before anyone learned who I actually was.”
— Anonymous Alum, Thai-Sikh International School
“I think at times growing up, the reputation of my school meant people may think that I might be a party person and familiar with Bangkok even though I’m not. People also tend to remember other friends they have from your alma mater and thus may subtly assume you might be similar to them or also already know them.”
— Anonymous Alum, Ruamrudee International School (RIS)
Have You Ever Judged Someone for the School They Went To?
“Guilty as charged! When I was younger, I often assumed I would have more in common with someone who went to another school of the same “status”, for lack of a better word. That was very quickly proven wrong. As I grew up, I made some amazing friends from completely different schools and backgrounds.
Looking back, I think that assumption probably came from a lack of exposure more than anything else. By the time I reached high school, I was much more in touch with reality. I quickly learned that your education ultimately depends much more on the teachers you have, the environment you’re in, and, perhaps most importantly, your own motivation to learn.”
— Anonymous Alum, NIST International School of Thailand (NIST)
“I don’t think I judged them, but I definitely presumed their financial status based on the school they went to.”
— Anonymous Alum, Wells International School Bangkok
Why Is Judging Someone by Their School So Common in Bangkok?
“I think within the international school community, the school you go to can be a sort of badge. It holds the same value recognition as name-dropping an Ivy League or a Russell Group university. There is also the familiarity factor.
Since we have grown up here, we may know someone or the other who has gone to a different international school. If you mention your school at a social gathering with people you don’t know, another person may recognise it from their vast friend group or their experiences, and depending on their feelings regarding that school, you can gain an immediate, if temporary, friend. It’s sort of a social safety net.”
— Anonymous Alum, Bangkok Patana School (BPS)
“I think it's because in Bangkok, school has become a status symbol. People openly talk about schools in "tiers," and the fees of the top international schools make them a visible sign of wealth and social class, much like a car or a neighborhood. Those schools also come with networks, English fluency, and access to universities abroad, so people link the name with future success.
Judging someone by their school is really a quick way of guessing their background, and since money and status still carry a lot of weight in Thai society, the shortcut sticks. Getting to know someone's interests or ambitions takes more effort, so the label often comes first.”
— Anonymous Alum, St Andrews International School (STA)
“I think this is because your formative years happen at a very young age, which shapes your way of thinking, your first language, and your culture. So whether you have an “international” mindset, a “native” mindset, or a “third culture” mindset can largely be gauged through a shortcut of some three to four word acronym which may reveal who the majority of your classmates and friends must have been as a kid.”
— Anonymous, Ruamrudee International School (RIS)