In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, United States and British missionaries introduced formal European education, primarily in the palaces. Up to that time, scholarly pursuits had been confined largely to Buddhist temples, where monastic instruction, much of it entailing the memorization of scriptures, was provided to boys and young men. Like his father Mongkut, King Chulalongkorn wanted to integrate monastic instruction with Western education. Unsuccessful in this effort, he appointed his half brother, Prince Damrong Rajanubhab, to design a new system of education. Western teachers were engaged to offer assistance, and in 1921 a compulsory education law was enacted. In 1917 the first university in the nation, Chulalongkorn University, was accomplished.

An around 99 % of Thailand�s population is literate. The nation has a comprehensive educational system that extends from kindergarten to university and adult education. Education is free and compulsory for 6 years beginning at age 7,and 88 % of primary-school aged children are listed. About 57 % of students continue to secondary education, which normally finishes at age 17. The nation has a wide range of private schools, from international schools to palace and experimental schools. Thailand has a growing university sector, and 20.9 % of Thais of university age are listed. Universities include the prestigious Chulalongkorn University, Mahidol University, Kasetsart University ,Thammasat University ,Silpakorn University -for fine arts, and the Asian Institute of Technology, all located in Bangkok, and Chiang Mai University, in the north. The nation also has a number of teacher-training colleges. Many Thai students choose to study abroad, particularly in North America, Europe, Australia, and Japan.