How many bilingual schools in Bangkok
Bangkok has roughly 25 schools that publicly describe themselves as bilingual, of which around 18 deliver at least 40 per cent of weekly instruction in English alongside Thai. A further five operate trilingual programmes layering Mandarin on top of English and Thai, with Concordian International School in Bangna the city's flagship example. The remaining English Programme settings within Thai national schools are technically not bilingual schools in the strict sense, although parents often shortlist them in the same search.
The cluster has grown sharply since 2010 on three drivers: rising Thai middle-class incomes, the arrival of mainland Chinese and Singaporean Chinese families targeting Mandarin continuity, and a deliberate Thai government push under the 2002 Private Schools Act to expand non-formal English-medium education. Sarasas Witaed alone runs more than 20 campuses across the metropolitan area under a single English-Thai bilingual programme, while the boutique end of the market continues to spawn 50 to 150 student schools targeting a single Bangkok district.
Fees and the bilingual tiers
Bilingual tuition in Bangkok divides into three distinct tiers. The value tier runs THB 280,000 to THB 450,000 a year and covers the Sarasas Witaed network, the Saint Joseph Bangna bilingual programme and most of the boutique English-Thai bilingual primaries serving the suburban Thai middle class. The mid tier sits at THB 450,000 to THB 700,000 and captures Anglo Singapore, Wells International bilingual stream, Saint Stephen's and the bilingual sections within several established international schools. The premium tier, THB 700,000 to THB 950,000, is anchored by Concordian, KIS bilingual stream and the senior years of Wells, where the bilingual fee approaches the headline full international school price.
Three details catch families out. First, bilingual schools typically charge a one-time capital fee on first enrolment, THB 80,000 to THB 350,000, that does not refund on departure. Second, school bus fees of THB 50,000 to THB 80,000 a year are essentially universal, given the dispersed campus locations. Third, many bilingual schools price the bilingual track 25 to 40 per cent below the school's own English-medium international track on the same campus, a deliberate two-tier model that some families read as a value play and others as a quality warning. For wider Bangkok fee context see our Bangkok international school fees guide.
Weighing bilingual against full international?
Our 5 minute school finder quiz compares bilingual options against the city's full IB, British and American international schools, based on your child's home language and your budget. Free, no obligation.
Illustrative example schools
The schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each maintains a published bilingual or trilingual ratio and at least 10 years of operating history.
Concordian International School in Bangna is Thailand's first trilingual school, established 2001. The full IB continuum runs in English, Mandarin and Thai across all three programmes from PYP through Diploma. Around 750 students, with roughly 35 per cent mainland Chinese or Singaporean-Chinese, 35 per cent Thai dual-nationality and 30 per cent broader international.
Sarasas Witaed operates the largest bilingual school group in Thailand, with more than 20 campuses across the Bangkok metropolitan area and over 30,000 students enrolled in the English Programme. The Sarasas Witaed brand is the default value-tier bilingual choice for the Thai middle class, with consistent IGCSE pass rates above the Thai national average.
Wells International School on Sukhumvit Soi 17 runs a bilingual English-Thai stream alongside its main international programme, allowing families to step up between the two tracks as confidence grows. The bilingual stream uses the same IB-aligned curriculum as the main school with reinforced Thai language and culture lessons.
Anglo Singapore International School on Sukhumvit Soi 31 offers a trilingual English-Mandarin-Thai pathway with Singapore Math integrated through primary years. The school is a frequent choice for ethnically Chinese Thai and Singaporean expatriate families looking for Mandarin continuity.
For a curated editorial pick see our best international schools in Bangkok long read, which includes the strongest bilingual options.
Bilingual or English Programme
The single most useful distinction for parents is between a dedicated bilingual school and a Thai school's English Programme. A dedicated bilingual school is built end to end around delivering at least 40 per cent of instruction in English with English as a co-instructional language across multiple subjects, not just as a language class. An English Programme, by contrast, is a parallel English-medium track inside a larger Thai-medium school, sharing facilities and Thai-medium electives. Fees at EP schools sit 30 to 50 per cent below dedicated bilingual schools, but the daily English exposure is meaningfully lower.
The choice usually turns on the family's exit qualification. If the family is targeting Thai universities through the Thai Ministry of Education certificate, EP is often sufficient. If the family is targeting UK, Australian, Singaporean or Hong Kong universities through IGCSE, A Level or IB, a dedicated bilingual school or a full international school is the cleaner route. For the wider bilingual curriculum picture across cities see our bilingual curriculum hub. Families weighing bilingual against full international should also see the Bangkok British curriculum hub and the Bangkok American curriculum hub.
Admissions calendar
Bilingual schools in Bangkok run on rolling admissions but commit places at the start of each May academic year, the Thai national calendar. A second smaller intake operates in November at the start of term two. Concordian and the larger international-style bilingual schools also run an August intake to match the international academic year, which makes mid-year transfers from overseas easier than at most Thai-aligned schools.
The most over-subscribed entry points are kindergarten 1 and Year 1, where Concordian and the central Sukhumvit bilingual schools maintain waiting lists of 12 to 18 months. Mid-year entry is usually straightforward at lower years given expatriate movement, particularly at the start of December as families relocate during the year-end window. For the broader Bangkok admissions picture see the Bangkok city hub.
Frequently asked questions
How many bilingual schools are there in Bangkok?
Bangkok has roughly 25 schools that describe themselves as bilingual, of which around 18 deliver at least 40 per cent of instruction in English alongside Thai. A further five run trilingual programmes adding Mandarin, with Concordian International School the best-known example.
How much do bilingual schools in Bangkok cost?
Bilingual school fees in Bangkok range from THB 280,000 a year at the value-tier English Programme schools to THB 950,000 at premium trilingual schools like Concordian. The middle tier between THB 450,000 and THB 700,000 covers the largest cohort of bilingual options.
What is the difference between bilingual and EP in Bangkok?
Bilingual schools in Bangkok teach at least 40 per cent of the timetable in English with full immersion in both languages, while English Programme schools sit within Thai schools and run a parallel English-medium track. EP fees are usually 30 to 50 per cent below dedicated bilingual schools but the English exposure is more limited.
Are bilingual schools in Bangkok recognised by international universities?
Yes, bilingual schools in Bangkok deliver one of three external qualifications at exit: the Cambridge IGCSE and A Level, the IB Diploma, or the Thai Ministry of Education certificate alongside university entry tests. The top bilingual schools regularly place graduates into UK, Australian, Singaporean and Thai universities.
Which Bangkok bilingual schools offer Mandarin?
Concordian International School in Bangna is the city's leading trilingual school, teaching in English, Mandarin and Thai across the full IB continuum. Anglo Singapore International School and several Sarasas Witaed campuses also offer Mandarin as a third language alongside English-Thai bilingual instruction.
