How many nurseries and preschools in Bangkok
Bangkok hosts roughly 90 international or English-language nurseries and preschools. The cluster splits roughly in three. The largest group is the standalone boutique preschool, typically 30 to 80 children aged 18 months to 5, occupying a townhouse or low-rise unit along one of the central Sukhumvit sois. A second group is the early years centre embedded inside a through-school, where families can enrol at age 2 or 3 and progress into primary on the same campus. NIST, ISB, Patana, Concordian and Wells all run sizeable early years centres of this type. The third group is the bilingual preschool layering Thai or Mandarin alongside English from age 2.
Bangkok early years supply is unusually deep by Southeast Asian standards because of three factors: a sizeable expatriate dual-income workforce in the central business district, a tradition of full-time working maids and nannies that frees parents to pursue early years schooling rather than home care, and Thai government recognition of foreign-owned preschools under the 1999 Private Schools Act. The 2020s wave added boutique outdoor and forest-school programmes on the city outskirts plus several specialist sensory and SEN preschools in Sukhumvit Sois 31 to 49.
Fees and the early years tiers
Bangkok international preschool fees divide into three tiers. The value tier runs THB 180,000 to THB 300,000 a year and covers most neighbourhood preschools across the wider Sukhumvit, Lat Phrao and Phra Khanong belt, full day. The mid tier sits at THB 300,000 to THB 450,000 and captures the established central Sukhumvit boutiques, the smaller Montessori casas and the half-day option at premium settings. The premium tier, THB 450,000 to THB 580,000, includes the early years centres at NIST, ISB, Bangkok Patana, Wellington and Concordian, where annual fees approach the price of primary education at less established international schools.
Three details matter to families budgeting. Most Bangkok preschools charge a non-refundable registration fee of THB 25,000 to THB 60,000 plus an enrolment deposit. School bus is rarely included in early years tuition and adds THB 40,000 to THB 70,000 a year. Lunch is usually billed separately at THB 18,000 to THB 35,000 a year. For the wider Bangkok fee picture see our Bangkok international school fees guide.
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Illustrative example settings
The settings below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each holds at least one of EYFS, IB PYP, AMI or AMS accreditation and has at least 10 years of operating history in Bangkok.
First Steps International Pre-school on Sukhumvit Soi 31 and Soi 49 is the oldest dedicated AMI-accredited Montessori preschool in Bangkok, founded 1989. Around 250 children across the two campuses, with a small lower elementary programme to age 9.
Storytime Preschool in Thonglor and Phrom Phong is a long-established EYFS-aligned boutique preschool group with around 180 children. The Thonglor campus on Soi 13 is a popular choice for families living in the wider Thonglor-Ekkamai pocket.
Kensington Kindergarten in Ekkamai follows the UK EYFS framework with a four-year-old reception class that prepares children for entry to British curriculum primaries including Bangkok Prep, Brighton College and Bromsgrove.
NIST International School Early Childhood Centre on Sukhumvit Soi 15 runs an IB PYP-aligned early years programme from age 3 inside the city's flagship full IB continuum school. Roughly 280 children, with progression onto NIST primary on the same campus.
Bangkok Patana Foundation Stage in Bangna is the largest early years centre in Thailand at around 480 children across nursery and reception. Patana Foundation Stage follows EYFS within the wider British curriculum through-school.
For a curated editorial pick see our best international schools in Bangkok long read.
Which early years framework
The single most useful planning question for a Bangkok early years family is which framework leads where. EYFS, the UK Early Years Foundation Stage, is the dominant framework in Bangkok and the natural feeder into the British curriculum primaries that follow IGCSE and A Level. Nearly every dedicated boutique preschool in central Sukhumvit follows EYFS at least loosely. IB PYP, used inside through-schools like NIST, ISB, Wells and Concordian, is the natural feeder into IB Diploma exit. Montessori in the casa years is method-agnostic about the next step, with graduates routinely transferring into either British or IB primaries.
The practical advice for international families on shorter rotations is to match the framework to the likely next posting. Families heading to Hong Kong, Singapore or another British-curriculum-heavy posting after Bangkok tend to favour EYFS. Families heading to a city with a strong IB cluster favour PYP early years. For the wider Bangkok schooling map by curriculum see the Bangkok British curriculum hub and the Bangkok IB hub. For Montessori specifically see the Bangkok Montessori hub.
Admissions and waitlists
The structural intake for Bangkok preschools is August, at the start of the international academic year. A second smaller intake operates in January at the start of the second semester. Most through-school early years centres open registration in October of the preceding year. Smaller standalone preschools usually admit on a rolling basis, with offers issued within two to six weeks of a complete application.
Waitlist intensity follows three rules. Through-school early years centres with priority feeder status into a sought-after primary, including NIST, ISB and Patana, can run waitlists of 12 to 24 months. Boutique central Sukhumvit settings popular with the diplomatic and corporate community, including First Steps and Storytime Thonglor, typically run waitlists of six to nine months. Most other preschools admit within four weeks given the natural churn of expatriate movement. For the broader Bangkok admissions picture see the Bangkok city hub.
Frequently asked questions
How many international nurseries and preschools are there in Bangkok?
Bangkok has roughly 90 international and English-language preschools and nurseries, ranging from boutique 30-child settings to early years centres of 200 children inside established international schools. Around 60 of these accept children from age 18 months, with the remaining settings starting from age 2 or 2.5.
What age does preschool start in Bangkok?
Most Bangkok international preschools accept children from age 18 months into a nursery class, with formal preschool starting at age 2 or 2.5. Reception or kindergarten begins at age 4 to 5, after which children typically move into a primary international school. A small number of nurseries take children from age 12 months.
How much do nurseries and preschools cost in Bangkok?
Bangkok international preschool fees range from THB 180,000 a year at the value-tier neighbourhood settings to THB 580,000 at the early years centres of NIST, ISB and Bangkok Patana. Half-day morning sessions sit at roughly 65 to 70 per cent of full-day fees.
Are Bangkok preschools EYFS or IB PYP?
Bangkok preschools follow one of three main frameworks. The largest cohort uses the UK Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum. A second cohort follows the IB Primary Years Programme inside through-schools like NIST and ISB. A third cohort follows Montessori or Reggio Emilia in dedicated boutique settings.
When should I apply for a preschool in Bangkok?
Apply 12 to 18 months ahead for August entry at NIST, ISB, Bangkok Patana and the central Sukhumvit early years centres, where waitlists are longest. Standalone nurseries and smaller preschools usually admit on a rolling basis with shorter wait times of 2 to 6 weeks.
