Cities / Chiang Mai / Prem Tinsulanonda International School
Prem Tinsulanonda International School
Chiang Mai's most established IB school and the only school in Thailand offering all four IB programmes. Day and boarding on a 100-acre Mae Rim campus, around 500 students from 29 countries.
In brief
Chiang Mai's most established IB school and the only school in Thailand offering all four IB programmes: PYP, MYP, DP, and CP. Day and boarding, on a 100-acre campus in Mae Rim.
Opened 2001, CIS-accredited, around 500 students from 29 countries. Roughly a third board, weekly or termly, in two-bedroom apartments with kitchen and study space. Teachers come from 15 countries, ratios near one to seven. Facilities include an Olympic pool, tennis and basketball courts, a cricket pitch, gymnasium, art rooms, and gardens across the site.
Boarding parents talk about how Chiang Mai's pace lets their children spend afternoons on Prem's farm, on service trips, on sport, rather than stuck in Bangkok traffic. Day families value the IB pathway and the campus. The criticisms that surface centre on value for money at the top of the fee scale and inconsistency between teachers, which is the usual shape of complaints at any large IB school. For a family committed to IB through to university, Prem is the obvious first option in Chiang Mai.
Fees
Annual fees
| Year level | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Early Years 1-3 | 3 | THB 399,000 |
| Grade 1 | 6 | THB 428,000 |
| Grades 2-3 | 7 | THB 470,000 |
| Grades 4-5 | 9 | THB 580,000 |
| Grades 6-7 | 11 | THB 700,000 |
| Grade 8 | 13 | THB 740,000 |
| Grades 9-12 | 14 | THB 780,000 |
One-time fees
| Item | Age | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee (non-refundable) | THB 6,000 | |
| Security Deposit (refundable) | THB 50,000 | |
| Foundation Fee (non-refundable) | THB 130,000 |
Reviews
The Chiang Mai IB flagship, and the first school in South East Asia to run all four IB programmes (PYP, MYP, Diploma, Career-related). A 100-acre campus in Mae Rim, named after the late Thai statesman Gen. Prem Tinsulanonda, with substantial boarding numbers and the kind of facilities that anchor a school's reputation in the region. The mix is Thai and East Asian heavy with a smaller Western contingent, which is the Chiang Mai pattern rather than a Prem-specific one. Fees sit at the top of the local market.
Positives
- IB continuum. Full PYP through MYP through Diploma and Career-related, which is rare anywhere and unique in Chiang Mai. Students who arrive young can stay on one curriculum through to university entry without switching tracks.
- Campus and facilities. 100 acres in Mae Rim with an Olympic pool, black-box theatre, cricket pitch, six science labs, a working farm, and a library. The campus is repeatedly described as huge by people who visit other Chiang Mai schools first.
- Air quality investment. Chiang Mai's February-to-April burning season pushes outdoor PM2.5 to hazardous levels for weeks at a time. Prem runs positive-pressure clean-air systems across classrooms and sports facilities, with over 100 indoor and outdoor sensors feeding into the AirGradient platform. The infrastructure is more serious than at most local peers.
- Boarding. Around a third of students board, in two-bedroom apartment-style accommodation with ensuites. Weekend, 5-day, and 7-day options run from primary upward, which is unusually flexible for the region. Round Square membership and an active Duke of Edinburgh programme add to the boarding offer.
- Reputation in Chiang Mai. Locally grouped with CMIS as the strongest international option in the city. Comes up by name in parent conversations about quality.
Considerations
- Nationality mix. Like most Chiang Mai internationals, the roll skews Thai and East Asian, with Chinese families a large share and a smaller Western and European presence. Stated nationality caps are not always treated as hard limits across the city's schools. Families looking for a strong Western peer group should check the current mix at point of entry.
- Teacher and student turnover. Chiang Mai's international scene has a transient feel, with teachers and families coming and going faster than at established hubs like Bangkok. Prem hires through Search Associates and Schrole on the qualified-teacher track, which sets the floor; the wider city pattern still applies.
- Fees. Annual tuition runs THB 372,400 to THB 722,000 depending on year group, plus a non-refundable foundation fee of THB 130,000 and a refundable security deposit. First-year cost lands well above headline tuition. Sibling discounts apply. Premium for Chiang Mai.
Leadership
Rachel Keys
Rachel Keys is the Head of School at Prem International School, dedicated to fostering a stimulating and engaging environment for students to flourish and fulfill their potential. She emphasizes the importance of the IB programme and the unique learning opportunities available at the school.
Accreditations
- Council of International Schools 01
Academic results
- Result IB DP avg 34 pts (historical average consistently above global average)