Higher Education in Thailand versus the US
These actually are my wife's observations, not my own. She graduated from Srinakirinwirot University in Bangkok with a degree in Physics. Currently, she is in her second (and final semester) in the English Language Program at the local technical college. I hope this thread will give some idea on what the Thai system is lacking based on someone who has experienced both.
First off, she was impressed by the quality of teachers and their organization. Every teacher has a master's degree and has every day of class planned out from the beginning.
The grading system is clear and standardized. In Thailand, if a teacher didn't like her, they could give her an "F" with no recourse. Here, that favoritism is mostly eliminated through approved standardized testing with no possibility of grade changes.
Being able to think through a problem, rather than blind memorization, is emphasized. Although there is some memorization whenever you learn any language, the school teaches her how to cope with situations in which she doesn't understand every word said.
The classroom is more interactive between teachers and students. It is not just the teachers dictating something and the students writing it down. The students are required to demonstrate that they can apply the knowledge, not just know the rules.
Having fun means nothing in the classroom. The students are there to learn and the teacher does not care if the students leave with a smile on their face. His job is to make them fluent English speakers. If someone were to complain that his class wasn't fun, he would tell them to grow the hell up.
Because some of the other students are from Western cultures (Eastern Europe, Latin America), they are not shy about asking questions and making mistakes. She said it took her a while to get over the losing face anxieties and just participate in discussions like everyone else.