21 reviews
3.62 / 5 based on 21 reviews
Useful |
3
anonymous
Overall
I wish I had known...
Thammasat University (BMIR) is just a really bad department of a "prestigious" university. You may think you're not there to study anyway, but you'll be surprised how shitty admin, vapid students and having egomaniacs as professors can impact your experience. People will make you or break you. Thai students are both vapid and prideful. The quality of your exchange will be all about other exchange students and that's pure luck.
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In my opinion:
Stay home.
Important factors in my choice
(1) Unimportant – (4) Very important
Personal recommendation
Universities in Thailand are more about the name on your resume than you actually learning. Universities in Thailand are just plain bad. Avoid Thammasat and Chula because they are full of egomaniacs, snotty students and shitty admin who all have this holier-than-thou attitude. Snobs with no substance don't make a positive experience. You can't walk on eggshells because shitty admin or egomaniacs as professors
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During my experience abroad, I ...
(1) Never – (4) A lot
Became familiar with another culture
Met people from other countries
Experienced a change in life
Advanced my studies & career
Final comments
Avoid Thailand and do your exchange in China or Hong-Kong if you can. If you have to, go to Bangkok University if much more professional and located near Ekkamai BTS (skytrain station) which is central Bangkok. If you have to do Thailand and Bangkok, pick Bangkok University instead. People are actually more professional there, more exchange students, and administration is much more competent.
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Useful |
0
anonymous
Housing
Type of housing: Apartment/House
Arranged by: Independently - My choice
If returning, I would choose: Apartment/House
Why?
Cheap apartments. Make sure that your AC matches your apartment. If you get some sort of basic AC in a big apartment, it will be hot as hell. Best of luck getting your deposit back.
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0
anonymous
Student life
Describe host city:
Nightlife, Activities, Travel: Takes place mostly outside the university/student environment
Personal social experience
Personal comments
Siam paragon Mall. Good BTS (skytrain) and MRT (underground). It's extremely difficult to get from point A to point B because Bangkok is heat and concrete. Traffic jams. You may underestimate this because there's plenty of transport (which is damned expensive btw!) but heat sucks the life out of you.
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Useful |
0
anonymous
Languages
Language of instruction: English
Local language was: Different than language of instruction
Was learning English a key decision factor?
No, it wasn't.
Was learning the local language a key decision factor?
No, it wasn't.
How much did you improve your the local language?
My level before: Did not speak it
My level after: Did not speak it
Language difficulties
Administrative / Institutional
Personal comments
Snotty and vapid Thai students. Group work is definition of hell. If you do well, you make someone else "lose face". Petty backstabbing and gossiping. Your conversations will be basic. Even though Thai students know English, you'll tire quickly of hearing them brag where they lived or studied. You'll have to experience for yourself how utterly vapid this is.
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Useful |
1
anonymous
Expenses
Main source of funding:
Not specified
Other sources of funding:
Personal savings
Work opportunities:
It was not legal for me to work
Personal spending habits
Food, Housing, Overall, Telephone, Travel, Nightlife:
was less expensive than at home.
Accessibility of student needs
Second-hand household items
Personal comments
You get what you pay for in terms of quality. Not a lot. Why not study in Beijing, Shanghai or Hong-Kong? You're not allowed to work nor volunteer. Good luck securing some sort of United Nations internship because most of things in Thailand work because of connections. You, presumably, a Western person won't have high status in Bangkok. If you want to have a great exchange, I would advise Shanghai, Beijing or Hong Kong. I don't know who goes these days in Bangkok to forge friendships and create life-changing experiences?
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Useful |
1
anonymous
Academic
Course recommendations
Dr.Chanintira na Thalang (proud to show you both her Thai and British passport on first day of classes) may hold you down. She seems like she's too good for teaching and thinks of herself as British. Professors often bring their private lives into classrooms, yell and criticize Thai students (you will be affected, too), and talk about back-stabbing the other person WHILE in class. Most of Thai professors are just plain bad.
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My academic experiences
Interaction with teachers
Interaction with international students
Interaction with local students
Personal comments
Administration is really really bad and I can't overstate how this affects your experience if you need support or things done in a professional way. I used to think it doesn't matter that much. Find university that has better administration that Thammasat BMIR. People who work there don't represent average Thai person. Very prideful which is funny considering most of them are there by connection and have no skills for the job.
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My opinion of the university assessment
Exams throughout the course
Essays and/or projects at the end of course
Essays and/or projects throughout the course
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