PTIS International School

Philosophy & Educational Approach

Prem Tinsulanonda International School is guided by a clear, values-driven philosophy rooted in the International Baccalaureate framework. The school's mission calls on every community member to act as a "compassionate, creative, knowledgeable and principled global citizen," working toward a sustainable future through meaningful relationships and continuous learning.

Inquiry-Based, Personalised Learning

At the core of Prem's pedagogy is the belief that learning should be joyful and personalised. Teachers design experiences that respond to individual student needs, interests, and learning styles. The IB's constructivist, inquiry-led approach means students are not passive recipients of knowledge but active investigators — asking questions, conducting experiments on the school farm, performing in the drama studio, or leading community projects in the surrounding Mae Rim hills.

Nature as Classroom

The 100-acre campus is more than a backdrop — it is a living classroom. Forest School sessions take students into the natural landscape for outdoor learning; the organic farm teaches sustainable agriculture; and the campus's rivers, hills, and gardens become sites for environmental studies and reflection. This integration of nature into daily school life is a defining feature that sets Prem apart from urban international schools.

Core Values: Empathy, Integrity, Leadership, Legacy

Prem's four official core values — Empathy, Integrity, Leadership, and Legacy — underpin all aspects of school life, from how students interact in the dining hall to how they approach extended essays and community action projects. The values are not aspirational slogans but are embedded into the IB Learner Profile and lived through the Exploria co-curricular programme.

Vision for a Better World

The school's vision is bold and outward-looking: "Prem educates global citizens who strive for excellence, live sustainably, lead responsibly, celebrate diversity, and whose integrity champions a just, more equitable and peaceful world." This is reflected in curricular choices — Global Politics, Environmental Systems and Societies, and a robust service-learning culture — and in the school's membership of Round Square, an international network of schools committed to service, internationalism, democracy, environment, adventure, and leadership.

History & Founding Story

Origins in the Traidhos Community

Prem Tinsulanonda International School opened its doors in 2001, conceived by Mom Luang Tridhosyuth Devakul — widely known as "Mom-Tri" — as an integral part of the Traidhos Three-Generation Community. Traidhos was itself a bold social experiment: a sustainable community in the Mae Rim hills north of Chiang Mai that would bring together three generations — children, adults, and elders — in a shared living and learning environment.

The school was named in honour of General Prem Tinsulanonda, a revered former Prime Minister of Thailand who served from 1980 to 1988 and was known for his integrity and dedication to the Thai people.

IB World Pioneer

From its earliest years, Prem pursued IB World School accreditation with ambition. By 21 February 2002 — less than a year after opening — the school achieved its first IB authorisation (school code 001366). Over subsequent years, Prem systematically built out its IB offering, eventually becoming the first school in Southeast Asia to offer all four IB programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), Diploma Programme (DP), and Career-related Programme (CP).

Growing International Recognition

As the school matured, it joined a network of globally respected organisations. Council of International Schools (CIS) and New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accreditation provided external validation of academic quality. Membership in Round Square (joined 2017), EARCOS, ISAT, and the Boarding Schools Association (BSA) connected Prem to a wider community of values-aligned schools worldwide.

Today

By the mid-2020s, Prem had grown to approximately 500–547 students from 33 nationalities, with a teaching staff of around 74. The school's 100-acre campus had expanded to include boarding apartments, an Olympic-size swimming pool, six science laboratories, an organic farm, a black-box theatre, and facilities for over 100 co-curricular activities. In 2024, the graduating class secured 133 university offers, with 39% to QS Top 100 institutions including Ivy League universities.

Campus Life & Atmosphere

The Setting

Located at 234 Moo 3, Huai Sai, in the Mae Rim district — approximately 40 minutes north of Chiang Mai city — Prem's campus covers roughly 100 acres of land set against a backdrop of forested hills and the natural landscape of northern Thailand. The physical environment is not incidental; it is deliberately part of the school's pedagogical identity.

World-Class Facilities

Despite its rural character, the campus is comprehensively equipped:

• Academic: Six science laboratories, a well-stocked library, specialist design and technology spaces, and an Intensive English Programme (IEP) classroom suite.
• Sports: An Olympic-size swimming pool, large indoor sports hall (basketball, badminton), tennis courts, golf practice range, cricket pitch, multiple football/soccer fields, archery range, and a climbing wall.
• Arts & Performance: A 'black box' drama studio, an open-air amphitheatre, music studios, dance studio, visual arts workshop, and an Artist Residency Thailand programme that brings practising artists to campus.
• Outdoor & Farm: An organic farm used for hands-on agricultural education, forest school areas, and cookery school facilities.
• Boarding & Wellbeing: Apartment-style boarding residences with shared kitchens, separate male and female blocks, housemaster/mistress supervision, common lounges, and a 24-hour security team. An on-campus medical room is staffed by a resident nurse with ambulance access.

Community & House System

School spirit is structured around four houses — Fire, Earth, Water, and Air — which foster identity, friendly competition, and cross-year relationships. With over 100 boarders from diverse backgrounds living on campus, Prem functions as a genuine residential community rather than simply a school with dorms.

Atmosphere

The combination of natural surroundings, boarding culture, and a globally diverse student body (33 nationalities) creates an atmosphere that is simultaneously international and intimate. Class sizes are capped at 25, and the student-teacher ratio is approximately 7:1, supporting the kind of personal attention that the IB's learner-centred philosophy demands.

Exploria: Prem's Co-Curricular Identity

One of Prem's most distinctive offerings is Exploria, its co-curricular programme that encompasses more than 100 activities spanning arts, sports, service, leadership, outdoor education, and practical skills. Far from being an afterthought, Exploria is positioned as central to Prem's whole-child educational philosophy.

Music & Performing Arts

Prem's music programme is particularly rich. The Prem Symphonic Band performs at school and community events throughout the year, while the Jazz Ensemble, Rock Band, Drumming Circle, and Creative Ukuleles groups give students at every skill level an ensemble home. In drama, both Junior and Senior Musical Productions are staged annually, involving students in acting, vocal performance, stagecraft, and production management. A black-box theatre and open-air amphitheatre provide professional-grade performance spaces.

Sports Academies

Prem operates dedicated academies in Golf, Tennis, Football (Prem Rising Stars Football Academy), and Swimming, providing structured, coaching-led development for students with competitive aspirations. Additional sports opportunities include climbing, archery, cricket, and basketball.

Service & Social Impact

Consistent with the school's Round Square membership and IB values, service-learning is woven throughout Exploria. Clubs such as Advocates for Global Welfare, Precious Plastics (plastic recycling and repurposing), and Threads of Change (fashion and social awareness) connect students to real-world issues. The Koze Local Café — a student-run community café — blends entrepreneurship with community service.

Outdoor & Experiential Learning

Forest School sessions use the campus's natural terrain for educational experiences grounded in environmental awareness. A Cookery School gives students hands-on culinary skills using ingredients grown on the school's own organic farm.

Leadership & Academic

Student Council and Model United Nations (MUN) develop leadership and global awareness. The presence of these academically rigorous activities alongside recreational options ensures that Exploria serves the full spectrum of student interests and ambitions.

Academic Culture & University Outcomes

The Full IB Spectrum

Prem holds the rare distinction of being the first school in Southeast Asia to offer all four International Baccalaureate programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP, ages 3–11), Middle Years Programme (MYP, ages 11–16), Diploma Programme (DP, ages 16–19), and Career-related Programme (CP, ages 16–19). This end-to-end IB pathway means students can pursue a coherent, philosophy-consistent education from nursery through to graduation without changing schools.

The CP, in particular, represents a distinctive option that combines IB DP courses with career-related studies — an increasingly valued pathway for students pursuing vocational or applied higher education routes.

Subjects Offered (IB DP)

The school's DP subject offering is broad, covering all six IB subject groups:

• Language & Literature: English A, Korean A, Chinese A, Thai A, French A
• Language Acquisition: English B, French B, French Ab Initio, Spanish Ab Initio
• Individuals & Societies: Economics, Geography, Global Politics, Psychology, Environmental Systems and Societies
• Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Systems and Societies
• Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches; Applications and Interpretation
• Arts: Music, Film, Visual Arts, Theatre

University Destinations

The school's Higher Education and Careers Counselling team, led by Head of Department Dawn Parry, provides structured university guidance. In 2024, Prem's graduating cohort secured 133 university offers, with 39% to QS World University Ranking Top 100 institutions, including Ivy League universities. Overall, 98% of graduates proceed to higher education.

Language Support

For students whose English is not yet at IB entry level, the Intensive English Programme (IEP) provides structured language development alongside mainstream academic study. Additional foreign languages offered include Korean, French, Mandarin, Spanish, and Dzongkha, reflecting the school's genuinely international student body.