MORE than 1000 students and academics attended an exhibition held in Yangon last month to promote educational opportunities in Thailand.

The exhibition, held at the Sedona Hotel on September 24 and 25, was the first to be held in Myanmar as part of a program by Thailand’s Commission on Higher Education to develop closer academic cooperation with other member countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion.

The event, attended by the Prime Minister, General Khin Nyunt, was jointly opened by the Minister of Education, U Than Aung, and his Thai counterpart, Mr Adisai Bodharamik.

In a statement released to mark the exhibition, and seminars held in conjunction with the event, the commission said it believed that closer academic cooperation would strengthen Myanmar-Thai relations.

Such cooperation would enhance academic capacity at institutions in both countries, the statement said.

The commission, under Thailand’s Education Minister, organised the event in collaboration with the Myanmar Education Ministry and the Thai embassy.

About 30 Thai institutions, agencies and organisations participated in the exhibition. They included 12 public and five private universities which offer international programs, most of which use English as a medium of instruction.

International organisations such as the ASEAN University Network were also represented at the event.

Among the academics at the event was Associate Professor Denpong Soodphakdee of Khon Kaen University, who highlighted the advantages for Myanmar students of studying in Thailand.

They included cultural similarities, competitive costs and ease of travel.

“It takes only an hour and 20 minutes to fly between Yangon and Bangkok,” said Associate Professor Denpong.

“I studied for my masters degree and PhD in Australia and I could only return home once a year,” he said.

Associate Professor Denpong said another advantage of studying in Thailand was the number of institutions that taught post-graduate courses in English.

The commission said there were Myanmars among the 4200 foreign students studying at Thai universities last year. It said most Myanmar students were enrolled in business, science and engineering courses.

Cost considerations were the main reason why Ko Tun Win Kyaw, 23, a first year Information Studies student at Rajamangala Institute of Technology, chose to study in Thailand.

“It costs me only a million kyat for a semester, which lasts four months,” Ko Tun Win Kyaw told Myanmar Times at the exhibition.

“The course takes three and a half years but I hope to gain a scholarship after the second year,” he said.

As well as promoting closer academic cooperation with Thailand’s neighbours, the commission also supports exchange programs.

Launched in 2000, grants provided under the academic and student exchange program cover international travel, living costs and accommodation.

A total of six Myanmar academics and students have received grants to study in Thailand and two Thai academics are studying in Myanmar under the program, which includes semester courses, joint research, curriculum development and methods for improving learning and teaching.