Highgate School to Open Its First International Campus in Thailand This August

Highgate International School Thailand will open its doors in August 2026, becoming the first overseas campus for one of north London's most academically selective independent schools. The school is being developed on a 70-rai plot near Siam Country Club in Chonburi province, roughly an hour south of Bangkok, in a joint venture between Highgate School UK and the Siam Motors Group (SMG) and the Phornprapha family.

The campus will open in two phases. According to the Bangkok Post, the inaugural intake this August will be limited to Pre-Prep and Junior School year groups, with the Senior School and boarding provision following in 2027. Full capacity is set at up to 1,400 day and boarding pupils aged two to 18. Tuition is reported at between 500,000 and one million baht annually, positioning the school firmly at the premium end of the Thai market.

A founding head with regional credentials

Ben Keeling has been appointed Founding Head of School. He brings nearly two decades of leadership experience to the role, most recently eight years as Principal of Shrewsbury International School Hong Kong, where he oversaw the development of a purpose-built campus. Highgate UK head Adam Pettitt described the appointment as a strong foundation for what he called "dynamic, responsive and collaborative leadership in partnership with Highgate UK."

The curriculum will follow the English National Curriculum from Pre-Nursery through to the Senior School, culminating in IGCSEs and A Levels. Staff will be recruited predominantly from the UK, with all teachers required to undergo training aligned with Highgate UK's standards. The purpose-built facilities are planned to include an Olympic-sized swimming pool, a FIFA-standard football pitch, a golf academy, and specialist spaces for STEM, music, and the arts.

One of five UK openings in Thailand this year

Highgate is one of at least five UK-affiliated international schools opening in Thailand in 2026, alongside Dulwich College Bangkok, Wycombe Abbey International School Bangkok, Glenalmond Phuket, and St Paul's Girls' School Bangkok. The concentration of elite British brands entering the market in a single year is without precedent for Thailand, and some observers have begun to question whether demand can absorb them all. The Thai market already has more than 180 international schools educating upwards of 60,000 students, with British curricula the most popular offering.

For Highgate, the Chonburi location is a deliberate choice. The province, anchored by the resort city of Pattaya, has a sizeable expatriate community and a growing cohort of Thai families seeking English-medium education outside Bangkok. SMG president Prakasit Phornprapha said the group is "committed to creating a school that exceeds the highest standards of academic and personal development," a sentiment that reflects the ambition behind a reported 1.6 billion baht construction budget.