AhlulBayt News Agency: The Islamic community of Thailand has witnessed rapid developments in its Islamic education system in recent years, which would make the country an important regional hub for Islamic education in Southeast Asia in the near future.
Thai Muslims have recently witnessed rapid developments in their Islamic education system, which has gradually transformed this educational system from a limited and local experiment to a regional player in Southeast Asia.
Over the past three months, the website muslimsaroundtheworld has documented a series of unprecedented measures in the country, indicating a clear institutional trend towards rebuilding the Islamic education system on modern academic and organizational foundations. This initiative is being led by the sheikhs and Islamic councils, with direct and increasing support from the Thai government and its official institutions.
These steps are just a few examples of a broader and gradual process underway, taking place in a long-term perspective with the aim of developing and enhancing the effectiveness of Islamic education and aligning it with the needs of the Muslim community and the requirements of the modern state.
The most prominent of these recent developments are presented below. They are indicators of a deeper transformation taking place in the Islamic education landscape in Thailand.
Establishment of the “Council of Muslim Academics in Thailand”
In a significant move to support the development of Islamic education and raise academic standards at the national and regional levels, Bangkok witnessed a significant educational event on December 4, 2024: the announcement of the establishment of the “Council of Muslim Academics in Thailand”.
This was formalized through the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation of Thailand, the Central Islamic Council of Thailand (CIC), led by the Grand Mufti, and 12 educational institutions representing a diverse academic base, including local universities and colleges from across the country.
Three main objectives were set for the council, reflecting the national aspiration to transform Thailand into a pivotal center for Islamic studies in Southeast Asia. These objectives include establishing a central mechanism for the development of Islamic academic work, promoting scholarly research and curriculum development, supporting the “Thailand Islamic Education Center” project in accordance with accredited academic standards, and strengthening academic collaborations, and formulating a long-term vision titled “Thailand Islamic Vision 2030.”
Establishment of Arabic Language Center affiliated with Al-Azhar University
In a further step that marks the shift in Islamic education in Thailand from reactive to proactive planning, practical efforts have begun to establish a specialized Arabic Language Center affiliated with Egypt’s Al-Azhar University within the country.
The aim of this initiative is to prepare young people linguistically and academically before they are sent to Egypt to study. The project targets one of the most prominent challenges previously faced by students sent abroad, namely their insufficient language proficiency upon enrollment at Al-Azhar. The aim is to increase the level of academic achievement and ensure a smoother academic adaptation.
The project is based on two main pillars: first, to establish a credible educational platform that equips students with Arabic language skills in line with Al-Azhar University standards; and second, to establish a fair and organized institutional mechanism to select eligible students for Al-Azhar scholarships. This mechanism ensures transparency, equal opportunities and selection of qualified candidates, followed by language training under the supervision of senior Al-Azhar professors before they begin their studies. The vision is to graduate professors of Thai origin who are capable of leading the advancement of Islamic education in Thailand and the region as a whole.
Increasing Higher Education Opportunities for Thai Muslims
In another development, Thailand announced the launch of the sixth round of the Sheikh al-Islam Scholarships, offering 270 university scholarships for undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs. This initiative is a joint academic effort between the Office of the Sheikh al-Islam in Thailand and the Creek University in Bangkok, which aims to support higher education for the country’s Muslims in Islamic, administrative and linguistic fields that meet the needs of the Muslim community.
The program marks a shift in support for Islamic education from limited initiatives to integrated educational policies based on long-term planning. It aims to develop qualified academic personnel in Thailand and to link religious authorities with national universities. The scholarships also help to increase educational and social stability and open up sustainable career paths for young Muslims, in line with the demands of the contemporary job market.
A Comprehensive National Project to Rebuild Islamic Education
These successive developments demonstrate that what is happening in Thailand is no longer simply a series of isolated educational initiatives, but rather the outlines of a comprehensive national project to rebuild Islamic education on a modern academic and institutional basis. The project combines religious authorities, government support and openness to higher education and scientific research.
The sequence of these steps—from establishing academic centers to investing in language education and expanding academic scholarships within the country—reveals a long-term vision aimed at cultivating a cadre of scholars capable of leading the Muslim community and actively participating in their national and regional environments.
As this momentum continues, the Thai experience remains poised for further dramatic developments in Islamic education, making it a model worthy of observation, monitoring, and analysis in the future. This opens the door to broader media coverage as the experience develops and illuminates its impact on the future of the Thai Muslim community and the landscape of Islamic education in Southeast Asia.
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