Oscar Wilde famously remarked that the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about at all. A country in decline may still find itself the subject of debate but when it fades from relevance altogether, the real reputational damage is done.
Identity crisis
It is unlikely to surprise many that the view of Britain from the other side of the world is not an especially flattering one. Once seen as a bastion of stability, opportunity, and good governance, Britain now appears stuck, confused, often livid: a nation grappling with political dysfunction, fighting off economic stagnation, and trapped in an identity crisis it cannot seem to resolve.
Other Western democracies too are seen as divided, inward-looking and struggling to live up to ideals they once championed. Meanwhile, South East Asia presents a stark contrast: a region fuelled by commercial dynamism, infrastructural expansion, a substantially lower cost of living, more benign tax regimes, huge consumer markets and a rapidly growing middle class.
Britain now appears stuck, confused.
It is hard to ignore the gravitational pull away from the traditional dominance of the liberal West and towards a future that, by many measures, appears increasingly centred on South East Asia. The region’s rapid economic growth, strategic importance and youthful demographics are solidifying its powerhouse status. It is fairly widely recognised that the economies of Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines continue to boom, driven by their manufacturing sectors, by digital innovation and by a rapidly rising consumer class.
But it may come as more of a surprise to learn that Malaysia is now a key player in semiconductor exports, accounting for nearly a tenth of the entire global market; that Thailand is fast becoming a global electric vehicle hub benefiting from substantial inward investment and that Cambodia’s GDP has expanded by an average of 7 per cent a year over the last two decades.Â
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)’s ten member states are steadily forging a coherent economic bloc, strengthening trade ties between China, India, and the Global South while reducing reliance on Western economies. As Britain and its Western counterparts struggle with declining global influence, the question arises: how much of their standing in the world remains based on past reputation rather than present reality?
Surging demand for international schools
To matters closer at hand, and echoing this global shift, demand for international schools in South East Asia has surged in recent years. This rapid rise reflects broader global trends. Independent Schools Council research early in 2025 records 14,833 K-12 international schools worldwide, with the number of English-medium international schools in South East Asia rising from 819 in 2015 to over 1,000 by the early 2021.
In the ten years up to 2025, the region has seen a 60 per cent increase in the number of international schools, outpacing all other regions. By the middle of 2025, approximately 400,000 children will be receiving an education in international schools in South East Asia. Â
The region has seen a 60 per cent increase in the number of international schools.
Sharpening the focus still further, Bangkok’s British international schools are mirroring global and regional trends and thriving too. A strong combination of robust demand from expatriate families, growing local interest in international education and rising affluence among Thailand’s middle and upper classes has fuelled demand for international education.
Faltering reputation
Needless to say then, if Britain is perceived as faltering – economically, politically, socially – the prestige that once made its institutions, including its education systems, so desirable risks being seriously undermined too. Britain’s global reputation is not just a matter of national pride. It has real, tangible consequences, particularly for institutions that promote British values and standards.
A strong British reputation enhances the appeal of its overseas educational provision. Parents all over the world choose British curriculum schools because they associate them with academic excellence, with the development of essential skills such as critical thinking and with the possibilities of first-rate university pathways and strong career prospects. Yet the ability to find this product outside Britain has changed dramatically in recent years as perspectives change on the value and attractiveness of education within the United Kingdom.
It is far from co-incidental that news headlines about British-based schools and the future of the UK’s educational provision are currently relentlessly and uniformly negative. Families considering British-based independent schools absorb a daily diet of news that many schools are cutting academic subjects, enlarging their class sizes, restricting their curriculum offerings, merging or undertaking major and disruptive restructuring work.
Headlines about British-based schools and the future of UK education are relentlessly negative.
It is well evident to overseas parents that almost all independent schools have had to include the recent VAT levy in their fees, rising by between 12 and 20 per cent in 2025 alone. In some of the most egregious examples, even well-established schools that have disregarded years of Labour Party memos, been poorly governed or have closed their eyes and wished for a different future are now engaged in statutory redundancy processes with all the associated and long-lasting organisational and personal costs.
Global consequences
There are considerable global consequences to these recent educational developments in Britain. All involved in British-based independent schools will have felt the impact of their domestic market shrinking and of international families reconsidering Britain as a viable boarding destination.
With visa applications for international pupils studying in Britain currently falling by nearly a quarter year-on-year, the financial impact of these disappearing overseas boarding families is projected to see sector revenue decline by a further £50 million each year. A recent study by the Boarding Schools’ Association found that over two-thirds of education agents reported waning interest in British-based schools, while more than a third noted increased enquiries about alternatives abroad.
The contrast is particularly evident in education, where the rise of international schools in South East Asia is both a symptom and a driver of the region’s growing global influence. It is a trend that reflects not just economic power shifting but a broader reorientation of intellectual and professional hubs. Consequently, for those actually working in British education abroad, the contrast is more than just an observation. It actively shapes our professional lives, influencing the aspirations of pupils and parents, directing the progress of our schools, of our global school groups and of the role that British education plays in an increasingly competitive global market.
Unrestrained dynamism
Britain’s shifting place in the world is even more magnified when viewed from a city where the pace of change is constant, even relentless. Is there anywhere that encapsulates this contrast more vividly than Bangkok? While Britain struggles with economic stasis and political inertia, Bangkok, along with its 11.5 million inhabitants, offers a vision of unrestrained dynamism. Here, bar-topped skyscrapers spring up alongside centuries-old temples; international investment pours in, and the education sector flourishes as families seek the best opportunities for their children.
Despite the chaos – or perhaps because of it – Bangkok remains a highly attractive place to live and work.
For a foreigner, working in Bangkok is often a study in change. It is an experience shaped by opportunity, unpredictability, and the sheer force of the city’s momentum. Working in the city provides a view of rapid urban transformation first-hand. Daily life for professionals is dictated by Bangkok’s unique rhythms – exhilarating and often exhausting.
From navigating the city’s legendary traffic to adapting to education systems that blend traditional structures with innovation and improvisation, especially seen within rapidly growing schools, working and living in Bangkok demands flexibility: first, second, and third. Bureaucratic processes can be labyrinthine, infrastructure projects appear and disappear with little explanation. The city’s energy never truly slows. Yet, despite the chaos – or perhaps because of it – Bangkok remains a highly attractive place to live and work, offering a standard of living that balances professional ambition with cultural immersion.
The idiosyncrasies of Bangkok life extend well beyond the workplace. The heat is often merciless, turning even short walks into endurance tests. Shopping malls serve as unofficial public cooling stations, their air-conditioning a necessity rather than a luxury. Meanwhile, at certain times of the year, pollution is the great leveller: the city’s notorious PM2.5 smog spares no one but fortunately only lasts for a few days a year. Yet despite its environmental challenges, Bangkok thrives. Expatriates who arrive expecting a temporary adventure frequently find themselves staying for years, drawn in by Bangkok’s heady mix of opportunity and unpredictability.
Evolving expectations
For those in education, this relentless change mirrors the evolving expectations of families looking for international schooling. Parents seek an education that is as future-proofed as it realistically can be; where their children can develop the adaptability and resilience to thrive in an unpredictable world – qualities that living in Bangkok itself naturally instils. After all, it is not just about surviving the chaos, it is about learning to embrace it.
Parents seek an education that is as future-proofed as it realistically can be.
As Britain grapples with its own uncertainties, Bangkok offers a different perspective – a place where growth continues, where ambition is met with opportunity, and where resilience is not just a skill but a necessity. In a city that never truly stops, those who can adapt will not just survive; they will thrive. And perhaps that, more than anything, explains why Bangkok feels like the future, while Britain struggles to break free from its past.
The challenge for educators
The challenge now is for educators all over the world to recognise and respond to these shifts, ensuring that young people are equipped for a world where the traditional centres of gravity are no longer fixed in the West.
This article first appeared in the latest Spring 2025 edition of Independent Ó£»¨¶¯Âþ, out now.
