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Published on December 11, 2007

He and his two sisters have launched a new international school in Bangkok which they say will be in a class of its own, taking children and making them into ethical leaders.

Chatiporn's strong family heritage in public service can be traced back to the late 1800s. For instance, in his maternal lineage, his great-grandfather, General Luang Suranarong (Thongchai Jotikasthira), served as a royal aide-de-camp and privy councillor to His Majesty King Bhumibol. And on the paternal side of his family, Udane Tejapaibul, one of Thailand 's philanthropic legends, is Chatiporn's great-uncle.

Ivy Bound International School has been initiated by Chatiporn, 28, and his sisters Jiraorn, 29, and Sikan, 24.

Their parents, Vichai and Ketana, believe strongly that education is the key to improving society. They are preparing to invest more than Bt400 million to realise the dreams of their children - to provide a quality education for kids.

The school will be located on 3.5 rai in Sukhumvit Soi 39. It will be developed in two phases. The first phase will offer an after-school enrichment programme and the second stage will be a full-scale international school, serving children between the ages of three and eight.

Construction will begin next year, with an official opening in 2009. The two-level building will contain 10 classrooms, each accommodating between eight and 10 students. Tuition fees are estimated at Bt400,000 per year.

"The mission of Ivy Bound is to provide high-quality education for children so that they will grow up to become productive and responsible citizens. We would like to teach children to push beyond memorisation of accepted facts; to question and explore issues and ultimately to think critically on their own. The spirit of inquiry and intellectual excitement is what we would like children to experience at our school," Chatiporn said.

"Beyond stimulating children's cognitive development, schools also have the responsibility to instil strong ethical morality in children. I would like to develop a new generation of Thai children who are proud of our heritage and understand the value of giving back to society. Strong leadership skills and good ethics are qualities that our country desperately needs."

Jiraorn, who is in charge of the curriculum, said: "Ivy Bound is led by a team of educational experts who have all received their degrees from Ivy League colleges. We are a school that understands the cultural context in which Thai students achieve in school. With this knowledge, we can make the necessary adaptations of programmes and methods largely conceived in the West to the needs and background of Thai students. It will be a school in a class of its own."

Chatiporn received a bachelor's degree in political science from Williams College in Massachusetts and a master's degree in public administration from Columbia University in New York City, focused on public management and education policy-making.

His older sister Jiraorn received a bachelor's degree in psychology from Yale University, and holds two masters' degrees in education from Harvard and Stanford Universities.

The youngest of the three, Sikan, also received a bachelor's degree from Williams College, concentrating on educational psychology. At present she is working on a master's degree in education at Harvard University.

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn

 The Nation