Ruamrudee International School (RIS)
Ruamrudee International School (RIS) is a Catholic-founded international school in Bangkok offering a US-curriculum education from pre-kindergarten through Grade 12. Founded in 1957 by the Brothers of St. Gabriel, RIS is one of the oldest and largest international schools in Thailand with an enrolment exceeding 1,800 students from over 60 nationalities. The school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and offers Advanced Placement courses. RIS competes in the Bangkok international-school market alongside NIST, Patana, Harrow, and Shrewsbury, with a strong Catholic and American-curriculum positioning attracting both expatriate and affluent Thai families.
Snapshot
Headline numbers a buyer checks first.
Founded
1957
1957
By Brothers of St. Gabriel
Enrolment
1,800+
2024
Curriculum
US-curriculum with AP courses
2024
Annual tuition (Grade 12)
THB 720,000–820,000
2024-25
Profile overview
Ruamrudee International School (RIS) is a Catholic-founded international school in Bangkok offering a US-curriculum education from pre-kindergarten through Grade 12. Founded in 1957 by the Brothers of St. Gabriel, RIS is one of the oldest and largest international schools in Thailand with an enrolment exceeding 1,800 students from over 60 nationalities. The school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and offers Advanced Placement courses. RIS competes in the Bangkok international-school market alongside NIST, Patana, Harrow, and Shrewsbury, with a strong Catholic and American-curriculum positioning attracting both expatriate and affluent Thai families.
Academic programmes
Curriculum
US-curriculum, Grade PK-12
College Board US curriculum from pre-kindergarten through Grade 12. Advanced Placement (AP) courses offered in 20-plus subjects. WASC accreditation since 1971; renewal audit every 6 years.
Community
60-plus nationalities, 1,800 students
Approximately 1,800 students with a mix of ~40% Thai, ~35% East Asian, ~25% Western/other. Brothers of St. Gabriel Catholic ethos; non-Catholic students welcomed. Annual tuition ~ $14,493-650,000 depending on grade.
Facilities
Bangkok Lat Phrao campus
20-acre Lat Phrao campus includes Olympic-pool aquatics centre, multiple sports courts, arts centre, IB-style innovation space. Accessed via BTS On Nut or school bus routes from Bangkok.
Reputation
US university placement
Strong track record placing graduates at US universities. AP scores above global average. Key differentiator vs British-curriculum peers (Patana, Harrow) targeting families planning US higher education.
Bangkok international school peer comparison
FY2024 estimates
Ruamrudee International (RIS)
Curriculum
US / AP
Enrolment
~1,800
Annual tuition (THB)
500K-650K
Accreditation
WASC
NIST International
Curriculum
IB Continuum
Enrolment
~1,600
Annual tuition (THB)
650K-800K
Accreditation
CIS/WASC
Harrow International Bangkok
Curriculum
British / A-Level
Enrolment
~1,100
Annual tuition (THB)
700K-900K
Accreditation
BSO
Shrewsbury International
| School | Curriculum | Enrolment | Annual tuition (THB) | Accreditation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruamrudee International (RIS) | US / AP | ~1,800 | 500K-650K | WASC |
| NIST International | IB Continuum | ~1,600 | 650K-800K | CIS/WASC |
| Bangkok Patana School | British / IGCSE / A-Level | ~2,200 | 600K-750K | CIS |
| Harrow International Bangkok | British / A-Level | ~1,100 | 700K-900K | BSO |
| Shrewsbury International | British / IGCSE | ~1,800 | 600K-750K | ISI |
Key drivers 2025-2026
Demand
Expatriate population stabilisation
Bangkok expatriate community ~200,000. Post-pandemic recovery in regional HQ relocations, particularly from Hong Kong and Singapore, sustains premium international-school demand through 2025-2026.
Competitive
IB vs US curriculum positioning
IB Diploma remains the dominant premium-tier benchmark. RIS's AP offering competes effectively for US-bound families but faces perception gap vs IB for UK or Asia-Pacific university targets.
Capacity
Enrolment cap and waitlists
Top-tier Bangkok international schools operate near capacity, with waitlists common. Fee increases of 5-8% annually have been absorbed without meaningful enrolment loss across the sector.
Where this profile is featured
Reports that reference this entity in their operator concentration or analysis.
Featured in
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Featured in
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Competitor
NIST International School Bangkok
Competes in Bangkok international-school market alongside NIST and other IB and US-curriculum schools.
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Sector peer
Assumption University (ABAC)
Thailand's largest private university; Catholic Brothers of St. Gabriel foundation; business, liberal-arts, IT.
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Sector peer
Bangkok Modern International School
Mid-tier international school in Bangkok offering the International Baccalaureate or Cambridge curriculum to expatriate and Thai bilingual families.
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Sector peer
Bangkok Patana School
Largest Thai international school by enrolment (~2200 students); non-profit foundation; British, IB curriculum.
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Longest-established American international school in Bangkok.
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Longest-established American international school in Bangkok.
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