EDUCATIONAL INEQUALITY IN THAILAND: A STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs)

Abstract

This article aims to analyse educational inequality in Thailand from a structural perspective, linking the analysis to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework, with particular emphasis on SDG 4: Quality and equitable education. The study employs a systematic literature review following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, drawing on selected Thai- and English-language academic articles that met predefined inclusion criteria. The review synthesises the current situation, structural determinants, and impacts of educational inequality in Thailand, and compares these findings with international trends. The synthesis reveals that educational inequality in Thailand is the outcome of multiple, overlapping structural factors, including family socioeconomic status, spatial disparities, the quality of schools and teachers, the digital divide, and the lack of comprehensive social protection systems. Vulnerable learner groups-such as children from low-income households, children with disabilities, ethnic minority children, and students in rural areas-are disproportionately and persistently affected. Such inequalities extend beyond academic achievement, generating systemic consequences in economic, social, and health dimensions. These dynamics contribute to the intergenerational reproduction of inequality and undermine the country’s long-term human development potential.  The article proposes strategies to reduce educational inequality within the SDG 4 framework, emphasising system-level reforms. These include equitable resource allocation, teacher development and school quality in disadvantaged areas, narrowing the digital divide, and providing integrated support for vulnerable learners. Collectively, these measures are essential for enhancing human quality of life and advancing Thailand’s long-term sustainable development.