Four Thai universities ranked higher in Asia

BANGKOK, May 14 (TNA) - Four Thai universities have now been ranked higher among Asian universities. According to a latest rating by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a rating firm covering Asian universities, Thailand's Mahidol University has been up two levels to the 40th in the Asian region, Chiang Mai University has been raised six levels to the 92nd and Prince of Songkla University has been up four levels to the 142nd, while Kasetsart University has also been up from its last year's 151st-160th range. Chulalongkorn University has been maintained at the 48th position as its last year's level, while Thammasat University's position has declined to the 134th, from the 107th, and Khon Kaen University to the 180th level, from the 161st. QS research chief Ben Sowter said that Thai educational institutes are well recognized regionally but they need to upgrade their quality and quantity of their research projects, reduce the number of students per lecturer and increase their international activities. Meanwhile, this year's QS rating shows that Singapore and South Korean universities have now taken championships away from those of Japan and Hong Kong. National University of Singapore (NUS) has been latest ranked the 1st among Asian universities for the first time and the island state's Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has also been ranked up to the 7th, from the 10th, while South Korea's KAIST University has been ranked the 6th, from the 2nd, Seoul National University the 4th and Postech University the 9th. Last year's champion Hong Kong University of Science and Technology has now been ranked lower to the 5th position and Hong Kong University, the first-position holder in 2011, has been latest ranked the 3rd position. University of Tokyo has now been ranked the 10th position, its lowest position. It is the first time the 1st rank does not belong to a Hong Kong university. (TNA)