Sorry lesson in exam saga

Every year, thousands of students compete for admission to a handful of prestigious public schools.

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This year was no exception. Nearly 14,000 applicants sat the entrance examination for Triam Udom Suksa School, vying for just 1,520 places. The scale of the competition speaks not only to the school's reputation but also to deeper problems within the education system.Public attention last week was drawn to the issue after images circulated online showing personal belongings, including banknotes, scattered on the ground or thrown into bins outside the examination venue at Impact Muang Thong Thani, sparking controversy.

Yet the real issue is not the controversy over examination rules outside the venue. The deeper question is why so many families feel that access to quality education in Thailand depends on securing admission to one of its few elite schools.

The intense demand for places at institutions such as Triam Udom reflects a widely held belief that attending these schools improves the chances of entering the country's top universities.