# Academic ranks in Thailand

Academic ranks are the titles, relative importance and power of professors, researchers and administrative personnel held in academia.
At higher education institutions in Thailand, teaching officers are generally called "lecturers" (อาจารย์ achan) and are collectively called "teaching staff" (คณาจารย์ khanachan), whilst administrative officers are generally called "administrators" (ผู้บริหาร phuborihan) and are collectively called "administrative staff" (คณะผู้บริหาร khana phuborihan).
Careers of teaching staff at Thai universities generally start at the level of "lecturer". At this level, contracts may be permanent or temporary, or may impose a time-limit for progression to a higher rank (similarly to a US tenure-track position). In order to achieve higher academic ranks, staff must submit to evaluation both internally (at the level of their institution) and externally (by academics from other institutions). Criteria for promotion are regulated centrally by the body which regulates universities (Office of the Higher Education Commission), meaning that there is little variation in promotion standards across institutions, irrespective of their status or orientation (e.g. research-intensive international universities vs. teaching-oriented local universities).
Progression of staff through academic ranks follows a similar dynamic to that in Australia, with the highest rank of Professor awarded selectively to leading scholars. Thus, compared to higher education institutions in countries such as the US, where Associate Professor is regarded as a mid-career rank and an intermediate step before Professorship, holders of Associate Professorships are regarded as senior members of academic staff at Thai universities, comparable to Readers at many Commonwealth institutions.

## Academic ranks
### Professors

| Full names | Full names | Full names | Acronyms |
| English | Thai | Romanised (RTGS) | Acronyms |
| Regular officers ||||
| Professor | ศาสตราจารย์ | Sattrachan | ศ. |
| Clinical Professor | ศาสตราจารย์คลินิก | Sattrachan Khlinik | ศ. คลินิก |
| Professor Emeritus | ศาสตราจารย์กิตติคุณ or ศาสตราจารย์เกียรติคุณ | Sattrachan Kittikhun or Sattrachan Kiattikhun | ศ. กิตติคุณ or ศ. (เกียรติคุณ) |
| Irregular officers ||||
| Adjunct Professor | ศาสตราจารย์วุฒิคุณ or ศาสตราจารย์พิเศษ | Sattrachan Wutthikhun or Sattrachan Phiset | None or ศ. (พิเศษ) |
| Chair Professor | ศาสตราจารย์เกียรติยศ, ศาสตรเมธาจารย์ or ศาสตราจารย์อาวุโส | Sattrachan Kiattiyot, Sattramethachan or Sattrachan Awuso | None |
| Distinguished Professor | ศาสตราจารย์พิศิษฐ์ | Sattrachan Phisit | None |
| Honorary Professor | ศาสตราจารย์กิตติมศักดิ์ | Sattrachan Kittimasak | None |
| Named Professor | ศาสตราภิชาน | Sattraphichan | None |
| Research Professor | กิตติเมธี | Kittimethi | None |
| Visiting Professor | ศาสตราจารย์รับเชิญ or ศาสตราจารย์อาคันตุกะ | Sattrachan Rap Choen or Sattrachan Akhantuka | None |

### Others

| Full names | Full names | Full names | Acronyms |
| English | Thai | Romanised (RTGS) | Acronyms |
| Regular officers ||||
| Associate Professor | รองศาสตราจารย์ | Rong Sattrachan | รศ. |
| Assistant Professor | ผู้ช่วยศาสตราจารย์ | Phuchuai Sattrachan | ผศ. |
| Lecturer | อาจารย์ | Achan | อ. |
| Irregular officers ||||
| Adjunct Associate Professor | รองศาสตราจารย์วุฒิคุณ or รองศาสตราจารย์พิเศษ | Rong Sattrachan Wutthikhun or Rong Sattrachan Phiset | None or รศ. (พิเศษ) |
| Adjunct Assistant Professor | ผู้ช่วยศาสตราจารย์วุฒิคุณ or ผู้ช่วยศาสตราจารย์พิเศษ | Phuchuai Sattrachan Wutthikhun or Phuchuai Sattrachan Phiset | None or ผศ. (พิเศษ) |
| Adjunct Instructor | อาจารย์พิเศษ | Achan Phiset | อ. (พิเศษ) |
| Visiting Associate Professor | รองศาสตราจารย์อาคันตุกะ | Rong Sattrachan Akhantuka | None |
| Visiting Assistant Professor | ผู้ช่วยศาสตราจารย์อาคันตุกะ | Phuchuai Sattrachan Akhantuka | None |

## Administrative ranks

| Full names | Full names | Full names | Note |
| English | Thai | Romanised (RTGS) | Note |
| Administrators ||||
| Chancellor | ผู้ประศาสน์การ | Phuprasatkan | Chief of a university. A historical office, only used by Thammasat University and now replaced by "Rector" (อธิการบดี). |
| Commander | ผู้บัญชาการ | Phubanchakan | Chief of a university. A historical office, only used by Chulalongkorn University and now replaced by "President" (อธิการบดี). |
| Director | ผู้อำนวยการ | Phu-amnuaikan | Chief of an independent centre or institute. |
| President or Rector | อธิการบดี | Athikanbodi | Chief of a university. |
| President or Rector | อธิการ | Athikan | Chief of an independent college. The term is also used as a shortened spoken form of อธิการบดี in universities. |
| Secretary General | เลขาธิการ | Lekhathikan | Chief of an independent centre or institute. |
| Lower administrators ||||
| Dean | คณบดี | Khanabodi | Chief of a faculty or college in an institution. |
| Director | ผู้อำนวยการ | Phu-amnuaikan | Chief of a bureau, centre, institute or office in an institution. |
| Head | หัวหน้า | Hua-na | Chief of a department, division or section in an institution. |
| Secretary | เลขานุการ | Lekhanukan | Chief administrative officer of any entity in an institution. |
| Note: A deputy or vice office has an additional word, "รอง" (Rong), in its name. For example, "Deputy Dean" is "รองคณบดี" (Rong Khanabodi). An assistant office has an additional word, "ผู้ช่วย" (Phuchuai), in its name. For instance, "Assistant Dean" is "ผู้ช่วยคณบดี" (Phuchuai Khanabodi). ||||