An honest look at what childcare actually exists on Trat province's big island: Thai government kindergarten (anuban), resort kids' clubs, nannies and home care, indicative fees, the best areas for young families, and how families reach the mainland for anything Koh Chang doesn't offer on-island.
Koh Chang is one of Thailand's largest islands, in Trat province on the eastern Gulf coast, and - like the rest of its education picture - its childcare market is genuinely thin: there is no dedicated international nursery, franchise daycare or English-medium early-years centre on-island, consistent with Koh Chang having no on-island international school at any level. What Koh Chang does have is Thai government kindergarten (anuban) classes as part of the standard national curriculum, resort kids' clubs that cover hotel guests but not residents, and a strong culture of hiring a nanny for babies and toddlers. Here's an honest look at what's actually available, indicative fees, which areas suit families, and how Koh Chang parents handle the gap once children are ready for a wider or more formal early-years option.
Like every district in Thailand, Koh Chang's local Thai-medium government schools include an anuban (kindergarten) level for children roughly three to six years old, run to the national Ministry of Education curriculum. Teaching is entirely in Thai with larger classes, very low cost, and genuine language immersion - the default option for long-stay families, especially mixed Thai-foreign households.
Several of Koh Chang's larger resorts around Klong Prao and Kai Bae run supervised kids' clubs with activities for guest children, but these are a hotel amenity for holidaymakers, not licensed daily childcare for residents, and disappear once a stay ends.
With no dedicated nursery on the island, hiring a Thai nanny (phi liang) or a live-out helper is the practical default for babies and toddlers on Koh Chang, arranged through a landlord, villa or resort housekeeping referral, or the island's expat Facebook and LINE groups.
Koh Chang's foreign community, concentrated around White Sand Beach, Klong Prao and Kai Bae, supports informal playgroups and parent meetups through Facebook groups - a genuine, if unofficial, way to fill early-years gaps and find a trusted nanny.
No branded international nursery, franchise daycare or English-medium early-years centre is confirmed on Koh Chang - consistent with the island having no on-island international school at any level. Families wanting that specific format look to the mainland (see below).
The island's main strip has the widest concentration of everyday services and the best access to a nanny or helper through hotel and villa networks - the easiest base for families prioritising practical support, even without a dedicated nursery nearby.
Koh Chang's longest beach leans upscale and family-friendly, with several large resorts running guest kids' clubs - useful for visiting family but not a substitute for daily childcare if you're relocating here long-term.
A genuine mix of touristy, backpacker and family stays in the middle of the island, within easy reach of both White Sand Beach and Klong Prao for whichever childcare option - nanny, kindergarten or resort kids' club - a family settles on.
Lonely Beach's backpacker and nightlife focus and Bang Bao's stilted fishing-village setting mean the island's thinnest childcare support - families based here typically still hire a nanny or drive to White Sand Beach or Klong Prao for a kindergarten place.
Indicative fees - actual costs vary by setting and hours. USD figures are approximate (around ฿36 = $1); always confirm current fees, registration charges and deposits directly with each school, nanny or agency.
| Option | THB | USD (approx) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thai government kindergarten (anuban) | Confirm directly - not widely published | Very low | Thai-language immersion; the island's most common and most affordable option |
| Resort kids' club | Included for hotel guests only | N/A | Not available to residents as standalone daily childcare |
| Full-time Thai nanny (live-out) | ฿8,000 - 14,000 / month | $220 - 390 | In-home care; the default for babies and toddlers on Koh Chang |
| Mainland English-medium early years (Rayong/Pattaya) | Confirm directly with the school | Varies | St. Andrews, Green Valley (Rayong) or Regents Pattaya; add the ferry crossing to your commute |
Thai government kindergartens on Koh Chang generally accept children on a rolling, year-round basis rather than a fixed international-school-style admissions cycle, though the main intake still follows the Thai academic year starting in May.
Expect to provide your child's passport and birth certificate, immunisation records, recent photos, and a parent passport with proof of your Koh Chang address (a lease is normally sufficient). Paperwork is lighter here than at a formal international school, since none exists on-island.
DTV, LTR, retirement, marriage and other visa families all use the same local settings and pay out of pocket - there is no visa requirement or public subsidy tied to childcare enrolment on Koh Chang.
With no directory of licensed nurseries and no published fee schedules for local schools, the most reliable way to find a good kindergarten class or trusted nanny on Koh Chang is asking in the island's expat and parenting Facebook groups before you commit.
With no formal international-school system to lean on and no published fee schedules, visiting a local kindergarten class or meeting a prospective nanny in person - and asking other island parents for their honest experience - matters more here than in cities with an established nursery market.
Koh Chang has no on-island English-medium or international school at any level, as the island's schools guide sets out. Families wanting an English-medium early-years or K-12 pathway typically look to St. Andrews International School or Green Valley near Rayong (roughly 2.5-3 hours away) or Regents International School Pattaya (roughly 4 hours away), with Bangkok's much larger market further still.
Koh Chang has no airport, and everything beyond the island routes through the Ao Thammachat car ferry and then Trat or further afield - budget the crossing into your day if you're visiting a mainland school, agency or specialist for your child.
Some informal playgroups and community activities quieten down during Koh Chang's May-October southwest monsoon low season when part of the foreign community leaves the island - plan accordingly if you're arriving outside the busier November-April window.
No. Koh Chang has no dedicated international nursery, franchise daycare or English-medium early-years centre, consistent with the island having no on-island international school at any level. What exists is Thai government kindergarten (anuban) classes as part of the standard national curriculum, resort kids' clubs for hotel guests only, and a strong culture of hiring a nanny for babies and toddlers.
Local schools and nannies don't publish fee schedules online, so confirm current rates directly. As a general guide, Thai government kindergarten is very low cost by nature of being a public school, and a full-time live-out Thai nanny runs roughly THB 8,000-14,000 a month - broadly in line with rates on Thailand's other resort islands.
White Sand Beach has the widest everyday services and the best access to nanny and helper networks. Klong Prao is the most family-friendly beach and home to several resorts with guest kids' clubs. Kai Bae sits centrally between the two. Lonely Beach and Bang Bao have the island's thinnest childcare support and suit young families least.
This is the key planning question for families settling long-term on Koh Chang - the island has no on-island international school at any level. Most families either continue with the local Thai government school, or plan ahead for St. Andrews International School or Green Valley near Rayong (roughly 2.5-3 hours away) or Regents International School Pattaya (roughly 4 hours away) once an English-medium pathway is needed.
Yes - hiring a Thai nanny (phi liang) or live-out helper through a landlord, villa or resort referral, or the island's expat Facebook and LINE groups, is the default and most flexible way to cover childcare for babies and toddlers, given how limited formal options are on-island.
Primary and official sources are cited above. Government rules, fees and procedures in Thailand change over time and vary by office; always confirm current requirements with the relevant authority before relying on them. BAANLYY never takes paid placement in editorial content.
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Hero photo by Yan Krukau on Pexels. General information only, not childcare or legal advice. Confirm current fees, ages, policies and availability directly with each school, nanny or agency.