St Andrew's vs Regents.

Five questions.
Five answers.

1. Do you need IB Diploma + A-Level optionality — or IB PYP through IBDP only?

This is the structural fork between these two premium IB schools. Regents is the only school in this directory offering both IB Diploma and A-Level at age 16 — students choose pathway after IGCSE without switching schools. Years 10–13 share one flat fee (฿829,350/yr) regardless of programme. If your child is heading into Year 10 and the IB-vs-A-Level question is still open, Regents is the structural fit. St Andrew's runs IB Primary Years from primary through IB Diploma at Sixth Form — IB-consistent from early years — but no A-Level alternative. If you are committed to IB throughout and want PYP continuity from primary, St Andrew's. If pathway flexibility at 16 matters, Regents.

2. Do you need boarding on the Pattaya side — or is day school in Rayong acceptable?

Regents offers boarding from Year 3 at ฿434,000/yr plus ฿30,000 refundable retainer — flexi and full boarding available. Y13 full boarder all-in ≈ ฿1,263,350/yr before extras. Realistic boarding cohorts concentrate from Year 9 onward. St Andrew's is day-school only — no boarding option. Families needing a residential solution without leaving Chonburi must choose Regents (or see Rugby vs Regents for boarding from age 10). If both parents commute or you live within bus range of Banchang, St Andrew's works — but plan the daily Rayong run from Pattaya.

3. Does a Dutch parallel stream or Forest School ethos matter more than Nord Anglia global programmes?

St Andrew's is the only school in this directory with a full Dutch-medium parallel stream from Reception through secondary — unique in Thailand for Dutch-nationality or half-Dutch families. Forest School and eco-literacy are embedded across year-groups on a 30-rai campus near U-Tapao. Regents sits inside Nord Anglia Education — 80+ schools globally, MIT for STEM and Juilliard for performing arts partnerships, UNICEF collaboration, cross-network teacher exchanges. Structural fit for globally mobile families who may transfer mid-course. If Dutch instruction or outdoor eco-pedagogy is non-negotiable, St Andrew's. If Nord Anglia network portability and partner programmes matter more, Regents.

4. Can you budget Regents premium vs St Andrew's approximate fee band?

Regents gives exact Nord Anglia year-by-year numbers: ฿436K (Pre-N) → ฿604K (Y1–2) → ฿829K (Y10–13 flat). You can model a full 2–18 budget with known figures. St Andrew's publishes approximate bands (~฿270K–650K/yr) plus one-time fees — exact per-year amounts require the 2025/26 PDF from admissions. At peer year-groups where we have approximate St Andrew's figures, Regents is ~฿150K–180K/yr more at primary and ~฿180K/yr more at Sixth Form. Over six secondary years, cumulative difference is roughly ฿1.0–1.2 million before bus and one-time fees. Whether the Nord Anglia premium, boarding option, and Pattaya-side location justify that gap depends on your family's priorities — not a quality judgment.

5. Pattaya-side commute or Banchang Rayong daily run — which works?

Regents at Pong, Banglamung sits on the Pattaya side — typically 15–25 minutes from central Pattaya. Your school community stays in Chonburi province with Nord Anglia scale and boarding on campus. St Andrew's at Ban Chang, Rayong (near U-Tapao) is ~30 minutes south of central Pattaya — same Rayong corridor as Garden International. Not walkable from Jomtien or Naklua. If you live in Pattaya City and want the shortest school run, Regents wins logistics. If you live in Rayong, Ban Chang, or accept a daily bus commitment for Cognita IB + Dutch stream, St Andrew's fits. Test both commutes at school-run times before enrolling.

Summary verdict

• Choose St Andrew's Green Valley if: you want IB PYP from primary through IB Diploma on one campus; a Dutch-medium parallel stream matters; Forest School and eco-literacy ethos fit your child; you accept a Rayong commute for a lower approximate fee band (~฿270K–650K); Cognita network transfers are part of your planning; and day-school-only fits your family.
• Choose Regents Pattaya if: you need boarding on the Pattaya side from Year 3; IB Diploma + A-Level optionality at G11 is the structural requirement; Nord Anglia global network and MIT/Juilliard programmes matter; Pattaya-side commute fits your family; and top-end fees (฿829K/yr at Y10–13) are within budget.

Neither fits — if…

You want pure British A-Level without IB at premium scale — see Rugby vs Regents. You need Rayong IB without Cognita at a lower published band — see Garden vs Regents or Regents vs Garden. You want American curriculum + IB Diploma — see ISE vs St Andrew's. You need Established-tier British in Nongprue — see MIS vs Regents.