CHIANG MAI, Thailand -- The competition started in second grade for DJ Wang’s son.

Eight-year-old William was enrolled at a prestigious elementary school in Wuhan, a provincial capital in central China. While kindergarten and first grade were relatively relaxed, the homework load began to increase significantly in second grade.

By the time he reached third grade, his son was often finishing his schoolwork around midnight.

“You went from traveling lightly to carrying a heavy load,” Wang reflected. “That sudden shift, it was a difficult adjustment.”

Wang, who frequently traveled to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand for his tourism-related work, decided to make a life-changing move , relocating his family to the city nestled at the foot of the mountains.

This family is part of a wave of Chinese moving to Thailand, drawn by its high-quality international schools and more relaxed way of life. While there are no official records tracking the number of people relocating for education, they join other Chinese expats leaving the mainland , including wealthy entrepreneurs seeking financial security in Japan , activists dissatisfied with the political climate , and young people who desire a break from China's fiercely competitive work environment, at least temporarily.

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**EDITOR'S NOTE:** This story is part of the China's New Migrants package , a series by The Associated Press examining the lives of recent Chinese emigrants who have settled overseas.

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Jenson Zhang, founder of Vision Education, an educational consultancy specializing in assisting Chinese parents relocating to Southeast Asia, stated that many middle-class families opt for Thailand due to the lower school fees compared to private schools in major Chinese cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

“Southeast Asia offers a sense of accessibility, visa processes are streamlined, and the overall environment, coupled with the locals' welcoming attitude towards Chinese people, provides Chinese parents with a feeling of greater security,” Zhang emphasized.

A 2023 survey conducted by New Oriental, a private education company, revealed that Chinese families are increasingly considering Singapore and Japan as destinations for their children's education abroad. However, the cost of tuition and living expenses in these countries are significantly higher than in Thailand.

Within Thailand, the relaxed city of Chiang Mai often emerges as the top choice. Other possibilities include Pattaya and Phuket, both well-known beach destinations, and Bangkok, though the capital tends to be more costly.

This trend has been gradually gaining momentum for about a decade.

Lanna International School, a highly selective institution in Chiang Mai, experienced a surge in interest during the 2022-2023 academic year, with inquiries doubling compared to the previous year.

“Parents were eager to transition to a new educational environment,” said Grace Hu, an admissions officer at Lanna International, whose role assisting Chinese parents was established in 2022, due to pandemic restrictions.

Du Xuan of Vision Education observes that parents relocating to Chiang Mai fall into two categories: those who meticulously planned their children's education beforehand and those who encountered challenges within the competitive Chinese education system. She notes that the latter group constitutes the majority.

In Chinese society, many prioritize education to such an extent that one parent might forgo their career and rent a nearby apartment to provide meals, cleaning, and unwavering support for their child. Known as “peidu,” or “accompanied studying,” the ultimate goal is academic achievement, often at the expense of the parent’s own well-being.

This notion has been warped by the overwhelming pressure to stay ahead. Chinese society has coined popular terms to describe this intensely competitive atmosphere, ranging from “neijuan” — loosely translated as the rat race that leads to burnout — to “tang ping," a philosophy of opting out or simply "lying flat.”

These terms reflect what success looks like in modern China, from the extensive studying required for students to excel on exams to the significant financial investments parents make in tutors to give their children a competitive advantage in school.

The underlying driving force behind this trend is the sheer number of students competing for limited spaces. In a nation with a population of 1.4 billion people, academic achievement is considered synonymous with graduating from a prestigious university. With limited university seats available, academic performance and standardized test scores are crucial, especially on the college entrance exams, commonly referred to as the “gaokao.”

“When resources are scarce, it inevitably leads to competition,” explained Du, a representative from Vision Education, whose own daughters are enrolled in schools in Chiang Mai. "There's a saying about the gaokao: ‘One point can make or break thousands of dreams.' The competition is truly fierce.”

Wang shared that his son William was recognized as gifted by his second-grade teacher in Wuhan. But to maintain this level of distinction among a class of 50 students and continue to receive that level of attention would require providing financial and material gifts to the teacher, a practice other parents had already implemented before he was even aware of the need.

Back in Wuhan, parents are expected to be knowledgeable about the material covered in extracurricular tutoring classes, as well as the school curriculum, ensuring their child has mastered it all, Wang explained. This often becomes a full-time job in itself.

In Chiang Mai, freed from China's heavy emphasis on rote memorization and extensive homework, students have the opportunity to pursue their interests and develop hobbies.

Jiang Wenhui relocated from Shanghai to Chiang Mai last summer. In China, she accepted that her son, Rodney, would likely achieve average grades due to his mild attention deficit disorder. However, the intense competition among other families in Chiang Mai made her question her decision to move.

“Even in that environment, you’ll still feel anxious," she admitted. "Should I give it another try?”

In China, her energy was dedicated towards supporting Rodney's academic progress, transporting him to tutoring sessions and ensuring he stayed on top of his coursework, providing him with constant guidance.

In Thailand, Rodney, who is about to enter 8th grade, has taken up acoustic guitar and piano, and carries around a notebook to learn new English vocabulary — all of it his own initiative, Jiang said. “He’d ask me to add an hour of English tutoring. I thought his schedule was too busy, and he told me, ‘I want to try and see if it’s okay.’”

He has time to pursue hobbies and has no longer needed medical attention for his attention deficit disorder. After connecting with one of his teachers about snakes, he is now raising a pet ball python named Banana.

Wang shares that his son William, now 14 and about to begin high school, completes his homework well before midnight and has developed interests outside of academics. Wang, too, has adjusted his perspective on education.

“Here, if he receives a low grade, I don’t worry too much, we just work on it,” he said. “Does a poor grade mean he won't be able to achieve a successful adulthood?"

"Now, I don’t think so.”