12 Gifts for Teachers: What to Give on Teachers' Day, Wai Kru and for Private Tutors
A good gift for a teacher, a ของขวัญให้ครู (gift for teacher) in Thai, is a thank-you that lasts. It needn't be expensive: a small keepsake with a clear meaning says it well.
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Check Your School's Policy First
Before you buy, check the rules. On 9 January 2026 (2569 in the Thai calendar), the สพฐ. (Office of the Basic Education Commission) signed its No Gift Policy for the 2569 budget year.
In English, the policy says the Office is an agency where every state official accepts no gifts or presents of any kind from the performance of their duties, during, before and after those duties, that would lead to corruption or misconduct.
You can read the full No Gift Policy 2569 of the Office of the Basic Education Commission (PDF).
So before you choose a gift, check with the school and ask what it welcomes. Then pick from the ideas below.
What to Give a Teacher: 12 Ideas
Start with thanks. A Thai daily newspaper notes that many people still give a gift on Teachers' Day to share good feelings or to say thank you, and that it needn't be expensive.
So pick a small keepsake with a clear meaning, then add a few words in your own hand. Below are 12 ideas: seven handmade pieces for Teachers' Day, Wai Kru Day (the day to pay respect to teachers), private tutors and retiring teachers, from 390 to 2,690 baht, then five classics from a Thai gift list.
Five of our seven pieces are a พวงมาลัย (Thai garland), a keepsake that lasts long after the day itself.
1. Malai Cuty, 890 Baht
If you want one piece that suits any teacher, the Malai Cuty is named for ความหวานและความสุข (sweetness and happiness).
Its product page says it tells your thanks, respect and love in one gesture, without a single word. It is 890 baht and comes in a gift box with a card to write in, so you can add a line of thanks anyway.
Stuck on the card? Here are three lines to copy, or to make your own.
- Thank you for everything you taught me.
- Thank you for your care and your patience this year.
- With respect and thanks, to a teacher I will always remember.
Teachers' Day Gifts for 16 January
วันครู (Teachers' Day) falls on 16 January every year in Thailand. It marks the Teachers Act of 2488 (1945), which set up the คุรุสภา (Teachers Council of Thailand).
The cabinet fixed the date in 2499 (1956), and the first Teachers' Day was held on 16 January 2500 (1957). In 2569 (2026), the Teachers Council's secretariat ran the 70th Teachers' Day.
The day honours พระคุณของครู (the kindness and grace of teachers), so a gift works best when it carries a clear, respectful thank-you. Two garlands do this well.
2. Malai Petite Purity White, 1,290 Baht
The Malai Petite Purity in white is named for จิตใจที่สงบ (a calm mind). Its product page says the white lotus stands for a pure mind.
It is 1,290 baht in a plastic box or 1,590 baht in a wooden box. Allow 10 to 20 working days, so for Teachers' Day on 16 January 2027, send us your order early.
3. Malai Petite Flowers, 1,890 Baht
The Malai Petite Flowers is named for ความกตัญญูและคำอวยพร (gratitude and blessings), a warm pair of words for the person who taught you. Its product page gives white the meaning of purity and inner calm.
It is 1,890 baht and takes 10 to 20 working days. For custom colours or several pieces, we send a quotation.
Gifts for Wai Kru Day
วันไหว้ครู (Wai Kru Day, the day to pay respect to teachers) has its own date. It falls on a Thursday early in term 1, so ask the school for the exact day.
The ceremony includes a tray with ธูป เทียน และดอกไม้ (incense sticks, candles and flowers). Our guide to phuang malai for Wai Kru Day has more on the day, including the white Malai Petite Purity.
4. Malai Glin Rak, 499 Baht
For a small thank-you, the Malai Glin Rak comes in eight colours for 499 baht, and its product page suggests giving it to a teacher on Wai Kru Day.
The same page says a phuang malai (Thai garland) is how Thai people show respect, welcome, thanks and blessings. Delivery within Thailand takes about 5 to 10 working days.
We can engrave a message on its box, by quotation.
Gifts for Private Tutors and Teachers Outside School
A ครูสอนพิเศษ (private tutor), or any teacher you meet outside school deserves a thank-you too. Something useful for the desk or the keys fits well here.
5. Handmade Cotton Coasters, 490 Baht
Our handmade cotton coasters are absorbent and sold as a pair, in five colours, for 490 baht. Their product page calls them a Thai keepsake you can use every day.
We can engrave a name on them, such as your teacher's, or add a logo tag. Delivery within Thailand takes about 5 to 10 working days.
6. Elephant Keychain, 390 Baht
Our handmade elephant keychain comes in six colours for 390 baht. Its product page says the elephant stands for strength and wisdom, a fitting wish for someone who teaches.
Delivery within Thailand takes about 5 to 10 working days, so it is an easy pick when you want to thank a tutor.
Gifts for a Retiring Teacher
A ครูเกษียณ (retiring teacher) has given years to their students, and a gift can honour that whole career.
The policy quoted above names gifts before, during and after duty, so ask the school first, then choose.
7. Malai Supreme Flowers, 2,690 Baht
The Malai Supreme Flowers is named for ความเคารพและเกียรติยศ (respect and honour), two words that suit a long teaching career.
It is 2,690 baht and takes 10 to 20 working days, so send us the retirement date early.
For more choices, see our retirement gift ideas for Thailand.
If the teacher is also a ผู้ใหญ่ (respected elder) in your life, our guide to gifts for elders in Thailand has ideas for their other occasions.
Classic Teacher Gift Ideas
A Thai daily newspaper's list of Teachers' Day gifts also includes these classics. Pair any of them with a handwritten card.
8. An Engraved Pen
A pen with the teacher's name engraved on it.
9. A Scarf or a Tie
Something to wear, in a colour the teacher likes.
10. A Laser Pointer
A small tool for presenting lessons.
11. A Laptop Bag
For carrying a laptop and lesson plans between classes.
12. A Gift Basket
A basket of treats the teacher can share.
Teacher Gifts by Budget
Here are our seven handmade ideas by price, from 390 to 2,690 baht. Add a few handwritten lines to any of them.
| Budget | Ideas | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Under 500 baht | Elephant keychain 390, cotton coasters 490 (pair), Malai Glin Rak 499 | Private tutors, Wai Kru Day |
| 500 to 1,500 baht | Malai Cuty 890, Malai Petite Purity white 1,290 (plastic box) | A thank-you for any teacher, Teachers' Day |
| 1,500 baht and up | Malai Petite Purity white 1,590 (wooden box), Malai Petite Flowers 1,890, Malai Supreme Flowers 2,690 | Teachers' Day, a retiring teacher |
Every piece is handmade, so plan the timing along with the price. The three pieces under 500 baht take 5 to 10 working days, and the Petite Purity, Petite Flowers and Supreme Flowers take 10 to 20.
Need several pieces, or a garland in custom colours? Send us the pieces, colours and quantity, and we will come back with a quotation.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Teachers' Day in Thailand?
On 16 January every year. The cabinet set the date in 2499 (1956), and the first Teachers' Day was held on 16 January 2500 (1957).
Can teachers accept gifts?
Check with the school first. The No Gift Policy of the สพฐ. (Office of the Basic Education Commission), signed on 9 January 2026, says its state officials accept no gifts or presents of any kind from their duties, before, during or after them, that would lead to corruption or misconduct.
The school can tell you what it welcomes before you choose.
Can you engrave a message on a teacher gift?
Yes, on two pieces. We engrave a message on the Malai Glin Rak box, by quotation, and the cotton coasters can carry an engraved name.
Still choosing? Tell us about the teacher, the occasion and your budget on LINE, and we will help you find the right piece.