The gender distribution of our students, according to our office database, is 31.7-per-cent male, 68-per-cent female (and 0.3-per-cent other).

So, please answer me this, why are there twice as many ladies wanting to study overseas compared to men?

Is it because the ladies are brighter? (Sorry guys - it's just a question.) One suggestion is that the men prefer to work after completing their bachelor's degree, to get out in the world and pursue a career, maybe with the option for further study later. It seems that many men also have or want to work in their family business. A large number stay and study for their master's degree within Thailand.

Competition could also be a reason. There are simply more women than men in Bangkok - I would like to see some statistics on this.

It seems like I am asking more questions than I am answering, but it would be very interesting to understand why this imbalance exists.

Could it be that the ladies are more adventurous? Or is it that getting away from the family home is the only way to gain some independence?

Or is it just that the gals are smarter than you guys? Now that would really be a cause for discussion.

John Kelly is a director of Mentor International. Visit www.Mentor.ac.