The End of the Soi: Regents Bids Farewell to Principal Mike Walton

After nine hugely successful years, Mike Walton has stepped down as Principal at Regents International School Pattaya and is returning to the UK with his family to take up the Headship of a school in the North of England.

The End of the Soi: Regents Bids Farewell to Principal Mike Walton Mike Walton, Principal at Regents International School Pattaya, leaves the school after 9 very successful years. After nine hugely successful years, Mike Walton has stepped down as Principal at Regents International School Pattaya and is returning to the UK with his family to take up the Headship of a school in the North of England.

Over the course of his tenure, Regents has grown in popularity to become an international school of almost 1100 pupils, both boarding and day students. He has guided the school through its recent incorporation into the Nord Anglia Education family of 28 international schools around the world and indeed has ensured that it is now recognised as one of the leading schools in the group, on the basis of its flourishing academic standards, impressive co-curricular activities and excellent management. Under Mike’s leadership, Regents has taken an innovative approach to holistic education and community service and as a result is regarded as one of the most important members of the prestigious Round Square association of 130 schools.

Mike will also be missed by the regional and global educational associations to which he has contributed his leadership and energy over the past nine years: the Federation of British International Schools in Asia, the International Schools Association of Thailand and Round Square.

In tribute to his contribution to Regents and international schools in Thailand generally, on the evening of Wednesday, June 18th, staff descended on the school’s Globe Theatre to salute Mike and his family with a series of farewell performances. From Monty Python sketches to outstanding renditions of the most powerful songs from Les Misérables, which included a heart-warming performance of 'Castle on a Cloud' by his daughter Isla, his friends and colleagues made clear that his friendship and support would be much-missed. Several of the school’s Community Partners, such as the Hand to Hand Foundation, Women with a Mission, the Father Ray Foundation and Jester’s Care for Kids, spoke movingly about the instrumental role that Mike has played in encouraging the students at Regents to work with and learn from the local community.

Mike and his family will be greatly missed but we share his excitement at the new challenges which lay before them.