In 2008, Thailand passed legislation on the educational provisions for students with disabilities to mandate the implementation of inclusive education. This article provides a historical overview of special education in Thailand and the emergence of inclusive education as it moves from policy to practice. To further identify the challenges faced in the implementation of inclusive education, this article reports the findings of a qualitative research study on the perspectives of school leaders from "inclusive schools" that reveal a range of issues, including cultural perceptions about disability, current policies, financing of inclusion and other salient concerns.