FreedomDude

...half the participants were awarded medals......???

Yes, that's the way these academic Olympiads work. The International Math Olympiad, probably more well know, works the same way.

Thailand may have problems with their education system as a whole, but they always produce a few top notch, world class competitors in these things.

This is a credible, top notch competition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Physics_Olympiad

Gold medals go to the top 8% of participants. Given that each country gets 6 participants, 4 of them getting gold is pretty impressive.

Good job Thai Physics team!

I think he means coming INTO Thailand before immigration. Pretty much every airport in the world has ATMs in the main part. LOL.

And I don't know the answer to his question. Sorry

Here's a sensible article on this topic: http://goo.gl/FLqHxv

According to this, a school should officially, but rarely does, take you to the immigration department and tell them your employment is over. Most schools can't be bothered. Your only risk is that you could be stopped by a police officer and after checking your passport you could be asked for the work permit to support it. If your lifestyle is one where you are often exposed to the possibility of police checks..... you drive or you visit a lot of late night clubs...you may want to just leave like others have said.

The author does conclude that you should do the right thing, get a 7 day extension and leave the country. I say, if your school doesn't take you to immigration and you don't drive or hang out in late night clubs, go for it. You'll be fine. That's my opinion, and I'm sticking with it. Even if you did have your passport checked, they would probably not insist you produce your work permit. Make a photo copy of your work permit now if it makes you feel better and always carry it with you along with a copy of your passport.

I've departed the country many, many times with my work visa still valid and never been asked a single question about my work. I've never heard of anyone else being asked about when or if they ever stopped working. I can't imagine what CiaranO's friend could have done to arouse suspicion. I don't think we have the full story there.

What a selfish jerkoff! How many people did he kill on the ground?

When I finished teaching and told my employer I was not coming back for the 2nd semester. I was told I needed to turn in my WP and leave.

They even prepared me a letter they said i would need. I left by air and was never asked for it, but know others told they couldn't leave via land. I think it has to do with tax.

Not sure what would have happened if i would have tefused to turn in my WP.

I was able to get a tourist visa after and return.

Thanks for sharing your experience. You had to turn in your WP, but they didn't touch your passport, did they? Your non-imm visa in your passport still had the same expiration date, right?

Still would like to hear of anyone who has ever popped up on some kind of list when they tried to leave before the expiration of their work visa but AFTER their actual end of employment date.

The day you finish work is the day your extension is no longer valid, you can get an extension of 7 days, or travel out and try to get a Tourist Visa in a Consulate outside of Thailand, but they might ask for flight bookings

Absolute, complete 100% garbage advice. You really think people leave the country precisely on their last day on the job? If the last day is Friday, I have to leave before midnight? I can't takeoff Saturday morning?

Scaremongering without any basis whatsoever pulled out of......your wishful imagination, i guess.

I for one am glad that unqualified teachers will be unable to teach.

 

This will   1. force the schools to do what they should have been doing all along and that is to ensure the teachers obtain a working Visa. This will definitely mean more work for the school administrators who have been extremely remiss in this regard to date. 

         

                2. raise salaries for qualified teachers. 

 

                3. remove some of the driftwood who like to call themselves teachers. For example I have met teachers who confided in me that they could forge all the documents they needed and taught everything from kindergarten to University during the same period of time. They even had the nerve to ask me what they should teach. 

 

               4. Raise demand for qualified teachers.

 

The writer believes that being white and speaking English is enough to qualify you as an English teacher. On this basis a janitor from North America could do the job. No wonder so few Thais can speak English.

1. Fine. I agree everyone working should have a working visa.

2. Not sure what you consider "qualified", but i'll guess a degree in education or a teaching license from a western country. If that's your standard, 90% of the foreign teachers in Thailand will be gone. Schools that previously had foreign teachers will NOT be able to offer salaries high enough to attract "qualified" (under this definition) teacher from the west. Teachers at my school are already paid 6 TIMES MORE than the Thai teachers.

3. They do need to improve their checks on forgeries, fake degrees, etc. Agreed

4. Yeah, and that demand will not be filled because they can't raise the salaries enough to attract what they need.

I think schools should be allowed to hire whomever they want to teach whatever they want. It shouldn't be the governments job to screen them. It should be the school's job to screen them as much as they want. Perhaps the govt should be involved in checking criminal backgrounds for safety reasons. But beyond that, make it the schools responsibility.

A good self respecting teacher from North America would never  work for $1000.00/month (30,000THB/month). Teachers in Canada and the USA start at least around $2500/month with full benefits and work up to $ 70,000/month.  They get an excellent pension. I know a principle who made over $100,000.00 / year and retired with a pension of $3100.00/month at age 57. You are a major chump if you degrade yourself to 30,000 THB/month.  Not even a security guard gets paid this low in North America. What are you doing to the teaching profession?

You seem to think that happiness in life is all about money. That's really sad.

I've taught in both the US and Thailand. My salary is a lot more than 30K Baht/month and I don't teach English, but I did make over twice as much in the US. Yet I am much, much happier teaching here in Bangkok. I'm not saying that this will be true for everyone, but it is for me and many like me. You said that "You are a major chump if you degrade yourself to 30,000 THB/month"  In my opinion, you are the chump for having such a shallow view on life. Are you here just for the money? Do you do something that is much more lucrative here than in your home country?

I would put the chance of : school telling Labor Dept ----> Labor Dept telling Immigration ----> Immigration updating computer system ------> "violation" popping out when checking out at airport

at

0.01 %

Again, never heard of anyone having this type of problem.

If I am wrong, please someone point us to an example.

You should be fine. I've never heard of a school taking your passport at the end of employment to have anything in it changed. Your stamp says you're permitted to stay until December 9. I say don't worry about it at all.

Edit: Oops just saw the part about travelling in other parts of SE asia. You'll have to buy a reentry prior to leaving for each time you want to return...think its 2000 baht at immigration.

If I were facing charges in a country where I knew I would not possibly receive a fair trial, I would flee too.

Fleeing is the smart thing for her to do.

I would avoid becoming appointed as a local leader under these circumstances like the plague. The tide will change....may take years...but it will change.

You hope that families are split up??

You are a dreadful person.

What about the kids losing their father.... their fault as well eh????

Your bitterness is unique and I m glad I don't think I have had to suffer meeting someone with your thought process.

Maybe one day we will see you back on here whining because your own category is being rinsed by the xenophobic Thai immigration.

My personal opinion is live and let live, these people are seldom terrible people whom probably do no harm to anyone, and you wish them a downfall??

More like Thailand needs rid of people like YOU!!!!

Cry me a river.

It's simple. Stop breaking the law and get a proper visa and then these people can live with their wife and kids.

If they don't get the correct visa, no mercy.

Forgive me for being slow, but I want to understand your statement precisely here.

You have no mercy for kids who are no able to see one of their parents for extended periods...years perhaps...because of immigration laws?

It's not because of the immigration laws mate…it's because of the parent who couldn't get his papers in order.

I didn't ask your opinion of the parent. I asked about your feelings towards the kids. Do you have mercy for the kids?

Wonder what will happen to all those foreigners that are married, have children, but don't have enough money to get a Non-Imm visa based on marriage.

Will Immigration start splitting up families?

I hope so.

These guys should have thought about the correct visa before getting married and having kids.

A little forward planning/saving may have helped them here.

You hope that families are split up??

You are a dreadful person.

What about the kids losing their father.... their fault as well eh????

Your bitterness is unique and I m glad I don't think I have had to suffer meeting someone with your thought process.

Maybe one day we will see you back on here whining because your own category is being rinsed by the xenophobic Thai immigration.

My personal opinion is live and let live, these people are seldom terrible people whom probably do no harm to anyone, and you wish them a downfall??

More like Thailand needs rid of people like YOU!!!!

Cry me a river.

It's simple. Stop breaking the law and get a proper visa and then these people can live with their wife and kids.

If they don't get the correct visa, no mercy.

Forgive me for being slow, but I want to understand your statement precisely here.

You have no mercy for kids who are no able to see one of their parents for extended periods...years perhaps...because of immigration laws?

Mail it to Washington DC.

Full instructions and forms needed here: http://www.thaiembdc.org/dcdp/?q=Tourist_Visa

Pattaya.

I think that violates all 3 of the criteria he is seeking, doesn't it?

He said he is looking for " (1) nice cities (2) off the main tourist trails with (3) reputations for having decent people"

I'm going to do something a bit too lacking in this thread.... show a bit of compassion and understanding. To those facing difficulties and fears of future difficulties with Visas: I believe the vast majority of you are not involved in criminal enterprises and are causing no harm to Thailand in any way, shape or form. This will all pass over when somebody realizes the impact this is having on the economy.

To those sitting on their high horses looking down on others who aren't as able as yourselves to get Visas in such an easy manner: You're not more deserving to be in Thailand than any other law abiding person. Period.

I don't see a flood of foreigners in Thailand siphoning the welfare money from Thais or filling up the prisons in any significant number.

If you can afford to stay and live in Thailand without breaking any laws (not talking about immigration laws), I have no problem whatsoever with your wishes, and I wish you good luck. You should be allowed to stay in the country as long as you like.

does your home country allow me to come and stay indefinitely if I have enough money to support myself??

No, but in my opinion they should. As long as they don't engage in criminal activities.

I have one daughter (7 yrs old). Looking back, she was the best mistake I ever made. Haha!

I often wish we'd had another one about her age so she could have someone to play with in the mornings and evenings. Not having a sibling demands more of my time. On the other hand, I don't think I personally could afford to raise another. So I have mixed feelings on one vs. two.

Hi! I'll be returning to Thailand this summer with my daughter after a year in the US. She is 7 years old, and she has really enjoyed playing in a youth soccer league here in the US. Does anyone know of any good youth leagues in the Bangkok area? Thanks!

I've got one better on you True Subscribers. This season I'm gonna be able to watch 4-5 NFL games per week. I'll get even MORE games if I decide to pay a bit extra

The games are going to be ON when I PREFER them to be on: Monday evenings, sometimes maybe Thursday evenings and ALL day Sunday!

Oh, and the game broadcasts will be LIVE, not tape-delayed.

Yes....I'm returning home to the US in 3 weeks after 6 consecutive missed NFL seasons! I am SO looking forward to becoming a football fan again!

Again, thanks for the multitude of opinions. These 12 pages have been quite an entertaining read!

After reading ALL of the responses and weighing the strengths and implications of ALL points - good and bad - I've reached the following conclusion as the main cause for the disparity in British and American expat populations here:

British men just aren't that attracted to French and Indian women.

I dont know about the froggie women..but have you seen some of the indian women...

I believe I should adjust my statement to also acknowledge the possiblity that French and Indian women don't really like British men!