bbi1

Ever considered things getting harder is nothing to do with the actions of other expats? I see that assumption written over and over on these boards, with little to base it on. I mean the government is making things harder for people with work permits and legal businesses now, maybe they just don't like any foreigners and decide to make things hard, regardless of whether they break laws or not? http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/777983-thailand-eyeing-tighter-restrictions-on-foreign-businesses/

Maybe if they don't like foreigners they should deport the fathers/mothers of all those luuk kreung Thai soap "superstars" they love so much & make it hard for them to stay here too. I don't think it would go down well for them & will get a lot of bad publicity from the people Thais love watching on tv every night...

ED visa holders who have been here 2+ years, what do you live on, and how many are working illegaly. You should have to show a minimum of 40,000 baht a month to stay here

Only been in Thailand for a year. Live on money saved from working my ass off for the past 10 years. If you don't blow all your cash away when working & actually save, you will have some $$$ to use later on. Spend more than 40k baht per month myself compared to some of the oldies who count every baht & live as cheaply as possible.

My mate, with his Thai wife and family now for 6 years on an ED visa, never been to school, doesn't need to, he's got way better Thai skills than anyone attending any school, since he lives with family ie 7 native thai people on hand everyday to brush up his skills. Plus on top of this he takes his 2 years old girl to immigration and every Thai immigration officer LOVES baby especially Lukrung. So obviously when I come after this type of candidate at immigration, I look like a right lazy bag.

Since I'm a luuk kreung (a full grown man already, not a baby) will that be of any benefit to me with immigration?

There seems to be plenty of Language schools out there " desperate for business " perhaps its time to see who can come up with the best price! ( 17,000 baht visa & lessons was the going rate but for sure you can get lower than that now!

Farang Jaidee

Where are these schools you are "sure" for less than 17,000 baht??? I've never come across a school that is less than about 27,000 baht with most in the 30,000+ range. Maybe the schools I've been checking out were legitimate schools, not some back of the road visa mill school....

someone is promoting the THAI ELITE CARD business... only 300 baht per day and no hastle of taking any classes ...

why not get rid of ED as a valid visa ?

Why not get rid of all the types of visas and make it if you're a foreigner, you must get the Elite Card or you can't live in Thailand? Sounds even better, right?

Not really that concerned, but better be safe than sorry. I've seen quite a few Thai people walk out of the toilet without washing their hands, one of them in a white chef uniform. Same as a number of foreigners but they wouldn't be the ones cooking the food I eat there.

How much is a typhoid booster in BKK? I don't think it can be done at the Thai Red Cross, right? Wondering if I should get it before spending a year there or before I fly out of Oz.

Are there a lot of cases of people getting Typhoid in BKK?

10 hours a week isn't that much .. I did 25 a week and after 3 or 4 months at a reputable school I could read and write.

If you haven't picked up enough language ability after a year to run rings around an immigration officer then its time to think if learning a foreign language is for you.

Have to agree 100%. If you have lived in Thailand on an Ed visa, you should be able to converse on a basic level with a Thai person. 2 hours 4 days a week in Bangkok does not seem excessive. Why will the visa cost rise from 25000 - 80000? Tuition costs will stay the same, won't they?

25,000 baht sounds a lot for an education visa & lessons! You should be able to get one for about 17,000 baht! Start looking around and put 17,000 on the table " take it or leave it " business is business these days in a competitive world......

I'm paying a lot more than 25,000 baht. Guess I must be paying a fortune then. Seriously, anyone going to one of those 17,000 baht schools are probably just going there for the visa & not serious about studying. How would there be any good teachers in those cheap schools???

The benefit would be for people who need to fly out during the year to see family/friends etc. I know I would rather go every 90 days to immigration and pay 1900 baht than going overseas, which would cost more money and time.

Single Entry. I plan to stay the whole year so no need to apply for a Multiple. I'm sure there wouldn't be any problems in applying for a Multiple.

And they are very serious now, and when you go for stamp your 90 days you most have the rent contract where you live + copi of Id card from the land lord + copi off the House book (Blue Book) if you don't have that you don`t get a 90 days or 1 Year visa. And when you finish 1 year ED visa you most take a big test if you don`t past you finish not new ED visa (New rules in Phuket) The problem here in Phuket it`s 46 language schools and all are not schools (Money)

Best Regards

Bjorn

Why would they need any of this?? Seems strange...

Also never had to take any tests after 1st year ED visa either, this is in BKK. Maybe it's a Phuket thing with many fake language schools there??

You have three options

1 - Get a tourist visa which allows you a 60 day entry

2 - Get an extension for 1900 Baht

3 - Pay a 1000 Baht overstay fine on departure

Please don't be another one of these overstayers.....

Thanks for the advice, again point here is my visa ends I not want to renew, whatever that need to mean for your, (for one thing, would have required tying up a 500,000 Baht deposit for 3 months to get an extra week at most)

So this is just on the issue of what is the updated wisdom of the old "a couple of days overstay" is just a cost issue?

"Can afford to fly out of the country but it's too inconvenient"...... Another guy who is looking to overstay on purpose with no legitimate reason (eg. medical) People like that should get a harsh 1st warning then the 2nd time they do it they should be banned from entering the country again.

Go to Immigration at Chaeng Wattana, pay 1900 baht & they will extend it for another 30 days, or get a tourist visa in your country before you leave.

Which school are you signed up with? You may be in for a shock when you go for your 90 day extension. Right now the immigration officers here in Thailand who process your extension couldnt care less about what the consulates have issued you its all about the school you are at and the number of hrs you are doing per week.

Language Express in BKK

Absolutely untrue. Take this from another Dutch national, they insist on native speakers, preferably British or North American. Even Irish, Australians and so on are considered to be second rate, though they are native speakers.

I'm curious to know why that is. I could understand about Irish because their accent is sometimes hard to understand but Australians......??

Had my ED visa paperwork since about a month ago, and it was for 4 hours a week study approved by the MOE.

I've noticed nobody posted about getting an ED visa in Australia. Usually it has been recommended on this forum & by language schools (including mine) to go to Laos. I was getting a bit worried with all the reports about people getting rejected in Europe (school also warned of Europe) and Malaysia & was wondering if it may be the same in Sydney, but that's not the case.

The Thai Consulate in Sydney was super quick with hardly any queues, none of this hundreds of people like Laos. Once I took my number, it took about 5-6 minutes to be called to hand in all the documents. Friendly guy behind the counter checked it, my photo wasn't the right size so said it's best to get another one taken there. Cost me $10 for a pack of 6 photos. Went back to the counter & gave it to him & he gave me a receipt to pick up 2 days later. When I returned 2 days later, I was the 1st person to arrive there being 15mins early (they were still closed for lunch break). Took a number and sat down. When it was 2pm there was maybe 10 people waiting around & I was called up, met the same guy as the 1st time & collected my passport. The guy even said "enjoy your holiday in Thailand" lol.

No problems with the old 4 hours a week paperwork in Sydney. It was fast, friendly & easy to deal with. Another option for anyone who wants an easy Consulate to deal with & willing to make the trip

3 months ago, when I was on my second ED visa, I got refused entry at the airport. I came back from a quick trip to HK. I didnt have any cash with me, and I didnt spoke Thai well enough. I had to buy a ticket back to Holland and I was put in a cell with other people such as negergians, chinese and arabs. I flew business class back as it was the only available seat.

I'm confused, you didn't have enough cash with you but managed to buy a business class ticket? How did you pay for it?? If it's a credit card, couldn't you take a Cash Advance from your card so you would have cash?

Thailand doesn't need people like the OP in this country who don't give a crap about the law. All those overstayers & others who flout the law <deleted> things up for the legitimate people who plays by the rules. Once all those people are out of the country, things will start to slowly improve.

Well of course the visa is granted for education purpose thus 8 hours a week to study is hardly a challenging task unless of course it interferes with ones paid occupation.

If someone's on an ED visa, they shouldn't be working. If they want a paid occupation, get a proper work visa. Anyone on an ED visa who is working, one day they will get caught and rightly so being sent on their way.

Had no idea that minimum was 4 hours. Pity it can't be done online and practical lessons done having a whisky with some Thai lads in soi whereabouts

It would be pretty pointless trying to only learn online. Doing it face to face with a real teacher is the way to go. You can ask questions and the teacher can help correct you with any mispronounciations.

Anyway, the point of the visa is for actual students going to class and learning, not just trying to learn online, which can be supplemented to the classroom learning.

That would make sense with other courses, but with a language when you learn it you will get the most benefit and learn the most by being in a native speaking country of that language and using it in everyday life. I'm sure people would agree learning to speak thai is easier and more effective in thailand than in a western country. Same with Japanese in Japan, Chinese in China, etc.

No, not at all. Thinking about it from the point of view where legitimate students paid for 4hrs a week and has been approved by MOE and now the rules are apparently 8hrs a week, therefore doubling the costs for those students. Those students already paid for, been approved by MOE and got issued an ED visa from the embassy/consulate already under the 4hrs/week.

It's not like any of the schools are doubling the amount of things they teach you, it's still the same. You can quite easily progress through the different levels with the 4hrs a week.

With the apparent new 8hrs/week for an ED visa, therefore making the costs rise a lot for students as they will need to buy more hours from the school. What's the minimum class attendance percentage rate? Is it 75%, 80%? Maybe students could just buy the minimum lessons needed to achieve this therefore saving a few $$.

There is the money advantage. They will(are) charge(charging) students double the hours therefore double the money.

Not really because they will loose more than one half of the students. At 70,000 Baht / year , ED visa is not attractive anymore. Many schools have closed doors already.

Yeah, that's true. It makes it crazy to pay that much for it.