thejeff

Are you sure the letter HAS to come from the ministry of education? I just got a letter and im pretty sure its just been signed by the dean of the faculty. Other studens have extended with this in the past. Is it a new regulation or does it only apply for private schools?

The first documents you get once you return from getting the Non-Immigrant ED visa comes from the Ministry of Education via an application from the school. Perhaps subsequent ones for the 90-day renewal cycle may come from the school alone. This would make sense since they want to make sure you actually begin the course. Once that occurs, it's up to the school to confirm your attendence every 90 days with a letter for immigration.

I'll update with any new info or experience that comes my way.

Cheers

I am currently a student a Walen School of Thai...

You have gone to some trouble to post this detailed first-hand report and I thank you for it, also for the following reasons:

1. Earlier, I posted that the minimum class attendance for extensions of stay is 4 hours per week, 200 hours per year, based on something I had read some time ago, and I now stand corrected: the minimum, based on your experience, is 4 hours per week, 180 hours per year.

2. I posted earlier that one needs a confirmation letter from the school for the non-Ed visa and subsequently for the extensions of stay. I stand corrected: it is a document from the Ministry of Education, which the school will get for the student.

Thejeff, while I am at it I have a question for you, seeing that the Walen school is in the Times Square Building. In January this year I studied Thai at another school in the same building – forgot its name and on what floor, but it doesn't matter in this context – for four hours every morning, intensive course for one month. No complaints except that the temperature in the room was freezing cold and for this reason alone I would not go back there. The teacher told us that the school could do nothing about this because it was the central air-conditioning of the building. How is the temperature in your classroom?

--

Maestro

As far as the minimum hour requirements per week, I think there is an assumed "home study" hours element that is part of the equation. Perhaps Mac Walen can post it here. He knows the details on it. It doesn't affect the amount of classroom hours per week but somehow within the fineprint on the Non-Immigrant ED regs, the total study hours per week with combined classroom and home study come to over 4 hours. Nothing anyone really needs to worry about. Just a FYI...

There are a few language schools in the Times Square Bldg. Berlitz (they do translation work and study in various languages I believe), Pro Language and Unity are others I think....different floors.

Anyway, the A/C is controlled within Walen so we get a quick fix up or down. The vents are easily opened and closed in our classroom too. Hasn't been an issue to my knowledge.

Cheers

I am currently a student a Walen School of Thai. Allow me address this topic from my experience and perspective. My schedule consists of classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10a - 12:50p with two 10-minute breaks at the top of each hour. I chose this accelerated track although there are 2-days per week, 2-hours per day tracks available as well. Each hour is considered 1 class deducted from the pool of 180 classes that 29,500 Baht gets you. In my case, I will pay a prorated fee once my 180 classes are completed to finish out a year but will of course obtain more advanced instruction for the additional time. It's my understanding that 180 classes (2-days/week, 2-hours/day track) will cover the entire 1-year plan.

The School and Teaching Environment:

The classroom is the perfect size for the amount of students while maintaining close proximity with one another to both watch/listen the teacher's enunciation/pronunciation while cycling through the question and answer system. The workbook is entirely in Thai script except for the English translation of each vocabulary word. There is no transliteration. This is a good thing. It is exactly how we all learn our native language. As an adult, this can be intimidating at first (trying to apply critical thinking skills). I can assure you that the method is solid and you get quite accustomed to the pace and style. I find myself recognizing the Thai word and meaning while looking at the Thai script within minutes. The lessons build upon one another so previous learning is reinforced with consistency.

The teachers are all very professional and have a great command of both Thai and English. They are meticulous in making sure that you get the pronuncation correct. This is vital with a tonal language as Thai. Yes, it's true that there are also attractive teachers and staff but I'm really not sure how that deters from the learning experience unless you haven't emotionally matured past the 8th grade. Anyone making allusions that the teachers were hired based on appearance as opposed to their abilities to conduct a class in this format are being sophmoric and insulting.

Yes, it's true that the workbook isn't flashy containing pictures and there are no whiteboards in the classroom. We also don't fingerpaint, have recess, or drink milk and have "nap time". What we do have is a solid learning environment that is fast paced and fun. It makes for effective adult learning.

Moving on...

Visa:

It was made very clear to me the my 29,500 Baht fee covered 180 classes that satisfied the course requirements for 1 year. After applying and paying my fee, my paperwork was taken to the Ministry of Education by a Walen staff member who obtained my 1-year Non-Immigrant paperwork that I needed to take to a Thai consulate to obtain my visa. I then made a trip to Phnom Penh, Cambodia (which I found to be the least expensive option to get to a Thai consulate). It took them 3 working days to process the paperwork, but since I had everything in order and the necessary documents from the Ministry of Education, it was simply a rote task for them to process my visa. No questions asked. I picked up my passport with my Non-Immigrant ED visa and returned to Bangkok.

NOTE: Here is where some people are getting confused. The Ministry of Education works in concert with the Dept of Immigration. The Ministry of Education approved my eligibility for my Non-Immigrant ED visa for 1 year to study Thai at Walen. You will see this on the paperwork that the Ministry of Education has you give to Immigration. Mine was from September 07 to September 08. It doesn't show up on the actual Non-Immigrant ED visa label. That is only valid for 90 days. Within that 90 days, you need to get another letter from the Ministry of Education from within Thailand (Walen takes care of this paperwork). This is to assure that you actually are starting the course at the school. You go to the immigration office with this new paperwork and then the process of the 90-day, 1,900 Baht fee cycle begins. Internally within the Dept. of Immigration, I am allowed to maintain this 90-day cycle for 1 year (come in with a letter from the school stating I'm still a student, pay 1,900 Baht and get another 90-day extention).

In my case, I can do this through September 2008. It is my understanding that I can apply for another year (assuming that I have completed the current track and I'm advancing my studies).

If you wish to leave Thailand and return within your current 90-day stay, you would simply obtain a single re-entry permit (1,000 Baht). A multiple re-entry permit is 3,800 Baht but unless you are planning on exiting and re-entering more than 3 times with your current 90-day stamp, a multiple re-entry permit is pointless.

This whole process is by far the best value and most convenient I have found. First, the school is in a great location (just off the Asoke BTS in the Times Square Buiding). If I don't want to leave Thailand during my entire study program (1-year), I don't need to leave. Simply visit Immigration every 90-days and pay their measly 1,900 Baht fee. That's it. I'm pretty shocked at people complaining about the 1,900 Baht fee every 90 days. It's only 1,900 Baht mate. What is your time worth?

Let's face it, we have all chosen to stay here in Thailand knowing well of their dodgy and ever-changing infrastructure. It's up to us to inform ourselves on the current immigration rules; not be hand-held by Walen or any other private institution for that matter. In my case, I was given full disclosure of the current rules and regulations at the time of my enrolment. I expect they will do the same with anyone else. For my money and piece of mind, this has been a tremendous value.

Feel free to contact me with any questions regarding Walen or my personal visa experience. I'm happy to help.

Cheers

Jeff