Phuket teacher turned away in Penang applying for visa

[snoop1130]

Phuket teacher turned away in Penang applying for visa

By The Thaiger

 

PHOTO: TielandtoThailand.com

 

According to a British EFL teacher based in Phuket, officials in Penang are requiring a criminal background check from Thai police when applying for a Non-immigrant B visa associated with teaching.

 

As reported in a Facebook post on the morning of May 17, Jay (who asked we omit his surname) stated the first thing embassy staff asked was, ‘Do you have a police check from Thailand and your home country?’.

 

After failing to produce a background check from Thai police, officials in Penang refused to even take the application.

 

Full Story: https://thethaiger.com/lifestyle/phuket-teacher-turned-away-in-penang-applying-for-visa

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2018-5-17

[ubonjoe]

I am surprised it was not needed before. Other nearby embassies and consulates have been asking for a Thai police clearance certificate for awhile now if teaching K to 12.

The embassy in Kuala Lumpur has this on there check list for a non-b for teaching "6. Certified criminal record in the applicant’s country of origin".  Source: http://www.thaiembassy.org/kualalumpur/contents/files/services-20170329-105646-383024.pdf

[reeltrouble]

As I read the original article it looks like he had a certified criminal record check from his country of origin but was refused because he didn't also have a Thai criminal record check. I was under the impression that it was necessary to show a criminal record check from either the original country of origin or Thailand. While I think that it should be both for people who have been teaching in Thailand for the previous year, I was only asked for the US background check when I changed my visa last year in Laos and when I extended it this year.

[gk10002000]

4 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

police check from Thailand and your home country

the And seems troubling.  If they really meant both.  Could mean lots more pre planning from the home country before one heads to Thailand.  I had gotten one from my local cops before I left.  But if one were heading to Thailand on other visas, and then later going the teaching route, getting visa ad work permit, not having a report from the home country could be a problem

[bristolgeoff]

they seem to make new requirements without notice to get a visa.this leaves everyone guessing  what can you do except check before  leave

[jerry921]

Sympathy for the OP now stuck in a catch-22, needing something only attainable in Thailand to get into Thailand.

How do the authorities expect this to work in general for new teachers? I guess they don't think too much.

[IamNoone88]

Good to see the Thai Embassy checking people thoroughly. I know a few other countries that could benefit from the same.

[timewilltell]

This is a typical problem with Thailand. Laws are written without care and which are easily interpreted a number of ways. Even then additional requirements are added or subtracted by the poorly trained and often egotistical official handling your application. It is a guessing game firstly as to what the law is and secondly pot luck as to how you r application will be interpreted.

 

This same ethos runs through the justice system which is really an expensive joke as laws are interpreted wildly differently and in my case the same point of law had opposite interpretations by an appeal court. There is no certainty at all. It is a mess and in my opinion intentionally so.

[Kieran00001]

7 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

the And seems troubling.  If they really meant both.  Could mean lots more pre planning from the home country before one heads to Thailand.  I had gotten one from my local cops before I left.  But if one were heading to Thailand on other visas, and then later going the teaching route, getting visa ad work permit, not having a report from the home country could be a problem

 

There is actually this great service that can move a piece of paper from one country to another, its called post.

[Kieran00001]

Just now, timewilltell said:

This is a typical problem with Thailand. Laws are written without care and which are easily interpreted a number of ways. Even then additional requirements are added or subtracted by the poorly trained and often egotistical official handling your application. It is a guessing game firstly as to what the law is and secondly pot luck as to how you r application will be interpreted.

 

This same ethos runs through the justice system which is really an expensive joke as laws are interpreted wildly differently and in my case the same point of law had opposite interpretations by an appeal court. There is no certainty at all. It is a mess and in my opinion intentionally so.

 

They are not laws, each consulate sets their own requirement. 

[BEVUP]

19 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

There is actually this great service that can move a piece of paper from one country to another, its called post.

Through a third party

It seems quite rediculous that the police can't email them to you, after having to prove your identity with 3 or 4 official documents

Makes it hard when you travel to & from Thai for work as they send to your home address, but you get a job on the other side of country 

[rkidlad]

It's good to have all these rules - just make them clear. 

 

Anyhoo, when these teachers do get all the necessary paperwork, most can enjoy making 35k+ a month with zero benefits. Jesus! Who'd wanna teach here having to run around in circles and making a pittance? Definitely a young man's game. 

[ubonjoe]

It seems the person rejected had a police clearance from his home country but has been here in the country for some time. That would be why they would want a Thai police clearance.

Also I wonder how old the police clearance from his home country was.

[graeme64]

5 hours ago, jerry921 said:

I guess they don't think too much.

yes why would you want a police check before leaving a person alone with young children for hours a day - what a crazy thought??  It is not always asked for but I am sure it is on the checklist. If you have never been to Thailand you need a police check from your home country. 

 

Just a point and may well not be the issue here - I have seen people totally in appropriately dressed for an embassy visit get turned away for a document I don't have. return flight, a police check from where ever. etc etc. Just some thing to think about when you are going and and why 1 person is reporting this and seemingly no one else is having an issue??

 

 

[csabo]

5 hours ago, jerry921 said:

Sympathy for the OP now stuck in a catch-22, needing something only attainable in Thailand to get into Thailand.

How do the authorities expect this to work in general for new teachers? I guess they don't think too much.

He can go visa exempt and come back to Penang with the document. I guess you don't think too much. 

[mickymouse1]

Simply go back to Thailand as a visitor ,get your clearance letter and head back to Penang.?

[phuketrichard]

17 minutes ago, csabo said:

He can go visa exempt and come back to Penang with the document. I guess you don't think too much. 

Quote

Simply go back to Thailand as a visitor ,get your clearance letter and head back to Penang.?

 

NOPE<
He needs to now fly to Laos ,Cambodia, Burma etc and hope they will grant him the visa,

He CANT return to Thailand as that would void his working status, ( assuming he has a wp which is only valid with a non B visa/extension) and he would need start all over.

 

Drag but....

[ebean001]

Scary that he complained that Thai wants to know that a teacher of young kids is a felon. I would have deported him on the spot...if he really did complain.

 

[ratchaburi]

50 minutes ago, csabo said:

He can go visa exempt and come back to Penang with the document. I guess you don't think too much. 

If you arrive in Thailand you can get a 30 day visa, if you have more than 15 day left on the visa, you can obtain a non/B here with in Thailand.    This they don't tell you.

[bhatmasterson]

8 hours ago, bristolgeoff said:

they seem to make new requirements without notice to get a visa.this leaves everyone guessing  what can you do except check before  leave

This isn't a new requirement. It's been on the books for a long time. The school should have been aware of this requirement.

[Telly]

inside Penang embassy ytd. Yes they are getting tougher on checks.

The Russian women in front of me were being asked 101 questions. 

One officer told one straight.  This is the last visa you can get here. No more. 

School I'm studying in was more paranoid this time and gave a load of docs. Half of which got returned 555

[jerry921]

1 hour ago, graeme64 said:

yes why would you want a police check before leaving a person alone with young children for hours a day - what a crazy thought??  It is not always asked for but I am sure it is on the checklist. If you have never been to Thailand you need a police check from your home country.

I think requiring a police check from the home country is fine and appropriate, I'm just calling into question the catch-22 of requiring a Thai police check to get into Thailand. Let them require that you complete the police check after they let you back in, or before working at a school, or something feasible.

[jerry921]

1 hour ago, csabo said:

He can go visa exempt and come back to Penang with the document. I guess you don't think too much. 

I did think about that possibility before I posted, but I didn't think it was a reasonable way to require people to get a visa - first visit the country, then leave, then apply? And as the other posters point out, it will void the WP.

[Bangkok Barry]

“I went to the Tourist and Chalong police stations to ask about the police check. Tourist police told me to go to immigration, which is incorrect, and Chalong police didn’t know anything about it."

 

Sums up Thailand perfectly.  But good that checks are made when kids are involved.

[Kieran00001]

1 hour ago, BEVUP said:

Through a third party

It seems quite rediculous that the police can't email them to you, after having to prove your identity with 3 or 4 official documents

Makes it hard when you travel to & from Thai for work as they send to your home address, but you get a job on the other side of country 

 

 

Speaking for the UK, ACRO send abroad and so do the ICPC.  You can't get a basic disclosure sent abroad, but they have a service for foreign employers to request an enhanced disclosure for a UK citizen.  The only one that really can't be done without a 3rd party is DBS.

 

[stevenl]

22 minutes ago, jerry921 said:

I did think about that possibility before I posted, but I didn't think it was a reasonable way to require people to get a visa - first visit the country, then leave, then apply? And as the other posters point out, it will void the WP.

The guy came from Thailand, so he could have done the check beforehand.

 

And for people not coming from Thailand, they can use a home check.

[Jiggo]

3 hours ago, IamNoone88 said:

Good to see the Thai Embassy checking people thoroughly. I know a few other countries that could benefit from the same.

I think you mean Some People...

[The Theory]

Of course good guys always can get in by proper papers, but getting tough for criminals, rapists and child molesters to teach English in schools or hide in Thailand as teachers. 

 

[allane]

The Immigration Bureau is a division of the Royal Thai Police.  Can't they easily run a police check on any one of us at any time ?  And, it would be up to the minute too.

[fullcave]

3 hours ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

They are not laws, each consulate sets their own requirement. 

And the requirements change on a weekly basis depending.