Big Joke crackdown on illegal foreigners extends to schools - no arrests but a big photo op!

[ukrules]

They started to do something like this a few years ago and quickly stopped.

 

Why did they stop ?

 

They realised that there would be almost nobody left to teach the students anything in English.

 

If this #$*% is serious about his job then he should do it properly and make sure that every foreign teacher in the country has the correct paperwork regardless of the consequences.

 

It's no coincidence they went to a school where everybody had their papers in order.

[moontang]

the only crime there is what white people are willing to work for.

[tideout]

Just curious why people aren't getting the proper paperwork? I've worked legally in several countries. Sometimes it was a giant hassle and in some cases the schools really did most of the work. What are the specific things that cause the lapse in just doing it right?

[boonnoon]

Unless it's a  gov't approved language school, how can one Mukdahan school afford 20 foreign teachers?   Do all of them speak fluent enough English to teach it or are other languages are being taught.   I expect $$  crossing palms is more like it!

[moontang]

9 hours ago, boonnoon said:

Unless it's a  gov't approved language school, how can one Mukdahan school afford 20 foreign teachers?   Do all of them speak fluent enough English to teach it or are other languages are being taught.   I expect $$  crossing palms is more like it!

some of those schools have 5000+ students...

[balo]

That fat guy really needs to take his own health seriously , does he sit in a chair all day teaching ? 

[StayinThailand2much]

11 hours ago, SkyNets said:

If only there were some sort of database Big Joke could enter a name into to check on visa status. Until then, you will be frog marched to the press conference if your not carrying your passport and work permit.  Maybe the database will come with the 5.0 update.

That would eliminate the obligatory photo ops, so no, it won't happen! ????

Edited November 12, 2018 by StayinThailand2much

[StayinThailand2much]

9 hours ago, boonnoon said:

Unless it's a  gov't approved language school, how can one Mukdahan school afford 20 foreign teachers?   Do all of them speak fluent enough English to teach it or are other languages are being taught.   I expect $$  crossing palms is more like it!

I heard that government schools get 60,000 baht, or so, from the government to employ a foreign teacher for a month, so that the kids can learn English. The teachers, however, only get paid 30-40,000 baht, so yes, it's a profitable business for the schools!

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, moontang said:

some of those schools have 5000+ students...

...or about 100 classes. ????

[DPKANKAN]

12 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

BTW, just curious, through all these serial immigration raids and crackdowns....

 

Can anyone recall ONE instance where a Thai school operator has been arrested for any kind of bad stuff involving either work permits/visas for teachers or education visas for students?

 

I don't think I can think of any!!!

 

But instead, we get photos of foreign teachers in an Immigration raid who, apparently, have done nothing whatsoever wrong and who have all their papers entirely in order.

 

But of course, if you carefully select one school in a large area of 100's you can always come up blank and smelling of roses both ways!!

[soalbundy]

15 hours ago, Deli said:

Cameroon, Turkey... wonder what languages they teach ? No wonder that people here have hard times speaking understandable English

Oh I wouldn't be too precious about them not being native speakers, I met a 27 year old English teacher with a degree in English literature and who had his TEFL certificate, he was from Birmingham, even I couldn't understand him.

[LomSak27]

17 hours ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

Can anyone recall ONE instance where a Thai school operator has been arrested for any kind of bad stuff involving either work permits/visas for teachers or education visas for students?

 

I don't think I can think of any!!!

 

But instead, we get photos of foreign teachers in an Immigration raid who, apparently, have done nothing whatsoever wrong and who have all their papers entirely in order.

If it is a Government School they usually, as in over 80 per cent of the time, have all their papers in order. If something is wrong it might be with the real background documents of their employees, heh, but the schools are on the ball about paperwork, permits and VISA's. If BJ wants to get some no WP or Papers he need to concentrate on the private academy's. Go BJ GO!

[chrisinth]

16 hours ago, observer90210 said:

Would it not be more constructive to hunt down the tourists or overstayers who are drug peddlars, trouble makers, bullies, or drunks who provoke fights in bars, rather then chasing harmless teachers who are there to develop the english proficency for the students of Thailand ?

IMO, drug peddlers, trouble makers, bullies and drunks should not be overlooked. In fact the way things have been going, once all the coloured people have been dealt with who hold these credentials, it will be the turn of the fair skinned races.

 

But as far as school teachers go, again IMO, these schools, and indeed teachers who employ/are employed without getting the correct WP's are in a large case transients who are earning money 'on the fly' to finance their adventures. In an already broken education system, these type of 'teachers' give no advantage to the children they are teaching (or not). So yes, they should be rooted out.

[Lopchan]

12 hours ago, thecaveman said:

Actually he ist my son's english teacher (and - according to my son - a nice person).

I know him Caveman, used to work with him, he's a great bloke. Dedicated teacher who even dips into his own pocket to help his students on excursions etc. when the school doesn't have or won't give funding.
All the (insert expletive of your choice) who are having a go at him about his size.... what a sad sorry bunch.... obviously you all just won the Olympia title...

[metisdead]

A post containing an offensive Nazi reference has been removed. 

[KKBrian]

There is reference to 90 day reporting online in this story

Can anyone shed light on this please?

[ozmeldo]

On 11/12/2018 at 9:17 PM, ratcatcher said:

You might be surprised to learn Mukdahan is on the border with Laos just across the Mekong from Savannakhet, a popular visa destination with denizens of this forum.

I stand corrected and have made the xing there to Lao a half dozen times.

 

You've obviously missed the point but congrats for seeing the trees for the forest.

[White Tiger]

On 11/12/2018 at 6:24 PM, DavisH said:

Interesting - they all seem to have their passports at hand. So their school holds their passports (perhaps to stop runners) or their teachers keep them in their school desks or bring them to school every day. 

Who else keeps their passports them all of the time no matter where they are? Our school keeps copies of all paperwork but they definitely do no keep our passports (or out WP for that matter). 

I work as a teacher. I tend to keep my passport in my car at school when I am working together with my work permit. Nothing strange or unusual about having your passport with you at school in the current climate, when immigration visits to schools to check teachers are happening more frequently. I've heard of a number of visits to schools in Issan over the current academic year. 

Edited November 19, 2018 by White Tiger

[soalbundy]

On 11/12/2018 at 6:21 PM, alexlm said:

I know an old person living in Thailand for 20 years without a visa.

He stays all days inside the home so nobody sees him.

It has been going on for 20 years he has been there.

I guess now he is so old he can't really move. In a small village with kind Thai people and family helping him.

I hope for him that Thailand won't push him out. Ok it is the law. But it IS cruel.

He would not stand a day at the immigration deportation center.

Sad life ending.

I had a visit from IO yesterday, it was very informal, almost a ''lets get this sh1t over and done with'' attitude. My 'mother-in-law' came into my living room all excited and asked where my 'wife' was, ''The police are here,they want see her'' They had parked their car at the side wall of my house but had made no effort to enter my house, instead the two officers sat on an old wooden table in the shade next to the barn at my M-I-L's house (she lives next door). I went out and greeted them and explained the wife was out with her daughter.

''Oh good, you speak Thai, we have already telephoned your wife, she is on her way back.''

''What's wrong, why are you here''

''Nothing wrong, we just need her signature and that of a witness''.

''Witness for what''

''That they know you''

I looked across at their car and saw, printed on the side, that they were from immigration.

''We have to visit farang now and again''

''I was at the IO a couple of days ago to get my extension''

He shrugged his shoulders, ''Yes I know'' and looked at the wad of papers in his hand with my picture on one.

Just then the wife arrived with my step daughter driving, my step daughter placed her two year old daughter on my lap and I played with her, the wife signed on the dotted line, they wouldn't let the step daughter sign as a witness as she was family so they asked a passing neighbour how long she had known me,

''About 10 years''

''Good, sign here please''

She signed and showed her ID

''Finished, we're off''

No lap top, no questions, nothing. About 2 years ago when they last came it was a theater, with laptop, questions, two neighbours as witnesses who had to make a written statement as to their occupation,where they lived, how long they had known me, did I live there full time etc. 3 copies of everything. I am on a retirement visa, not a marriage visa. This time it was an in and out job.

[Andrew Dwyer]

I had a visit from IO yesterday, it was very informal, almost a ''lets get this sh1t over and done with'' attitude. My 'mother-in-law' came into my living room all excited and asked where my 'wife' was, ''The police are here,they want see her'' They had parked their car at the side wall of my house but had made no effort to enter my house, instead the two officers sat on an old wooden table in the shade next to the barn at my M-I-L's house (she lives next door). I went out and greeted them and explained the wife was out with her daughter.
''Oh good, you speak Thai, we have already telephoned your wife, she is on her way back.''
''What's wrong, why are you here''
''Nothing wrong, we just need her signature and that of a witness''.
''Witness for what''
''That they know you''
I looked across at their car and saw, printed on the side, that they were from immigration.
''We have to visit farang now and again''
''I was at the IO a couple of days ago to get my extension''
He shrugged his shoulders, ''Yes I know'' and looked at the wad of papers in his hand with my picture on one.
Just then the wife arrived with my step daughter driving, my step daughter placed her two year old daughter on my lap and I played with her, the wife signed on the dotted line, they wouldn't let the step daughter sign as a witness as she was family so they asked a passing neighbour how long she had known me,
''About 10 years''
''Good, sign here please''
She signed and showed her ID
''Finished, we're off''
No lap top, no questions, nothing. About 2 years ago when they last came it was a theater, with laptop, questions, two neighbours as witnesses who had to make a written statement as to their occupation,where they lived, how long they had known me, did I live there full time etc. 3 copies of everything. I am on a retirement visa, not a marriage visa. This time it was an in and out job.

Seems like the norm now is make a house visit shortly after an extension.
Happened to me, mid Sept did my extension and they booked a visit for 2 weeks later, turned up, took a couple of photos with IO, me and house number, looked at passport, I signed a form and off they went.