Hello!

Our school manager passed this info to me after I got another pack of documents to get new ED visa:

- Bank statement is now mandatory in Vientiane to get ED Visa, sometimes they ask to show cash (20000 baht) with bank statement.

- Interview is mandatory, it will be in Thai if you got Thai course before (basic questions)

Also they asking: why you choose Thailand for learning languages (if you have English/Chinese/Japanese course), what sources of income do you have. A lot of questions about working in Thailand in various ways.

 

Do anybody had this experience already in Vientiane, it is really that bad now?

 

Edited August 5, 20196 yr by clearance

I had an ED visa from one of “those” schools near Sukhumvit. I paid 42k for a 14 month visa with 400 hours of instruction.

 

From month 1 to 9 I learned very little there. The teacher would be bothered if questions were asked and she was not a professional teacher. The problem was that the constant  negative reactions to questions made me not want to go and stopped caring. Plus the lessons were generally just a person reading out of some sheet and calling herself a teacher.

 

At month 9 I had to leave Thailand and apply for the second visa and and I went to a nearby consulate bordering Thailand. They tested the hell out of me there and straight up denied me and said you’re not a student. I tried to explain to them that I was trying to learn but have learning difficulties, samong mai dii, etc, and by luck I got approved and paid the 3,000 baht. It took some serious work to get it and throughout this issue the school didn’t respond to me or the call from the consulate for verification purposes. The school could care less.

 

A large percentage of the people I started with didn’t get their approval at the 9 month mark because the test is extremely complex for the average ability of these students in shoddy programs. So yeah you will get tested and they will try to deny you by all means possible. This has changed lately. So my recommendation is to only take the 9 month course and not 14 unless you’re planning to study 6 hours a day like if it’s a full time job. Another option is to take the 14 month course and pay only for 9 and promise to pay for the other 6 months when the time comes even if you need to give them 5-10% more in negotiations because they’ll at least have some type of benefit to help you. Otherwise you’ll just lose your money since Thailand has no consumer protection standards.

Edited August 5, 20196 yr by Nuki

You mean you paid 3k extra? What embassy it was (if it is not a secret)?

1 hour ago, clearance said:

You mean you paid 3k extra? What embassy it was (if it is not a secret)?

Not extra. That was the fee, but I got it by sheer luck. They tested me and I originally failed that exam verbally and written at Phnom Penh,  So don’t even think about going there to apply unless you’re actually studying full time with a good professor or you have a really interesting story. One thing is that since they are not busy with vans upon vans of applicants they are willing to listen. But the lady there is by the book and old school.

5 minutes ago, Nuki said:

Not extra. That was the fee, but I got it by sheer luck.

The visa costs 2k THB

So the 1k was probably a "tip" and the reason that you got it ????

I can confirm that the fee is 2K for the visa

 

2 hours ago, Nuki said:

I had an ED visa from one of “those” schools near Sukhumvit. I paid 42k for a 14 month visa with 400 hours of instruction.

 

From month 1 to 9 I learned very little there. The teacher would be bothered if questions were asked and she was not a professional teacher. The problem was that the constant  negative reactions to questions made me not want to go and stopped caring. Plus the lessons were generally just a person reading out of some sheet and calling herself a teacher.

 

At month 9 I had to leave Thailand and apply for the second visa and and I went to a nearby consulate bordering Thailand. They tested the hell out of me there and straight up denied me and said you’re not a student. I tried to explain to them that I was trying to learn but have learning difficulties, samong mai dii, etc, and by luck I got approved and paid the 3,000 baht. It took some serious work to get it and throughout this issue the school didn’t respond to me or the call from the consulate for verification purposes. The school could care less.

 

A large percentage of the people I started with didn’t get their approval at the 9 month mark because the test is extremely complex for the average ability of these students in shoddy programs. So yeah you will get tested and they will try to deny you by all means possible. This has changed lately. So my recommendation is to only take the 9 month course and not 14 unless you’re planning to study 6 hours a day like if it’s a full time job. Another option is to take the 14 month course and pay only for 9 and promise to pay for the other 6 months when the time comes even if you need to give them 5-10% more in negotiations because they’ll at least have some type of benefit to help you. Otherwise you’ll just lose your money since Thailand has no consumer protection standards.

The fee for the visa is 2K

 

If you paid 42K plus had to travel to Laos to get the visa and pay for that you have been ripped off - I got mine for 15k for the classes and the visa trip including travel Visa etc was 9K

24 minutes ago, jackdd said:

The visa costs 2k THB

So the 1k was probably a "tip" and the reason that you got it ????

That makes sense. Damm no wonder they wrote the price in. But yeah I guess it cost me a 1,000 baht tip.

5 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

I can confirm that the fee is 2K for the visa

 

The fee for the visa is 2K

 

If you paid 42K plus had to travel to Laos to get the visa and pay for that you have been ripped off - I got mine for 15k for the classes and the visa trip including travel Visa etc was 9K

Happens. It’s Thailand.

7 minutes ago, darrendsd said:

I can confirm that the fee is 2K for the visa

 

The fee for the visa is 2K

 

If you paid 42K plus had to travel to Laos to get the visa and pay for that you have been ripped off - I got mine for 15k for the classes and the visa trip including travel Visa etc was 9K

Can you PM me the name of the school?

45 minutes ago, Nuki said:

Happens. It’s Thailand.

Not fair to blame your personal lack of research on the country. A proper school in Sukhumvit area with good teachers and full visa support is 40-45K baht for a 9 month course. Visa mill schools fees are normally 15-20K baht for the same duration.

1 hour ago, SicTransit said:

Not fair to blame your personal lack of research on the country. A proper school in Sukhumvit area with good teachers and full visa support is 40-45K baht for a 9 month course. Visa mill schools fees are normally 15-20K baht for the same duration.

 

You're insulting based on assumptions. What makes you think is a diploma mill? What if it isn’t and it falls under your criteria of good schools? 

Edited August 5, 20196 yr by Nuki

2 hours ago, Nuki said:

Not extra. That was the fee, but I got it by sheer luck. They tested me and I originally failed that exam verbally and written at Phnom Penh,  

The visa fee is 80 USD.

2 hours ago, Nuki said:

Happens. It’s Thailand.

It's in Hua Hin - most of the Schools here charge the same

 

If you know any agents have a word with them - let's just say things can be arranged

 

 

What are the questions in Thai?

Just now, ExpatDraco said:

What are the questions in Thai?

Like easy ones: Do you speak Thai, What is your name, How old are you and etc. I hope it will be like that.

It is not "real" test like Nuki got, just basic interview. More important is to show bank statement I think.

10 minutes ago, clearance said:

Like easy ones: Do you speak Thai, What is your name, How old are you and etc. I hope it will be like that.

It is not "real" test like Nuki got, just basic interview. More important is to show bank statement I think.

I think it’s just specific to the Phnom Penh embassy. That location is historically a tough place to get visas.