Chiang Mai: Crackdown on tourists teaching at language institutes and cram schools

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Chiang Mai: Crackdown on tourists teaching at language institutes and cram schools

 

Picture: Chiang Mai News

 

Authorities in Chiang Mai have said they are cracking down on tourists who are continually extending their stays in the city so they can teach illegally.

 

A raid on a tutor cram school on Monday that netted a 57 year old American tourist is just the start of the crackdown by immigration, tourist police and department of employment officials. 

 

The authorities have said that there are many tourists on 30 day visas continually nipping across the border to extend then going right back to work illegally at language and cram schools in the northern city. 

 

Some have been doing it for years, they said, but that is going to end, reported Chiang Mai News.

 

Picture: Chiang Mai News

 

On Monday a raiding party led by Saraphi station chief Pol Col Songkran Sanwong with immigration and labor department officers went to a well known cram school in Saraphi. 

 

They were acting on a complaint that a 57 year old American tourist was teaching there. She had been reported as creating annoyance among traders and businesspeople elsewhere in the city. 

 

An investigation traced her to the school. 

 

"Patricia", 57, was arrested as she delivered a class at the school.

 

She admitted that she was on a tourist visa and had made many thirty day extensions. She claimed she was going to seek a work permit when her latest extension expired. 

 

Those in the raiding party told Chiang Mai News that this was the start of a crackdown on tourists illegally working as teachers in the city.  

 

Source: Chiang Mai News

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-11-20

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[Tropicalevo]

Well, I back the immigration people on this one.

Working illegally, not paying taxes etc. These people cause problems for all of us.

[Antiparovian]

Plenty falang Yoga teachers doing the same. It is fraud. 

[keith101]

Why not apply for the right visa and just work legally ?

[RotBenz8888]

23 minutes ago, webfact said:

crackdown on tourists illegally working as teachers in the city

And what happens to the schools that hire them?

[Pravda]

4 minutes ago, keith101 said:

Why not apply for the right visa and just work legally ?

Prolly has a degree in Tesco shelf stacking. 

[Neeranam]

19 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Well, I back the immigration people on this one.

Working illegally, not paying taxes etc. These people cause problems for all of us.

It is not the immigration police rhat make arrests. This is a labout dept. issue, not immigration. 

[darksidedog]

29 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

Some have been doing it for years, they said

Really? Enough reports of people being turned away when having had 2 or more actual visas, and border hopping has been tough for a long time, so how have they been getting away with it all those years?

One teacher having been caught, also doesn't seem like massive evidence of a grand epidemic.

 

[bkkatl]

21 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Well, I back the immigration people on this one.

Working illegally, not paying taxes etc. These people cause problems for all of us.

I agree. My company, which hires teachers and then forwards them on to Thai public schools, hires people with no work permits often. I get less money every month working legally than the people working illegally. My agency is so big however, that immigration doesn't blink an eye. 

[Neeranam]

9 minutes ago, Antiparovian said:

Plenty falang Yoga teachers doing the same. It is fraud. 

It is farang. 

 

Only a lroblem if tou poss off the wrong person. 

Who here hasn't  broken a law on Thailand?

My cleanest of mates, anti corruption giy even paid immigration money for something he didnt have.

He wouldn't  evrn pay 100 baht to a cop in the past.

[Neeranam]

2 minutes ago, bkkatl said:

I agree. My company, which hires teachers and then forwards them on to Thai public schools, hires people with no work permits often. I get less money every month working legally than the people working illegally. My agency is so big however, that immigration doesn't blink an eye. 

Why not just tell us the name of rhe company?

[bkkatl]

5 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Really? Enough reports of people being turned away when having had 2 or more actual visas, and border hopping has been tough for a long time, so how have they been getting away with it all those years?

One teacher having been caught, also doesn't seem like massive evidence of a grand epidemic.

 

I think bigger issue is people on marriage and retirement visas working without a permit. Half the guys I know don't have a work permit but they're married.

[bkkatl]

1 minute ago, Neeranam said:

Why not just tell us the name of rhe company?

I value my job. 

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

11 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

And what happens to the schools that hire them?

 

Nothing...  And as usual in the OP article, no mention whatsoever of any consequences for the school or its owners, etc.

 

It takes two to tango, and clearly the school had knowingly decided to hire someone who didn't have a work permit and didn't have a visa that legally would allow her to work.

 

So why weren't the school operator's hauled off to jail along with the teacher?

 

 

[bkkatl]

On 11/20/2019 at 12:49 PM, bkkatl said:

I value my job.

When big joke was out doing all his raids he avoided a company with over 100 teachers on the books operating in the heart of Bangkok. 

[Bassosa]

Well done Thai immigration!

[tingtongtourist]

9 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Really? Enough reports of people being turned away when having had 2 or more actual visas, and border hopping has been tough for a long time, so how have they been getting away with it all those years?

One teacher having been caught, also doesn't seem like massive evidence of a grand epidemic.

 

They doing it for years from the helping of visa agents.

Is usually the Phillipino English teacher. 

Not sure how it worked probably the agents push some cash into the right places.

 

Could even be kickbacks from schools to as those teachers get payed a lot less so directors must love them.

 

Anyway if they dont have coloured vinyl boards it wont last long.

 

It never does when if one department will mess with the food bowl of another.

someone will get chopped.

 

Thats probably what happen to big joke in Bangkok

 

[happy chappie]

37 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

And what happens to the schools that hire them?

They go back to teaching English using someone who can't speak a word of english.

[simon43]

2 minutes ago, happy chappie said:

They go back to teaching English using someone who can't speak a word of english.

Well, the person nabbed can't speak 'English'.  She's American ????

[worgeordie]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Those in the raiding party

"Raiding Parties", They forgot to put their warpaint on,

but are serious about wiping out the palefaces working

illegally.

regards Worgeordie

[Odysseus123]

It's a shocking day for Thailand as it is perfectly obvious that the barbarians are at the gate and storming the very citadel of Thai cultural,social and economic well being.

 

So far the score is..

2 Begpackers

1 ditsey filipina student

1 American teacher.

 

Medals all round I say!????

 

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, keith101 said:

Why not apply for the right visa and just work legally ?

 

Probably because a lot of them aren't actually qualified to teach.

[yellowboat]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Those in the raiding party told Chiang Mai News that this was the start of a crackdown on tourists illegally working as teachers in the city.  

The raid may be more of a warning to get tea money sorted out.  Would guess dodgy schools read the news, or the raiding party just likes to see their pictures in the paper.

 

Border hops have become far more difficult, so how could this even be possible?  Seems like something the raiding party may have to explain. 

[Baerboxer]

20 minutes ago, happy chappie said:

They go back to teaching English using someone who can't speak a word of english.

 

Or they get a genuine qualified teacher with a WP and appropriate visa.

[moe666]

49 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Nothing...  And as usual in the OP article, no mention whatsoever of any consequences for the school or its owners, etc.

 

It takes two to tango, and clearly the school had knowingly decided to hire someone who didn't have a work permit and didn't have a visa that legally would allow her to work.

 

So why weren't the school operator's hauled off to jail along with the teacher?

 

 

It is up to the school to furnish the proper paper work for there employees to apply for a work permit. Close the school

[legend49]

Just IMO and BIB jealous they cant speak more than 1 language.

[jlwilliamsjr18]

I don't believe it.  I bet most of us, have people we know who work in private schools w/o work permits. Isn't that right, Brian?

[Beggar]

"They were acting on a complaint that a 57 year old American tourist was teaching there. She had been reported as creating annoyance among traders and businesspeople elsewhere in the city."

 

Wow. Will try to be always friendly now even if there is no reason for it... 

[bhatmasterson]

1 hour ago, bkkatl said:

I think bigger issue is people on marriage and retirement visas working without a permit. Half the guys I know don't have a work permit but they're married.

People with retirement visas can't get work permits. People on spousal visas can get a work permit. If they're working they only need the paperwork from the school and 3000 baht.

[Creasy]

Who you gonna call ?