PM urged to ease visa restrictions for foreign teachers and students

[webfact]

PM urged to ease visa restrictions for foreign teachers and students

 

Picture: Daily News

 

The Association of Private School and Non-Formal Education has delivered a letter to the government to urge changes to stringent visa restrictions for foreign teachers and students.

 

If the move is successful foreign teachers and students already in Thailand would not need to leave the country to upgrade their visas. 

 

It comes as the coronavirus pandemic has left many schools without foreign teachers due to the burden of paperwork. 

 

Association chief Thongchai Pradapchananurat has asked that foreign teachers and students already in the kingdom be permitted to stay legally until the end of the month so that universities can prepare work permits and student visas.

 

Foreign teachers with expired work permits should also be given 30 days extra. This will enable them to apply for a new permit.

 

Foreign nationals on tourist visas should also not be forced to leave the country first before upgrading to Non-immigration Education visas, as they would normally be required to do.

 

The same would go for foreign students in Thailand on other types of visas. 

 

Thongchai said that the sector is facing a shortage of foreign teachers.

 

Many have left due to the pandemic and they need to be encouraged to come back with easier visa requirements.

 

Source: Daily News

 

 

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[George Bowman]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Thongchai said that the sector is facing a shortage of foreign teachers.

I know a bunch of international school teachers who are still stuck somewhere abroad and unable to return to Thailand. Combine this along with a average turnover rate of around 20% each year for teachers, will make for an interesting start when international schools open.

[newcomer71]

Does he even know that they are still repatriating Thais, with so few repatriation flights and quarantine hotel rooms available? And he wants to open to new categories?
What about make available more quarantine hotel rooms and repatriation flights so the categories already designated can finally get back HOME?
Dumbest guy ever.

[PatOngo]

Oh please be careful! They could bring creative and progressive ideas to a backward education system!

[timmyp]

This change would really help me out. I am in Thailand on an ED visa, and have been waiting to fly out since March in order to switch over to a non-B visa so that I can begin teaching. I was just about to fly out when the draw bridge got pulled up.

The school where I would begin teaching is strict about following the law, and says that I cannot come in to the school until I have the proper visa. There is no way to switch from an ED visa to a non-B without exiting the country and applying at a Thai embassy. 

 

I've been hired, but can't start working or get any pay until this visa problem is sorted out. It really sucks. School started on 1 July, and someone else has to cover my classes. 

I really hope this change goes into effect, and allows me to change my visa without leaving.

[Bender Rodriguez]

wow, finally, some common sense or is it just because out of necessity

 

how come thai uni's cannot provide descent english speaking teachers ?

[thequietman]

19 minutes ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

wow, finally, some common sense or is it just because out of necessity

 

how come thai uni's cannot provide descent english speaking teachers ?

Because they won't pay a fair salary. 

 

As to the OP, if schools would give longer contracts instead of the usual 1 year repeating one, they would have had a work permit for 2 years, and they wouldn't be in this mess.

 

However, they want their cake and to eat it too, when they want the option of avoiding paying severance, and the option of replacing a committed teacher with a blonde, blue eyes 21 year old from America. Can't have it both ways and now they are suffering.

 

Som Nom Na Mother farKers. ????

[pauleddy]

There is no decent way to descend (DOWN) the ladder here. You may just get a shove to help you drop and to aid your descent.

[thenewgoo]

If you are opening the door for students of international schools then you are usually including their families as well. Most foreign children in these schools are from China and there are a lot of them. I just can't see it happening. It is certainly going to be an interesting start for these schools.  

[mark131v]

No need Little P mentioned ages ago that Thai was going to be the new lingua Franca....

[Metropolitian]

And what about volunteers in Thailand ?? They cost you nothing and work for free mr PM.

[reallyaffiliated]

1 minute ago, thenewgoo said:

If you are opening the door for students of international schools then you are usually including their families as well. Most foreign children in these schools are from China and there are a lot of them. I just can't see it happening. It is certainly going to be an interesting start for these schools.  

Why not if they just stay in quarantine

[reallyaffiliated]

I also don't understand why not most of the hotels that are now empty just change into quarantine facilities.. Match the growing demand, basic business logics.

[robbioff]

56 minutes ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

wow, finally, some common sense or is it just because out of necessity

 

how come thai uni's cannot provide descent english speaking teachers ?

Descent? I think you may mean decent. 

[SVC Porter]

I can't imagine many 'Foreign' teachers outside the LOS awaiting entry would be prepared to foot the heavy cost of getting in to take up their posts at present.

Never mind the completely crazy and convoluted requirements for obtaining a visa then your cert of entry.

Flight possibly 2.5K GBP last time I looked only business class was being offered on a repat flight out of UK for non Thai.

ASQ 50 - 100k Baht

By the time you have added costs of tests, insurance, fit to fly certs etc you could be looking at the guts of 5K GBP before you have even taken up your post.

 

Thats gotta me a no then!

 

[reallyaffiliated]

3 minutes ago, SVC Porter said:

I can't imagine many 'Foreign' teachers outside the LOS awaiting entry would be prepared to foot the heavy cost of getting in to take up their posts at present.

Never mind the completely crazy and convoluted requirements for obtaining a visa then your cert of entry.

Flight possibly 2.5K GBP last time I looked only business class was being offered on a repat flight out of UK for non Thai.

ASQ 50 - 100k Baht

By the time you have added costs of tests, insurance, fit to fly certs etc you could be looking at the guts of 5K GBP before you have even taken up your post.

 

Thats gotta me a no then!

 

Where do you check prices for repatriation flights for non thais?

[SVC Porter]

25 minutes ago, reallyaffiliated said:

Where do you check prices for repatriation flights for non thais?

I'd have to caveat this by saying I can get only anecdotal information. One source was here https://thaispicy.co/getting-back-to-thailand-post-covid-19/ for eg....They paid £1250GBP in Premium Econ but were offered business at twice that.

[DUNROAMIN]

HOW ABOUT EASING RESTRICTIONS FOR RETIRED LONG TERM EXPATS!

[mark131v]

4 minutes ago, DUNROAMIN said:

HOW ABOUT EASING RESTRICTIONS FOR RETIRED LONG TERM EXPATS!

Sad answer is that they just don't care, retirees are way down their list never forget that

[ChipButty]

How about the education minister covering the cost of getting a international teacher back to Thailand? I tink to mut and while you are at it how about letting a farang buy 1 rai of land in his own name, worth a try

[miamiman123]

These foreign teachers from USA and Canada will bring the CV to the studentsY NO NO NO

[bookstore]

2 hours ago, timmyp said:

There is a lawyers office right across the street from the American embassy the guy can work mircles. If you got a little money.

 

 

[GeorgeCross]

2 hours ago, thequietman said:

Because they won't pay a fair salary

 

is this another 2 price thailand scam - thai teachers earn more?

 

 

[Bangkok Barry]

6 hours ago, newcomer71 said:

Does he even know that they are still repatriating Thais, with so few repatriation flights and quarantine hotel rooms available? And he wants to open to new categories?
What about make available more quarantine hotel rooms and repatriation flights so the categories already designated can finally get back HOME?
Dumbest guy ever.

Don't be silly. That's outside his bubble.

[SVC Porter]

1 hour ago, miamiman123 said:

These foreign teachers from USA and Canada will bring the CV to the studentsY NO NO NO

I'm in Ireland...I've been quarantined here since 16th March.....I'm less of a risk to you than yourself!

[thailand49]

Just taking a guess?  if they can ease up for teacher and student then I think they should consider opening up the door for those on Retirement and Marriage Visa and extension holders.

 

Judging by the past two years discussion I think there are more of us than teacher and students and of course we can have a debate at some point as to who makes more of a contribution to this country not knocking or trying to <deleted> on anyone parade. I saw a while back an article that there is estimated over 5000 Americans living in Thailand who support the economy not to mention the number of Thai families.

 

As noted there are many Expats stuck outside Thailand haven't seen their kids and wives for months, I myself like many although we live here still have family and responsibility back home and would like to leave for a short period but because we can't return freely or quickly back to our Thai family with all these crazy restrictions that are nearly impossible to obtain to return.

 

I might not be the right color but my support and contribution to the nation of Thailand for over 15 years my second home in the second half of my life should at least be consider a " ESSENTIAL "  I know it certainly is to my Thai wife, son, daughter in-law and granddaugther, the thousands of baht each month I spend at Big C, Lotus, Makro, 7/11 and that doesn't include all the hospitals bills and Thai local establishment I support including the millions of baht I keep in the Thai banks or the money I have spent sending my son through school here and future spending I will do for my granddaughter.

 

HAVE I GOT YOU ATTENTION MR. CHAN O ( AKA MR. P.M. ) NEED YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER!

[Dominion]

On 4/26/2020 at 4:19 PM, Moonlover said:

It's likely that the first thing that the teachers will comment on is the topic title!

 

4 hours ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

wow, finally, some common sense or is it just because out of necessity

 

how come thai uni's cannot provide descent english speaking teachers ?

 

[Jackcwba]

As of now the place that issues work permit acceptance Letters for BOI companies is NOT issueing until as of July 31st.

 

 

[Chaaang]

And what about parents of Thai nationals who will support their retired asses in future?! Ooooh, get out, we don't want you here.

 

Teachers... Alright, what salary is offered EVEN TO NATIVE SPEAKERS - 15k-30k THB. That's nonsense. If that native speaker goes to China it can easily make 20k-30k+ RMB (90000 THB - 150000 THB+) per month. Visa covered, flight covered, accommodation at the beginning is covered. If you have a TEFL certificate, or any other certificate, or relevant experience you can get even more. Compare it with Thailand.

 

Even NON-NATIVE ESL teachers get, at least, 8k-16k RMB (36k-72k THB). And here we're talking about simple kindergartens, language schools, some Tier-3 cities schools.

 

No point working here on such conditions...

[connda]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

It comes as the coronavirus pandemic has left many schools without foreign teachers due to the burden of paperwork. 

They've made their bed over the years.  Let them sleep in it.  Anyone who'd come here to work for the peanuts they offer as well as putting up with the bureaucracy needs their head examined.  Go teach somewhere where you can make decent money for your time and effort.
Now that there are no NES back-packers around they're beginning to panic.