Crackdown on illegal foreign teachers: Heavy fines and deportation for those without work permits

[webfact]

Crackdown on illegal foreign teachers: Heavy fines and deportation for those without work permits

 

Picture: Komchadluek

 

Thailand’s new Labour Minister Suchart Chomklin has demanded that the credentials of all 11,200 foreigners teaching in government schools and private schools be checked out. 

 

He has ordered the Department of Labour to ensure that their paperwork is in order and that they have the correct visa type and a work permit.

 

All schools in Bangkok and throughout the country which hire foreign teachers are to be examined, Thai media reported.

 

Should foreigners not have a work permit or correct visa type, they face fines of between 5,000 and 50,000 baht and possible deportation.

 

For teaching agencies that hire illegal foreign teachers, the penalties are much more severe. 

 

Agents face fines of between 10,000 and 100,000 baht each person they hired illegally. 

 

A repeat offence then sees the fines escalate to between 50,000 and 200,000 baht with the prospect of a one year jail term and a three year ban from working in teacher recruitment.

 

Thai news site Komchadluek reported that there are 11,200 foreigners teaching in Thailand. 

 

The top five nationalities are:

 

Filipino: 4,360 persons

British: 1,569 

US: 1,143

Chinese: 778

Japanese: 351

 

The media itemized the paperwork needed to teach at a school in Thailand. This included having a non-immigrant visa (definitely not a tourist visa) a teacher’s license, medical certificate and criminal background check. A work permit is also required.

 

The report comes after Sarasas school in Nonthaburi finds itself at the centre of child abuse allegations. One of the teachers accused of abusing a student at the school is a foreigner who the authorities discovered had only a tourist visa and consequently, no work permit. 

 

Source: Komchadluek

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-10-08

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[Laughing Gravy]

Here we go again. Same each year.

[muratremix]

Why they call a pinoy foreigner? Pinoy is a pinoy (filipino) and farang is a westerner. Asians are not farangs, period. 

[holy cow cm]

Supposedly there are a lot of Cameroon guys masquerading as teachers here too. Here comes a new witch hunt.

[JoePai]

4 minutes ago, muratremix said:

Why they call a pinoy foreigner? Pinoy is a pinoy (filipino) and farang is a westerner. Asians are not farangs, period. 

Anyone who is not a Thai national is a foreigner - no matter what other nationality

[Oldie]

3 minutes ago, muratremix said:

Why they call a pinoy foreigner? Pinoy is a pinoy (filipino) and farang is a westerner. Asians are not farangs, period. 

You confuse me. They did not use the word farang in the article. Or did I not see it? 

[Pottinger]

This is what I've been missing so far this year - a good, old-fashioned Thai crackdown. Now what about a few more hubs and some more police rushing to the scene....? Some pointing wouldn't go amiss.

[transam]

I suppose if a teacher has his/her paperwork in order then I don't see a problem with this, but if a teacher is dodgy, no paperwork or dodgy paperwork, then adios.

 

I feel a few teachers may well be having bum burps at the mo, as they cannot escape across borders.....????

[Dannyxyz]

5 minutes ago, muratremix said:

Why they call a pinoy foreigner? Pinoy is a pinoy (filipino) and farang is a westerner. Asians are not farangs, period. 

Pinoy is a foreigner. Anybody not Thai is a foreigner. Farang is used instead of foreigner by many people no matter where the person is from. Maybe the Filipino was mixed race and looked more like a farang than traditional Filipinos. Farang is not reserved for westerners only. It's mostly used in regards to looks (White skin). So sometimes even mixed Thai are confused with farang if they look too White like.

[gunderhill]

13 minutes ago, muratremix said:

Why they call a pinoy foreigner? Pinoy is a pinoy (filipino) and farang is a westerner. Asians are not farangs, period. 

Not Thai = inferior, period.

[tonray]

What about the Thai teachers masquerading as Filipinos we just heard about the other day ?

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1185702-thais-pretending-to-be-filipino-foreign-language-teachers-is-widespread-thai-media/

 

[eisfeld]

19 minutes ago, muratremix said:

Why they call a pinoy foreigner? Pinoy is a pinoy (filipino) and farang is a westerner. Asians are not farangs, period. 

Pi Noi translates to small ghost. It's a term used for people who illegally work and hide in another country. Any foreigner working in Thailand without work permit could be a Pi Noi and a Thai working illegally say in South Korea could be a Pi Noi. A Pi Noi by definition is a foreigner in the respective country.

[transam]

8 minutes ago, tonray said:

What about the Thai teachers masquerading as Filipinos we just heard about the other day ?

 

https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1185702-thais-pretending-to-be-filipino-foreign-language-teachers-is-widespread-thai-media/

 

They can't be deported....????

PS. I notice a lot of member interest regarding this thread.....????..............

[Borzandy]

40 minutes ago, webfact said:

and deportation for those without work permits

Or thick brown envelop...

[stubuzz]

40 minutes ago, webfact said:

Should foreigners not have a work permit or correct visa type, they face fines of between 5,000 and 50,000 baht and possible deportation.

Why are they fining the teachers and not the schools?

[2 is 1]

8 minutes ago, stubuzz said:

Why are they fining the teachers and not the schools?

If illegal work in coverment school, who is so crazy that fine himself!

[CraigInBangkok]

10 minutes ago, stubuzz said:

Why are they fining the teachers and not the schools?

Because when whoever found out he was illegal the school said they did'nt know. Nonsense obviously, but the blame has to be passed somewhere because no one is ever wrong here.

[tgw]

34 minutes ago, muratremix said:

Why they call a pinoy foreigner? Pinoy is a pinoy (filipino) and farang is a westerner. Asians are not farangs, period. 

yeah, you seem confused about the meaning of "farang".

"farang" means caucasian.

caucasians with Thai passport are still farang.

[Orton Rd]

35 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Supposedly there are a lot of Cameroon guys masquerading as teachers here too. Here comes a new witch hunt.

No it will be a criminal hunt, these fraudsters are damaging Thai kids education and need to be stopped, even the African ones.

[lemonjelly]

Blimey, I thought teachers were usually given a new contract at the start of each school year. With the borders closed, how could they have acquired a new visa and work permit? This could get messy.

[JusticeGB]

Spies outside various schools have reported sightings of brown envelopes flying out of schools. They haven't been able to determine why.

[userabcd]

42 minutes ago, gunderhill said:

Not Thai = inferior, period.

Nope, just some aliens feeling they are inferior and complaining about it.

[userabcd]

Teaching officially without necessary educational credentials, licenses and without work permits should be treated as fraud.

[lensta]

14 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

No it will be a criminal hunt, these fraudsters are damaging Thai kids education and need to be stopped, even the African ones.

Hahaha, you obviously haven't worked in the Thai education system. The only thing damaging the Thai kids education is the system itself. With a few exceptions, the only decent schools in Thailand are the international schools, which are very expensive. Private schools are a joke, they are just a business with little regard for the education of the kids and are more concerned about putting on a show for the parents. Thai education on the whole is just a cluster ..ck. Then you have the no fail policy ????

[xtrnuno41]

SO i woke up this morning, What will i do today?

Aaah, ok easy job , just check on English teachers in Thailand! Nice job for all the labor inspectors.

They are already drowning in work , but can do some more. And this is easy job. Made my name again for promotion.

Why would i be bothered with all Chinese and Thai employers who dont follow Thai law?

Neeeh that is too much. This is easier. 

[SuwadeeS]

Why not blame the real responsible people????

 

They should crack down on school admins, who not provide the paperwork for the workpermit.

They should crack down on the school, who do not follow their own laws.

 

They should crack down on all the schools who do not pay their teachers (foreigners and Thais as well) Thei Thai labour law says, all employees must be paid on the last working day of the month.

I do know many teacher who did not got paid till today!!!!!!

So disgusting and ignorant.

That is why the education is lacking in so many fields.

How want to put all afford in a job, with the ackknowledge of not getting paid in time???

 

The ministery of labour and education could fix this problem so easy, by remind all schools to provide and do the workpermit story and also remind them to pay all teachers by the last working day of the month.

 

Of course, blaming foreign teachers is much easier. They do not have a lobby.

Stone age behaivior. 

[Destiny1990]

These fake filipino teachers that are thais. Deportation to where?

[userabcd]

3 minutes ago, SuwadeeS said:

Why not blame the real responsible people????

 

They should crack down on school admins, who not provide the paperwork for the workpermit.

They should crack down on the school, who do not follow their own laws.

 

They should crack down on all the schools who do not pay their teachers (foreigners and Thais as well) Thei Thai labour law says, all employees must be paid on the last working day of the month.

I do know many teacher who did not got paid till today!!!!!!

So disgusting and ignorant.

That is why the education is lacking in so many fields.

How want to put all afford in a job, with the ackknowledge of not getting paid in time???

 

The ministery of labour and education could fix this problem so easy, by remind all schools to provide and do the workpermit story and also remind them to pay all teachers by the last working day of the month.

 

Of course, blaming foreign teachers is much easier. They do not have a lobby.

Stone age behaivior. 

Both are culpable and both should be dealt with. 

[SuwadeeS]

Hahahaha

 

That is the theory.

 

They never pick on the own people. Always blame foreigners!!!!!

[kingstonkid]

52 minutes ago, stubuzz said:

Why are they fining the teachers and not the schools?

You can be sure that schools will also get hit.  I am not so sure about the fines for teachers but the worry I would have as a teacher that has been here awhile is deportation and loss of your visa.

 

I think what is going to be the most interesting is the agencies because we all know that while they say all their teachers are university grads most are not and almost none of them have work permits because it costs them too much money and staff.  When I first started teaching it was suggested I take a trip to Khaosan rd.