More than 100 foreigners ripped off for 5 million baht+ in education visa scam

[Huckenfell]

On 10/31/2020 at 7:48 PM, klauskunkel said:

I don't understand why people don't verify things that can impact their lives. If you have the time, check it out, make sure there are no misunderstandings, and try to get it in writing for example: I give you 40,000 baht, you get me an Ed Visa.

Easy. If they refuse - red alert, Bridge to Capt. Kirk!

Certain members of authority probably knew that the scam was going on and were prepare to keep quiet about it ..........for a financial consideration.

[Huckenfell]

On 11/1/2020 at 1:01 AM, ACP7 said:

The details of the article are an fallacy.

I applied to study with this school in July.

Due to Thai Immigration delays the visa has only recently been approved, but it has finally occurred.

The school has clearly worked exceptionally hard to try satisfy everyone. There is no scam here.

And this figure of 5m baht is absolute nonsense.

the most expensive course was only 40k, which was for visa processing, immigration’s fees, and tuition. There aren’t event 200 students.

most have only paid a 50% deposit.

200 (over-estimate) X 20,000 (half deposit) = 4m thb and MOST of these people GOT THEIR VISAS.

this article is a joke.

Great!  that will take the smirk off a few grubby faces.

[Huckenfell]

On 11/1/2020 at 2:19 AM, Cranky said:

No sympathy for a bunch of dossers. Get a haircut and get a real job. 

Well said sir!  did you ever even go to school.

[Genmai]

 

  

On 10/31/2020 at 8:57 AM, rooster59 said:

 

But when nothing happened they went to immigration in Surat Thani where they were told it was not possible to change a Non-B into an education visa

 

These guys are really really dumb. It should have been obvious to them that the school is slipping envelopes to someone in immigration. The Thais have their own ways of circumnavigating their own asinine systems. Once the farangs showed up at immigration and kicked up a stink - OF COURSE everyone was going to wipe their hands clean and leave them hanging out in the wind. Yes yes OF COURSE it is "not possible to change a Non-B into an education visa" - unless the right person receives the right amount of money, but now that these idiots have brought up the clandestine relationship to everyone's attention they're on their own.

 

They should have waited a few extra days and pressured the school directly. If it's a real school with offices and staff - not so easy for them to run. Instead they chose to interrupt the bribery that was being done for their benefit. They could have had a few years of chilling on a tropical beach learning a language. Instead they are going to be sent back to their covid infested winter hellscapes. 

 

This should be Rule #1 for farangs, printed out in giant letters and handed to every arrival to this country - "When Thais are doing something - DO NOT INTERVENE! If it fails then the blame is squarely on them and you can pursue recourse on that basis. If it fails after your intervention the blame is squarely on you!"

 

I say all this as someone who accidentally signed up for an ED visa with a dodgy school. 

[NanLaew]

23 hours ago, Huckenfell said:

The Thais are the scammers in this case, but that seems to be second nature in Thailand.  Its not an idiot that enjoys seeing others scammed of their money, but the "lower than a snakes belly" members of the community.

 

How about the pontifical members of our community? Or those that have 'high-horses' or the more reticent, "There but for the grace of God, go I" members?

[NanLaew]

18 hours ago, jtrump said:

On 10/31/2020 at 9:46 AM, NanLaew said:

One needs to have an education and be able to tell the difference between a legal visa option and a scam BEFORE one can become an educator.

 

Didn't any of these 'teachers' consider why they would need 100 teachers on Koh Phangan?

We are all questioning your intelligence now. ED visa are education visas for studying Thai, Muay Thai or another language.  So might not want to be so quick to insult someone's intelligence when you have no idea what you are talking about.

Responding to a 4 day-old and thrice acknowledged erroneous post.

 

Are you always this slow or do you just like to shoot from the hip and not read the whole thread?

 

PS. Rhetorical question.

[n00dle]

On 10/31/2020 at 9:46 AM, NanLaew said:

One needs to have an education and be able to tell the difference between a legal visa option and a scam BEFORE one can become an educator.

 

Didn't any of these 'teachers' consider why they would need 100 teachers on Koh Phangan?

Funny you should be talking about other folks education when you yourself so badly lack reading skills.

[NanLaew]

21 minutes ago, n00dle said:

On 10/31/2020 at 9:46 AM, NanLaew said:

One needs to have an education and be able to tell the difference between a legal visa option and a scam BEFORE one can become an educator.

 

Didn't any of these 'teachers' consider why they would need 100 teachers on Koh Phangan?

Funny you should be talking about other folks education when you yourself so badly lack reading skills.

Omigosh! @jtrump! You're  not alone!!!

 

[insert glib 'try and keep up' message here]

[huberthammer]

On 11/2/2020 at 11:05 AM, Huckenfell said:

No  they did not. They were told by the school that it could be done, so the people assumed that it would be legal , coming from the school.  Can't you understand that, or do you believe that everything organised by Thai authority is a scam. I guess its a way of life with you.

 

it was not organised by the Thai authorities but by the KP language school.  Samui schools issued 3 month visa with possible extension (I know quite a few people who did sign up in September and who got the visa). I believe nobody issues one year ED visas anymore since they started cracking down on all the people who read on the internet that you are stupid to go through proper channels when you can just get an ED visa and live here forever.

 

For a while they insisted on tests after the 3month course finished before they would issued another 3 month stamp for you to continue the class. The article/discussion here makes it sound everybody who applied for an ED visa was the victim of a scam. I think the people who did their homework and realised what was possible and what not did do okay out of this

 

 

 

[Andre0720]

On 10/31/2020 at 9:46 AM, NanLaew said:

One needs to have an education and be able to tell the difference between a legal visa option and a scam BEFORE one can become an educator.

 

Didn't any of these 'teachers' consider why they would need 100 teachers on Koh Phangan?

From what I have seen in Thailand, 100 more teachers would seem quite useful in many more communities...

[Cranky]

On 11/2/2020 at 4:52 AM, Huckenfell said:

Well said sir!  did you ever even go to school.

Yes. It was approved. 

[overherebc]

On 10/31/2020 at 10:22 AM, orchis said:

 

true. in the week before Sep.26 agents in Pattaya quoted 47,000 thb.
the "normal" rate before that was 27,000.
 

Fewer customers =

Put the prices up.