Pattaya 1 Yr Ed Visa

[silentnine]

Hi all .

looking at options for a pending relocation to thailand .. house is currently under construction, and in a steady relationship with plans to marry (engaged currently).

age 41 so retirement is a long way off

my 1st 1yr non-immi multi O visa has just expired so i need now to renew it.

i've been considering asking for a multi B visa as a potential property consultant, however thats just a thought of doing some business that may never happen .

however i've convinced myself i really want to learn thai, i have no wish to sit in a classroom daily but a few hours a week learning would suit me well ..

i've looked at the ad that appears on banners on this site, contacted them and they do not cover pattaya anyways ..

so is coming in on a ED visa a viable option ? and are there any ministry approved schools in pattaya

Edited September 20, 2007 by silentnine

[cali4995]

Silentnine, Prolanguage has an office opposite Carrefour on Pattaya glang(กลาง).

I believe AUA is still located inside that shopping complex adjacent to

the dolphin roundabout (intersection of Pattaya nuea(เหนือ) and 2nd road.) It looks

like you need to study a minimum of 30 hrs. per week to qualify, not sure.

http://www.prolanguage.co.th/icompany.htm

http://www.auathai.com/visa_information.html

The Thai language is like a double-edged knife. You will learn to communicate

better and you will also begin to understand what people say around you. Which,

at times is not always so pleasant. I just insult 'em back, in American language.

[britmaveric]

Might consider a dive internship??

[cali4995]

Can you get an "ED" visa with diving instruction? I thought another member

had reported doing so, at least from an embassy in their home country? These

"ED" visas are going to become more popular with consecutive tourist visas

seemingly discouraged. Does it have to be language instruction? There are a

lot of categories which would fit under education? I understand the school has

to furnish some kind of letter, and 30 hours per week study a requirement.

[Pattaya46]

It could be usefull to read that :

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...=141133&hl=

"Education Extension Of Stay, Now only granted for 90 days at a time"

I don't think it's now a viable solution for long stay

[MacWalen]

It could be usefull to read that :

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...=141133&hl=

"Education Extension Of Stay, Now only granted for 90 days at a time"

I don't think it's now a viable solution for long stay

Why not, as long as you study you can get 90 days extensions withour any visa runs.

[Agenda]

Funny, I wanted to ask the same.

AUA doesn't help with visa.

[Jingthing]

I smell a fantabulous (first and last time I ever use this "word" I promise) bizopp for a crafty entrepreneur!

A Pattaya style Thai language school that qualifies for the Ed visa.

But, no, this is Pattaya, not just another Thai language school.

Just like traffic violation schools in the US that offer stand up comedy or niche themes, this would be pure Pattaya style.

Three flavors of course, gay, straight, and ladyboy. The host/teachers would be in skimpy dress, there would special "language" shows, and beer and whisky would be served. The hours would be the very minimum to meet the ed visa, and the pace would be super slow, to stretch out the learning and visa for as many years (decades) as possible.

This new Ed visa might just give the geezer visa a run for its money.

Edited September 27, 2007 by Jingthing

[h5n1]

I live in Pattaya and thinking about going to school as I have almost completely lost my Thai skills. I am unaware of any shool here that I would go to. Monday - I go to BKK to look at Piamthir (sp).

[Agenda]

I was at ProLanguage today.

They do all the documents for you if you pay for 5 semesters... each for 30 hours, so you need to pay for 150 hours ahead. Study 6 hours per week. You can study 3 days per week or all day at Saturday.

The price is 32,500 Baht for 150 hours for group classes. No group organised yet.

You need to give them your passport, so they wiil apply at Ministry of Education. After that with needed documents you need to go to Thai embassy for 3 months Non-E visa, which prolongs for 9 months (it said in papers they gave me).

150 hours won't last for the whole year, but that doesn't matter.

AUA doesn't provide visas, as they said they cannot be sure that Thai language class will have enough students each semester, so they can't get your money and ask for the visa for you. Can speak with their director, though, who will be in Pattaya after 5th of October.

I like AUA as I like Jaycee so much, she's fun and proffessional. The teacher at ProLanguage is young! But advantage of PL is that they study you to read from the very start. In last semester you should write even essays in fact.

Anyone want to form the group for studying?

[farangtingtong]

A new "school on the block" with an ED-visa program: WorldWide TEFL offers a 180 hour course, Thai language and culture.

Saturday-mornings for a THB 29,500 including ED-visa assistance:

www.8host.org

[MacWalen]

We are going to open a school in Pattaya very soon, work is about 75% completed. Our school is located right outside Carrefour.

If anyone is interested in learning at Walen in Pattaya it will be possible very soon. We also provide visa assistance, the same as in Bangkok.

Walen School, Mac

[WilliamIV]

We are going to open a school in Pattaya very soon, work is about 75% completed. Our school is located right outside Carrefour.

If anyone is interested in learning at Walen in Pattaya it will be possible very soon. We also provide visa assistance, the same as in Bangkok.

Walen School, Mac

In another thread>

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...c=189773&hl

Farangtintong said that with the help of www.8host.org

he was able to convert a Tourist Visa to an Ed Visa

Mr MacWalen - do you have any info on this?

Is it now possible to do that Generally or

is it your experience that Farangtintong was just lucky

with a one off situation?

Bill

[A_Traveller]

Not associated with a school, but a tourist visa holder can, provided that the visa has more than 21 days left to run, apply to have the visa type amended, provided of course, they have all the relevant paper work, permits, etc.. I believe that this can not be undertaken by visa waiver {30 day stamp} holders.

Regards

[Maestro]

In another thread>

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...c=189773&hl

Farangtintong said that...he was able to convert a Tourist Visa to an Ed Visa

Mr MacWalen - do you have any info on this?

Farngtingtong wrote:

I managed to change my tourist visa into an ED-visa with the help of WorldWide TEFL...

It is true that as a rule an immigration office can change an applicant’s visa status to a generic non-immigrant visa but without indication of the category (O, B, ED, etc) when the applicant meets the requirement for any of the extensions of stay that require a non-immigrant visa. The problem with an extension of stay for study at a private school teaching Thai, as reported by several posters, is that among other things a letter from the Ministry of Education (MoE) is required and the MoE refuses to address such letter to the immigration office if the student does not already have a non-ED visa in his passport but instead addresses the letter to a Thai consulate.

It will be interesting to see if the MoE has now changed this unreasonable policy or if farangtingtong was indeed just lucky.

Farangtingtong, did you keep a copy of the MoE letter? To whom was it addressed?

--

Maestro

[farangtingtong]

In another thread>

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...c=189773&hl

Farangtintong said that...he was able to convert a Tourist Visa to an Ed Visa

Mr MacWalen - do you have any info on this?

Farngtingtong wrote:

I managed to change my tourist visa into an ED-visa with the help of WorldWide TEFL...

It is true that as a rule an immigration office can change an applicant's visa status to a generic non-immigrant visa but without indication of the category (O, B, ED, etc) when the applicant meets the requirement for any of the extensions of stay that require a non-immigrant visa. The problem with an extension of stay for study at a private school teaching Thai, as reported by several posters, is that among other things a letter from the Ministry of Education (MoE) is required and the MoE refuses to address such letter to the immigration office if the student does not already have a non-ED visa in his passport but instead addresses the letter to a Thai consulate.

It will be interesting to see if the MoE has now changed this unreasonable policy or if farangtingtong was indeed just lucky.

Farangtingtong, did you keep a copy of the MoE letter? To whom was it addressed?

--

Maestro

Ow, I don't have a copy, but as far as I can recall the letter was in Thai. So I suppose the letter was addressed to the Immigration people.

My case wasn't unique; I'm studying Thai at the moment with 'colleagues' who got a change of visa in the same way. I'm almost ready to go for my first 90 days extention (instead of a visarun) at the Jomtien Immigration.

[farangtingtong]

We are going to open a school in Pattaya very soon, work is about 75% completed. Our school is located right outside Carrefour.

If anyone is interested in learning at Walen in Pattaya it will be possible very soon. We also provide visa assistance, the same as in Bangkok.

Walen School, Mac

In another thread>

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...c=189773&hl

Farangtintong said that with the help of www.8host.org

he was able to convert a Tourist Visa to an Ed Visa

Mr MacWalen - do you have any info on this?

Is it now possible to do that Generally or

is it your experience that Farangtintong was just lucky

with a one off situation?

Bill

Mr. WilliamIV, why do you ask Mr. MacWalen for a confirmation of my case?

Is Mr. MacWalen an authority in these matters or maybe employed by the Immigration Department?

[jonniebkk]

my 1st 1yr non-immi multi O visa has just expired so i need now to renew it.

What's wrong with getting another non-imm multi O? That's about the best visa one could get and one can do just about anything with it as a long-term resident (if not working). Can get driving licenses, open bank accounts, etc. If you want to learn Thai...just go to any language school...no need for an Ed. visa for that.

[Maestro]

...What's wrong with getting another non-imm multi O

You are right. From the first reply posters focussed on the OP’s statement that he wants to learn Thai. His mention of a pending relocation to Thailand indicates that he is still in his home country and a good solution for him is to get another multiple-entry non-O visa from the consulate where he got his last one. It will mean a border run every ninety days, as he did with his last visa, but he will not have to cough up the school fee for one year in advance and will be free to change schools if he should consider it necessary.

--

Maestro

[MacWalen]

I can only speak about what I have actually seen with my own eyes. I have not seen a case yet where a student at our Bangkok school was able to change a visa status without leaving the country and first obtaining an ED visa.

If other posters say they were able to do it I would ask them kindly to scan their stamps and show it to us in order to veryfy that it was indeed possible. If that is true ( I am not saying that it is not ) it could mean that in Pattaya it is possible whereas in Bangkok it is not at the present time. This would actually be very good news and it would mean also that the government policies are not consistent in different parts of the country.

Regarding being an expert with regards to ED visas, I never claimed to be one. I, however, have seen hundreds of ED visas as well as have dealt with various ED visa problems, overstays, school transfers etc. So far our school has 100% success rate with obtaining ED visas as well as with extending them for our students. This of course is in Bangkok and should government policies were not consistent that experience would not count much in other parts of the country.

Opening school in Pattaya soon so the residents will have more options to choose from.

Hope this helps.

Walen School, Mac

[jonniebkk]

...What's wrong with getting another non-imm multi O...

You are right. From the first reply posters focussed on the OP’s statement that he wants to learn Thai. His mention of a pending relocation to Thailand indicates that he is still in his home country and a good solution for him is to get another multiple-entry non-O visa...

Plus there is some paperwork and back-and-forth between the Ministry of Education and Immigration folks to obtain and maintain the Ed Visa status. Finally, you are tied down to learning Thai/going to school to maintain your legal presence in Thailand. If you want to change school or give up studying all together, you're back to where you started. If the op qualifies (and he did once), a new non-imm O gives maximum flexibility (if you don't mind a border run every 3 months).

[WilliamIV]

We are going to open a school in Pattaya very soon, work is about 75% completed. Our school is located right outside Carrefour.

If anyone is interested in learning at Walen in Pattaya it will be possible very soon. We also provide visa assistance, the same as in Bangkok.

Walen School, Mac

In another thread>

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?sh...c=189773&hl

Farangtintong said that with the help of www.8host.org

he was able to convert a Tourist Visa to an Ed Visa

Mr MacWalen - do you have any info on this?

Is it now possible to do that Generally or

is it your experience that Farangtintong was just lucky

with a one off situation?

Bill

Mr. WilliamIV, why do you ask Mr. MacWalen for a confirmation of my case?

Is Mr. MacWalen an authority in these matters or maybe employed by the Immigration Department?

FTT

I did not ask Mr MacWalen for confirmation of your Case neither do I

(nor he according to his own post) consider him an authority in these matters.

He runs a Thai School in Bangkok where a friend of mine wishes to study.

Mac has stated elsewhere that you must obtain your ED visa outside of Thailand.

I was merely asking him if that situation for his school in Bangkok has now changed

as it would make life easier for my Friend.

He has already given a comprehensive answer.

Bill

[MacWalen]

I am pleased to inform the readers of TV that the construction of our school in Pattaya is finally finished!

We open tomorrow 1st of September. Our school is easy to find. It is in soi Yume on the side or Carrefour, about 20 meters from 7/11. We will have a map on our website this week.

Our new school in Chaing Mai is coming soon.

Walen School, Mac