CMU Fails To Provide Visa Support Documents

[rob101]

THANK YOU!!! HAPPY ROBERT!!!! yes the LICMU director waited to the last minute because as far as they knew LICMU was going to be responsible for ALL the refunds - and what better way to solve the problem than to have all the students sent out of the country - this is why the same director sent all the students to immigration with letters cancelling their visas - the LICMU director does not have the students records - Matt refuses to give them to him - and immigration does not know what visas to cancel (they have the info about what school, etc ONLY on paper and not on computer!!) - also one of the students, who speaks good Thai, came back from immigration and he was told that CM immigration was absolutely fine with giving visas to the LICMU 1 year thai students BUT the LICMU director didn't sign their visa letters!!! The story is very clear: LICMU - for whatever reason decided to close the programs down - they stopped signing visas - they tried to blame it on CM immigration - CM immigration gave the all-clear after checking out all the attendance records, etc. - stil LICMU would not sign the visas - LICMU director now says it is now too late - CM immigration is still saying they will issue visas if they have LICMU director's signature - LICMU still won't sign - LICMU director tells everyone - days before (why not earlier!!!!) - that all visas will be cancelled 30 Sept - CM immigration STILL saying they will issue visas with LICMU director's signature!!!!!!!

[richard10365]

For students who are serious about studying Thai, I was just informed by the director of the Foreign Language Center at Payap University we can help them. If their visas expire tomorrow, they will need a 1 week extension. Please come to Payap no later than this Friday (1 October). Mostly this is because the Thai 1 language class already started on September 27th. Classes are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. There are 8 terms and each term is 60 hours each.

In all fairness to the other language schools, there are other excellent places to study in Chiang Mai besides Payap such as the Walen School of Thai. Chiang Mai is a wonderful place to live and study but it is more fun if you are here legally.

For more information about studying at Payap please send me a private message.

[femi fan]

While i realise a few hundred people are in a right mess, i would just like to add my bit to the forum in hoping that matthew gets his own life back on track after all of this eventually gets resolved. He has made his life here with a wife and kid, and it's a nasty situation he's in. By the sounds of it that situation has occurred because one or two people got pissed off and jealous of the success he has achieved.

And that story happens time and time again. Aspirant business person rents premises, makes a successful business, and normally the story becomes 'we are doubling the rent' or some such. Just look at the riverside restaurant for a classic example.

Chiang mai, and Thailand, make very happy living places for so many foreigners, but get into business, become successful, and it's very likely one will hit dodgy waters.

Matthew, never knew you, but as a long-term teacher and resident in this marvelous country i hope you can extricate yourself from this stressful and unjust happening in due course. Good luck with avoiding any lasting bitter resentment from those bitter people causing all this human mayhem. Perhaps i can suggest that when shit happens in life, we often end up coming out stronger. Good luck mate!

[happyrobert]

THANK YOU!!! HAPPY ROBERT!!!! yes the LICMU director waited to the last minute because as far as they knew LICMU was going to be responsible for ALL the refunds - and what better way to solve the problem than to have all the students sent out of the country - this is why the same director sent all the students to immigration with letters cancelling their visas - the LICMU director does not have the students records - Matt refuses to give them to him - and immigration does not know what visas to cancel (they have the info about what school, etc ONLY on paper and not on computer!!) - also one of the students, who speaks good Thai, came back from immigration and he was told that CM immigration was absolutely fine with giving visas to the LICMU 1 year thai students BUT the LICMU director didn't sign their visa letters!!! The story is very clear: LICMU - for whatever reason decided to close the programs down - they stopped signing visas - they tried to blame it on CM immigration - CM immigration gave the all-clear after checking out all the attendance records, etc. - stil LICMU would not sign the visas - LICMU director now says it is now too late - CM immigration is still saying they will issue visas if they have LICMU director's signature - LICMU still won't sign - LICMU director tells everyone - days before (why not earlier!!!!) - that all visas will be cancelled 30 Sept - CM immigration STILL saying they will issue visas with LICMU director's signature!!!!!!!

A final note: I love Thailand. I love the Thai language. I love the Thai people. It will always be certain intellectually limited representative individuals with whom I have a beef. What, in my extended time on earth, has always struck me as a clear indication of ignorance, stupidity, impudence and true impotence, is the failure to carefully choose who you make your enemy - before you make them your enemy. To abuse your little bit of power so foolishly is a waste of energy. Men who consider their positions and intellect to be unequalled by their opponent without first confirming this have violated one of the most basic tenets of engaging in battle. Certain individuals at CMU have assumed we all come from modest, uninfluential backgrounds. "Simple farangs". So they blindly attack us without any attempt to disguise their hostile manner. The problem is, some of us do come from backgrounds of significant influence with contacts that are so above the head of the Director that he'd need the Hubble to see them. Be patient everyone. Good things come to those who wait. Let them think what they will, laugh and giggle while they can and remember this: "Your greatest weapon is your enemy's mind." Buddha And don't forget, there are a lot of Thai students who are just as upset as the students given the boot. Anyway, I would suggest that based on the Director's violation of the above tenet, his tenure is tenuous. Edited September 29, 2010 by happyrobert

[rob101]

I heard this right from the mouth of a VERY well-placed Thai director at CMU: the prz is very worried- he is greatly disliked at cmu and has all sorts of farangs coming to his office saying they are going to sue him personally - it is not that he is worried about that - but how his Thai enemies at cmu - of which there are MANY! - would use this to discredit him - he has told his little poodle - Rien - to make absolutely sure that his name and cmu's name is not brought into this - how? - get rid of the farangs - how? get there visas cancelled ASAP - and hopefully they will leave the country - BUT - they don't have any student records - so, LICMU has asked IUS to come to a meeting to resolve the issue BUT first "could you give us a list of all the 1 year Thai students, so we can help them" - they won't be helping them - they will be reporting the names to immigration so that they can have immigration cancel them - as others have reported - CM immigration is saying the visa will stand unless someone asks for it to be cancelled - or the student themselves says that they are not attending classes ....so far the Thai director of IUS has absolutely refused to surrender the class list.

Edited September 29, 2010 by rob101

[Mario2008]

When you go in for an extension of stay, immirgation will check your file. Seeing that you where studying at CMU and seeing the date you left or changed schools they will now if you are/were on overstay or not.

You can stay and find another school maybe in two weeks time, but when you go to immigration for your next extension of stay they can see that you should have left the country.

[dundas]

In response to comments questioning the quality of the Thai classes at CMU, I have been a student here since earlier this year, participating in several different classes. The teaching has been excellent, and I say that as someone who has been involved in the foreign language teaching/learning game in Australia, Germany and Japan. I have been taking private lessons from my (now former) CMU teacher for quite a while.

Word of warning about coming back on a tourist visa: if you go that route, make sure that's what happens when you get back here. I left the country a few days ago, returning 24 hours later with the aim of getting a 30 day tourist visa. I had to ask the guy at Immigration at the airport several times for a 30 day tourist visa, because he just wanted to re-stamp my non-imm Ed visa, it all seemed normal to him. If I had let him do that, it would have been a waste of my B10,000 for airfares and a night's accommodation, and my time, and would have put me at risk of more fines and problems when I leave the country later in October.

I have also witnessed Rien and Matt in a conversation, and on the basis of that I have already posted that I am inclined to trust Matt more than Rien.

More to the point, I think I can know them by what they do, as opposed to what they say.

I don't really care what the reason was for the cessation of the program, what's important here is that CMU have treated their farang students (in my opinion) badly. They do not respond to email (politely addressed), they don't entertain requests for refunds (even in the case of people who have just recently paid their fees), and they cancel our visas. Matt, on the other hand, has always agreed to refund "his" 40%, and more recently the entire amount.

You can draw your own conclusions.

I think this CMU saga would be a sensational story for the Economist or the Far Eastern Review or any quality newspaper ... the readers could also draw their own conclusions as to what it says about ethics in the university sector in modern Thailand.

[hookemlaw]

When you go in for an extension of stay, immirgation will check your file. Seeing that you where studying at CMU and seeing the date you left or changed schools they will now if you are/were on overstay or not.

You can stay and find another school maybe in two weeks time, but when you go to immigration for your next extension of stay they can see that you should have left the country.

Well, the case I'm concerned with isn't going to get an extension (that would seem suicidal). I am concerned about the period between October 1 and the natural expiration date. Right now my plan is to leave when feasible/non-disruptive, but earlier than I had planned.

The situations I'd like to avoid is being at risk for arrest/detention/deportation if I somehow have an encounter with the police or not finding out that I have an overstay problem until I'm at BKK trying to board a plane to the US.

[Mario2008]

I was adressing the situation in which you don't repor to immigration that you stoped studying. Indee immigration will not know that you stopt stdying. But they will notice that you changed schools when find a new school and go for a new extension of stay. Then they can fine you for overstay and make you leave the country.

As said, you can get a 7 day extension if you want to do it legal.

[wynzlo]

I heard this right from the mouth of a VERY well-placed Thai director at CMU: the prz is very worried- he is greatly disliked at cmu and has all sorts of farangs coming to his office saying they are going to sue him personally - it is not that he is worried about that - but how his Thai enemies at cmu - of which there are MANY! - would use this to discredit him - he has told his little poodle - Rien - to make absolutely sure that his name and cmu's name is not brought into this - how? - get rid of the farangs - how? get there visas cancelled ASAP - and hopefully they will leave the country - BUT - they don't have any student records - so, LICMU has asked IUS to come to a meeting to resolve the issue BUT first "could you give us a list of all the 1 year Thai students, so we can help them" - they won't be helping them - they will be reporting the names to immigration so that they can have immigration cancel them - as others have reported - CM immigration is saying the visa will stand unless someone asks for it to be cancelled - or the student themselves says that they are not attending classes ....so far the Thai director of IUS has absolutely refused to surrender the class list.

So...how would CMU provide refunds if they didn't have access to this class list? No offense, but it seems like you're trying to stir some drama here.

[ha55ha]

Mario I went into the immigration today and specifically told them my course is finishing tomorrow because it has been cancelled and they told me (at least 5 times, as I made them repeat it to make sure) that I am OK to stay in Thailand until the natural end of my visa, which is in March 2011. I asked them if I will incur any overstay fines whatsover from the 1st October and they said no. So does this mean from tomorrow I am staying illegally in the country like you keep saying?

[dundas]

I should have checked before I wrote my last post. The Far Eastern Economic Review is now defunct, but the Economist is still a possibility.

I think trying to resolve this issue in-country may get results, but it's on the international stage that CMU would be most affected by this story having an airing.

I hope anyone with media contacts on this site will write to investigative reporters in their own country.

The story is already written - or a large part of it is - and it's on this site. It's a story that needs to see the light of day in a few more places.

[RKO10]

So I talked with Immigration today, and their story both supports and contradicts what Rien said to me. Immigration did investigate the LICMU program because of irregularities. They want LICMU to do a better job documenting, interviewing and tracking their students. However, Immigration says that the reason students aren't getting visas is because the President of CMU and the Dir of LICMU aren't signing them. All Immigration needs is letters from those two and a grade report. Therefore, the people stopping visas are in CMU.

At this point I am very upset at CMU. I also do not appreciate the fact that the program I signed up for is now divided into two arguing sides, while I'm left out in the cold with no money and no visa. That's straight up bull****. Matt made a program that won't pass muster at Immigration, and the President of CMU is not supporting us at all. As far as I'm concerned, I don't care what the relationship between IUS and LICMU is. CMU is responsible for this.

As far as whether we are on overstay starting tomorrow, the Immigration guy told me that my visa, which ends in Oct, is good until then. All this speculation is scaring me though.

[NancyL]

We subscribe to both the Economist and the International Herald Tribune. Hubby is somewhat affected by the situation, so he used their websites to notify them. Thomas Fuller of the International Herald Tribune replied promptly, saying he appreciated the information and would become more interested if it appeared that other institutions besides CMU were doing this. In his initial email, Hubby pointed out that 300 students are affected. Maybe if all 300 emailed Mr. Fuller, he might be more willing to do a story. Thomas Fuller seems to be resident here in Thailand and writes many stories about our "adopted" country for the publication.

Hubby hasn't heard anything back from the Economist.

Nor has he heard anything from his email to the U.S. institution where he got his Masters degree -- the same institution where the CMU president obtained his Masters and Doctorate degree and currently has a number of Thai students on their campus.

He's contacted the American Consulate, who said he was the first to inform them of the problem early last week. They said they'd look into it. Has anyone had more recent contact with the American Consulate?

We've filed a "dispute form" with our credit card company.

Hubby's next move is to contact Senator Jim Webb, from Virginia, who is a Vietnam veteran and has a "special interest" in Thailand, according to the new American Consul General in her Satuday talk at CM Expats club. Hubby is also a Vietnam vet who fell in love with Thailand during the war and he was born in Virginia (yeah, we know that connection is a long-shot). He's also considering emailing all 120 U.S. institutions that have "partnership" relationships with CMU, whereby the Thai students come to the U.S. to study.

He's doing all this and he didn't even have an educational visa from CMU. We're here on O-A retirement visas and Hubby wanted to be able to contribute his time to Thais. We both had looked forward to doing extensive volunteer work in retirement and been so disappointed that we can't legally do that with our visas. I've thrown myself into other activities, but Hubby really wanted to do volunteer work, so he joined the Cultural Exchange Progam after their presentation at the CM Expats Club meeting in May.

So, I hope all the rest of you who are even more affected by this than us are taking similar measures to get the word out about this problem. Please contact your embassy/consulate, your credit card company, the media and anyone or institution in your home country that may be assisting CMU students in their studies.

Once again, I'm imploring the moderators to move this back to the Chiang Mai forum. Normally, we never look at the Visa forum. We just want to be able to do volunteer work here in Chiang Mai "legally" and still keep our O-A retirement visas. The loss of the CEP program is a major blow to Thai people who benefited from time given by people in the CEP program.

[harrry]

It appears that Matt may have other programs at KhonKaen University http://www.kku-li.com/ and Prince of Songkla http://www.fis-psu.com/.

They have identical websites to LICMU.

[thaiboy999]

At CMULI (before their current debacle, of course) we were able to get an ED visa for 30,000 THB (one year) tuition with 4 hours of classroom instructions per week. That aspect seems perfectly legal as far as Thai immigration is concerned. Why is Payap insisting on at least 15 hours per week of instructions and a tuition of (my rough estimate) at least 70,000 THB per year before providing ED visas for foreigners learning Thai? Based on the info on their website, even Walen is able to provide ED visas on class time and tuition similar to what CMULI used to offer. Why can't Payap?

Edited September 30, 2010 by Mario2008
quote of deleted post and flame removed

[LivinLOS]

I'm just a guy in someone else's country. A lawsuit against a major government institution of higher learning would open me up to all kinds of problems. No complaints to the police, no lawyers. I'll spend the money - again - leave the country, eat some sushi in Tokyo and start again with a good ED visa from a reputable learning institution. Sadly, where I can afford to do this, many at the school can not.

I understand the keeping a low profile.. But I also dont go along with the whole 'They have big power and we have none' theory. Basically students paid CMU, CMU gave receipts, for a CMU course.. Thats as open and shut a small claims court ruling as can exist. Forget the visa issues, they havent provided the course.

From what I have been informed, small claims court is nothing like a full formal court hearing, its more a mediation system and isnt expensive or too intimidating, even if you lose theres no huge court fees to pay. As to other repercussions, your not really suggesting that the CMU directors are about to start ordering hits or getting students roughed up for trying to get their money back ??

[LivinLOS]

At CMULI (before their current debacle, of course) we were able to get an ED visa for 30,000 THB (one year) tuition with 4 hours of classroom instructions per week. That aspect seems perfectly legal as far as Thai immigration is concerned. Why is Payap insisting on at least 15 hours per week of instructions and a tuition of (my rough estimate) at least 70,000 THB per year before providing ED visas for foreigners learning Thai? Based on the info on their website, even Walen is able to provide ED visas on class time and tuition similar to what CMULI used to offer. Why can't Payap?

The question maybe isnt what they can / cant do, rather what they choose to do..

Maybe the feel that someone studying for only 4 hours a week isnt seriously studying ?? Really its up to them to offer the courses they see fit, and up to th students to choose the course that most fits their needs.

[lopburi3]

Mario I went into the immigration today and specifically told them my course is finishing tomorrow because it has been cancelled and they told me (at least 5 times, as I made them repeat it to make sure) that I am OK to stay in Thailand until the natural end of my visa, which is in March 2011. I asked them if I will incur any overstay fines whatsover from the 1st October and they said no. So does this mean from tomorrow I am staying illegally in the country like you keep saying?

Do you have a visa or an extension of stay until March 2011? A visa would remain valid but require exit every 90 days. An extension of stay becomes invalid when the reason for issue ends. But as has been mentioned most immigration offices have/would allow some leeway.

[CMX]

LivinLOS

As is evident above, most students have had to handle two issues at a time. Many hold visas that end today at midnight.

To contemplate small claims court - should they dare - would require that they have standing in the Kingdom, such as a valid visa. First things first. We must wonder how many of these 300 will disperse and how many, if they survive their visa circumstances and return Thailand, will be located here.

My guess is that your experienced advice may fall not on deaf ears, but rather will be consigned to the four winds, where CircuMstance, u understand, has sent them.

I continued my thinking by guessing at 30,000 baht (tuition) x 300 (students) x 60% (CMU's cut) and got over five million baht. In my homeland's currency, however, it only amounts to $180,000 or so.

And even, if as part of the University's ongoing efforts to assist educational enterprise, they secretly offered to help in restitution (saving face as part of the process), who would be around to collect?

These things have a shelf life. Over on Thai Visa Chiang Mai, the shelf life will be, as the auctioneer says, "Going, going, gone! - to the highest bidder."

[CMX]

Thaiboy999,

It would be helpful to me in understanding your post if you would tell the number of hours of instruction each institution has offered or is offering, per year, at their respective prices.

I could not help guessing that the Payap program was closer to a full-time proposition as compared to part time. Could they be supposing that a student wants to learn more of the language in a year's time and factoring in the costs of a better education?

Just asking. As I don't need an ed. visa, I'm ignorant of these things.

[richard10365]

Thaiboy999,

It would be helpful to me in understanding your post if you would tell the number of hours of instruction each institution has offered or is offering, per year, at their respective prices.

I could not help guessing that the Payap program was closer to a full-time proposition as compared to part time. Could they be supposing that a student wants to learn more of the language in a year's time and factoring in the costs of a better education?

Just asking. As I don't need an ed. visa, I'm ignorant of these things.

Thaiboy and others..., Out of respect for forum rules, if you have further questions about Payap, can you please send me a private message?

Thank you.

[MacWalen]

At CMULI (before their current debacle, of course) we were able to get an ED visa for 30,000 THB (one year) tuition with 4 hours of classroom instructions per week. That aspect seems perfectly legal as far as Thai immigration is concerned. Why is Payap insisting on at least 15 hours per week of instructions and a tuition of (my rough estimate) at least 70,000 THB per year before providing ED visas for foreigners learning Thai? Based on the info on their website, even Walen is able to provide ED visas on class time and tuition similar to what CMULI used to offer. Why can't Payap?

70,000 at Payap? That's a lot! Walen is charging 24,960 Baht, cheaper that CMU and Payap. Those who still do not like Walen, please visit and talk to our staff, see the school, take a free class, talk to our existing students and after you will be able to make a more informed decision.

Walen School - not the cheapest but the best value

www.thaiwalen.com

[happyrobert]

I'm just a guy in someone else's country. A lawsuit against a major government institution of higher learning would open me up to all kinds of problems. No complaints to the police, no lawyers. I'll spend the money - again - leave the country, eat some sushi in Tokyo and start again with a good ED visa from a reputable learning institution. Sadly, where I can afford to do this, many at the school can not.

I understand the keeping a low profile.. But I also dont go along with the whole 'They have big power and we have none' theory. Basically students paid CMU, CMU gave receipts, for a CMU course.. Thats as open and shut a small claims court ruling as can exist. Forget the visa issues, they havent provided the course.

From what I have been informed, small claims court is nothing like a full formal court hearing, its more a mediation system and isnt expensive or too intimidating, even if you lose theres no huge court fees to pay. As to other repercussions, your not really suggesting that the CMU directors are about to start ordering hits or getting students roughed up for trying to get their money back ??

LivinLOS-I'm sure you said that tongue and cheek but please don't put words in my mouth, we're not the only ones reading this thread ,you know. In similar situations in other parts of the country I am aware of Immigration waiting at the court hearing and the stated reasons were, shall we say, bogus with a capital B. I am simply making two statements: 1) CMU has power (and they are obviously willing to abuse it in a hostile and agressive manner; 2) there are people much more powerful than those at CMU and they have been made aware of the situation and it's only a matter of time ....... Why expose oneself on the front lines when you can pull in a favor or two and stay back at camp as the General's aide (wink)? Oh, and let's add a third, the only thing "open and shut" in Thailand is the doors on the immigration holding cells....court cases, large or small, never are, here or where we come from. -Sometimes it's easier to sneak in the back door and take what you want while they're all waiting for you to kick in the front door.-

Edited September 30, 2010 by happyrobert

[Austeyr]

So I talked with Immigration today, and their story both supports and contradicts what Rien said to me. Immigration did investigate the LICMU program because of irregularities. They want LICMU to do a better job documenting, interviewing and tracking their students. However, Immigration says that the reason students aren't getting visas is because the President of CMU and the Dir of LICMU aren't signing them. All Immigration needs is letters from those two and a grade report. Therefore, the people stopping visas are in CMU.

At this point I am very upset at CMU. I also do not appreciate the fact that the program I signed up for is now divided into two arguing sides, while I'm left out in the cold with no money and no visa. That's straight up bull****. Matt made a program that won't pass muster at Immigration, and the President of CMU is not supporting us at all. As far as I'm concerned, I don't care what the relationship between IUS and LICMU is. CMU is responsible for this.

As far as whether we are on overstay starting tomorrow, the Immigration guy told me that my visa, which ends in Oct, is good until then. All this speculation is scaring me though.

There were no issues with Immigration after they had gone through all attendance records and paper work supplied by IUS. They were actually quite impressed with how good a job the admin staff had done. In the end it comes down to who is making up stories. Rien told all the students immigration refuses to sign visas, you heard it yourself. Its the university that wouldnt sign the visas, even though Dr Kay offered to leave CMU but pay for all the running of the thai course until they were completed. This would have fixed all problems. Dr Kay would have been out of the university as they wanted, Students could have continued studying with visa support. Instead they lied, blamed immigration and cancelled all courses.

[shepsel]

I was involved in the Cultural Exchange Program. Unfortunately, I had to be hospitalized for emergency surgery in August, and got a 90 medical extension for my visa instead of the ED extension.

I purchased expat insurance here in CM just incase I had a medical problem. They refused to pay the 266000 baht hospital bill, which I am now fighting. In the interim, I have found out that the Socialized medical insurance in my home country would pay the entire bill if I can supply a letter from CMU or the Cultural Exchange Program confirming that I was volunteering in Thailand.

I contacted Matt, and he said the he could not write a letter for me because he is not employed there, and he is forbidden to sign anything that involved the cultural exchange or CMU. He suggested that I contact the new head of the department and the President of CMU, which I promptly did, explaining the need for a letter for insurance coverage.

They refused to help me.

Any suggestions of where to go to next in this saga that could be solved with a simple two sentence statement on CMU or CMLI letterhead would be appreciated. We are talking of about $9000 which could be paid by Universal health care and would not have to come out of my own pocket even though I tried to protect myself with purchasing local health insurance which seems to be a waste of money.

[MacWalen]

At CMULI (before their current debacle, of course) we were able to get an ED visa for 30,000 THB (one year) tuition with 4 hours of classroom instructions per week. That aspect seems perfectly legal as far as Thai immigration is concerned. Why is Payap insisting on at least 15 hours per week of instructions and a tuition of (my rough estimate) at least 70,000 THB per year before providing ED visas for foreigners learning Thai? Based on the info on their website, even Walen is able to provide ED visas on class time and tuition similar to what CMULI used to offer. Why can't Payap?

70,000 at Payap? That's a lot! Walen is charging 24,960 Baht, cheaper that CMU and Payap. Those who still do not like Walen, please visit and talk to our staff, see the school, take a free class, talk to our existing students and after you will be able to make a more informed decision.

Walen School - not the cheapest but the best value

www.thaiwalen.com

You disgust me, using a situation that has wrecked peoples lives to promote your own business. I bet you were rubbing your greedy little hands together when you heard about what was going on a CMU.

Man, I'm trying to help you! What is your problem? Some of you paid premium price of 30k and got screwed! Our price is only 24,960 Baht. You do not know me, I am rich as I am so some more students in Chiangmai will be welcome but will not make a huge difference to the performance of the whole school. I am a businessman, of course I will be promoting my business, I would be an idiot if I did not. You see all the banners on thaivisa.com? Do you see any from CMU or other schools in Chiangmai? Businesses like ours help to run this forum, otherwise you might have to talk privately about the situation with your friends. Please stop giving Walen hard time. I provide first class service and will continue to do so.

What happened at CMU is sad and I am not happy about it, are you judging people by the way you would think in the same situation? When you say greedy - is it really? I offer prices lower than other schools and helped to drop the prices for the whole industry, not long time ago standard price was 28,000 Baht. I really don't know if that is greedy. Maybe you tell me. Also for your information I have not got my money back for the building of the Walen school in Chiangmai, have you ever visited? both floors? no expense spared.

Walen School - offering competitive prices!

www.thaiwalen.com

[Austeyr]

At CMULI (before their current debacle, of course) we were able to get an ED visa for 30,000 THB (one year) tuition with 4 hours of classroom instructions per week. That aspect seems perfectly legal as far as Thai immigration is concerned. Why is Payap insisting on at least 15 hours per week of instructions and a tuition of (my rough estimate) at least 70,000 THB per year before providing ED visas for foreigners learning Thai? Based on the info on their website, even Walen is able to provide ED visas on class time and tuition similar to what CMULI used to offer. Why can't Payap?

70,000 at Payap? That's a lot! Walen is charging 24,960 Baht, cheaper that CMU and Payap. Those who still do not like Walen, please visit and talk to our staff, see the school, take a free class, talk to our existing students and after you will be able to make a more informed decision.

Walen School - not the cheapest but the best value

www.thaiwalen.com

You disgust me, using a situation that has wrecked peoples lives to promote your own business. I bet you were rubbing your greedy little hands together when you heard about what was going on a CMU.

Man, I'm trying to help you! What is your problem? Some of you paid premium price of 30k and got screwed! Our price is only 24,960 Baht. You do not know me, I am rich as I am so some more students in Chiangmai will be welcome but will not make a huge difference to the performance of the whole school. I am a businessman, of course I will be promoting my business, I would be an idiot if I did not. You see all the banners on thaivisa.com? Do you see any from CMU or other schools in Chiangmai? Businesses like ours help to run this forum, otherwise you might have to talk privately about the situation with your friends. Please stop giving Walen hard time. I provide first class service and will continue to do so.

What happened at CMU is sad and I am not happy about it, are you judging people by the way you would think in the same situation? When you say greedy - is it really? I offer prices lower than other schools and helped to drop the prices for the whole industry, not long time ago standard price was 28,000 Baht. I really don't know if that is greedy. Maybe you tell me. Also for your information I have not got my money back for the building of the Walen school in Chiangmai, have you ever visited? both floors? no expense spared.

Walen School - offering competitive prices!

www.thaiwalen.com

You thai Visa ads? You mean the one adversiting 1 year visas? Actually, CMU were advertising their Thai program in Thai forums for months.

[Mario2008]

flaming post deleted.

Edit: a reply to it as well.

[MacWalen]

"You thai Visa ads? You mean the one adversiting 1 year visas? Actually, CMU were advertising their Thai program in Thai forums for months."

Maybe they were but are not now obviously. Also they got the idea of student visa support form Walen. I cannot prove it but I am quite sure of it. They were not doing it before, also not sure it this is just coincidence but the use of purple colour by then is striking similarity to Walen, perhaps that is the colour of the Chiangmai University so I could be wrong here. We inspired many many new schools of Thai in Thailand in the past few years.

Walen School - truly unique

www.thaiwalen.com