Education Visa Information?

[ScotsExpat]

Hi everyone...

My employer is moving me to BKK within the next month or two, and I have read some interesting pieces on the Education visa rules.

I do, however, have some specific questions regards my particular situation I am hoping someone can assist with.

My GF, a Russian national, will be accompanying me to BKK and my employer is unable to arrange a visa for her, as we are not yet married. This is something we plan on doing later this year / early next year, but do not want to have to do a 'quicky' just for the sake of a stamp.

So, as a citizen of a non native-English speaking country, I have been looking for info on the Ed visa for learning English.

Here is the thing tho. She speaks better English than I do (I'm a Scot). She had completed 3 years of University to teach English and French and, dutring a gap year, got work and never returned to complete her studies.

Would it be cheeky as hell to come in on the assertion that she is in Thailand to learn English, when she can obviously speak it very well. Do I get her to talk pidgin English when at the Thai embassy? Is there a course she could do to complete her studies so that she can actually gain something from the classes, other than a visa..

[lopburi3]

Why not study Thai as most others do? If going to be here with you it would seem useful.

[ScotsExpat]

Why not study Thai as most others do? If going to be here with you it would seem useful.

Useful for Thailand, yes. I only plan on being in BKK for 2 - 3 years, then moving on elsewhere (I am currently in Dubai, before that Houston). Whilst it would be useful for those 2 - 3 years, its usefulness would end upon departure, whereas a degree, for example, in English would be useful after departing...

[wayned]

She could enroll in a university and try to get credits toward her degree.

[tombkk]

She could even seek employment and come on a business visa, if that idea is not too radical.

[ScotsExpat]

She could even seek employment and come on a business visa, if that idea is not too radical.

She, and I, would far prefer that, but I would like to have the Ed visa as a backup, in case she cant find work within the timescales for my arrival. Do you know of any employment sites I could put her onto? As I have said earlier, her is English is perfect, and I believe that Thailand is becoming more and more a tourist destination for Russian visitors. She works in the Real Estate market in Dubai, currently (not an agent, but Project Management, fit outs, billing etc),

[tombkk]

She could even seek employment and come on a business visa, if that idea is not too radical.

She, and I, would far prefer that, but I would like to have the Ed visa as a backup, in case she cant find work within the timescales for my arrival. Do you know of any employment sites I could put her onto? As I have said earlier, her is English is perfect, and I believe that Thailand is becoming more and more a tourist destination for Russian visitors. She works in the Real Estate market in Dubai, currently (not an agent, but Project Management, fit outs, billing etc),

There is a huge Russian-language real estate market in Thailand. She'll find her way around easily.

[richard10365]

I think she should see about transfering her credits from the university she started in back in the west to a university here in Thailand. There are plenty degree producing programs in Bangkok that teach some form of an English program. For example, in the university that I am in, the cirriculum from the classes she took in her former university would have to match up, at least 80%, with the cirriculum here. If it does, the credits will transfer. I think the rules are similar throughout Thailand. Then once you are married, both with degrees and working, you will enjoy a higher standard of living. However, I'm not sure how long she has been out of school and if that plays a role in if the credits are accepted or not. Someone else might be able to comment on that.

[cup-O-coffee]

Just do whatever you need to get what you want. You do not need approval from people who try to sound sage, and no disrespect to them. Everyone is in some way connected with corruption in this country, whether they are cognizant or in-cognizant of it. Asking for advice on matters like this is difficult, because you will usually get the puritan advice, and not the kind of advice that will get you what you want and still keep you safe and sound from being singled out. Just keep asking around and use all that information to make a general and fairly accurate assessment of the situation.

If she wants to study English, it is her right because it is not her native language. It is no more hypocritical for her to do that than it is for immigration to interview students only studying Thai and ignore interviewing people who study other languages. This is just the tip of the ice-berg and expands as you go deeper, and you do not want to do that.

So, don't worry about the semantics of what is right and what is wrong, because nothing you read here on this subject can be proven - only supported, but that is only the experience of one person in that one situation.

You will find that it is a lot bigger world of reality out there than what you can get here or what is allowed, respectfully. You just keep on searching and asking and you will indeed find the right place, and your GF will be finer than frog hairs. Just follow your conscience, because there is something for every conscience herein that allows all parties to walk away happy, in spite of the critics. But, respectfully speaking, if you learn to keep your mouth shut, then you eliminate that factor.

All the best!