Those staying on ED Visa must now attend school 5 days a week

[thaibook]

This country will soon very lonely for the few foreigners with work permit. Maybe they can make friendship with the old retirement farts who mainly complain about everything.

"Maybe they can make friendship with the old retirement farts who mainly complain about everything."

So does your complaint imply that you are "an old retirement fart?"

Floods, tsunamis, riots, protestors, coups have hardly done much to curb the presence of foreigners and whatever drops there have been in arrivals has always been reversed fairly quickly. I doubt that requiring people (who claim they come to Thailand to study) to actually attend school is going to have any noticeable impact on the farang population.

And it may have escaped your notice, but there are 67 million Thais here. No need to feel lonely unless you choose to stay in your self-imposed bubble of farangitude.

Not directly related to the thread, but I am intrigued by the farangitude bubble. Perhaps the associated behaviour and consequences of living in "farangville" or in a state of "farangitude" are different. One probably needs more money for the former.

[CWMcMurray]

I don't realy get something.

I payed already 24,000 bahts, for 180 hours of thai classes, and 1 year of ED visa.

What will happen to me, then ? I have to pay more ?

Edit : and I never signed something about 2 hours / day -- 5 days / week, because I made the paper work for my second year in wallen school, last week.

Well I would at least wait to see if there is a formal announcement first... But if so...and this is true

Then would seem that at 180 hrs, you would have 18 weeks of lessons...

For 1 year, would need total 520 hours... Which at the above rate would be another aprox 45k

So total cost tuition cost of aprox 69k per year or aprox 276k for 4

Years

For that price why not go for a degree ? There are some international undergraduate programs that are similarly priced (on the low end)

http://www.studyinthailand.org/study_abroad_thailand_university/international_Bachelor_degree_programs.html

[Jingthing]

Well, it will shake out a lot of non-serious "students" only using the ED as a visa loophole. But as usual, unintended consequences. What about lost jobs of Thai teachers?

[Absolut]

Some schools have different rules to others. Go to Walen, ask for Mac in person, he will sort you out

Has nothing to do with the schools or your beloved McWalen.

It is a requirement of the MOE to issue the enrolment documentation for a ED visa.

All students will have to sign a declaration that they will attend 5 days a week.

And then immigration can show up for a raid on ANY day Monday to Friday, and then if you are not in school, you can have your visa cancelled, or your next extension will not be approved.

Assuming they know which 2 hours of every day classes are being taught to every person on an ED visa at any particular school.

I'm going to guess the schools are open more than 2 hours a day, as such are they obliged to define the hours on the ED visa that the person will be there?

If one person attends 9am - 11am and another at 3pm - 5pm and immigration show up Midday then what?

[CWMcMurray]

May not cause any loss to Thai Teachers..

As those sticking around will have to take 5 times as many hours of study...

So even if students dropped by 80%... Still same number of total hours

In fact may mean more teachers needed but just smaller class sizes

Which means lower teacher / student ratio

Although with smaller class size, profitability for the schools maybe a bit less...

[Jingthing]

Wait a second.

Won't schools be required just to keep records?

Sure they could fake them but with a serious crackdown won't that mean those schools will lose their ED legitimacy, or worse?

[ironbark]

That is only 10 hours a week, What about schools that hold 2x5hr classes. or some other combination.

In Australia there was/is a lot of abuse and the conditions there are a lot tougher. It's easy for some one to put a tick in a roll book.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[ronthai]

They (school) have my phone number

[gigman]

 

Hi. I fear that - without any name or document copy - it's just one more rumour.
Several ones already about a higher minimum days and/or hours, but nothing written yet.

BTW it would be technically difficult for many schools:
I know one by example who open only 3 days by week (Mon, Wed, Fri)
on other 3 days teachers work in other schools...

 

I just wander how many unconfirmed rumours will be on this site.
Mostly I wander why some are so sarcastically happy about changes (if).......
If this is to be new way to get rid of foreigners then even people on retirement will go under more preasure....

I actually study Thai at Walem 3 times a week for 3 hours every time and to be honest it is not so easy as others think.I can easly go for retirement visa hence I do not care about changes but it is not smart way to push people for 5 days travelling just for 2 hours when my travel takes 2 hours one way....
Main problem will arrive ...if people can afford to do this . It is just stupid idea or just way to get rid of everyone from this country.
If... this is to be new rule then also schools will suffer and all teachers . This kind of new rule definately will cool down people all over the world with idea study anything in Thailand.
Again...If those new rules will be implemented then even I must seriously consider other part of the world to spend my retirement days because even retirement in Thailand will follow more drastic rules which are already not very fair.
It will hurt everyone those who seriously study in Thailand and those who just love to live in this country.
What is wrong about that????? not to mention that we are paying for our living here .

P.S

Still , I am shaking my head on those who already trying to do statistics..........did you ever attend Thai language school????.Can you write and read Thai????

Because I can ...after 4 months in Walen school ..but in Walen ... there is more students who are better then me. I need time for different classes to have just more live conversation but if someone want to control me like a child then I just lost my time , interest, and money in this country.

I am to old for this.

Edited July 27, 2014 by gigman

[paz]

I just wander how many unconfirmed rumours will be on this site.

Mostly I wander why some are so sarcastically happy about changes (if).......

If this is to be new way to get rid of foreigners then even people on retirement will go under more preasure....

I actually study Thai at Walem 3 times a week for 3 hours every time and to be honest it is not so easy as others think.I can easly go for retirement visa hence I do not care about changes but it is not smart way to push people for 5 days travelling just for 2 hours when my travel takes 2 hours one way....

Main problem will arrive ...if people can afford to do this . It is just stupid idea or just way to get rid of everyone from this country.

If... this is to be new rule then also schools will suffer and all teachers . This kind of new rule definately will cool down people all over the world with idea study anything in Thailand.

Again...If those new rules will be implemented then even I must seriously consider other part of the world to spend my retirement days because even retirement in Thailand will follow more drastic rules which are already not very fair.

It will hurt everyone those who seriously study in Thailand and those who just love to live in this country.

What is wrong about that????? not to mention that we are paying for our living here and .

Don't worry. You are doing tremendously good already with 9 hrs a week!

Also others that do less than that, really have nothing to worry.

Of course you can say - who am I to tell you this. Well, I'm nobody, just wait and see.

[gigman]

Some schools have different rules to others. Go to Walen, ask for Mac in person, he will sort you out

Has nothing to do with the schools or your beloved McWalen.

It is a requirement of the MOE to issue the enrolment documentation for a ED visa.

All students will have to sign a declaration that they will attend 5 days a week.

And then immigration can show up for a raid on ANY day Monday to Friday, and then if you are not in school, you can have your visa cancelled, or your next extension will not be approved.

And what about schools who offer skype lessons ??

Call me a dunce, but folk can learn Thai in their own country via Skype. Do NOT need an ED visa in LOS. Of course if the scholar lives in LOS then nooooooooo problem, but a scholar with noooooooo connections to LOS can live in his own country to learn.

Mate you have no Idea how hard is to learn Thai .

Learning on Skype is only for those who already learn face to face before otherwise it is just joke.

Did you every watch lessons on Skype?? I guess NOT....Then why are you so sarcastic about people wanted and choose Thailand to be ??

Do you think human life is best with borders?? ( look what happened in Europe...is this so bad that people can choose places to live in this world???)

Are you in Thailand??? writing your ideas ...

Did you try to have conversation with Thai's in village?? this is a big different even people speaking in TV and on poor streets!

How many languages did you learn ?

Because this is my 5-th language ....Thai. and it is difficult !

And to be more precise .... I can understand my g/f a lot more face to face then on Skype when I away

Ohhhh just can not believe I am here on this site..

[gigman]

I just wander how many unconfirmed rumours will be on this site.

Mostly I wander why some are so sarcastically happy about changes (if).......

If this is to be new way to get rid of foreigners then even people on retirement will go under more preasure....

I actually study Thai at Walem 3 times a week for 3 hours every time and to be honest it is not so easy as others think.I can easly go for retirement visa hence I do not care about changes but it is not smart way to push people for 5 days travelling just for 2 hours when my travel takes 2 hours one way....

Main problem will arrive ...if people can afford to do this . It is just stupid idea or just way to get rid of everyone from this country.

If... this is to be new rule then also schools will suffer and all teachers . This kind of new rule definately will cool down people all over the world with idea study anything in Thailand.

Again...If those new rules will be implemented then even I must seriously consider other part of the world to spend my retirement days because even retirement in Thailand will follow more drastic rules which are already not very fair.

It will hurt everyone those who seriously study in Thailand and those who just love to live in this country.

What is wrong about that????? not to mention that we are paying for our living here and .

Don't worry. You are doing tremendously good already with 9 hrs a week!

Also others that do less than that, really have nothing to worry.

Of course you can say - who am I to tell you this. Well, I'm nobody, just wait and see.

Thanks,

But everything have a reason.

I love Thai people and this country and if any harsh rule will be applied then "stick have two ends"

And people should discuss on this site with some knowledge ..not hatred for better solutions to the problem

People allover the world must look for countries like Thai to avoid stupidity of own government rule and wanting us just to quickly die when retirement start.

[gigman]

I don't

realy get something.

I payed already 24,000 bahts, for 180 hours of thai classes, and 1 year of ED visa.

What will happen to me, then ? I have to pay more ?

Edit : and I never signed something about 2 hours / day -- 5 days / week, because I made the paper work for my second year in wallen school, last week.

Hey. don't worry mate.

I am in the same school .

Simply we must encourage teachers about our point of view.

I believe that all this we are worry will need more consideration in government.

Those who spread or sarcastically spread opinions never even tried Thai schools here. I met many who gave up after first approach and complaining on system just wasting time in the bars.

Look how many are isolated from locals because of this language they never dare to learn .

I am 62 and have no help from my g/f at all because I prefer to learn properly first from teachers.

We will see what happened but to get panic does not make any good here.

Always is solution .

And for those who are so critical about us in Thai schools;.......we already study 9 hours per week ..hence 2 hours per week does not change much (that's 10 hours/week )

It looks for me ...some does need calculatior...

What will be the different.....just more hassle for us and less time to learn at home.

[breaker]

Gigman, what are most difficult things in Thai language (in your opinion)?

Pronunciation? Or something else?

[gigman]

2 hours? what a joke! in reality if you study something you should attend to class at least 5 hours a day..

5 hours a day is a bit much. I have done 4 a day one-on-one for some languages and that was a lot. Then you go home, relax, and study everything you have learned. I guess in a group things go more slowly, maybe--not sure what the situation is here.

He he,

3 hours per day is just enough for me learning and trying to memorize everything including even differences in speaking with different teachers.

After each day when I finish I do not know which way to return home hehehe

And my only thing is to try to repeat lessons at home not to be lost for next lessons.

Thanks Budda we have phones with cameras and we can takes shots from whiteboard to rewrite it on home whiteboard

[slipperylobster]

Some schools have different rules to others. Go to Walen, ask for Mac in person, he will sort you out

And then immigration can show up for a raid on ANY day Monday to Friday, and then if you are not in school, you can have your visa cancelled, or your next extension will not be approved.

There are so many holidays, you will not be required to attend on all those days. Also, medical, legitimate appointments should not be a problem, if you get written consent.

[gigman]

Gigman, what are most difficult things in Thai language (in your opinion)?

Pronunciation? Or something else?

hi

As for myself being at 62 is not the age because I feel 40 heheh just pronunciation from different teachers .

The ability to have good hearing is advantage but even one of my many profesions is to be musician is not any advantage for me.

One of our teachers have talent to understand our problem because she learned English by herself ! When I reviled this in classroom ....nobody could believe because she speak so good and read and write.....

Everyone one loves her lessons because she teach us things how to bypass learning time and have understanding of even Thai culture and how to use this language.

Seriously ...most difficult is to be concentrated on listening and not to be ashame to ask the questions ls in classroom ....even over and over. ( but nobody wants to look like stupid hehehe)

for eg. I tried to learn alphabet by myself for 2 months and I learned only 12 from 44...

After my first lesson I felt so uncomfortable seeing others knowing nearly all 44 then same evening I spent 4 hours and I learned and memorized nearly whole of it.

Vowels are still not my best part but teachers are not pushing about it because we learning it with reading.

I think "Tones" we be a difficult part but to be honest if you will start understand Thai's even a little then your spoken "funny" Thai could be a good source for them for loughing and probably even easier to find close friendship.

Believe me I have had best time in my life in the my g/f mother village My Thai nearly killed them all from laughing but they guessed what I wanted to say.

They hardly wait for my return.

As you see it is fun to have access to local Thai people when you can speak they language. Not to mention you will gain a lot of respect too.

Regards

[gigman]

2 hours? what a joke! in reality if you study something you should attend to class at least 5 hours a day..

Where did you get this knowledge?

Did you ever learned Thai and being over 60 ?

It is easy to say drinking Thai beer 5 hours a day.mate.

Classroom is not end of day for me , I spend many hours at home after and sometime even early morning before school hence if you never try dont be so smart.

Come with me to classroom and try what we are doing for 3 hours then you will never say again what you done here.

Anyway , you are welcome for introduction lesson....It is free . I did it and decided to study .

Still chance for you learn something properly then later maybe you will look again on 5 hours a day again.

Even kids do not have same subject 5 hours a day.....otherwise it will be "sicko" kids running on the streets

Cheers ! have another beer

[OumarhindaOunsingha]

My guess is,

Those people lying about their reason for being in Thailand, won't have a problem with one more lie.

And those people really attending a language class won't be harmed by one more signature.

On a more personal note,

I've never had a problem lying to my government, and they've never had a problem lying to me either.

hahahahahahahahahahahaaaa

good one!!!

[paz]

2 hours? what a joke! in reality if you study something you should attend to class at least 5 hours a day..

Where did you get this knowledge?

Did you ever learned Thai and being over 60 ?

It is easy to say drinking Thai beer 5 hours a day.mate.

Classroom is not end of day for me , I spend many hours at home after and sometime even early morning before school hence if you never try dont be so smart.

Come with me to classroom and try what we are doing for 3 hours then you will never say again what you done here.

Anyway , you are welcome for introduction lesson....It is free . I did it and decided to study .

Still chance for you learn something properly then later maybe you will look again on 5 hours a day again.

Even kids do not have same subject 5 hours a day.....otherwise it will be "sicko" kids running on the streets

Cheers ! have another beer

Don't even bother answering haters here, there are so many of all kinds.

Your enthusiasm and dedication is commendable even before "results" have to be evaluated, something that will never happen.

Anyway, you probably know already that in Thailand law and rules enforcement is done reasonably, and no I'm not talking corruption but just common sense.

If anything, you will have to study less not not more.

[gigman]

It is my last post for today and I must admit it was hot night reading all posts.

My personal feelings are;

1.Jealousy,jealousy.... from those who never try to learn Thai or they think it is better way not having even experience to finish one course.

2.Rest of those jokers, advisers,and even maybe not living in Thailand just making trouble on this site instead of calm and smart opinion.

3.I can even find hatred in between lines of some posts

4. Some jokers even try to make jokes on Russians ....( to be honest I found them really good in Thai school ) then why to put discrimination in this subject.

Question is; ...........

1.Why people sitting in the" same boat full of holes" desperately trying to be captain ???

2.I did not find even ONE smart opinion in this subject which still is just a little message which could be just rumour.

3.I would like to see those from Education department and visa people deciding (if this true) laughing on us if they could read all those posts..

I do not understand why Thaivisa site is packed with so many unfriendly types of people compare to other same sites from Spain , Portugal etc. ?????? where people helping each other , discussing own experiences et. but here .... just crap crap crap when it comes to visa subject for us.

The true is ....NOBODY IS SAFE HERE IN THAILAND ! and even those jokers sitting comfortable on marriage and retirement visa's can be touched by new rules coming in the future.

I can only assume that those who are learning Thai will have better chances to stay here then even those sitting years on other types of visa.

You can criticize what ordinary student should learn and how much if you did real study here otherwise you're building unnecessary mess for your own pleasure or jealousy.

Even Education departments all over the world is correcting learning time but they have experience to deal with.

Please do not forget that Thailand have now very difficult time and anything coming as new rule can be over ruled in near future hence every unexperienced comment is unnecessary.

Another thing....What is so wrong that people are trying to stay in Thailand on anything possible " whatever it takes" ????

Is it your money they spend in Thailand to survive???? that some of you are so angry??

What is your business to be so " politically correct" ???? when even NONE OF YOU HAVE CITIZENSHIP HERE and never WILL .....so why to be so "cocky" for those who just trying to.spend some good life in Thailand .???

As far they do not do crime then what is your problem?

For my understanding it must be ;

1. Jealousy

OR

2. Lack of better life education

In Final

Have a good Thai day for those good people reading and writing on this site

Don't worry be happy "

Only by smart discussion we can help each other.

Anyway in coming 2 years Tha's will create new constitution ...hence everything can be different for all Thai's and rest of us " farangs"

p.s

As Budda teachings....."Why to to be concern about tomorrow if we do not know tomorrow"

[NanLaew]

It's all about getting the low-hanging fruit. First the visa-exempt abusers, now the ED abusers. Both of these relied primarily on the honesty of the individual and enabling third parties with little face-to-face interaction with Immigration. Hence they have been pretty much taken for a ride.

As someone with the 'belt and braces' of being married AND retired with simply ages in LOS, I am not at all convinced that they will leave the next tier of non-immigrants untouched. When they do come to purge the Non-O classes, they will probably find some abusers. By the same token, both the 'marriage' and 'retirement' qualification AND YEARLY REVALIDATION already have a pretty rigid paper trail in place, be it getting the ancient wedding certificate re-validated, to 'meet the wife' filings, to getting letters endorsed by agents of your own country, to hard-copies of bank statements, right down to the silliness (but practicality) of getting an ATM statement the morning you go to file your extension.

The visa-exempt 'tourists' cull was like shooting fish in a barrel and now the ED 'students' have to either start swimming or become similarly dead in the water. Old farts can stand easy... for now. But do seriously consider having a Plan B by the end of the year or before your next extension, whatever comes first.

[Metapod]

is this confirmed yet?

where is walen?

[Centrum]

Personally know of a school that has Ed visas but doesn't have classes.

And the customers are not your regular 'farang'. No yanks, brits or aussies.

It's obviously just a business to provide visas and I'm sure it's not the only place operating this way.

Pattaya and Phuket must have dozens

[anon467367354]

which means the schools are going to have to hire more teachers or pay the teachers a lot more to be teaching the same class every day

rather than teaching it twice a week. Where are these schools going to put all these students on a daily basis?

Never yet seen a school large enough to house all the actual registered students.

[johninbkk71]

Some schools have different rules to others. Go to Walen, ask for Mac in person, he will sort you out

Has nothing to do with the schools or your beloved McWalen

It is a requirement of the MOE to issue the enrolment documentation for a ED visa.

All students will have to sign a declaration that they will attend 5 days a week.

And then immigration can show up for a raid on ANY day Monday to Friday, and then if you are not in school, you can have your visa cancelled, or your next extension will not be approved.

What is it with Thai visa and trolls taking pleasure in others visa choices or in some cases predicament and heading out false information. The requirements are 4 hours a week. You go at the end if every year for a test set by the MOE. Not the immigration, they only step in if the MOE has a problem with a school.

[desi]

This will be interesting. I've heard many times that the top visa school doesn't have enough teachers or classroom space to teach all the 'students' paying for visas. Something has to give.

[SoFarAndNear]

This country will soon very lonely for the few foreigners with work permit. Maybe they can make friendship with the old retirement farts who mainly complain about everything.

"Maybe they can make friendship with the old retirement farts who mainly complain about everything."

So does your complaint imply that you are "an old retirement fart?"

Floods, tsunamis, riots, protestors, coups have hardly done much to curb the presence of foreigners and whatever drops there have been in arrivals has always been reversed fairly quickly. I doubt that requiring people (who claim they come to Thailand to study) to actually attend school is going to have any noticeable impact on the farang population.

And it may have escaped your notice, but there are 67 million Thais here. No need to feel lonely unless you choose to stay in your self-imposed bubble of farangitude.

I have met many people here in many years. I can't remember to met someone with +60 who has spoken thai language to do more then ordering food. And most conversations with them was about how stupid and bad the Thais, the system, the government, the roads, the television contant, the Internet and everything here ist. Also most of these guys had girlfriend which were at least 25 years younger and actually seems to enjoy being treated like idiots by their girls.

[LivinLOS]

Actually, I don't think a Thai could get an ED-visa to Europe if he plans to study only 10 hours per week.

So, I think it's very fair and even generous of immigration to give a us a student visa if we study at least 10 hours per week.

Yet is that a fair comparison.. As it would be understood and expected that any student going to the west is likely to work some part time job also.. Without restricted professions, work permits, or the whole rigmarole. Where theres also a medical system provided and so many other social safety nets offered.

Not really apples to apples is it ??

[NanLaew]

Some schools have different rules to others. Go to Walen, ask for Mac in person, he will sort you out

Has nothing to do with the schools or your beloved McWalen

It is a requirement of the MOE to issue the enrolment documentation for a ED visa.

All students will have to sign a declaration that they will attend 5 days a week.

And then immigration can show up for a raid on ANY day Monday to Friday, and then if you are not in school, you can have your visa cancelled, or your next extension will not be approved.

What is it with Thai visa and trolls taking pleasure in others visa choices or in some cases predicament and heading out false information. The requirements are 4 hours a week. You go at the end if every year for a test set by the MOE. Not the immigration, they only step in if the MOE has a problem with a school.

Get over this pissing contest with those you feel are on their high horse because they have a more 'substantial' visa than the recent visa-exempt exiles and the pending ED escapees ever had.

Note that part of the 'new' procedures for visa applicants, extension applicants and re-entry is the need to sign a couple of declarations that they are fully aware of the penalties for fraudulent applications and overstays. These were also summarily poo-poohed by many on these pages before that 'OMG!' moment when people started reporting having being requested to sign these declarations well before any 'official' date had been reached.

If the holder of the ED visa is being asked to sign a similar IMMIGRATION declaration, that 'buffer' of Immigration having to deal with the MOE first is conveniently and probably quite legally bypassed.

As we all know, there are teachers and then there are "teachers" so it's not too hard a stretch to consider there are schools and there are "schools".