Extension of 2nd year ED denied at Immigration CM

[divinio]

After my first year at one of the schools in CM, I switched to another school for my second year ED.

I'm attending all classes and try to learn the language. During my visit at Chiang Mai immigration recently (to extend after 90 days), I was roasted by the lady from Immigration in a rather aggressive way. Speaking, reading and writing test with a military command. Asking me to show my books from school, which I didn't bring with me unfortunately. I did have my notebook with me with tens of pages where you can clearly see my step by step learning to write. She didn't believe I wrote that myself and I had to read some of it. I told her in Thai that currently I'm reading as a 5 year old student but she just shouted back that it wasn't good enough. She went to the office of the big boss and came back 5 minutes later with a big smile on her face telling me the boss had refused my extension and that I would have to go back to Vientiane to get a new ED. I asked her for what reason i got refused and she shouted back "because boss say!!!". I asked her again what I did wrong and got replied the same "because boss say!!!"

I immediately went to my school and after half an hour I was back at immigration with one of the staff and after some talking they granted me an extra month to sort things out.

This happened about 2 weeks ago and has really upset me a lot in the way they barked at me. I am a regular student and I am struggling with the language for sure. You can learn all the words you want from books but that doesn't make you speak a language. You need to find a local (gf, friend, ....) that takes the time to speak with you daily. The truth is most Thais don't feel like talking with you as to a 5 year old. Examples as: i bought these yellow shoes yesterday at the market opposite of the hospital -or- on Tuesdays and Thursdays John goes to school to learn to read Thai at 10 a.m. - and so on and on are hard to use in your daily contacts with friends. So you miss the little connection words to make sentences and you keep feeling uncomfortable as the Thais will not understand you even if you say it pretty good. So they are more than happy to talk bad Tinglish because we learn to understand that awkward language and your own learning curve is a bad one. Many young people graduate from Thai universities after years of classes and speak less English than my current level of Thai. That barking officer at Immigration has a level that is mediocre at the least. Yet the immigration expects you to be of a high level after a good year in a Thai school. I speak 5 languages and this makes me struggle more too. When I'm looking for a Thai word, it will first pop up in any of the other languages in my head. Now I spend an hour a day with my gf (i forced her) talking the very basic Thai of my first school books as I believe this is the only way to get it kick started in my head.

This is a shit period of time for ED's for sure as I believe they are just kicking on everybody they can. I agree that many people just misuse the system of the ED's but not everybody. Yet we are now all "guilty" until proven otherwise. I will try to get another ED soon, probably in f#### Vientiane again and hoping to get accepted again. The insecurity is high but I will get prepared more. My feeling is to go by air this time and get all the documents (ex copy university degree and cash) with me. The schools are in a total panic situation too as they will probably be losing many students and income. And to be honest they aren't helping out a lot for the moment but who can blame them as it's the wild west for the moment in farang-world of visas. I'm just wondering if I should go ahead before August 29 with it all or wait to go after that. My visa expires on September 13

[craigp]

OP, I think I've met the immigration officer you're referring too! She is evil. In fact CM is the worst immigration place I've had to visit by far.

[monk213]

wow they are already doing testing at immigration now are they? I can hold a conversation in Thai really well but I can barely read or write. I shall have to be civil and talk my way around it, which is possible. Knowing how to speak Thai gets you pretty far in a lot of situations I have learned over the past few years.

[mataleo]

Glad i will study english

[ubonjoe]

I have removed some off topic and abusive posts.

Under the new rules that go into effect on the 29th the longest you can get extensions on the same visa entry is one year.

They could be invoking the new rules early.

[balo]

I will start learning Russian , they do offer different languages at some schools. Lets see how the immigration will handle that !

Edited August 12, 2014 by balo

[madmonk888]

Not a nice experience to have at the Immigration Office, I've heard they were getting stricter and asking more

questions but that seems harsh.

I wonder what is going on at the airports with the Io's there and with new visas and also people with extensions on ED visas

I have to travel on the 31st , 2 days after the 29th and as posted the schools are in turmoil... How many actual

people are here to purely be students and for no other reason !

[JLCrab]

I will start learning Russian , they do offer different languages at some schools. Lets see how the immigration will handle that !

They will (maybe) delay your extension until they can arrange for an Immigration officer that speaks Russian to de-brief you.

[divinio]

I have lived in CM on tourist visa runs in the beginning. Planning to just stay for a year at first. So they know your face and in my opinion that's not a good thing. You already get a judgemental farang-profit-stamp on your head for taking advantage of their systems.

It was a miracle that I stayed so friendly to her because I was this close to slam her head on that visa stamp until she choked on it.

Kept telling myself she could kick me out in a finger snap and I even had the feeling she was actually trying to get me lose it so that she could do just that.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

So this is the woman who sits at the far right and the desk closest behind the counter that does the 90 reports?

I have only had good experiences with her.

I think the other officer who processes education visa's who sits at the desk behind is a guy.

[divinio]

the tomboy looking one in the back yes on the right hand side got me this time. first time I had to deal with her

the one in front of her also came to her desk at one time and they both started to chant together "go back laos!!!!!" amazing thailand-moment that was for sure

[paz]

the tomboy looking one in the back yes on the right hand side got me this time. first time I had to deal with her

the one in front of her also came to her desk at one time and they both started to chant together "go back laos!!!!!" amazing thailand-moment that was for sure

They were meaning that after having been in country for an year, you will need to go get a new ED visa, as everybody will, per new rules.

As ubonjoe indicated, the date of the 29th does means nothing to them, they have been already briefed and instructed about it, and are not willing to give any leeway.

On top of that she tried to fail you on your Thai proficiency, that was for sure the worst part.

I think that the one month extension you got has been already a reasonable success considering the situation, you could have got 7 days only.

[Timwin]

As ubonjoe indicated, the date of the 29th does means nothing to them, they have been already briefed and instructed about it, and are not willing to give any leeway.

That what bugs me the most. They are making up their own rules and using rules that are not even valid yet. If they had proper tests at immigration that would be fine. Or supervised tests in schools.

Some officer shouting at you "go home farang" is not a test, it is a case of abuse. The Suvarnabhumi Airport detention room is full, according to "asean" because officers there started making their own rules. He seems to be a lawyer helping farangs.

[divinio]

I dress up nicely and talk politely

I didn't show up in a Singha t-shirt and flip flops nor do i have blurred eyes of an alcoholic

This post wasn't made to get judgemental but that's what TV stands for.

As somebody said, i agree i'm lucky to get an extra month. If barking was part of the briefing they got then by all means disregard my original post

[ubonjoe]

This topic is shorter than it was because I have removed several post that were off topic, defamatory, etc and unhelpful.

[horsewell]

When I first started learning Thai I did two things. One was have a vocabulary building program for constant repetition. Second was to find Thai people with nothing but time to waste and speak Thai language until they understood, refusing to speak English. Carry a dictionary with me everywhere, now in my phone.

Got me up and running quickly. Also, vocabulary program helped with the spelling. That's one of the big issues with writing.

Just speaking to one person is not good enough as they will get used to you bad Thai language skills. Needs to be a bunch of people.

It's one reason you would learn Thai language in Thailand. To be with Thai people and speak their language to them.

It's true from the people going to learn Thai at these private schools is that they never use the language often enough to remember the vocabulary. I'm talking about people that go to all the lessons too.

From my impressions the rigorous ness of most courses is below par at best. If students don't spend a lot of time on their own revising, reviewing and practicing with native speakers it would take years to even just get the basics down.

Almost every activity will include interaction with Thai people. So lots of chance to do the above.

As for being denied an extension. It's a shame and hopefully something can be done. As regards to immigration doing on the spot tests, it's hardly fair. Hope that somehow the tests are at least standardized and the schools are held accountable to keep their students to the required level. I guess this is the warning for everyone.

[moe666]

OP, I think I've met the immigration officer you're referring too! She is evil. In fact CM is the worst immigration place I've had to visit by far.

In three years time never a problem with staff and always helpful

[moe666]

They know that people have been gaming the system for years to stay in Thailand and I would say many of the officers are probably happy that there is now a crack down. Unfortunate that many like the OP who are going to school and following the rules get thrown into the same box as the goof-offs, if the officers did act this way I would ay unprofessional. At CM immigration I have never had a problem and the staff very helpful.

[moe666]

After my next extension I will let you know

[divinio]

I have never experienced this attitude in the past 3 years so i was very surprised as well by their hostile behavior this time

[monk213]

When I first started learning Thai I did two things. One was have a vocabulary building program for constant repetition. Second was to find Thai people with nothing but time to waste and speak Thai language until they understood, refusing to speak English. Carry a dictionary with me everywhere, now in my phone.

Got me up and running quickly. Also, vocabulary program helped with the spelling. That's one of the big issues with writing.

Just speaking to one person is not good enough as they will get used to you bad Thai language skills. Needs to be a bunch of people.

It's one reason you would learn Thai language in Thailand. To be with Thai people and speak their language to them.

It's true from the people going to learn Thai at these private schools is that they never use the language often enough to remember the vocabulary. I'm talking about people that go to all the lessons too.

From my impressions the rigorous ness of most courses is below par at best. If students don't spend a lot of time on their own revising, reviewing and practicing with native speakers it would take years to even just get the basics down.

Almost every activity will include interaction with Thai people. So lots of chance to do the above.

As for being denied an extension. It's a shame and hopefully something can be done. As regards to immigration doing on the spot tests, it's hardly fair. Hope that somehow the tests are at least standardized and the schools are held accountable to keep their students to the required level. I guess this is the warning for everyone.

The best way to learn a language is to mingle with locals, that is what I have been doing for a few years, I have no farang friends anymore, mainly through choice. My girlfriend can barely speak English and in class I get easily bored at the standard of Thai. But, I need to brush up on my reading and writing and fast

[Mario2008]

2 political comments removed.

Edit:

1 more removed.

[simon43]

I will start learning Russian , they do offer different languages at some schools. Lets see how the immigration will handle that !

They will (maybe) delay your extension until they can arrange for an Immigration officer that speaks Russian to de-brief you.

From another thread on this topic, if you are learning a different language from Thai, then they will still test your Thai language skills!!

[oMega69]

OP, I think I've met the immigration officer you're referring too! She is evil. In fact CM is the worst immigration place I've had to visit by far.

I can tell that the Immigration office in Samut Prakan is most likely the worst in TH.

Also most schools can make the 90 day report for you for a small fee . . . . "maybe only in Pattaya"

Edited August 12, 2014 by oMega69

[craigp]

OP, I think I've met the immigration officer you're referring too! She is evil. In fact CM is the worst immigration place I've had to visit by far.

In three years time never a problem with staff and always helpful

What? Are you predicting in the year 2017 the CM staff are going to be helpful?

[balo]

In the year 2017 there will be no expats or long term residents under 50 years old left in Thailand. Good for the old man , can keep the young chicks for himself.

[divinio]

Would be smart to invest money in buffalos now. Many girls will have to head back to isaan to stay with the family

[rob2013]

Speaking of a 2nd year ED visa. I've been studying for a year now following my school's program and assumed I would goto Laos to get a new visa for the second year. However my school have said that this isn't possible. They can only give me 12 months and no further extension. <deleted> TIT

So do I just find another good school, signup with them and then goto Laos in order to continue studying this difficult language? I've read nothing of changes to applying for a second ED.

[Kitsune]

Speaking of a 2nd year ED visa. I've been studying for a year now following my school's program and assumed I would goto Laos to get a new visa for the second year. However my school have said that this isn't possible. They can only give me 12 months and no further extension. <deleted> TIT

So do I just find another good school, signup with them and then goto Laos in order to continue studying this difficult language? I've read nothing of changes to applying for a second ED.

May be they realize they will soon be out of business and can't guarantee you another year, but obviously not something to openly say to a customer

[ColdSingha]

In the year 2017 there will be no expats or long term residents under 50 years old left in Thailand. Good for the old man , can keep the young chicks for himself.

i think you are underestimating the resilience of those under 50, they'll adapt.

as for the young chicks, i've seen the ones you old guys hang out with.. you can keep em

Edited August 13, 2014 by ColdSingha