Changes to education visa requirements

[mynameisphil]

As for the changes, 4 or 8 hours, no difference, it's not exactly gonna wear you out, plus you'll probably learn a bit better, the only thing would be the price rising for a year's study, bit of a pain.

The hours is not an issue, at least not for legitmate students but paying double now from what was paid before is the issue.

Yeah of course, completely understandable. Bit of a nightmare.

[Zlabermacht]

mynameisphil, on 04 Nov 2014 - 15:40, said:

I'm currently looking to start studying, not sure if I should hold off and get a tourist visa until everything is clear?

I'm in Chiang Mai, currently looking to find a school, any recommendations would be great. Ideally cheap, but a legit place where you learn and there's no visa issues. I know Walen is close although I've heard mixed reviews and they're on the higher end of the price scale, so I'm just looking for others before I jump in.

As for the changes, 4 or 8 hours, no difference, it's not exactly gonna wear you out, plus you'll probably learn a bit better, the only thing would be the price rising for a year's study, bit of a pain.

Hi Phil, I assume you want to learn Thai language, of course In Chiang Mai you have quite of a few options, but the best one in my opinion is the Language Institute of Chiang Mai University. Though, I also heard very good about the Payap University courses.

I would suggest, if you are really interested in learning as good as you can, and if you want to minimize the chances of hassles of any kind with the visas, to stick on these two choices, and this for a simple reason: these are Universities, not random companies making language courses. This means they do have a different relation with the Government, possibly their activities are regulated a bit differently, and it is anyway very unlikely that they will have problems like the private schools are purportedly experiencing.

I study here at CMU since a few months and we were informed last week of some new rules coming, but that was meaning only a more strict attitude towards unexcused absences (before, formally strict but in fact veeery relaxed) and the need of a medical certificate in case you had to miss more than 2 classes per month. Not big issues so, and no changes in the schedule had ever to be made, nor more money asked. The menu is 6 hours per week, break of 3 weeks holiday every three months, here at CMU. From what I remember, it was similar at Payap.

At CMU the yearly courses are 30,000 baht or some, at Payap a little more expensive (40?) but they should give more materials while at CMU you have to buy it yourself (just a few hundreds of bahts sometimes over the months).

Yes it is a bit more expensive than among privates, but with no offence intended for the private schools and the people studying there, apart from bureaucratic advantages as described, I still think that, generally speaking, you can expect more quality teaching in a University than anywhere else. Of course there will be lots of exceptions.

[bbi1]

Hi Phil, I assume you want to learn Thai language, of course In Chiang Mai you have quite of a few options, but the best one in my opinion is the Language Institute of Chiang Mai University. Though, I also heard very good about the Payap University courses.

I would suggest, if you are really interested in learning as good as you can, and if you want to minimize the chances of hassles of any kind with the visas, to stick on these two choices, and this for a simple reason: these are Universities, not random companies making language courses. This means they do have a different relation with the Government, possibly their activities are regulated a bit differently, and it is anyway very unlikely that they will have problems like the private schools are purportedly experiencing.
I study here at CMU since a few months and we were informed last week of some new rules coming, but that was meaning only a more strict attitude towards unexcused absences (before, formally strict but in fact veeery relaxed) and the need of a medical certificate in case you had to miss more than 2 classes per month. Not big issues so, and no changes in the schedule had ever to be made, nor more money asked. The menu is 6 hours per week, break of 3 weeks holiday every three months, here at CMU. From what I remember, it was similar at Payap.
At CMU the yearly courses are 30,000 baht or some, at Payap a little more expensive (40?) but they should give more materials while at CMU you have to buy it yourself (just a few hundreds of bahts sometimes over the months).

Wow 30,000 baht is good value compare to the private language schools in BKK where you only get 4hrs a week & have to pay more than that price too.

How does your uni get away with only 6hrs a week when apparently the new rules are a minimum or 8hrs a week??

Edited November 4, 2014 by bbi1

[mynameisphil]

Thanks, interesting stuff. Also wondering how they get away with 6 hours or whether they're now changing to 8?

Also, I know it's just a language course but do you need anything, qualifications etc.. to study at CMU or is anyone welcome to enrol on the course?

[paz]

Thanks, interesting stuff. Also wondering how they get away with 6 hours or whether they're now changing to 8?

So far, the minimum hours have never appeared in official, printed regulations. So each consulate or immigration office has discretion, and I think they may want to keep it this way.

[MikeN]

If schools double their cost they may loose 25% of their students.

If actual attendance 4 times a week is required they probably loose 75% of the students.

But true Thai schools offering quality instructions and good value for the money will continue to get students interested in learning.

Immigration probably assumes a true student can attend 4 days a week.

But in reality most are working.

Well quite a few of the students in my class were working ( LEGALLY ) but came to school once a week to learn the language. I cannot see them being able to take half the day off work, 4 times a week to do that though, so schools will have to have two schedules ....one for ED students at 4 days a week, another for those students who are on Non-B or other legal working visas. So people might have to wait a while until schools have enough students to run a class, that could be 2 months out of your six month ED visa !

[Zlabermacht]

mynameisphil, on 04 Nov 2014 - 17:20, said:mynameisphil, on 04 Nov 2014 - 17:20, said:

Zlabermacht, on 04 Nov 2014 - 16:10, said:Zlabermacht, on 04 Nov 2014 - 16:10, said:

Thanks, interesting stuff. Also wondering how they get away with 6 hours or whether they're now changing to 8?

Also, I know it's just a language course but do you need anything, qualifications etc.. to study at CMU or is anyone welcome to enrol on the course?

I have no idea mate, probably things are a bit more complicated than we can understand. Probably Paz is right, maybe I could even guess - but I don't know - that the Government gives more autonomy to institutions like universities compared than small schools, agencies and so on. Maybe.

No specific qualifications needed, only a decent English - yet, the worst English speaker so far is my teacher oh yes, if you are the kind of guy who need things to be deeply explained in a perfect English, then you will have some headaches in the CMU courses. But a lot of people, modestly including myself, are able to learn anyway, so I don't think is that important to have a fluent English speaking teacher, at least not at a basic level.

Edited November 4, 2014 by Zlabermacht

[Zlabermacht]

MikeN, on 04 Nov 2014 - 18:19, said:MikeN, on 04 Nov 2014 - 18:19, said:MikeN, on 04 Nov 2014 - 18:19, said:

Sorry, so I am wrong to think you can't legally work while on ED Visa? Maybe are there different kinds of ED Visa?

Anyway, it is among the rules here at CMU, but I thought it was actually illegal and not only prohibited by the course rules. Thank you, I know I could check around TV and find the answer myself but I hope this point remarked here could be useful to others as well

Edited November 4, 2014 by Zlabermacht

[Zlabermacht]

brianp0803, on 04 Nov 2014 - 07:01, said:

I am in complete agreement with the Thai government's immigration changes.

It seems they have the same opinion as me on Ed Visa abuse by students and schools.

They are trying to improve the country.

This may be an unpopular opinion.

I agree with you, sir. Not that unpopular, at least among legit students and people legit working in Thailand.

[brianp0803]

MikeN, on 04 Nov 2014 - 18:19, said:MikeN, on 04 Nov 2014 - 18:19, said:MikeN, on 04 Nov 2014 - 18:19, said:

Sorry, so I am wrong to think you can't legally work while on ED Visa? Maybe are there different kinds of ED Visa?

Anyway, it is among the rules here at CMU, but I thought it was actually illegal and not only prohibited by the course rules. Thank you, I know I could check around TV and find the answer myself but I hope this point remarked here could be useful to others as well

I heard that while studying at a university on an ED Visa it is possible to do an internship related to the field of study. This would be directed by the school as part of the degree program.

[MikeN]

MikeN, on 04 Nov 2014 - 18:19, said:MikeN, on 04 Nov 2014 - 18:19, said:MikeN, on 04 Nov 2014 - 18:19, said:

Sorry, so I am wrong to think you can't legally work while on ED Visa? Maybe are there different kinds of ED Visa?

Anyway, it is among the rules here at CMU, but I thought it was actually illegal and not only prohibited by the course rules. Thank you, I know I could check around TV and find the answer myself but I hope this point remarked here could be useful to others as well

Huh ?? If you were referring to what I wrote "Well quite a few of the students in my class were working ( LEGALLY ) but came to school once a week to learn the language", Don't forget you do not have to be on an ED visa to study Thai, you can do it while on a work visa of any kind.(which is what these people were doing).

But yes, it is illegal to work on an ED visa

[Zlabermacht]

MikeN, on 04 Nov 2014 - 22:01, said:MikeN, on 04 Nov 2014 - 22:01, said:MikeN, on 04 Nov 2014 - 22:01, said:

Oh ok, yes for sure you don't have to be on an ED visa in order to take a class to learn the language. Yet it seemed to me that the people you were referring to were interested in the changes of the rules (8 hours per week, more days a week, which you say they couldn't comply due to their work schedules) rules which are specifically made in order to be legitimately on a ED visa.

I mean, if they are just coming to school but they are on another kind of visa, they should not be interested in the requirements to have a legit ED visa, nor the school should, am I wrong? maybe there's something I am not grasping, sorry.

Anyway, the important thing is that, except some very special cases - e.g. teaching or researching in the same field of study - you confirm that nobody will NEVER legitimately work on a ED visa

Edited November 4, 2014 by Zlabermacht

[bbi1]

Thanks, interesting stuff. Also wondering how they get away with 6 hours or whether they're now changing to 8?

So far, the minimum hours have never appeared in official, printed regulations. So each consulate or immigration office has discretion, and I think they may want to keep it this way.

If that is the case, there's a lot of rubbish being spread on this forum by people & also language school owners about it being now 8hrs/week.

[bbi1]

I am in complete agreement with the Thai government's immigration changes.

They are trying to improve the country

How? By making it easy for sex-starved Western pensioners to park their <deleted> on bar stools all day?

Stop talking rubbish.

Dunno about you but I think a younger fella earning and spending lots of money in restaurants, malls and the real estate market is far better for the country than an old boy on a goat-cheese pension eating 30 baht meals at a food hall and nursing a happy hour shandy all night.

I agree. If they want to improve the country, they should do a crackdown on those type of people & get them out out.

[paz]

If that is the case, there's a lot of rubbish being spread on this forum by people & also language school owners about it being now 8hrs/week.

No, all I'm saying is that is perfectly possible that Savannakhet Laos requires 4 hrs/week while Penang Malaysia requires 8. There is zero advantage for the schools in an increase in minimum study hours.

[bbi1]

There is zero advantage for the schools in an increase in minimum study hours.

There is the money advantage. They will(are) charge(charging) students double the hours therefore double the money.

Edited November 4, 2014 by bbi1

[paz]

There is the money advantage. They will(are) charge(charging) students double the hours therefore double the money.

Not really because they will loose more than one half of the students. At 70,000 Baht / year , ED visa is not attractive anymore. Many schools have closed doors already.

[bbi1]

There is the money advantage. They will(are) charge(charging) students double the hours therefore double the money.

Not really because they will loose more than one half of the students. At 70,000 Baht / year , ED visa is not attractive anymore. Many schools have closed doors already.

Yeah, that's true. It makes it crazy to pay that much for it.

[brianp0803]

I have a few friends on Ed Visa. They tell me all the students in t heir class on on Ed Visa.

They tell me many people in their class are independent contractors.

Those independent contractors brag about how good they are for

Thailand and how much money they spend in Thailand and Thailand needs their money.

Difficult to learn with the environment.

[ubonjoe]

Off topic posts and replies to them have been removed.

[Pattaya46]

If that is the case, there's a lot of rubbish being spread on this forum by people & also language school owners about it being now 8hrs/week.

Hi. I had a short talk with one of my ex-teacher yesterday. She teaches in 2 schools in Pattaya.

She told me nearly nothing changed for students. It's still 180 lessons/year and most of them choose 2x2 lessons/week => 45 weeks, about 1 year. A few ones prefer 4x2 lessons/week.

There are apparently changes for the school though, with lot of more papers to fill or ask than a few years back.

[paz]

Hi. I had a short talk with one of my ex-teacher yesterday. She teaches in 2 schools in Pattaya.

She told me nearly nothing changed for students. It's still 180 lessons/year and most of them choose 2x2 lessons/week => 45 weeks, about 1 year. A few ones prefer 4x2 lessons/week.

There are apparently changes for the school though, with lot of more papers to fill or ask than a few years back.

The inconsistency has been there for a long time. Before, some offices would extend for 1 year, others for 90 days. Some offices accepted online lessons, some consulates issued the visa others did not. It seems the same now, Phuket does a crackdown, other places don't. Nothing but the "90 days up to 1 year" rule has been published and confusion reigns.

Edited November 5, 2014 by paz