Phuket Immigration warns of Education Visa crackdown.

[nasa123]

Phuket Immigration warns of Education Visa crackdown

Phuket Gazette - November 17, 2014 | 05:37 PM

Foreigners caught abusing their education visa privileges will be detained at the Phuket Immigration holding cells (pictured) and deported, said Col Sunchai. Photo: Chutharat Plerin

PHUKET: Any foreigners staying in Phuket on an education visa but do not attend classes will have their permits to stay revoked and they will be deported, the Phuket Immigration chief warned today.

“We are now keeping a close eye on people staying on education visas,” said Phuket Immigration Superintendent Sunchai Chokkajaykij.

“We have to make sure that those people are actually studying, not just staying here long term on the pretense that they have enrolled in a course.”

Immigration officers will co-ordinate with language schools throughout Phuket to identify any students who consistently fail to attend classes, Col Sunchai said.

“We will go after foreigners who never come to class. Those people are likely to be breaking the law,” he said.

However, Col Sunchai added that his office will not be enforcing a mandatory minimum number of hours that any foreign student must attend each week.

“That depends on the school offering the course,” he said. “They can set up their own class timetable.

“But the schools know which people enrolled in their courses are genuine students – and which ones are not.

-- Phuket Gazette 2014-11-17

Edited November 17, 2014 by Maestro
Edited to conform with quotation rules (Phuket Gazette allows quotation of full text and images)

[paz]

You should quote the source (as long is an admissible one - some are not)

Anyway:

However, Col Sunchai added that his office will not be enforcing a mandatory minimum number of hours that any foreign student must attend each week.

“That depends on the school offering the course,” he said. “They can set up their own class timetable.

I think they have a problem enforcing a minimum of study hours, because it is not in the official regulations of just three months ago, and logically it should a decision for the Ministry of Education - Commission for Private Education. But is seems that the latter is neither willing to publish or release information on the matter.

My opinion: after a brief period of ruffling, made to disincentive chronical absentee students, things will continue as they are now.

Edited November 17, 2014 by paz

[nasa123]

The school I go in Phuket sometime the Immigration coming and checks if I go to the school, they know what day and time I go to school. Three times they have coming and taken a picture of me and others in the class and they talking with us this is good for me.

[paz]

The school I go in Phuket sometime the Immigration coming and checks if I go to the school, they know what day and time I go to school. Three times they have coming and taken a picture of me and others in the class and they talking with us this is good for me.

Clearly Immigration has the right to verify the veracity of any extension of stay, for education or not.

But doing it regularly over the long time require personnel and resources, so there is yes to see how much commitment immigration may permanently dedicate to these checks.

[brianp0803]

What does

- continue as they are now- mean?

no problem for chronical abscent students?

A part of the extension paperwork is an attendance report.

According to people I know attending one of the larger language schools, attendance reports provided by the school to give to immigratuon have no connection to actual attendance at the school. (Unless this has changed in the last couple months.)

If a school correctly marked attendance for a non attending student, would they receive their extension?

Should schools be required to accurately report students attendance to immigration?

[paz]

What does

- continue as they are now- mean?

no problem for chronical abscent students?

A part of the extension paperwork is an attendance report.

According to people I know attending one of the larger language schools, attendance reports provided by the school to give to immigratuon have no connection to actual attendance at the school. (Unless this has changed in the last couple months.)

If a school correctly marked attendance for a non attending student, would they receive their extension?

Should schools be required to accurately report students attendance to immigration?

Sorry, I don't know the answer to your questions, but I know for sure that you bear a grudge against the entire concept of education visa and extensions.

I hope you can find a way to live with the way things are or will be.

[krey]

Personally ED visas even for people going to school is getting stressful

I hardly ever miss a class and I study as well, unlike some people I cant pick it up fast as I would like but I try hard, can read and write

with all these changes to the ED Visa all the time I often wonder every extension if this will be my last extension, seems to be new rules

all the time, I do wish the people taking advantage of the visa to get out but i wonder if I will get the boot just cause my Thai is not spot on that day

when i go to immigration etc... Think this will be my last year on ED, will still go to school but perhaps look at other options

[Timwin]

How is not attending classes abusing the visa? You still pay the classes no matter what. It also means for students wanting to learn smaller classes, more time per student from teacher and more money for the school for a bunch of papers.

It certainly does not prevent any illegal workers from working either. There are much more effective ways to find them than this.

This is basically, "We will find a reason to prevent those pesky farangs from spending THEIR OWN MONEY in Thailand!" So absurd!

[Maestro]

How is not attending classes abusing the visa? You still pay the classes no matter what. It also means for students wanting to learn smaller classes, more time per student from teacher and more money for the school for a bunch of papers.

It certainly does not prevent any illegal workers from working either. There are much more effective ways to find them than this.

This is basically, "We will find a reason to prevent those pesky farangs from spending THEIR OWN MONEY in Thailand!" So absurd!

Visas are issued for the specific purpose stated by the applicant on the application form.

Using a visa for the purpose for which the purpose for which it was issued is the correct use of the visa.

Using a visa for a purpose other than the purpose for which is was issued is an incorrect use, an abuse, of the visa.

[Timwin]

Using a visa for a purpose other than the purpose for which is was issued is an incorrect use, an abuse, of the visa.

So what is the difference between student and non-attending student? Tell me, how is that abuse? It seems some of you here would deport for jaywalking if it were up to you.

Deporting for mere non-attending of classes with no prove of working illegally or criminal activities. Jaysus! That is basically deporting for jaywalking.

Edited November 17, 2014 by Timwin

[Maestro]

I'm afraid I am not sufficiently intelligent to be able to dumb down my explanation still further to the extent that you would hopefully be able to understand it. Perhaps another member will be able to accommodate you.

[NanLaew]

How is not attending classes abusing the visa? You still pay the classes no matter what. It also means for students wanting to learn smaller classes, more time per student from teacher and more money for the school for a bunch of papers.

It certainly does not prevent any illegal workers from working either. There are much more effective ways to find them than this.

This is basically, "We will find a reason to prevent those pesky farangs from spending THEIR OWN MONEY in Thailand!" So absurd!

Yup. Absolutely nothing wrong with homeschooling yourself with the delightfully leggy, perpetually energetic and curiously hairless Noi from Diablo as your notional Thai linguistics guide and mentor... any time after 2 AM.

[jspill]

How is not attending classes abusing the visa? You still pay the classes no matter what. It also means for students wanting to learn smaller classes, more time per student from teacher and more money for the school for a bunch of papers.

It certainly does not prevent any illegal workers from working either. There are much more effective ways to find them than this.

This is basically, "We will find a reason to prevent those pesky farangs from spending THEIR OWN MONEY in Thailand!" So absurd!

Agreed. And I'm not sure I remember signing an application form saying I'd physically be in class X hours/week for for a set attendance percentage. Only that I'd study, which I did at home with the blessing of the staff as I spoke Thai already. This was at one of the major 3 language school franchises in Bangkok too, not a visa mill.

If it was up to me (obviously it isn't) even people learning Thai in their home countries would be given long stay visas, before entering the country. Pay a small fee for a written exam / interview at a thai consulate in your country, and if you pass with flying colours get awarded with a longer visa as a thank-you for taking the time to learn a language only spoken in one country. Clearly making that effort makes you a quality tourist. Could be a good PR move for Thailand and seen as quite progressive thinking.

Enforcing attendance when here doesn't do much to prevent illegal work, it just limits the hours of illegal work done by that student in daytime hours by 8 hours/week plus commute time. Call it 1 day. They're taking the lazy cop out solution to a problem that could be solved by real, active police work pounding the streets to catch illegal workers. They likely know exactly where to look.

Meanwhile enforcing attendance making things harder for the school and students by increasing class sizes.

A better solution than enforcing attendance would be to offer an alternative option - an exam. Get good enough grades, and you're cleared for another visa extension. For slow learners, no exam, just stick with enforcing attendance - they're happy to attend anyway. Charge a small fee for the exam and give a certificate, something to be proud of and stick on the CV. Tests already exist, 2000 Baht for the Government P6 exam, can use those.

Edited November 17, 2014 by jspill

[lemonjelly]

Nonsense, how can somebody be deported for not attending classes. They already have a visa, extension of which should be reviewed based on previous class attendance history.

[falang07]

Everyone should move away from Phuket for some time, that would teach them a lesson. Very soon they would be sorry for these "crackdowns" with the local people left with no work and money from foreigners.

[ubonjoe]

When you apply for an extension of stay it is based upon a specific reason. If you do not maintain those requirements your extension is no longer valid. If you have an extension based upon going to school you attend classes if not your extension can be canceled. If you do not have a permit to stay you can be deported.
When you apply for a extension they have you sign a form with a statement similar to this.

Acknowledgement of the conditions for
Permitted continuation of stay in the Kingdom of Thailand
I, (Title) (Name) of
Nationality, having applied for a permit to continue my stay in the Kingdom for reason of
do hereby acknowledge the terms and conditions applicable to this permit. I confirm that if I
am permitted to stay. I will perform only those duties or stay according to the abovementioned
reason as approved. If at any time the conditions or status of my stay changes form the
premises upon which this permit was granted. I acknowledge that my failure to do so will be
considered sufficient cause for my permit to stay to be immediately terminated, as a
consequence of which I and my dependents associated with this permit may be subjected to
legal action in accordance with the law of Thailand.
With best regards

Source: http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/download/pdf/form_acknow_con2stay.pdf

[Paul888]

How is not attending classes abusing the visa? You still pay the classes no matter what. It also means for students wanting to learn smaller classes, more time per student from teacher and more money for the school for a bunch of papers............................

Totally flawless logic

[falang07]

Yeah, that is a really big abuse of the system by paying for the school and visa but not attending as often as the immigration would want. Thailand, the hub of abuses

[FritsSikkink]

How is not attending classes abusing the visa? You still pay the classes no matter what. It also means for students wanting to learn smaller classes, more time per student from teacher and more money for the school for a bunch of papers.

It certainly does not prevent any illegal workers from working either. There are much more effective ways to find them than this.

This is basically, "We will find a reason to prevent those pesky farangs from spending THEIR OWN MONEY in Thailand!" So absurd!

It is a student visa, so you have to study.

[Soutpeel]

I'm afraid I am not sufficiently intelligent to be able to dumb down my explanation still further to the extent that you would hopefully be able to understand it. Perhaps another member will be able to accommodate you.

I think what dear Tim win and a few others are getting at is if they are forced to go to class, it means there are less hours in the day for their digital pikery activities and playing poker on line

One poster on this thread has already admitted in other threads that he abuses the ed visa system by not attending classes

[ubonjoe]

A baiting post has been removed. No bickering is allowed.

[Tatsujin]

Nonsense, how can somebody be deported for not attending classes. They already have a visa, extension of which should be reviewed based on previous class attendance history.

Read post #16, if you don't follow their rules, you are breaking the law, simple as that, and they have no obligation to give you any further visa's or indeed even allow you to stay + it makes it harder for EVERYONE else who IS here legally and not abusing the system to get their own visa's done in the long run.

[lust]

Why do new rules always come from Phuket?

[flakes]

New ways to get tourists back to Thailand..

New Thai hospitality promotion just before the high season kicks in..

Free razzias on Phuket against all foreigners who have missed their school day!!

If foreigners not come to school we will lock em up in our comfortable holding cells till their deportation day !!!

[crickets]

If u do one hour of private class a week its enough to satisfy for a visa.

[stevenl]

If u do one hour of private class a week its enough to satisfy for a visa.

On what basis are you saying this?

[crickets]

The school has you on camera coming in every week. You actually should be able to learn some thai and i know that immigration has said to the school one hour private is ok. Its the same price as 4 hours a week. This is my third year amd the lady at the immigration desk asked me in thai how often i went and she was happy with my answer.

[loongdavid]

Oh! no, not another "crackdown"...

[flakes]

If u do one hour of private class a week its enough to satisfy for a visa.

That is correct til now..As you know Thais always create loopholes then some time later declare them highly illegal..

So since u brought it in the media then i sure Thai customs gonna crack down on that private teaching too..

forcing all foreigners sitting in the group class 12-20 hours a week..

[maidee]

why does thailand offer FREE thai language classes to expats who want to integrate

ah yes... they only want the money, not the people