Just got kicked out of thai with valid visa

[Kitsune]

I am in my 4th month

And NO after 6 months you cannot read and write Thai.

0-3 leaning alphabet and syllabs

3-6months You are learning separate words

Maybe the OP couldn't read or write any of the alphabet. I don't think anyone has suggested that he should be able to read and write fluently after 6 months.

He can speak Thai after 6 months when Thai people study English for decades and cannot utter a word

[stevenl]

I am in my 4th month

And NO after 6 months you cannot read and write Thai.

0-3 leaning alphabet and syllabs

3-6months You are learning separate words

Maybe the OP couldn't read or write any of the alphabet. I don't think anyone has suggested that he should be able to read and write fluently after 6 months.

He can speak Thai after 6 months when Thai people study English for decades and cannot utter a word

His reading and writing really did not matter. He was found out abusing the visa, excuse given was 'reading and writing inability'.

[whybother]

I am in my 4th month

And NO after 6 months you cannot read and write Thai.

0-3 leaning alphabet and syllabs

3-6months You are learning separate words

Maybe the OP couldn't read or write any of the alphabet. I don't think anyone has suggested that he should be able to read and write fluently after 6 months.

He can speak Thai after 6 months when Thai people study English for decades and cannot utter a word

Read more of the thread. He's been living in Thailand for 8 years.

NOT THAT THAT MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He wasn't attending classes. That's all that is relevant.

[JohnnyBKK]

It doesn't matter if you attend classes or not, i would have been kicked out just the same. They can't know if you are attending classes or not.

[whybother]

It doesn't matter if you attend classes or not, i would have been kicked out just the same. They can't know if you are attending classes or not.

They suspected that you weren't attending classes most likely because of your travel habits and also possibly because you had moved from a non-imm O to an Ed visa. They decided to test you and you failed their test.

Exactly what did they ask you to read / write?

Edited December 5, 2014 by whybother

[MacWalen]

There are many Thai language schools that survive without offering visas . The quality and cost is comparable but they don't have enough capital to get MOE approval.

That is incorrect. Getting the MOE license does to require a lot of capital.

[MacWalen]

Someone said over 95% of the students in the school were on Ed visa and the school would go out of business if Ed visa was no longer the cheapest and easiest long term visa.

I would like to address two important points here.

1. I am sure a lot of "schools" will be closing down soon. MOE and immigration are stricter now and they know for sure that many schools are simply selling visas. It would be about right that 95% of new Thai language schools that opened in the last 5 years or so started in this business to sell ED visas as their primary objective.

2. There are not many other options of long term stay in Thailand than ED visa. Many try multiple tourist visas now and are clever about it, but it will come to an end soon too. Immigration is reading this forum, they know the tourist visa strategy. For legitimate students learning at a well established school is still the best long term visa option.

[BB1950]

Speaking of reading and writing Thai, is there a song like we have in English so that one could learn the Thai alphabet by singing ?

OK the first 6 seconds or so are kind of boring, but just wait, then it gets into the actual song.

Yes there is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T02AkRj6Pcw

[Ridercnx808]

So why didnt you learn thai ?

You had 6 months to do it.

[whybother]

So why didnt you learn thai ?

You had 6 months to do it.

He was too busy working in Hong Kong.

[OMGImInPattaya]

They didnt let me in. I asked 100 times to fly anywhere else than my country and it was refused. They said the only country i can go back is France. Immigration officer told me every ed visa will be checked.

Is that legal? It seems to me that they have no right to determine where you may travel if you are refused entry into the country. If you passport is otherwise valid, you should be free to travel to the country of your choice.

[brianp0803]

Someone said over 95% of the students in the school were on Ed visa and the school would go out of business if Ed visa was no longer the cheapest and easiest long term visa.

I would like to address two important points here.

1. I am sure a lot of "schools" will be closing down soon. MOE and immigration are stricter now and they know for sure that many schools are simply selling visas. It would be about right that 95% of new Thai language schools that opened in the last 5 years or so started in this business to sell ED visas as their primary objective.

2. There are not many other options of long term stay in Thailand than ED visa. Many try multiple tourist visas now and are clever about it, but it will come to an end soon too. Immigration is reading this forum, they know the tourist visa strategy. For legitimate students learning at a well established school is still the best long term visa option.

Will you comment about the percentage of students at your school over the past year on Ed visa?

How do you feel about the Op saying he was in Ed visa for 7-8 months and not attending classes?

People are posting the hours you must pay for is doubled and must leave and get a new Ed visa every 6 months and possibly checking on actual attendance.

This will significantly deter people only wanting long time visa but true students and schools will be happy.

[MacWalen]

Will you comment about the percentage of students at your school over the past year on Ed visa?

It is well known that Walen School has a lot of students on ED visas being the most popular Thai language school in Thailand.

[MacWalen]

How do you feel about the Op saying he was in Ed visa for 7-8 months and not attending classes?

I don't know this case exactly but we always encourage students to attend their lessons and overall attendance at Walen Schools is good. It is possible that staff has made a mistake in this case.

[whybother]

How do you feel about the Op saying he was in Ed visa for 7-8 months and not attending classes?

I don't know this case exactly but we always encourage students to attend their lessons and overall attendance at Walen Schools is good. It is possible that staff has made a mistake in this case.

Do you do anything during the period of the visa if a student doesn't show up, or does it just become an issue when it's time for renewal?

[MacWalen]

People are posting the hours you must pay for is doubled and must leave and get a new Ed visa every 6 months and possibly checking on actual attendance.

It is true that the number of lessons doubled but it is still within reason. A lot of students do not have a problem with that. It is still a new situation but information we have received is that students can continue their courses one after another and need to leave the country only once per year and not every 6 months.

[Prbkk]

How do you feel about the Op saying he was in Ed visa for 7-8 months and not attending classes?

I don't know this case exactly but we always encourage students to attend their lessons and overall attendance at Walen Schools is good. It is possible that staff has made a mistake in this case.

Perhaps my understanding of this issue is lacking but isn't attendance compulsory for those on an ED visa? If not then it is a system wide open to abuse.

[MacWalen]

This will significantly deter people only wanting long time visa but true students and schools will be happy.

It may indeed deter some students, I am certain many visa mill schools will be closing down soon. Even they offer super cheap price students do not trust them anymore.

[Kitsune]

I would think a person that was a tourist many times and got an Ed visa would not be questioned much.

Students immersed in the language should learn quicker. Learning is not limited to the classroom.

A person in Thailand many years in various visas would fall into suspicion.

People here many years on non working visas might be suspicious about how they support themselves without working.

Retired people and married people are required to show proof of finances.

People on long term non working visas should have proof of finances for the length of their visa.

Really?

You worry about some foreigners working for 20.000B per month teaching English to kids?

Do you actually think these are the problem, when everyday billions of Bahts are stolen from Thai people to go into private pockets?

The country has enjoyed 2 to 3 % economic growth for the last decade; Where are the BTS lines? Where are the MRT extensions? Where are the real education system that does not rely on illegal foreign teachers ? Where are the properly trained police services, paid enough that they don't need to resort to corruption?

Don't you see this all a smoke screen?

Putting the blame on farangs is an easy way to deter people from looking at the real issues.

[MacWalen]

Do you do anything during the period of the visa if a student doesn't show up, or does it just become an issue when it's time for renewal?

We will not mark their attendance if they do not attend their classes.

[MacWalen]

Perhaps my understanding of this issue is lacking but isn't attendance compulsory for those on an ED visa? If not then it is a system wide open to abuse.

It is compulsory and Walen School requires students to attend their lessons.

[stevenl]

I would think a person that was a tourist many times and got an Ed visa would not be questioned much.

Students immersed in the language should learn quicker. Learning is not limited to the classroom.

A person in Thailand many years in various visas would fall into suspicion.

People here many years on non working visas might be suspicious about how they support themselves without working.

Retired people and married people are required to show proof of finances.

People on long term non working visas should have proof of finances for the length of their visa.

Really?

You worry about some foreigners working for 20.000B per month teaching English to kids?

Do you actually think these are the problem, when everyday billions of Bahts are stolen from Thai people to go into private pockets?

The country has enjoyed 2 to 3 % economic growth for the last decade; Where are the BTS lines? Where are the MRT extensions? Where are the real education system that does not rely on illegal foreign teachers ? Where are the properly trained police services, paid enough that they don't need to resort to corruption?

Don't you see this all a smoke screen?

Putting the blame on farangs is an easy way to deter people from looking at the real issues.

Please shut up about farang being blamed. These things affect other Asians much more than they do farang.

BTW, your reasoning is seriously flawed.

[Kitsune]

This will significantly deter people only wanting long time visa but true students and schools will be happy.

It may indeed deter some students, I am certain many visa mill schools will be closing down soon. Even they offer super cheap price students do not trust them anymore.

Where were you when your student needed you?

[Kitsune]

I would think a person that was a tourist many times and got an Ed visa would not be questioned much.

Students immersed in the language should learn quicker. Learning is not limited to the classroom.

A person in Thailand many years in various visas would fall into suspicion.

People here many years on non working visas might be suspicious about how they support themselves without working.

Retired people and married people are required to show proof of finances.

People on long term non working visas should have proof of finances for the length of their visa.

Really?

You worry about some foreigners working for 20.000B per month teaching English to kids?

Do you actually think these are the problem, when everyday billions of Bahts are stolen from Thai people to go into private pockets?

The country has enjoyed 2 to 3 % economic growth for the last decade; Where are the BTS lines? Where are the MRT extensions? Where are the real education system that does not rely on illegal foreign teachers ? Where are the properly trained police services, paid enough that they don't need to resort to corruption?

Don't you see this all a smoke screen?

Putting the blame on farangs is an easy way to deter people from looking at the real issues.

Please shut up about farang being blamed. These things affect other Asians much more than they do farang.

BTW, your reasoning is seriously flawed.

Well explain to me where is all the public money going because I don't see it anywhere.

[stevenl]

I would think a person that was a tourist many times and got an Ed visa would not be questioned much.

Students immersed in the language should learn quicker. Learning is not limited to the classroom.

A person in Thailand many years in various visas would fall into suspicion.

People here many years on non working visas might be suspicious about how they support themselves without working.

Retired people and married people are required to show proof of finances.

People on long term non working visas should have proof of finances for the length of their visa.

Really?

You worry about some foreigners working for 20.000B per month teaching English to kids?

Do you actually think these are the problem, when everyday billions of Bahts are stolen from Thai people to go into private pockets?

The country has enjoyed 2 to 3 % economic growth for the last decade; Where are the BTS lines? Where are the MRT extensions? Where are the real education system that does not rely on illegal foreign teachers ? Where are the properly trained police services, paid enough that they don't need to resort to corruption?

Don't you see this all a smoke screen?

Putting the blame on farangs is an easy way to deter people from looking at the real issues.

Please shut up about farang being blamed. These things affect other Asians much more than they do farang.

BTW, your reasoning is seriously flawed.

Well explain to me where is all the public money going because I don't see it anywhere.

Far less taxes collected here compared to other countries with the same national income.

And secondly, you presuming there is a connection is where you go wrong.

[MacWalen]

Where were you when your student needed you?

For your info the student hasn't contacted us. If your question is whether I take good care of my students then the answer is YES. I don't think there is any other school that takes better care of students than Walen School.

Edited December 5, 2014 by MacWalen

[JohnnyBKK]

I haven't contacted Walen because i know it's useless, they will not refund me and they will not get me in again. It's fine, it's not their fault if the thai immigration change the rules and enforcements all the time. And actually i'm glad i could stay in Thailand with my ED visa before even if i can't stay anymore, so why should i complain ?

I got some info from immigration officials saying that ED visa are targeted, that ED visa are a joke. They want to clean that up. If you don't get stopped at the immigration it doesn't mean that everything is fine, it's just a lazy officer. The word is to check on every ED visa holder if they are really studying or not and if they have money from abroad.

Even if you are a genuine student you could be sent home if they don't believe you, it doesn't matter if you are really studying or not. My post is a warning to all ED visa holders, carry with you enough cash to buy a ticket to your home country at all times or you could be sent to IDC.

[thailiketoo]

How do you feel about the Op saying he was in Ed visa for 7-8 months and not attending classes?

I don't know this case exactly but we always encourage students to attend their lessons and overall attendance at Walen Schools is good. It is possible that staff has made a mistake in this case.

Perhaps my understanding of this issue is lacking but isn't attendance compulsory for those on an ED visa? If not then it is a system wide open to abuse.

This is a long thread and maybe I missed it but how did immigration know the OP was not attending classes? Did he tell him?

[Kitsune]

I haven't contacted Walen because i know it's useless, they will not refund me and they will not get me in again. It's fine, it's not their fault if the thai immigration change the rules and enforcements all the time. And actually i'm glad i could stay in Thailand with my ED visa before even if i can't stay anymore, so why should i complain ?

I got some info from immigration officials saying that ED visa are targeted, that ED visa are a joke. They want to clean that up. If you don't get stopped at the immigration it doesn't mean that everything is fine, it's just a lazy officer. The word is to check on every ED visa holder if they are really studying or not and if they have money from abroad.

Even if you are a genuine student you could be sent home if they don't believe you, it doesn't matter if you are really studying or not. My post is a warning to all ED visa holders, carry with you enough cash to buy a ticket to your home country at all times or you could be sent to IDC.

I think you should have contacted Walen.

Especially that the reason given was your level in Thai

They could have tried to sort something out with immigration.

[MacWalen]

Even if you are a genuine student you could be sent home if they don't believe you, it doesn't matter if you are really studying or not.

We do not hear of many cases like yours, it is very rare, first case actually. If immigration thinks someone is a genuine student there should be no issues with entering the country or making visa extensions.