Visa ED, only got 2 months extension.

[BangkokRobert]

I'm going to post my own thread on this so if you enjoy helping, please look for me. Thanks everyone for your comments.

[bigwhitewarrior]

I'm on my first ED visa & I'll apply for my first extension at Chaeng Wattana end of February. Although I attend my classes, after hearing all those horror stories I'm really worried.

Can experienced members please give examples of the questions they ask at immigration? I have more then a month, and I want to be prepared.

Also, should I learn how to write my name? We haven't learned a single letter at school yet, but if they are asking, I'll do my best trying to learn it.

Thanks

Don't panic ! On your first ED visa you are on basic thai course. All ED Visas are now like that. You are not expected to be fluent in thai. How can you be ?!

Speaking from personal experience, when I went in for my second extension, I was grilled. I have 90%+ class attendance, and I showed them two independent records of that attendance. I showed them my textbooks from class which are filled with pages and pages of handwritten notes, exercises completed etc. I spoke exclusively in Thai.

The IO waved all that away (wouldn't even look at it!) except for the school's official attendance record, and then asked me to speak and write a bunch of things that had never been taught in my class.

I have a genuine interest in learning the Thai language, study a fair bit on my own time and I force my Thai friends to speak Thai with me as often as possible. So I was able to do pretty well in this "interview" but obviously after six months of study, I'm not a 100% fluent Thai speaker and had to ask the IO to speak slower and explain a few of the words she used (for instance Thais often shorten or abbreviate words in conversation and you don't always get told about that in the classroom). I also didn't know how to write anything other than my name at the time (because the school hadn't taught it to me!). Immigration gave me two months.

Anyway bigwhitewarrior is wrong. You may be asked stuff that's way beyond what you can reasonably learn in 3 months. At 6 months I certainly was. Then again you may not be. Every statement people are making about what the IO tests for is just speculation. I know a few people who have gotten 3 months but it's definitely a minority. Some have had good Thai skills, some haven't.

Now this is just my opinion, but I think people shouldn't be stressed out about the outcome of their extension application, because it's not something you can control. It's better to accept that regardless of current law, Bangkok Immigration currently takes a dim view of non-formal Thai language schools sponsoring ED visas, and is actively discouraging this by denying or reducing extensions. Until the situation changes, legitimate Thai language students should be prepared to pursue their studies under a different visa, or in a different country (as the other provinces tend to follow Bangkok's lead).

I don't know which school.you study in but after 6 month you are no longer a beginner and yes you will be asked more difficult things.

I only mentioned the second stamp I. E. After 3 month when you are still at beginner level .

All students I speak with thay have done their e.d. Visa with the exception of one..who cannot be arsed to learn.. have given the same account.. my put passa thai..doesn't cut it anymore ;-)

[nzexpat]

The Thai language can be studied whilst on a tourist visa !

A triple entry TV allows for a stay of almost 9 months if used wisely !

Maybe the "screamers" are those who never intended to study "Thai" ?

[Maestro]

...

Maybe the "screamers" are those who never intended to study "Thai" ?

Maybe yes and maybe no. This type of speculation is pointless and useless and should not be posted in this forum.

[inbangkok]

I'm on my first ED visa & I'll apply for my first extension at Chaeng Wattana end of February. Although I attend my classes, after hearing all those horror stories I'm really worried.

Can experienced members please give examples of the questions they ask at immigration? I have more then a month, and I want to be prepared.

Also, should I learn how to write my name? We haven't learned a single letter at school yet, but if they are asking, I'll do my best trying to learn it.

Thanks

Don't panic ! On your first ED visa you are on basic thai course. All ED Visas are now like that. You are not expected to be fluent in thai. How can you be ?!

Speaking from personal experience, when I went in for my second extension, I was grilled. I have 90%+ class attendance, and I showed them two independent records of that attendance. I showed them my textbooks from class which are filled with pages and pages of handwritten notes, exercises completed etc. I spoke exclusively in Thai.

The IO waved all that away (wouldn't even look at it!) except for the school's official attendance record, and then asked me to speak and write a bunch of things that had never been taught in my class.

I have a genuine interest in learning the Thai language, study a fair bit on my own time and I force my Thai friends to speak Thai with me as often as possible. So I was able to do pretty well in this "interview" but obviously after six months of study, I'm not a 100% fluent Thai speaker and had to ask the IO to speak slower and explain a few of the words she used (for instance Thais often shorten or abbreviate words in conversation and you don't always get told about that in the classroom). I also didn't know how to write anything other than my name at the time (because the school hadn't taught it to me!). Immigration gave me two months.

Anyway bigwhitewarrior is wrong. You may be asked stuff that's way beyond what you can reasonably learn in 3 months. At 6 months I certainly was. Then again you may not be. Every statement people are making about what the IO tests for is just speculation. I know a few people who have gotten 3 months but it's definitely a minority. Some have had good Thai skills, some haven't.

Now this is just my opinion, but I think people shouldn't be stressed out about the outcome of their extension application, because it's not something you can control. It's better to accept that regardless of current law, Bangkok Immigration currently takes a dim view of non-formal Thai language schools sponsoring ED visas, and is actively discouraging this by denying or reducing extensions. Until the situation changes, legitimate Thai language students should be prepared to pursue their studies under a different visa, or in a different country (as the other provinces tend to follow Bangkok's lead).

I don't know which school.you study in but after 6 month you are no longer a beginner and yes you will be asked more difficult things.

I only mentioned the second stamp I. E. After 3 month when you are still at beginner level .

All students I speak with thay have done their e.d. Visa with the exception of one..who cannot be arsed to learn.. have given the same account.. my put passa thai..doesn't cut it anymore ;-)

So you speak fluent Thai, right? If not fluent.... At least pretty well?

[Kitsune]

I talked to my school, and asked what can be done since everyone is getting 1 months or less. They told me that if I pay 3500 baht, I'll get 2,5 months extension at Chaeng Wattana with no questions asked. I think this is similiar to 5000 baht "VIP service" at Pattaya.

This ED visa nonsense has really got out of hand, this is pure madness.

Prolanguage has been in Immigration's black book since a month or so

There was a thread about it, <possible rumor removed>

At Chaeng Wattana there is a huge file labeled Prolanguage.

The all thing is madness I agree but for Prolanguage there is some type of reason given, although it's unfair to make all the other students pay for it.

Edited February 13, 2015 by ubonjoe
edited to leave only factual info

[bigwhitewarrior]

I'm on my first ED visa & I'll apply for my first extension at Chaeng Wattana end of February. Although I attend my classes, after hearing all those horror stories I'm really worried.

Can experienced members please give examples of the questions they ask at immigration? I have more then a month, and I want to be prepared.

Also, should I learn how to write my name? We haven't learned a single letter at school yet, but if they are asking, I'll do my best trying to learn it.

Thanks

Don't panic ! On your first ED visa you are on basic thai course. All ED Visas are now like that. You are not expected to be fluent in thai. How can you be ?!

Speaking from personal experience, when I went in for my second extension, I was grilled. I have 90%+ class attendance, and I showed them two independent records of that attendance. I showed them my textbooks from class which are filled with pages and pages of handwritten notes, exercises completed etc. I spoke exclusively in Thai.

The IO waved all that away (wouldn't even look at it!) except for the school's official attendance record, and then asked me to speak and write a bunch of things that had never been taught in my class.

I have a genuine interest in learning the Thai language, study a fair bit on my own time and I force my Thai friends to speak Thai with me as often as possible. So I was able to do pretty well in this "interview" but obviously after six months of study, I'm not a 100% fluent Thai speaker and had to ask the IO to speak slower and explain a few of the words she used (for instance Thais often shorten or abbreviate words in conversation and you don't always get told about that in the classroom). I also didn't know how to write anything other than my name at the time (because the school hadn't taught it to me!). Immigration gave me two months.

Anyway bigwhitewarrior is wrong. You may be asked stuff that's way beyond what you can reasonably learn in 3 months. At 6 months I certainly was. Then again you may not be. Every statement people are making about what the IO tests for is just speculation. I know a few people who have gotten 3 months but it's definitely a minority. Some have had good Thai skills, some haven't.

Now this is just my opinion, but I think people shouldn't be stressed out about the outcome of their extension application, because it's not something you can control. It's better to accept that regardless of current law, Bangkok Immigration currently takes a dim view of non-formal Thai language schools sponsoring ED visas, and is actively discouraging this by denying or reducing extensions. Until the situation changes, legitimate Thai language students should be prepared to pursue their studies under a different visa, or in a different country (as the other provinces tend to follow Bangkok's lead).

I don't know which school.you study in but after 6 month you are no longer a beginner and yes you will be asked more difficult things.

I only mentioned the second stamp I. E. After 3 month when you are still at beginner level .

All students I speak with thay have done their e.d. Visa with the exception of one..who cannot be arsed to learn.. have given the same account.. my put passa thai..doesn't cut it anymore ;-)

So you speak fluent Thai, right? If not fluent.... At least pretty well?

I can comunicate and make my thai GF speak Thai with me :-)

[Kitsune]

I'm on my first ED visa & I'll apply for my first extension at Chaeng Wattana end of February. Although I attend my classes, after hearing all those horror stories I'm really worried.

Can experienced members please give examples of the questions they ask at immigration? I have more then a month, and I want to be prepared.

Also, should I learn how to write my name? We haven't learned a single letter at school yet, but if they are asking, I'll do my best trying to learn it.

Thanks

Don't panic ! On your first ED visa you are on basic thai course. All ED Visas are now like that. You are not expected to be fluent in thai. How can you be ?!

No you are wrong.

After three months, in CW you are treated as intermediate/advance student as regard to listening skills, asking to repeat to clarify is a no go (happened to me got 2 months) and they won't slow down when speaking to you as they should to beginners

After 6 months writing only your name is not enough, you should be able to write a sentence (still according to CW)

Telling you did not learn this or that is absolutely no excuse for them.

[bigwhitewarrior]

I'm on my first ED visa & I'll apply for my first extension at Chaeng Wattana end of February. Although I attend my classes, after hearing all those horror stories I'm really worried.

Can experienced members please give examples of the questions they ask at immigration? I have more then a month, and I want to be prepared.

Also, should I learn how to write my name? We haven't learned a single letter at school yet, but if they are asking, I'll do my best trying to learn it.

Thanks

Don't panic ! On your first ED visa you are on basic thai course. All ED Visas are now like that. You are not expected to be fluent in thai. How can you be ?!

No you are wrong.

After three months, in CW you are treated as intermediate/advance student as regard to listening skills, asking to repeat to clarify is a no go (happened to me got 2 months) and they won't slow down when speaking to you as they should to beginners

After 6 months writing only your name is not enough, you should be able to write a sentence (still according to CW)

Telling you did not learn this or that is absolutely no excuse for them.

Simple solution. .use a reputable school.. learn as much as you can... after 6 month you should be able to write a few things not just your name... looks like you're being singled out there for some reason ;-)

[Kitsune]

I'm on my first ED visa & I'll apply for my first extension at Chaeng Wattana end of February. Although I attend my classes, after hearing all those horror stories I'm really worried.

Can experienced members please give examples of the questions they ask at immigration? I have more then a month, and I want to be prepared.

Also, should I learn how to write my name? We haven't learned a single letter at school yet, but if they are asking, I'll do my best trying to learn it.

Thanks

Don't panic ! On your first ED visa you are on basic thai course. All ED Visas are now like that. You are not expected to be fluent in thai. How can you be ?!

No you are wrong.

After three months, in CW you are treated as intermediate/advance student as regard to listening skills, asking to repeat to clarify is a no go (happened to me got 2 months) and they won't slow down when speaking to you as they should to beginners

After 6 months writing only your name is not enough, you should be able to write a sentence (still according to CW)

Telling you did not learn this or that is absolutely no excuse for them.

Simple solution. .use a reputable school.. learn as much as you can... after 6 month you should be able to write a few things not just your name... looks like you're being singled out there for some reason ;-)

This has nothing to do with schools rep anymore (except Prolanguage).

Although they will pull that one to get rid of you complain you did not get 3 months

I can write a few things after 5 months no problem

Singled out moi? Just got THREE months

Edited February 13, 2015 by Kitsune

[bigwhitewarrior]

I'm on my first ED visa & I'll apply for my first extension at Chaeng Wattana end of February. Although I attend my classes, after hearing all those horror stories I'm really worried.

Can experienced members please give examples of the questions they ask at immigration? I have more then a month, and I want to be prepared.

Also, should I learn how to write my name? We haven't learned a single letter at school yet, but if they are asking, I'll do my best trying to learn it.

Thanks

Don't panic ! On your first ED visa you are on basic thai course. All ED Visas are now like that. You are not expected to be fluent in thai. How can you be ?!

No you are wrong.

After three months, in CW you are treated as intermediate/advance student as regard to listening skills, asking to repeat to clarify is a no go (happened to me got 2 months) and they won't slow down when speaking to you as they should to beginners

After 6 months writing only your name is not enough, you should be able to write a sentence (still according to CW)

Telling you did not learn this or that is absolutely no excuse for them.

Simple solution. .use a reputable school.. learn as much as you can... after 6 month you should be able to write a few things not just your name... looks like you're being singled out there for some reason ;-)

This has nothing to do with schools rep anymore (except Prolanguage).

Although they will pull that one to get rid of you complain you did not get 3 months

I can write a few things after 5 months no problem

Singled out moi? Just got THREE months

You obviously contradicting yourself then luv as you said you only got 2 month in your previous post ?!? %-)

Oh yes when they wrote on your Visa in thai..the beginner level..that's actually valid for 6 month not 3.. ;-)

[Kitsune]

You obviously contradicting yourself then luv as you said you only got 2 month in your previous post ?!? %-)

Oh yes when they wrote on your Visa in thai..the beginner level..that's actually valid for 6 month not 3.. ;-)

Oh my god ... Are you dense or do you just pretend?

I got 2 months THE FIRST TIME and then wised up to this brutal system and got 3 months THE SECOND TIME.

Lol You are precious.....do you think they actually care if you are beginner/intermediate/advanced? Do you believe CW Immigration officer are taking time after work to study the difference between levels?

Good luck on your extension !

[itsuptome]

I'm on my first ED visa & I'll apply for my first extension at Chaeng Wattana end of February. Although I attend my classes, after hearing all those horror stories I'm really worried.

Can experienced members please give examples of the questions they ask at immigration? I have more then a month, and I want to be prepared.

Also, should I learn how to write my name? We haven't learned a single letter at school yet, but if they are asking, I'll do my best trying to learn it.

Thanks

Don't panic ! On your first ED visa you are on basic thai course. All ED Visas are now like that. You are not expected to be fluent in thai. How can you be ?!

No you are wrong.

After three months, in CW you are treated as intermediate/advance student as regard to listening skills, asking to repeat to clarify is a no go (happened to me got 2 months) and they won't slow down when speaking to you as they should to beginners

After 6 months writing only your name is not enough, you should be able to write a sentence (still according to CW)

Telling you did not learn this or that is absolutely no excuse for them.

Simple solution. .use a reputable school.. learn as much as you can... after 6 month you should be able to write a few things not just your name... looks like you're being singled out there for some reason ;-)

Why should a student be expected to write after six months if the school they attend doesn't teach them how to write?

At mine it was pretty much just characters for the first six months. At many schools writing's completely optional. You can study it or not, up to you. If some guy signs up for a course to learn spoken Thai only, the government gives him a visa, and then he shows up at CW and they expect him to write. It makes about as much sense as asking him to make sushi!

Why would the goverment issue a visa for a specific course of study and then ask the student questions which aren't a part of that course, denying their visa extension if they don't know things which aren't part of the course?

In these cases the student has done exactly what his visa conditions required him to do and what the school and government told him to do, but when he comes into CW he's going to get blown away.

If they want to raise the standards of study to prevent abuse, that's fine, but the execution has been poor. It has caused problems for people who weren't abusers and complied with both the letter and spirit of the law.

Of course the chances of this happening are slim, but what the extensions department at CW should be doing is chilling out and granting the extensions. They are not the "We Decide Whether The Government Has Issued A Legitimate Visa Or Not" department. If the government wants to bump study requirements to 8 hours and start granting visas only for certain more, intensive courses of study, they can do that and in fact it's already in progress. But applying these things retroactively to existing visa holders under different conditions with no notification is bureaucratic incompetence.

It would be exactly the same thing if they started requiring you to write some Thai to get a retirement or a business visa extension.

Case in point of another way in which they've screwed up: when the shift to six months max per visa occurred, my school was told that it affected all existing holders of ED visas. Panic ensued because of what a terrible idea that was (what if you've been here more than six months and you're up for your next extension in three days? You would be thrown out of Thailand!). Immigration circled back and a few weeks later things changed so that previously issued visas would still get a max of 12 months, new visas would get a max of six.

That was the correct thing to do but the fact that they didn't think it through from the outset really defies the imagination -- was there a single meeting held to discuss that policy? Who made the decision? In private enterprise if there's a screwup that bad, heads will roll. I wager in most of the immigration departments of the world, if someone made a screwup that bad, heads would roll. Every single foreigner who's here legally depends on a functioning and competent Immigration bureaucracy. Making excuses for them or trying to shift the blame onto some poor kid who signed up for learning to speak Thai and got thrown out because a rogue bureaucrat decided real students can write too doesn't help anyone. It doesn't help the Thai people, it doesn't help the government and it doesn't help foreigners.

[crickets]

Off the top of your head what per cent of people with an ed language visa are using it to work? My mum went to a school and wanted to learn thai for about a year but didnt want the visa because she had a retirment visa. The school thought she was crazy. Why do u want to learn thai?

[paz]

Why should a student be expected to write after six months if the school they attend doesn't teach them how to write?

At mine it was pretty much just characters for the first six months. At many schools writing's completely optional. You can study it or not, up to you. If some guy signs up for a course to learn spoken Thai only, the government gives him a visa, and then he shows up at CW and they expect him to write. It makes about as much sense as asking him to make sushi!

"Studying" Thai without learning how to read and write Thai is just plain wrong. You can bring all the lengty arguments that you want to defend that poor practice, but it remains wrong on both educational level and for Immigration purposes.

You can eliminate the Immigration judgement by studying Thai while on a tourist visa, which is legal, but you will remain pitifully poor at Thai if you don't learn how to read and write, beside you would be largely wasting your time and money.

The only reason why I would understand one that doesn't learn the written language is blindness or physical inability to write.

Edited February 13, 2015 by paz

[bigwhitewarrior]

It would probably be an idea to go directly to the government officers that issue the ED visas and pit in a complain and escalate the same ...depending on how things work out when I go for my next extension. It probably won't come to anything but better than doing nothing about it.

[paz]

It would probably be an idea to go directly to the government officers that issue the ED visas and pit in a complain and escalate the same ...depending on how things work out when I go for my next extension. It probably won't come to anything but better than doing nothing about it.

You are talking about the Minister for Foreign Affairs, although I'm not sure what do you want to complain about and if it would be worth even the time to print it.

If you want to complain about extension of stay (that are not visa), your party would be Thai immigration, and good luck with that as well.

Edited February 13, 2015 by paz

[bigwhitewarrior]

It would probably be an idea to go directly to the government officers that issue the ED visas and pit in a complain and escalate the same ...depending on how things work out when I go for my next extension. It probably won't come to anything but better than doing nothing about it.

You are talking about the Minister for Foreign Affairs, although I'm not sure what do you want to complain about and if it would be worth even the time to print it.

If you want to complain about extension of stay (that are not visa), your party would be Thai immigration, and good luck with that as well.

Like it was suggested in previous posts ..that you are issued with a 6 month ED visa and then someone at immigration decides whether you should actually be allowed to study or not.

[inbangkok]

I was about to start another thread, but I will just add on to this one......

Just did the second extension on my ED Visa.

Immigration is not back to giving 90 days automatically as I got 60 along with many others the same day (one girl was given 2 weeks!). The first IO who was checking my documents was more concerned with whoever she was chatting with on Line and her iPhone than processing my documents or testing me. Another immigration officer was constantly laughing and interrupting the ones working about random personal matters that had nothing to do with work while playing on his iPhone the entire time. This is why an extension stamp in a passport turns into a 5 hour ordeal. She asked me a few things in Thai and I answered the best I could (have been studying 4 months). She did not even ask about my reading or writing, which is unfortunate, because I can indeed read and write almost every consonant, many vowels, and I can even read and write some simple words and such. When stamped with 60 days, I politely inquired as to why I got 60 days and not 90. Her response was, "You need to practice more." It was hard to contain my laughter. Of course I need to practice more! That is what I am doing here in Thailand! Practicing Thai! However, she did not answer my question as to why I was only offered 60 days. I asked again and she told me I can talk to her boss.

When I asked her boss, she said no one is given 90 days anymore. When I very politely informed her that I know that is not true as I personally know people who have gotten 90 days very recently, her story conveniently changed. Now she says, "Those are special circumstances" and "Sometimes we do". Okay, no problem I responded. Please tell me what to do so next time I can be a "special circumstance" and receive 90 days (like write a whole sentence, read an entire document, etc.). What do you think she told me? If you guessed she could not answer, you would be correct.

Bottom line, don't stress about this. They are just screwing with us at this point. There is no set standard, test, margin, etc. that determines your extension. It is totally out of your control. I would also caution not to assume you will receive a 90 days when you go to extend simply because your last one was 90 days.

I would also at this point highly caution anyone considering an ED Visa. Personally, I will continue to study Thai, but once my extensions are maxed out for this ED Visa, I will probably use tourist visas to continue. I am simply tired of the smug attitudes of the IO's as well as the continually changing "rules" that don't even officially exist anywhere. Not to mention, when they give you less than a 90 day extension, you are now going to have to make extra trips to immigration because your 90 day reports will be nowhere near the extension dates. These people have studied English since they were 5 years old and can barely string together a sentence. I think I am doing pretty well for only 4 months.

Edited February 13, 2015 by inbangkok

[inbangkok]

Why should a student be expected to write after six months if the school they attend doesn't teach them how to write?

At mine it was pretty much just characters for the first six months. At many schools writing's completely optional. You can study it or not, up to you. If some guy signs up for a course to learn spoken Thai only, the government gives him a visa, and then he shows up at CW and they expect him to write. It makes about as much sense as asking him to make sushi!

"Studying" Thai without learning how to read and write Thai is just plain wrong. You can bring all the lengty arguments that you want to defend that poor practice, but it remains wrong on both educational level and for Immigration purposes.

You can eliminate the Immigration judgement by studying Thai while on a tourist visa, which is legal, but you will remain pitifully poor at Thai if you don't learn how to read and write, beside you would be largely wasting your time and money.

The only reason why I would understand one that doesn't learn the written language is blindness or physical inability to write.

While I agree with you (especially about it being a requirement while on the ED Visa).....there are plenty of people here who can speak Thai pretty well (some close to fluent) but never bothered to learn to read or write. It is more of a personal choice. I don't understand it either, but seems like it has worked for quite a few.

[paz]

Like it was suggested in previous posts ..that you are issued with a 6 month ED visa and then someone at immigration decides whether you should actually be allowed to study or not.

There is no such thing as "6 months ED visa". Visa can be single entry, allowing 90 days, or multiple entry, allowing to 15 months almost, adding up each entry of 90 days.

Then there are extensions of stay, that is the subject of this thread.

[bbi1]

Why should a student be expected to write after six months if the school they attend doesn't teach them how to write?

At mine it was pretty much just characters for the first six months. At many schools writing's completely optional. You can study it or not, up to you. If some guy signs up for a course to learn spoken Thai only, the government gives him a visa, and then he shows up at CW and they expect him to write. It makes about as much sense as asking him to make sushi!

"Studying" Thai without learning how to read and write Thai is just plain wrong. You can bring all the lengty arguments that you want to defend that poor practice, but it remains wrong on both educational level and for Immigration purposes.

You can eliminate the Immigration judgement by studying Thai while on a tourist visa, which is legal, but you will remain pitifully poor at Thai if you don't learn how to read and write, beside you would be largely wasting your time and money.

The only reason why I would understand one that doesn't learn the written language is blindness or physical inability to write.

While I agree with you (especially about it being a requirement while on the ED Visa).....there are plenty of people here who can speak Thai pretty well (some close to fluent) but never bothered to learn to read or write. It is more of a personal choice. I don't understand it either, but seems like it has worked for quite a few.

I don't understand why those people don't want to read & write too. Surely it is nice to be able to read a menu or random sentences while you're out & about....or when you have a Thai girl with you & she's chatting to her friends on her phone, maybe even about you

Edited February 13, 2015 by bbi1

[nzexpat]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

It would probably be an idea to go directly to the government officers that issue the ED visas and pit in a complain and escalate the same ...depending on how things work out when I go for my next extension. It probably won't come to anything but better than doing nothing about it.

You are talking about the Minister for Foreign Affairs, although I'm not sure what do you want to complain about and if it would be worth even the time to print it.
If you want to complain about extension of stay (that are not visa), your party would be Thai immigration, and good luck with that as well.

Like it was suggested in previous posts ..that you are issued with a 6 month ED visa and then someone at immigration decides whether you should actually be allowed to study or not.

Please scan and post this 6 month ED visa !

Is there such a thing and if so where is it obtained?

Edited February 13, 2015 by nzexpat

[gezginrocker]

The Thai language can be studied whilst on a tourist visa !

A triple entry TV allows for a stay of almost 9 months if used wisely !

Maybe the "screamers" are those who never intended to study "Thai" ?

Since the beginning of my class, I only missed 2 lessons. The Chinese girl who got 21 days is a really good student and attended almost every class. The Russian guy who got 1 month last week also attended almost every class.

When I registered to the school, immigration was giving 3 month extensions. Of course this sounds better then extending my visa every two months and doing a border run at the end of every 3 months. Besides, in my country they are now only giving single entry tourist visas. Where will I get a triple entry TR? Laos? Cambodia? Malaysia? Burma?

Please think twice before posting totally useless stuff.

Edited February 13, 2015 by gezginrocker

[bigwhitewarrior]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

It would probably be an idea to go directly to the government officers that issue the ED visas and pit in a complain and escalate the same ...depending on how things work out when I go for my next extension. It probably won't come to anything but better than doing nothing about it.

You are talking about the Minister for Foreign Affairs, although I'm not sure what do you want to complain about and if it would be worth even the time to print it.

If you want to complain about extension of stay (that are not visa), your party would be Thai immigration, and good luck with that as well.

Like it was suggested in previous posts ..that you are issued with a 6 month ED visa and then someone at immigration decides whether you should actually be allowed to study or not.

Please scan and post this 6 month ED visa !

Is there such a thing and if so where is it obtained?

When you get an ED visa the new rule is that you can study 6 month basic thai ..then renew it in lao to get your 6 month Intermediate then back to lao for a final 6 month advance ed visa. That's it no more thai study after 1 year and 6 month ..it has taken one girl at my school over 12 month to pass the alphabet test! Everyone is different ..

[paz]

When you get an ED visa the new rule is that you can study 6 month basic thai ..then renew it in lao to get your 6 month Intermediate then back to lao for a final 6 month advance ed visa. That's it no more thai study after 1 year and 6 month ..it has taken one girl at my school over 12 month to pass the alphabet test! Everyone is different ..

The official, published rule is 1 year in country with extension (not a visa) before having to to go get a new visa. So far nobody has been denied an extension under the 6 months "rule".

I doubt that immigration will apply a 6 months maximum, I think they will follow the official regulation, despite whatever they may have said - but never put in writing.

Edited February 13, 2015 by paz

[inbangkok]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

It would probably be an idea to go directly to the government officers that issue the ED visas and pit in a complain and escalate the same ...depending on how things work out when I go for my next extension. It probably won't come to anything but better than doing nothing about it.

You are talking about the Minister for Foreign Affairs, although I'm not sure what do you want to complain about and if it would be worth even the time to print it.

If you want to complain about extension of stay (that are not visa), your party would be Thai immigration, and good luck with that as well.

Like it was suggested in previous posts ..that you are issued with a 6 month ED visa and then someone at immigration decides whether you should actually be allowed to study or not.

Please scan and post this 6 month ED visa !

Is there such a thing and if so where is it obtained?

When you get an ED visa the new rule is that you can study 6 month basic thai ..then renew it in lao to get your 6 month Intermediate then back to lao for a final 6 month advance ed visa. That's it no more thai study after 1 year and 6 month ..it has taken one girl at my school over 12 month to pass the alphabet test! Everyone is different ..

Hilarious..... It is not possible to become fluent in any language in 1.5 years.....

Most scholars say that if you study hard and really take it seriously that it takes around 4 years to become fluent.

[bigwhitewarrior]

When you get an ED visa the new rule is that you can study 6 month basic thai ..then renew it in lao to get your 6 month Intermediate then back to lao for a final 6 month advance ed visa. That's it no more thai study after 1 year and 6 month ..it has taken one girl at my school over 12 month to pass the alphabet test! Everyone is different ..

The official, published rule is 1 year in country with extension (not a visa) before having to to go get a new visa. So far nobody has been denied an extension under the 6 months "rule".

I doubt that immigration will apply a 6 months maximum, I think they will follow the official regulation, despite whatever they may have said - but never put in writing.

I was told only last week by my school that I will have to go to lao in 3 month (once I have received my extension for second 3 month) to obtain a new visa and then again in 6 month time ..

[bigwhitewarrior]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

It would probably be an idea to go directly to the government officers that issue the ED visas and pit in a complain and escalate the same ...depending on how things work out when I go for my next extension. It probably won't come to anything but better than doing nothing about it.

You are talking about the Minister for Foreign Affairs, although I'm not sure what do you want to complain about and if it would be worth even the time to print it.

If you want to complain about extension of stay (that are not visa), your party would be Thai immigration, and good luck with that as well.

Like it was suggested in previous posts ..that you are issued with a 6 month ED visa and then someone at immigration decides whether you should actually be allowed to study or not.

Please scan and post this 6 month ED visa !

Is there such a thing and if so where is it obtained?

When you get an ED visa the new rule is that you can study 6 month basic thai ..then renew it in lao to get your 6 month Intermediate then back to lao for a final 6 month advance ed visa. That's it no more thai study after 1 year and 6 month ..it has taken one girl at my school over 12 month to pass the alphabet test! Everyone is different ..

Hilarious..... It is not possible to become fluent in any language in 1.5 years.....

Sure about that ? It took me only 3 month to become fluent in English ...thay was 25 years ago...

[paz]

I was told only last week by my school that I will have to go to lao in 3 month (once I have received my extension for second 3 month) to obtain a new visa and then again in 6 month time ..

Yes, they are saying that. It remains to be seen if they will perform such a blatant violation of their own written rules that were enabled just 5 months ago. At the rate of two visa trips an year, and shortened extensions plus increased studying hours, the entire thing stops making sense and nobody in their right mind will insist being abused.

Edited February 13, 2015 by paz