Pattaya language schools now require 4 days/week attendance

[OMGImInPattaya]

As long as you study another language than Thai, you don't have to worry the immigration will test your language skills. If you do study Thai you're in trouble if you're not a quick learner.

Besides Thai, what other languages are offered for study in these language-visa school mills? About a half dozen or so maybe...Japanese, Russian, German, Korean, Chinese I've seen listed. Throw in maybe French, Spanish if you want. It wouldn't t be too hard for immigration to come up with short standardized oral or written tests for these languages and give them to all these budding UN translators we seem to have studying in Thailand.

[stoli]

I'm sure this is good for all these eager Thai language students...they should complete their courses in half the time and then return home.

?????? Your point please?

The point is how good this is for these eager Thai learners...immigration is making the schools offer more mandatory hours of instruction per work so this allows these students to graduate sooner. The students save money on room and board and visa fees because they can return home sooner and put their new Thai language skills to good use.

Sarcasm maybe? The students, as I am sure you know, have never been limited in how many hours they could attend per week. They could go 8 hours a day, 6 days a week, if they so desired. This is telling them that they must accelerate their classes, which not every student is looking forward to doing I am sure. Ever attend college? Ever ask your professors if you could pursue twice as many hours? If you don't learn Thai while you are here, that is fine. Your choice. For those that want to, let them without being jealous.

[stoli]

Yes. The situation is not good. They may relax in a few month's time. On the 28th meeting with MOE. They will officially change courses to 6 months. Big headache for all schools.

How will this effect people like myself who is here on a retirement Visa, and just want to learn Thai since I live here? There are many ED Visa students in my class that work to learn the Thai language, and they are doing very well. I have yet to meet an ED Visa student that was not progressing as fast, or faster, than me. I like having the same people in my class each week. Does this mean that I now have to attend more hours per week, drop behind the other students, etc.? I am going to travel for two weeks soon and am worried about getting too far behind the other students. I don't want to be additional hours behind them. Some of us actually enjoy learning and studying Thai in a class room setting. Thanks in advance for any response from MacWalen.

[Mario2008]

If you are studying but not on an extension of stay based on your study nothing changes. The paperwork is only for people who stay in Thailand based on their study. You are not.

[stoli]

If you are studying but not on an extension of stay based on your study nothing changes. The paperwork is only for people who stay in Thailand based on their study. You are not.

Thank you, but you completely misunderstood my question to Whalen. It does have an effect on me.. Now that my classmates are being moved to 4 days a week, and I will stay, as normal, at 3 days a week, they are splitting up classes.

[Timwin]

This will kill the ED business. Not many want to be constantly harassed by immigration officials like you are a parolee and may or may not give you 7 days, 15 days, 30 days, 60 days or maybe if they are in a good mood, 90 days!

In civilized world there are exams with clear requirements given beforehand for this, not some random questions by unqualified stamp pushers who may or may not like your face today.

[maswov]

Yes. The situation is not good. They may relax in a few month's time. On the 28th meeting with MOE. They will officially change courses to 6 months. Big headache for all schools.

How will this effect people like myself who is here on a retirement Visa, and just want to learn Thai since I live here? There are many ED Visa students in my class that work to learn the Thai language, and they are doing very well. I have yet to meet an ED Visa student that was not progressing as fast, or faster, than me. I like having the same people in my class each week. Does this mean that I now have to attend more hours per week, drop behind the other students, etc.? I am going to travel for two weeks soon and am worried about getting too far behind the other students. I don't want to be additional hours behind them. Some of us actually enjoy learning and studying Thai in a class room setting. Thanks in advance for any response from MacWalen.

The minimum days per week is to maintain eligibility for the ED visa. The only effect for you is the time schedule is changed to meet the visa requirements.

[Mario2008]

If you are studying but not on an extension of stay based on your study nothing changes. The paperwork is only for people who stay in Thailand based on their study. You are not.

Thank you, but you completely misunderstood my question to Whalen. It does have an effect on me.. Now that my classmates are being moved to 4 days a week, and I will stay, as normal, at 3 days a week, they are splitting up classes.

Indeed I misunderstood and that aspect is something I didn't think about.

[paz]

When you go to immigration they will stamp your passport allowing you to stay for an additional 15 days, in other words extending your stay or an extension of stay. Then you must go to immigration a second time at which time they will stamp your passport allowing you to stay for an additional 75 days. again in other words extending your stay. So yes, for each 90 day period you must go 2 times, each time getting a stamp allowing you to stay for an extended period of time.

You have filled and paid for one extension, and that is what you are getting. You are confusing the under consideration period for an extension, which is not. Immigration can also issue the extension immediately according to availability of the officer with signing power and their policies du-jour.

[paz]

I know a Scandinavian guy on ED visa studying English in Pattaya, he can speak the language already so he just pretend he is a slow learner........

He must also be a slow minded one, because with a tourist visa now he would save efforts, money, and acting.

[stoli]

Yes. The situation is not good. They may relax in a few month's time. On the 28th meeting with MOE. They will officially change courses to 6 months. Big headache for all schools.

How will this effect people like myself who is here on a retirement Visa, and just want to learn Thai since I live here? There are many ED Visa students in my class that work to learn the Thai language, and they are doing very well. I have yet to meet an ED Visa student that was not progressing as fast, or faster, than me. I like having the same people in my class each week. Does this mean that I now have to attend more hours per week, drop behind the other students, etc.? I am going to travel for two weeks soon and am worried about getting too far behind the other students. I don't want to be additional hours behind them. Some of us actually enjoy learning and studying Thai in a class room setting. Thanks in advance for any response from MacWalen.

The minimum days per week is to maintain eligibility for the ED visa. The only effect for you is the time schedule is changed to meet the visa requirements.

It is amazing how many replies I am getting to questions I never asked. I know my situation, what Visa I have, and realize that I do not have to meet the ED Visa requirements. Go back through my posts and you will learn what I have been referring to.

[stoli]

If you are studying but not on an extension of stay based on your study nothing changes. The paperwork is only for people who stay in Thailand based on their study. You are not.

Thank you, but you completely misunderstood my question to Whalen. It does have an effect on me.. Now that my classmates are being moved to 4 days a week, and I will stay, as normal, at 3 days a week, they are splitting up classes.

Indeed I misunderstood and that aspect is something I didn't think about.

Thanks for going back and understanding. If they break up the classes for ED Visa students, and those taking Thai just to learn it, then to make a class with enough students I will be lumped in with students that are 8 weeks behind me, or maybe some 8 weeks ahead of me, and will cause disruptions in all of these classes. (8 weeks is 24 lessons currently. Thai is a lot). I now go to class 3 days a week, and study 3 days a week. I certainly don't wish to move to classes 4 days a week to keep up with the new ED Visa requirements that the other students in my classes will have to change to. BTW, every student in my current class, is a real student, trying and accomplishing the knowledge of how to speak, read, & write Thai. Feel free to test them at any time. I have not met a slack-off yet in my school. I just hear from those not in a school that no one is there to learn. Wrong....

[susususu]

Language schools in Phuket now require 2 days/week attendance not 4 days

Is it still 8hrs a week or reduced to 4hrs a week?

4hrs a week

[bbi1]

Language schools in Phuket now require 2 days/week attendance not 4 days

Is it still 8hrs a week or reduced to 4hrs a week?

4hrs a week

Wow they've done a U-turn in Phuket bringing down the required hours back to what it was before. Maybe they will do the same in BKK & go back to the way it was before?

[OMGImInPattaya]

I'm sure this is good for all these eager Thai language students...they should complete their courses in half the time and then return home.

?????? Your point please?

The point is how good this is for these eager Thai learners...immigration is making the schools offer more mandatory hours of instruction per work so this allows these students to graduate sooner. The students save money on room and board and visa fees because they can return home sooner and put their new Thai language skills to good use.

So, when are you going to return home so you can save money on room and board and visa fees?

Don't have any...I own a house. Keeping my visa status current is a PITA however, but I prefer travel to sitting in a classroom. At least next month I'll turn 50 so visa fees will drop to 1900 baht a year.

[Boatfreak]

I'm sure this is good for all these eager Thai language students...they should complete their courses in half the time and then return home.

In most countries learning the language is a requirement to stay in the country. In Thailand has soon as you know the language you are kicked out.

Having learned a language only used in one country where you are not welcome anymore is not really attractive.

Edited January 27, 2015 by Boatfreak

[kevindorian]

What can you say, its not a great Visa option right now, both for the people that want to abuse it and for the people who dont want to abuse it.

Its unstable, its uncertain and you never know what is going to happen during your next 90 day extension. As for the schools well those ones that are legit will survive those that are not will survive for a while if they take advantage of students that are not following what is going on with the constant rule changes. I am tired of being on ED, and I go to school, the 4 days a week as well... it was a nice option in the past, learn the language, challenge the mind, have fun speaking it with the locals, enjoy Thailand... but now, well, its just not the same