17 foreign ‘English teachers’ arrested in Chiang Mai for working illegally

[WinnieTheKhwai]

It's idiots like these that give other foreigners who are working here legally with a permit a bad name.

Because...

[kingstonkid]

this may explain why they were busted.

I feel sorry for the guys that got caught but

http://www.chiangmainews.com/classifieds_job/view.php?id=58745

It seems it was not the workers that caught the eye of the police but the actual company for being a little scarey.

You have to know that when your company hits the news that people are going to come looking

Edited January 23, 2015 by kingstonkid

[Diplomatico]

this may explain why they were busted.

I feel sorry for the guys that got caught but

http://www.chiangmainews.com/classifieds_job/view.php?id=58745

Doh!

[Jingthing]

Not very discreet!

[Lobin]

Anyone know what type of work permit they could apply for in order to work 'online'?

I thought head honcho was quoted saying, a few months back now when all this recent visa fuss started, that these online workers were not the problem or indeed a problem? And although he didn't go as far to say it, he pretty much said these online types will be given a sort of carte Blanche. Albeit, yes this is Thailand and everything has to be taken with kilo of salt. Must be a bit of a worry for other online workers... Just saying...

[samsensam]

Bad move.

They were not committing a crime, they were offering a service that Thais can't offer.

They were taking nobody's job.

Just another excuse to say how bad these foreigners are..................

I know, you can't work without a WP, but at this instance they were harming nobody.

actually they were committing a crime, they were working in thailand illegally

whether they were taking someone's job is irrelevant

its not an excuse to blame foreigners, the foreigners were breaking the law

the law in thailand is not based on whether someone is being harmed or not

however i agree that working here illegally is a bad move.

[daveAustin]

Dear me, with all the human and drug trafficking going on, child exploitation, slave conditions for fishermen, deaths in the south, murders on various 'idyllic' islands, harassment of tourists by bent cops, they bust a handful of foreigners teaching English to outsiders on the internet! Just no hope really is there.

[gemini81]

How trivial. Guess there wasn't any real crime anywhere in progress in their district.

[Johnnie99]

Bad move.

They were not committing a crime, they were offering a service that Thais can't offer.

They were taking nobody's job.

Just another excuse to say how bad these foreigners are..................

I know, you can't work without a WP, but at this instance they were harming nobody.

Did you miss the fact that working without a work permit actually is a crime?

The fact that they were 'hurting nobody' is totally irrelevant.

This therefore is an excellent move by the Thai authorities to stop the abuse of the system by non-Thais.

[Diplomatico]

Anyone know what type of work permit they could apply for in order to work 'online'?

I thought head honcho was quoted saying, a few months back now when all this recent visa fuss started, that these online workers were not the problem or indeed a problem? And although he didn't go as far to say it, he pretty much said these online types will be given a sort of carte Blanche. Albeit, yes this is Thailand and everything has to be taken with kilo of salt. Must be a bit of a worry for other online workers... Just saying...

Pretty sure what he said was if those workers were also paid outside of Thailand. Doesn't sound like that was the case here.

"He noted that online work for overseas companies that pay overseas is not prohibited but that the person will need to get a visa to stay longer, currently there is no new visa for these kinds of people."

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/754414-immigration-clarifies-new-regulations-for-foreigners-in-chiang-mai/

[Loles]

I only would like to know may I check my Email from my bank (business account) here with out work-permit ???

NO ?

OK, OK. I go abroad to check it.

[Thian]

What about thai businessmen offering me free dinners so they can practise their english?

I won't accept that anymore.

[gemguy]

Can we know exactly how much money is required to resolve this "oh so terrible crime"

I surmise it will be totally ignored or dismissed relevant to the fact that the school / company / corporation did not do their part first and arrange all necessary documentation and or meet all their requirements ( first )

The foreigners will be held accountable but all the Thais involved will be free of any wrong doing or complicity and or they will BS their way out of any wrong doing while throwing the foreigners to the sharks.

Cheers

[greenchair]

I just don't understand this. In section 4 of the alien work act it says. This act shall not apply to people in this category.

(6) people involved with things to benefit education or activities, sports etc as prescribed by royal decree. Which is talking about the constitutional right to give and receive knowledge. It is protected. Though thailand no longer has a constitution. The government says we can follow the existing acts as law. The national education act 18 (3) is a description of informal educators. And section 53 says anyone coming under 18 (3) does not need licence. If you read the informal education act and national act it says informal educators have the right to teach and receive money for their services. So that they are able to do their important work.

However you cannot work in a formal school without licences. That is highly illegal. However, you can act as an English consultant ,but you cannot contribute to the grade of the student because you are not a teacher in the formal meaning of the word.

[spidermike007]

Bad move.

They were not committing a crime, they were offering a service that Thais can't offer.

They were taking nobody's job.

Just another excuse to say how bad these foreigners are..................

I know, you can't work without a WP, but at this instance they were harming nobody.

Did you miss the fact that working without a work permit actually is a crime?

The fact that they were 'hurting nobody' is totally irrelevant.

This therefore is an excellent move by the Thai authorities to stop the abuse of the system by non-Thais.

Thousands of us totally disagree. The law was designed to protect Thais from foreign encroachment on their skill sets. That is simply not the case here. Few Thais have excellent English skills and the ability to teach the language. That is the real point. The letter of the law nonsense means little to most of us. Frankly, I have always had little respect for silly, nonsensical laws that are not properly applied, in the spirit in which they were passed.

[Ridercnx808]

i wouldnt want unqualified teachers teaching me either, whats the problem?

not fair for those who actually went through school to learn proper ways to teach.

In any other country it is illegal for people to work without work permits, its almost like white people think they have carte blanche to do whatever the hell it is they want to do, and feel as if they are being targeted specifically.

Wake up and open your farang eyes, you are nothing special in the global neighborhood...play by the same rules as everyone else, your not special and dont deserve any special rights, English is not a skill just because you can speak it - get a real job.

kudos to those who have actually had training to teach and have proper work permits.

Edited January 23, 2015 by Ridercnx808

[Jingthing]

I only would like to know may I check my Email from my bank (business account) here with out work-permit ???

NO ?

OK, OK. I go abroad to check it.

No worries. Check it. Nobody has ever been busted for that here.

Next ...

[alanferdi]

Those dämned foreigners again.

ja....velly goot wee kan speeika the engalish laike Thai do.....Forliner too mache ploblem rn too mache xpensive....they a tayking the Thai teecher jobs and nawt teeching .... we learn now too speeik engalish from Thai man.... velly goot.

[rwdrwdrwd]

Subtle difference between what these lot were doing and what digital nomads do, is this:

'The language teachers were hired by BOI 360 Max Co'

They were not working for customers in China, they were working for a Thai company that had customers in China, the teachers were working for a Thai co and being renumerated by a Thai company in Thailand.

Dumb.

Edited January 23, 2015 by rwdrwdrwd

[Baerboxer]

Can't manage to catch those who possess/make/sell fake passports and engage in people trafficking but nab a few would-be TEFLERS.

Low hanging fruit...

wrong priorities and motivations....

[Torrens54]

The Law Is The Law.

Break it and you can expect to pay the consequences. Trying to worm-out of it by suggesting it was only a Minor Offence, is like saying you are only a "little bit pregnant."

For those of us who do have, or when we were working, had a Work Permit, it seems only fair that those who "don't bother" with complying with the Laws of Thailand, should be BOOTED OUT!

[Hawkman]

It's idiots like these that give other foreigners who are working here legally with a permit a bad name.

I think if you were to ask a Thai if it was these types of foreigners who give us a bad name or foreigners who come here get completely drunk, chase hookers, do/sell drugs, disrespect their culture, get angry in shops and get involved with criminal activity like the boiler rooms. I'm pretty sure it would be the latter lot who give us a bad name.

[a99az]

Look out all who are working at home online! I wonder how they found out I guess someone talked. I have met many who run online businesses from home in Thailand, everything from selling on ebay, to accountancy programs and support, even property you name it someone is doing it. Always thought it a good idea after all how can they catch you?

[wowfactor10]

For now on CM is a safe city again...

[Tonto21]

It's idiots like these that give other foreigners who are working here legally with a permit a bad name.

'TVGerry'...... How exactly are they giving foreigners, with a WP a bad name....... How?.......

[Jingthing]

The Law Is The Law.

Break it and you can expect to pay the consequences. Trying to worm-out of it by suggesting it was only a Minor Offence, is like saying you are only a "little bit pregnant."

For those of us who do have, or when we were working, had a Work Permit, it seems only fair that those who "don't bother" with complying with the Laws of Thailand, should be BOOTED OUT!

Oh please.

Nobody reading this has not broken several laws in their lives with no consequences and no expected consequences.

Probably a significant percentage have broken some laws TODAY.

[Skywalker69]

Those dämned foreigners again.

They worked without a work permit. Is that ok in the country you come from?

[khunpa]

A good example of how stupid and out of date the law is, when it comes to work permits. To get a work-permit requires hirering 4 Thais. So that company, would need 68 Thais on the payroll to make them coffee.

The law as it is now, just not only keep investors and entrepreneurs away, it also reduces the willingness for any company who needs foreign help, to grow their company here. With the current economical situation, you have to wonder, when Thailand will start to see foreign companies (where jobs are not taken from Thais) as an asset to the country.

This company, will simply just relocate and do business from another country. And the benefit for Thailand from that is??????????????

[kkup]

Obviously someone gave them up. It wouldn't surprise me if it was one of those lovely tv members who use the terms "quality tourist" and "has this guy got a work permit".

[rwdrwdrwd]

Look out all who are working at home online! I wonder how they found out I guess someone talked. I have met many who run online businesses from home in Thailand, everything from selling on ebay, to accountancy programs and support, even property you name it someone is doing it. Always thought it a good idea after all how can they catch you?

These lot weren't working at home online. They were working from a business office in Thailand for a Thai company and being paid in Thailand.

The fact the end customers were in China is irrelevant, they worked for the Thai co.

Edited January 23, 2015 by rwdrwdrwd