I'm done with ED Visa program. I'm tired of all the changes.

This week one of the teachers said there would be layoffs for some of them as the number of students has "dropped by 80%." That sounds like hyperbole, but there's no doubt that the class sizes have gotten smaller. It's unfortunate that the real students (myself included) ended up being affected.

They also mentioned that they were informed by immigration that the school would need at least 90 students on the 5,000 baht VIP 90-day service.

Not worth the hassle. I've gotten enough through school to continue on my own and save the money. They want the students to sign up for 400 lessons (equivalent to a year) at approximately 40,000 baht. With the VIP service, that is not much less than the yearly cost of the Elite Visa.

Another day in paradise...

RIJoe.........by the sounds of it, your school is trying to make up for the loss of students using the remaining students to cough up more cash and put everything, including the higher fees and more hours per year on the back of Immigration.

The additional hours has been dictated by the Ministry of Education. They doubled the hours required to get the documents required for an extension.

Immigration has also made it difficult to the get extensions. That is where the VIP fees come from.

IMO the schools are suffering just as much as the students.

Another question remains - where does the extra 3,100 baht per extension go? The school? Or immigration?

Apparently the extra 3100 goes to immigration according to other reports about the VIP fee.

I have been saying for a long time the ED visa system was heading for the chop, by hook or by crook.

long term stayer here that do not qualify for marriage, retirement extension will have to look for another way.

long term Tourist visa, which in my opinion will be clamped down on, after they have finished with the Ed visa clampdown,

or the elite visa program, which doesn't work out too expensive, when compered with the ed visa fees. and it comes with a guarantee, and perks. its 274 baht a day or 3.5 bottles of beer.( Ban Chang area)

or the elite visa program, which doesn't work out too expensive, when compered with the ed visa fees. and it comes with a guarantee, and perks. its 274 baht a day or 3.5 bottles of beer.( Ban Chang area)

your numbers are 100% correct, but how many of those currently trying to stay long term on ed visa's will have USD 15k sitting in a bank account doing nothing ?

one suspects most of the people affected will be part of the mamma noodle generation and will not have THB 15k in an account, never mind USD 15k

or the elite visa program, which doesn't work out too expensive, when compered with the ed visa fees. and it comes with a guarantee, and perks. its 274 baht a day or 3.5 bottles of beer.( Ban Chang area)

your numbers are 100% correct, but how many of those currently trying to stay long term on ed visa's will have USD 15k sitting in a bank account doing nothing ?

one suspects most of the people affected will be part of the mamma noodle generation and will not have THB 15k in an account, never mind USD 15k

this is true for both the students and the teachers, they hardly add anything to the local economy.