Teachers leaving Samui and new rules from immigration?

[Tropicalevo]

Wifey was hit with some new rules from the immigration people when we left Samui via the airport recently.

The immigration officer asked to see her teaching certificates. (Her visa shows that she is a teacher.)

Wifey explained that she did not normally carry them with her and that for the last 10 years she has not been asked to show them before.

After a protracted conversation it seems that the immigration people are looking for teachers working here illegally. They said that in future wifey should carry a document proving the legality of her profession when leaving the country. Acceptable documents are

teaching certificate

work permit

copy of work permit (work permit should stay at your place of work)

I am not sure if this is a permenant requirement, or just a Samui thing.

[Rooo]

Moving to teaching forum & leaving link in Samui.

[ThaiRich]

I always carry my work permit with me as supporting documentation of my Non B visa. It's small and fits in the same pouch as my passport.

[lust]

I always carry my work permit with me as supporting documentation of my Non B visa. It's small and fits in the same pouch as my passport.

So you carry your passport everywhere? Crazy.

[lostinisaan]

Heard nothing in Isaan so far, seems to be a Samui Immigration officer thing.( Isaan's 33% of this country)

A copy of your Khurusapha letter,, or a copy of your work permit will be fine. I've never left my work permit at school in ten years.

Would somebody come to your school and you'd have it at home, it wouldn't be a big issue at all. Important is that you've got one.

BTW, never had seen a work permit, or visa check at a government school here, or heard of it.

[PattayaPhom]

I always carry my work permit with me as supporting documentation of my Non B visa. It's small and fits in the same pouch as my passport.

So you carry your passport everywhere? Crazy.

Probably meant when travelling although the way post is written could assume always

[quandow]

Ever since this PM Cha-cha nonsense has started, I carry my passport in a waterproof pouch everywhere I go. One more reason, after living here almost 10 years, I've started liquidating my meager assets and am booking a flight outa here. Too many other accomodating countries that will gratefully accept my dollars without hassling me every time I turn around!!

[BudRight]

Here's a brilliant idea, why don't immigration themselves check if someone has a work permit instead of requiring a paper document like we're in the year 1915.

[NoshowJones]

Here's a brilliant idea, why don't immigration themselves check if someone has a work permit instead of requiring a paper document like we're in the year 1915.

No, can't have that, it would mean a little extra work.

[ThaiRich]

I always carry my work permit with me as supporting documentation of my Non B visa. It's small and fits in the same pouch as my passport.

So you carry your passport everywhere? Crazy.

The post is about leaving the country. Not about going to the market. Yes, when I travel outside of Thailand I take my passport.

[robertson468]

Ever since this PM Cha-cha nonsense has started, I carry my passport in a waterproof pouch everywhere I go. One more reason, after living here almost 10 years, I've started liquidating my meager assets and am booking a flight outa here. Too many other accomodating countries that will gratefully accept my dollars without hassling me every time I turn around!!

I have also lived here for 10 years, have never been hassled and encountered much friendship, kindness and help from my many Thai Friends. Could it be that your negative view of Thailand has impacted on your attitude, which in turn has not endeared you to the locals? Good luck where ever you go and I hope you are not suffering that well known syndrome, "the grass is greener on the other side", but find out that it is not where you go, but who you are.

[guru]

I work at an International School and we recently returned from a school trip overseas. A sixth form (Year 12) non-Thai student couldn't provide proof of study at our school when asked by the immigration officer and was going to be refused re-entry until I approached the desk and vouched for her.

[Rhys]

Ever since this PM Cha-cha nonsense has started, I carry my passport in a waterproof pouch everywhere I go. One more reason, after living here almost 10 years, I've started liquidating my meager assets and am booking a flight outa here. Too many other accomodating countries that will gratefully accept my dollars without hassling me every time I turn around!!

I have also lived here for 10 years, have never been hassled and encountered much friendship, kindness and help from my many Thai Friends. Could it be that your negative view of Thailand has impacted on your attitude, which in turn has not endeared you to the locals? Good luck where ever you go and I hope you are not suffering that well known syndrome, "the grass is greener on the other side", but find out that it is not where you go, but who you are.

Been here almost twice as long and would have to agree, it is always something with new administrations in key places.

However, we all adjust and keep things in perspective. Sure it is a pain in the rear end... however, in places such as Ko Samui the teaching and immigration situation sounds like regional office quirks.. Like anything else surrounded with the ENGLISH BUSINESS, it will slowly go away and be forgotten.

The grass is greener where ever you water it....

[gerry123]

The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise and thinking that having problems is a problem. » .

[lust]

I always carry my work permit with me as supporting documentation of my Non B visa. It's small and fits in the same pouch as my passport.

So you carry your passport everywhere? Crazy.

The post is about leaving the country. Not about going to the market. Yes, when I travel outside of Thailand I take my passport.

So they ask you as well for your teaching documents when departing?

[robsamui]

Ever since this PM Cha-cha nonsense has started, I carry my passport in a waterproof pouch everywhere I go. One more reason, after living here almost 10 years, I've started liquidating my meager assets and am booking a flight outa here. Too many other accomodating countries that will gratefully accept my dollars without hassling me every time I turn around!!

I have also lived here for 10 years, have never been hassled and encountered much friendship, kindness and help from my many Thai Friends. Could it be that your negative view of Thailand has impacted on your attitude, which in turn has not endeared you to the locals? Good luck where ever you go and I hope you are not suffering that well known syndrome, "the grass is greener on the other side", but find out that it is not where you go, but who you are.

I also have "many Thai friends" and any of them will be the first to tell you that they detest the heavy-handed and unnecessarily officious bureaucracy they have to suffer.

When I then explain what I (and all foreigners) have to put up with, many of them flat-out refuse to believe it and those who do can't understand why I still want to suffer it all and remain here.

It's not the Thai people who are driving increasingly larger numbers of long-stayers away from Thailand - it's the legions of little-minded and mean-spirited petty bureaucrats whose sole purpose in life is to pee on those blow them whilst trying to look good to those above - together with the constant month-to-month petty changes in regulation and protocol which they create to justify their existence.

R

Edited April 18, 2015 by robsamui

[Tropicalevo]

So they ask you as well for your teaching documents when departing?

In this case - yes.

[JoeLing]

I always carry my work permit with me as supporting documentation of my Non B visa. It's small and fits in the same pouch as my passport.

So you carry your passport everywhere? Crazy.

I always carry identification with me, as we're supposed to do

Laminated Copy of Passport

Laminated Copy of the latest "Non-B Visa" page

Laminated Copy of WP Booklet

A copy of my last TM card

And yes, fits very nicely in one of those passport pouches,

including Driving Licence

Absolutely never had a problem .

Edited April 18, 2015 by JoeLing

[lust]

I always carry my work permit with me as supporting documentation of my Non B visa. It's small and fits in the same pouch as my passport.

So you carry your passport everywhere? Crazy.

I always carry identification with me, as we're supposed to do

Laminated Copy of Passport

Laminated Copy of the latest "Non-B Visa" page

Laminated Copy of WP Booklet

A copy of my last TM card

And yes, fits very nicely in one of those passport pouches,

including Driving Licence

Absolutely never had a problem .

Well good on you for being keen I guess. But I carry none of the things you do and I, like you, have also never had a problem. 3 years now.

[connda]

I always carry my work permit with me as supporting documentation of my Non B visa. It's small and fits in the same pouch as my passport.

So you carry your passport everywhere? Crazy.

I always carry identification with me, as we're supposed to do

Laminated Copy of Passport

Laminated Copy of the latest "Non-B Visa" page

Laminated Copy of WP Booklet

A copy of my last TM card

And yes, fits very nicely in one of those passport pouches,

including Driving Licence

Absolutely never had a problem .

Well good on you for being keen I guess. But I carry none of the things you do and I, like you, have also never had a problem. 3 years now.

I carry a copy of my passport with the front page and current visa stamp shrunk down to fit on 1/2 a sheet of paper and folded up in my wallet. Carry full sheet copies in both my vehicles. If they want to push the point, they can come to my home where I'm more than happy to show them my passport.

[SlyAnimal]

Kinda funny that they asked for this, as it's essentially saying that they don't trust the other immigration officers. Since in order to get your B visa extended (Which is the only visa which says the name of the school on it, usually written as a notation in pen by immigration), you need to have your work permit (And often your teacher's licence waiver as well, since immigration often don't trust the dept of labour).

Checking people who are on extended B visas, is probably the worst way to catch people out, as they're the ones who have presented documents to immigration. Most people teaching illegally, are on marriage/education extensions or tourist visas.

Although in general, I think it's always a good idea to take your work permit (And passport) with you when travelling outside your province, as it provides proof of your address if needed + allows you Thai pricing at most attractions etc (And of course can help if you ever encounter a situation as described by the OP).

[Too]

Hello!

When I left Thailand through Sadao for Malaysia by land 5 weeks ago, I wasn't asked by

the Immigration Officer to show any documents such as my work permit or my teacher's

licence waiver. When I flew back into Thailand on my re-entry permit 2 weeks later, I wasn't

even asked to do so, either.

There might be loads of illegal teachers on Koh Samui... I'm not sure...

I keep all my original documents on my own, while my school keeps all the copies. I'll never

ever carry my passport (let alone any other documents) unless I need to like leaving Thailand

or going to the Immigration Office.

[Rhys]

Photo copies of passport and workpermit.. as a compromise on my person.. DL always carry..

TL.. not required in my teaching situation...or level.