Falang volunteers in CM Immigration ...

[LarryBird]

Ithas never been that hard to figure out what is going on there just seperate the clueless folks from the ones who know what they are doing and it flows like silk. Really never had a problem at Chiang Mai but never had a problem asking questions either and always had my paper work in order. The dress code never paid that much attention to it.

You.have.got.to.be.kidding.me.

[Johnny S]

The OP is a little vague in stating exactly what these fine young, well-dressed, volunteers-without-needing-work-permits (possibly) actually do.

Do they prostheletise, for example?

Not exactly sure what your point is but as I said it looks like they help people at the counter that have a Q - is that clear enough for you ... ? Maybe like an information-counter in the Airport ...

If they are well-dressed have to be up to the dress-code police here on TV ... 555555

[Johnny S]

One maybe spell falang correctly,its farang (foreigner)

Sorry

Big kev

When in Rome .... Thais hardly use the letter "R" but prefer "L" (easier to say for them) so .....

and farang is not foreigner but White person right .....

[Loaded]

this is something new I wonder if the 2 farangs had work permits .

A WORK PERMIT is NOT needed if you do volunteer work for a GOVERNMENT AGENCY, Your GOVERNMENT ID Card is your """work permit'''' --- along with the RESTRICTIONS the agency places on the volunteer.

Many people volunteer at a government school, they still require a work permit.

The law states that only people who are exempt by royal decree don't need a work permit. I do not know of any royal decree exempting volunteer for government agencies for the requirement to have a WP. Do you?

British Council staff didn't need WPs until last year.

They used to obtain non-imm Fs but then a few years ago they were told that their teaching centres should be licensed as schools and their teachers would need to obtain work permits like teachers at every other language school. In Chiang Mai under current licensing rules, their old bank building along Bumrungrad Road cannot be licensed, for a number of reasons, as a non-formal school for teaching languages. No school license; no work permits for teachers.

With the consulate closing and the cost of moving to purpose-built teaching premises prohibitively expensive, I predict the teaching centre will close soon.

[Loaded]

One maybe spell falang correctly,its farang (foreigner)

Sorry

Big kev

When in Rome .... Thais hardly use the letter "R" but prefer "L" (easier to say for them) so .....

and farang is not foreigner but White person right .....

Northern Thai accent

[cmsally]

Many people volunteer at a government school, they still require a work permit.

The law states that only people who are exempt by royal decree don't need a work permit. I do not know of any royal decree exempting volunteer for government agencies for the requirement to have a WP. Do you?

British Council staff didn't need WPs until last year.

They used to obtain non-imm Fs but then a few years ago they were told that their teaching centres should be licensed as schools and their teachers would need to obtain work permits like teachers at every other language school. In Chiang Mai under current licensing rules, their old bank building along Bumrungrad Road cannot be licensed, for a number of reasons, as a non-formal school for teaching languages. No school license; no work permits for teachers.

With the consulate closing and the cost of moving to purpose-built teaching premises prohibitively expensive, I predict the teaching centre will close soon.

Wouldn't this also affect the AUA ? Just wondering as they seem to be similar.

[Nowisee]

I think it's great this is happening... AND the OP left with a smile... always a good thing.

Maybe it's training for the new location...

I'm trying very hard to be optimistic that the new facility and hopefully more/new staff will make the trip to immigration for an extension and slightly better experience...

[CNXBKKMAN]

Working as a volunteer at a hell hole like Chiang Mai immigration. It seems more like a punishment. There must be some benefits for the volunteers. It would be interesting to know what they are.

[LarryBird]

Working as a volunteer at a hell hole like Chiang Mai immigration. It seems more like a punishment. There must be some benefits for the volunteers. It would be interesting to know what they are.

Some of the young birds they have working there are pretty hot..

[Thailand]

Working as a volunteer at a hell hole like Chiang Mai immigration. It seems more like a punishment. There must be some benefits for the volunteers. It would be interesting to know what they are.

Yes, we certainly wouldn't want to think they are doing it with a view to trying to make life easier for others who have problems when they visit Chiang Mai Imm.

[uptheos]

Working as a volunteer at a hell hole like Chiang Mai immigration. It seems more like a punishment. There must be some benefits for the volunteers. It would be interesting to know what they are.

You could always make a discreet inquiry and feed it back to us

[NancyL]

This thread is a great illustration of the saying "no good deed goes unpunished". Why do many people find it hard to believe that there are people in the world who just want to help others and get pleasure from knowing they helped to make someone's day easier?

[CNXBKKMAN]

I believe there are people who are happy to help and expect nothing in return. I have done it myself many times, my default setting is to be helpful, although i wouldnt want to spend any time at the current CM immigration office. Some people have a lot of spare time and like to keep busy. Nothing wrong with that. Very commendable.

I imagine if you are immigration dept volunteer you will have no problem getting your extension of stay, visa extensions etc. Umpteen photocopies not required, just hand your passport over. If you put some years in and are respected by your thai colleagues those benefits may run after you have quit. I am only speculating.

[CNXBKKMAN]

This thread is a great illustration of the saying "no good deed goes unpunished". Why do many people find it hard to believe that there are people in the world who just want to help others and get pleasure from knowing they helped to make someone's day easier?

This thread is a great illustration of people jumping to conclusions and assuming things that were not said. I never said the volunteers are doing it only for some kind of payback but i was only curious what benefits they may get like easy visa renewal, cup of tea and a piece of cake etc. I doubt we will ever find out. Like i said above some people like to keep busy, get to know Thailand a bit better.

[big carl]

This thread is a great illustration of the saying "no good deed goes unpunished". Why do many people find it hard to believe that there are people in the world who just want to help others and get pleasure from knowing they helped to make someone's day easier?

This thread is a great illustration of people jumping to conclusions and assuming things that were not said. I never said the volunteers are doing it only for some kind of payback but i was only curious what benefits they may get like easy visa renewal, cup of tea and a piece of cake etc. I doubt we will ever find out. Like i said above some people like to keep busy, get to know Thailand a bit better.

If you will bother to read the posts you will notice that there are other posters on this thread who are not as magnanimous as you. It is not all about you.

[CNXBKKMAN]

If someone quotes one of my posts i will probably reply to it with my own personal point of view. Don't see no reason not too.

[Konini]

This thread is a great illustration of the saying "no good deed goes unpunished". Why do many people find it hard to believe that there are people in the world who just want to help others and get pleasure from knowing they helped to make someone's day easier?

Perfectly put Mrs L. I think we'll find that these are the same people who have glorious and quite shameless displays of schadenfreude. I am quite sure that that kind of person has absolutely no concept of helping others for altruistic means. It just isn't something in their orbit, which says a lot about them, their families and friends. Fortunately, these types are in the minority and most of us are grateful that there are people who help others for nothing but the joy of helping.

I'm glad that there are a couple of volunteers, perhaps there should be more. The last couple of times I was at immigration, there were an awful lot of Chinese people who seemed to be struggling, so it might be an idea to have someone speaking Mandrin too.

(Their visa arrangements are nothing to do with me, I have no interest in whether they have a work permit. It's not my business.)

[true blue]

must admit,last time I was at cnx imm a American gentleman stopped me and asked was everything okay he seemed to be going around talking to people.?????

[uptheos]

must admit,last time I was at cnx imm a American gentleman stopped me and asked was everything okay he seemed to be going around talking to people.?????

Probably been there since 4am and likes talking to people.

[Trujillo]

I have never had a problem in any immigration office when it came to English language abilities of the Thai staff. Having a native English speaking "helper" who does not have experience and probably lacks the knowledge that the trained Thai staff member has seems of marginal benefit.

Immigration does not need native English speaking amateurs trying to assist, immigration needs MORE STAFF (and more space, but apparently that's going to happen soon).

(By the way, although there may have been previous discussions about needing work permits for certain volunteer efforts, I have never read any, so if someone says we can't post about that, it would be helpful then to provide links to these previous threads on this subject.)

[NancyL]

While the Thai Immigration staff speak good English, it is heavily accented and it can be difficult for some people to understand. Also, is it really the best use of their time to explain the same things, over and over again to people. Recently, I stood behind someone in line seeking one of those 30 day extensions to a visa exempt entry. He didn't know the exact name, much less the address to his guest house and the Immigration officer patiently looked it up on her ipad, showing him pictures until he recognized the place. Wouldn't it have been better for a volunteer did this rather than the Immigration officer. This helpfulness caused the line down the middle aisle to extend way out the back door as everyone waited to get their afternoon queue numbers. The 90 day report counter actually got caught up because everyone was still waiting to get a queue number!

I agree, there is a big need for Chinese language volunteers. I've been in the early morning queue and seen Chinese people wandering around totally lost as to which queue is appropriate and asking if anyone can help them fill out the paperwork. One morning, I was near an American who had worked in China and could speak enough to direct the Chinese to the correct queues, but that was a big mistake, because they expected him to also help him with their paperwork.

[true blue]

must admit,last time I was at cnx imm a American gentleman stopped me and asked was everything okay he seemed to be going around talking to people.?????

Probably been there since 4am and likes talking to people.

propaly gets like that after a while.if you have been here long enough and trying to get a visa or something,that guy was muttering about being here since 1999,and cnx immigration was more organised then.lol

[LarryBird]

Well, the interesting part is that they are young guys, which makes the volunteering part more surprising..

[NancyL]

When I was at CM Immigration a few months ago, I saw a young foreign guy in full CMU uniform working behind the center info counter, just like the other CMU interns. I really didn't think much about it. After all, foreign students can and do enroll at CMU. Perhaps that is what the OP saw and is reporting -- just a couple of CMU foreign students doing their internship.

[cmsally]

Sounds more like exchange students from one of the unis

[Johnny S]

I have never had a problem in any immigration office when it came to English language abilities of the Thai staff. Having a native English speaking "helper" who does not have experience and probably lacks the knowledge that the trained Thai staff member has seems of marginal benefit.

Immigration does not need native English speaking amateurs trying to assist, immigration needs MORE STAFF (and more space, but apparently that's going to happen soon).

(By the way, although there may have been previous discussions about needing work permits for certain volunteer efforts, I have never read any, so if someone says we can't post about that, it would be helpful then to provide links to these previous threads on this subject.)

If I stated anywhere that the volunteers speak English its a mistake ...I don't know if the volunteers are native English speaking as I didn't talk to them - maybe they speak french, german, italian whatever ...

Immigration dosent need more staff - they need easier ways to make ig. extensions IMO...