Immigration are circling my classroom - what can I do?

[BlindMagician]

The enemy are circling my classroom (said in an Arnie voice), lock the door, close the windows, where's my uzzi, ...

 

You're working illegally. What gives you the right? Get with the programme.

[sanemax]

Its quite apparent that immigration laws have changed significantly over the past few years and theres been clampdowns in many areas of Thai society .

   The Police are now being policed by the army, now they are forced to do their jobs.

The days of giving people in authority "presents" for favours has also somewhat diminished .

  The O.P needs to decide whether he thinks the authorities are really on his case or whether it will all blow over with no action being taken .

   The stakes are high , he has it all to lose .

Thai immigration and the Thai authorities will not be concerned about his "services to the community" , they will just see an illegally operating business .

   He seems to have the funds , what I would do would to close the school down, give any refunds back to pupils , then go for a long holiday somewhere and then return in a few months , if he desires and doesnt want to relocate permanently .

   The stakes are high .

The authorities may take no further action, but, if they do, the consequences could be severe 

[overherebc]

8 hours ago, wmlc said:

I'm sorry but you are dead wrong. That's just like saying don't worry about overstaying because you can pay the fine and move on with your life. All the reasons you stated are really valid reasons for why the op should be scared. A rash of complaints from students who paid tuition upfront and now find the school closed, is another reason to be scared of the result. You don't have experience with any immigration legal matters so I would refrain from these relaxing comments. The op may well be in serious trouble and should contact a lawyer for advice.

 

The LAST thing the OP should do is contact a lawyer.

He should be out of there PDQ.

Edited December 24, 2016 by overherebc

[JoeW]

11 hours ago, tomacht8 said:

In your preaching, you are 100% right.
This should have been heard by the OP 16 years ago.
Now it's too late.
This is now about concrete damage limitation and behavioral tips.

 

True. The only thing he can do is to close his business and get on with his life. Had a good run.

[james24]

Correct me if I'm wrong for stating the obvious but if your wife is Thai why not just get her to legally register as a sole-trader and have you as an employee? Is that possible in Thailand?

[Monkeyrobot]

Close it down and get a work permit , make it a business under your wife's name. She can then employ you as a teacher, you can even expand and spread the word to enroll more students. Looks like you have no other choice, unless you want to pay tea money every month. You have been lucky for the last sixteen years but times are changing and you will have to adapt to the  current situation. You will also find when you do everything legit, you will also sleep better and night. 

[meatboy]

12 hours ago, JustAnotherFarang said:

Hi guys

 

I am the original poster and inbetween fretting, stressing and trying to close all the loopholes that could leave me hanging I have also taken the time to read every single response which was quite overwhelming.  Thank you to everyone, even the naysayers and bitter ones for taking the time to read my posting and for taking the time to reply.

 

Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight regarding information that I failed to include in my original posting.  I am a married to a thai national who I have been with for 16 years and I live in Thailand with my non immigrant o visa.  Whilst I am well spoken, articulate and with a sensible amount of intelligence I have never attended university and do not possess a degree.  The reasons for this are of a more personal nature but suffice to say that I was brought up under the care of the local authorities in childrens homes and upon reaching the ripe old age of 16 I was allowed into the community to pursue my own life.  Instead of choosing higher education I set out into the world of work and found several jobs of gainful employment.  At the age of 31, on a new years eve, I finally left my home to travel around Asia and on day 4 of my travels I met a girl, a very decent and reputable lady, who became my wife. 

 

I started teaching in the local school 14 years ago, I was the only farang in the small town and I taught nigh on 1250 students every week for a wage of 25,000 bht without a work visa.  This was my humble beginning to teaching and although it was extremely tiring, I thoroughly enjoyed helping the community that I lived with and became very popular.  That was when I started teaching privately and at first I had about 30 students who enjoyed learning with me.  Business was good and everyone was happy.

 

After 3 years, the school had a change of headmaster and the new guy decided that I was surplus to requirements and so that was when I decided to up sticks and move into a more central area of the large province that I live in.  Once again I got a job working in a government school and within a short time I was teaching students privately.  My style of teaching is considered to be humourous and entertaining and my perceived personality is considered kind and pleasant.  I was admired by parents who wanted their kids to learn with a clean cut guy who did not drink, smoke or frequent any places of ill repute.

 

After another 2 years of working in the government school the laws started to change and the fact that I did not have a degree became a major sticking point. This is when parents asked me to concentrate on just teaching privately and I jumped at the opportunity to carry on living in the province I now called home.  Over these years I have built up a very profitable and successful business, purely by word of mouth and quality teaching and I became well known to almost everybody in my hometown.  The business was profitable enough that I was able to buy land and build my own home which had always been a life long dream as I had never had a home to call my own.  My students often come to visit me there and we hold christmas parties and special occasions for  them on a regular basis.  I must add that my classroom is not situated at my home, I have a separate premises for my business.

 

About 18 months ago, a member of thai immigration came to inquire about classes for her child.  I was quite surprised to see her as she had found me in situ so to speak but she still enrolled her child to come and learn everyday.  Her daughter excelled along with the other students but 8 months ago her mother pulled my wife to one side and asked if I had a work permit.  My wife replied honestly and the official said that I must get a work permit as things were changing.  The following term, her daughter stopped learning with us.

 

It was only in the last 2 weeks that our suspicions grew.  The neighbour across the road is a friend of my wife as they often meditate together at the local temple and she forewarned my wife of their initial enquiries.  Last night, it was my wife herself who recognised and realised that the same guy was driving past the classroom with another guy.  Later on, she also recognised the other guy who we normally deal with at immigration driving by as well, very slowly and obviously looking to see what was going on.  We immediately recognised the imminent danger and decided to forego the Xmas party and present giving that was scheduled for today and decided to leave the classroom in darkness for the foreseeable future.  We realise now that to continue would be suicidal and we are taking evasive actions with regards to dismantling the classroom, consulting with a lawyer and calling upon those who might be able to offer assistance.  

 

This is, as those who are more empathetic, a very very sad time for us.  Although we realised that we were breaking the archaic law that prevents a man from providing for his family, we had also assumed that everyone knew who we were, where we were and that we are just normal upstanding members of the community providing a valuable service to the people within our province.  We have always hoped that they would leave us alone to continue on our way as has been the case for 14 years.  Although I may not have paid tax directly, I have contributed countless hours of voluntary work and have assisted many poor students who were unable to pay, to enjoy an opportunity of an education that has benefited their families directly.  We always thought of it as a more karmic offering and that we were giving back to the community at a more grass roots level.  I have also supported my wife and her large family and I have paid for and put 5 of their children through university education.  They now all have well paid jobs (by thai standards) and can look forward to reaping the harvest of the seeds we have sown for them.  

 

But alas, it now all seems for naught as I am now in jeopardy. And now that I have bared my soul I can see those naysayers, ne'er do wells and others of a more pompous and superior disposition picking there way through this posting, look for minute and miniscule reasons to berate me and add insult to injury.  So I say to those guys, those who feel that they must grind an axe to feed their moral superiority, to just stop for a moment and consider those words that you might write.  I have done my very best, for each and every individual I have met along the way to try and tried to make a positive difference to their lives.  Yes I was financially rewarded and yes I have done well for myself but I have dedicated myself to working 7 days a week for 14 years to build my own home.  I do not think that I am the be all and end all and nor do I need or seek any applause but I really do not deserve such condemnation from any man  just for trying to do the very best that I can for my wife and my family.

 

Last but not least, to my students who will read this message on Facebook, it is with a very heavy heart and great sadness that I am forced to bid you all farewell.  I will take the time to say goodbye to you all personally and to give you your Xmas presents.  We have had some great times together and watching you all blossom from young children to the mature and open minded individuals that you have become today has been one of the greatest joys in my life.  A lot of you are like family to me and I will dearly miss you all but remember that if ever you need a friend, a shoulder to lean upon or just some friendly advice, I will always be there for you.

 

And so, with the motto of thai immigration motto of "good guys in, bad guys out" ringing in my ears, I bid you all a good day and may you have pleasant holidays with your loved ones

 

JAF

 

 

 

 

 

 

get me a hanky,this is indeed a sob story.

bought land and house dont think so,providing for all the family members,for over 16yrs.have you kept enough for a rainy day/that should be your concern now.

you posted on the 22july your intensions were to apply for an extension,so what have you been doing for 14yrs.visa runs?

i to have paid enough into the thai coffers for over 35yrs.paid tax,provided for my wife,who has given me the best days of my life.

ALL DONE WITHIN THE LAW.

[dbrenn]

1 hour ago, james24 said:

Correct me if I'm wrong for stating the obvious but if your wife is Thai why not just get her to legally register as a sole-trader and have you as an employee? Is that possible in Thailand?

A foreigner can legally register as a sole trader, but cannot get a work permit as a sole trader from the labour department, so it's not possible to operate in this way. 

[dbrenn]

1 hour ago, meatboy said:

get me a hanky,this is indeed a sob story.

bought land and house dont think so,providing for all the family members,for over 16yrs.have you kept enough for a rainy day/that should be your concern now.

you posted on the 22july your intensions were to apply for an extension,so what have you been doing for 14yrs.visa runs?

i to have paid enough into the thai coffers for over 35yrs.paid tax,provided for my wife,who has given me the best days of my life.

ALL DONE WITHIN THE LAW.

You would make a very good Thai immigration officer, except that they don't hire foreigners.

 

Where is the Christmas spirit in this thread, really? The OP has already told us that he was working for a school and was forced out because he had no degree. He had the chance to continue teaching privately, the only other option being to leave his wife and kids and go back home to try to find a job. He was just running a small operation, providing a service to his local community and not hurting anyone.

 

Most of us would have done the same as he did, if we are honest, which I don't believe many here are.

 

Edited December 24, 2016 by dbrenn

[evadgib]

2 hours ago, james24 said:

Correct me if I'm wrong for stating the obvious but if your wife is Thai why not just get her to legally register as a sole-trader and have you as an employee? Is that possible in Thailand?

Its called a 'limited partnership' and was how I managed to work until I retired. The work permit enabled me to be sub-contracted by any outlet needing my expertise without having to leg it if imm showed up.

 

I have no idea if the option is still open but would think so.

Edited December 24, 2016 by evadgib

[muzmurray]

11 minutes ago, evadgib said:

Its called a 'limited partnership' and was how I managed to work until I retired. The work permit enabled me to be sub-contracted by any company needing my expertise and I didnt have to leg it if imm showed up :)

 

I have no idea if the option is still open but would think so.

 

That might work as long as you only work at the location stated on your work permit, you could not for instance work at many locations for many different companies.

[evadgib]

My work permit covered the entire archapeligao (3 islands). I had no probs in 10 years. By sub- contracting I could work wherever needed.

Edited December 24, 2016 by evadgib

[thetruth revealer]

14 hours ago, JustAnotherFarang said:

Hi guys

 

I am the original poster and inbetween fretting, stressing and trying to close all the loopholes that could leave me hanging I have also taken the time to read every single response which was quite overwhelming.  Thank you to everyone, even the naysayers and bitter ones for taking the time to read my posting and for taking the time to reply.

 

Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight regarding information that I failed to include in my original posting.  I am a married to a thai national who I have been with for 16 years and I live in Thailand with my non immigrant o visa.  Whilst I am well spoken, articulate and with a sensible amount of intelligence I have never attended university and do not possess a degree.  The reasons for this are of a more personal nature but suffice to say that I was brought up under the care of the local authorities in childrens homes and upon reaching the ripe old age of 16 I was allowed into the community to pursue my own life.  Instead of choosing higher education I set out into the world of work and found several jobs of gainful employment.  At the age of 31, on a new years eve, I finally left my home to travel around Asia and on day 4 of my travels I met a girl, a very decent and reputable lady, who became my wife. 

 

I started teaching in the local school 14 years ago, I was the only farang in the small town and I taught nigh on 1250 students every week for a wage of 25,000 bht without a work visa.  This was my humble beginning to teaching and although it was extremely tiring, I thoroughly enjoyed helping the community that I lived with and became very popular.  That was when I started teaching privately and at first I had about 30 students who enjoyed learning with me.  Business was good and everyone was happy.

 

After 3 years, the school had a change of headmaster and the new guy decided that I was surplus to requirements and so that was when I decided to up sticks and move into a more central area of the large province that I live in.  Once again I got a job working in a government school and within a short time I was teaching students privately.  My style of teaching is considered to be humourous and entertaining and my perceived personality is considered kind and pleasant.  I was admired by parents who wanted their kids to learn with a clean cut guy who did not drink, smoke or frequent any places of ill repute.

 

After another 2 years of working in the government school the laws started to change and the fact that I did not have a degree became a major sticking point. This is when parents asked me to concentrate on just teaching privately and I jumped at the opportunity to carry on living in the province I now called home.  Over these years I have built up a very profitable and successful business, purely by word of mouth and quality teaching and I became well known to almost everybody in my hometown.  The business was profitable enough that I was able to buy land and build my own home which had always been a life long dream as I had never had a home to call my own.  My students often come to visit me there and we hold christmas parties and special occasions for  them on a regular basis.  I must add that my classroom is not situated at my home, I have a separate premises for my business.

 

About 18 months ago, a member of thai immigration came to inquire about classes for her child.  I was quite surprised to see her as she had found me in situ so to speak but she still enrolled her child to come and learn everyday.  Her daughter excelled along with the other students but 8 months ago her mother pulled my wife to one side and asked if I had a work permit.  My wife replied honestly and the official said that I must get a work permit as things were changing.  The following term, her daughter stopped learning with us.

 

It was only in the last 2 weeks that our suspicions grew.  The neighbour across the road is a friend of my wife as they often meditate together at the local temple and she forewarned my wife of their initial enquiries.  Last night, it was my wife herself who recognised and realised that the same guy was driving past the classroom with another guy.  Later on, she also recognised the other guy who we normally deal with at immigration driving by as well, very slowly and obviously looking to see what was going on.  We immediately recognised the imminent danger and decided to forego the Xmas party and present giving that was scheduled for today and decided to leave the classroom in darkness for the foreseeable future.  We realise now that to continue would be suicidal and we are taking evasive actions with regards to dismantling the classroom, consulting with a lawyer and calling upon those who might be able to offer assistance.  

 

This is, as those who are more empathetic, a very very sad time for us.  Although we realised that we were breaking the archaic law that prevents a man from providing for his family, we had also assumed that everyone knew who we were, where we were and that we are just normal upstanding members of the community providing a valuable service to the people within our province.  We have always hoped that they would leave us alone to continue on our way as has been the case for 14 years.  Although I may not have paid tax directly, I have contributed countless hours of voluntary work and have assisted many poor students who were unable to pay, to enjoy an opportunity of an education that has benefited their families directly.  We always thought of it as a more karmic offering and that we were giving back to the community at a more grass roots level.  I have also supported my wife and her large family and I have paid for and put 5 of their children through university education.  They now all have well paid jobs (by thai standards) and can look forward to reaping the harvest of the seeds we have sown for them.  

 

But alas, it now all seems for naught as I am now in jeopardy. And now that I have bared my soul I can see those naysayers, ne'er do wells and others of a more pompous and superior disposition picking there way through this posting, look for minute and miniscule reasons to berate me and add insult to injury.  So I say to those guys, those who feel that they must grind an axe to feed their moral superiority, to just stop for a moment and consider those words that you might write.  I have done my very best, for each and every individual I have met along the way to try and tried to make a positive difference to their lives.  Yes I was financially rewarded and yes I have done well for myself but I have dedicated myself to working 7 days a week for 14 years to build my own home.  I do not think that I am the be all and end all and nor do I need or seek any applause but I really do not deserve such condemnation from any man  just for trying to do the very best that I can for my wife and my family.

 

Last but not least, to my students who will read this message on Facebook, it is with a very heavy heart and great sadness that I am forced to bid you all farewell.  I will take the time to say goodbye to you all personally and to give you your Xmas presents.  We have had some great times together and watching you all blossom from young children to the mature and open minded individuals that you have become today has been one of the greatest joys in my life.  A lot of you are like family to me and I will dearly miss you all but remember that if ever you need a friend, a shoulder to lean upon or just some friendly advice, I will always be there for you.

 

And so, with the motto of thai immigration motto of "good guys in, bad guys out" ringing in my ears, I bid you all a good day and may you have pleasant holidays with your loved ones

 

JAF

 

 

 

 

 

 

Somehow heartbreaking story... Hopefully everything get sorted out , good luck for you and your family ...

[meatboy]

29 minutes ago, dbrenn said:

You would make a very good Thai immigration officer, except that they don't hire foreigners.

 

Where is the Christmas spirit in this thread, really? The OP has already told us that he was working for a school and was forced out because he had no degree. He had the chance to continue teaching privately, the only other option being to leave his wife and kids and go back home to try to find a job. He was just running a small operation, providing a service to his local community and not hurting anyone.

 

Most of us would have done the same as he did, if we are honest, which I don't believe many here are.

 

where is the christmas spirit you ask? i done 50yrs.of legal work,20 of them down a stinking coal mine,taxed every week,but if i had done what the op had done,move to sunnier climate,marry,with no job only promises.as for leaving his wife and kids to go back home to work,why didnt he,then he would be able to sleep at night. now what does he DO.

if this gets into the media then what.

i am very harsh that the op.should bring this out in the open because it only spells trouble and believe me he could be up to his neck in it.

too late to think about your wife and kids,yes the kids WILL suffer from your wrong doings,have i have any sympathy for your wife yes plenty as like others that have been promised riches behond their wildest dreams.

as for your wifes property lets hope for her sake and the kids its paid for.

best the op.goes home and does some HARD GRAFT and send it to your wife and kids.thats my CHRISTMAS SPIRIT and not in a bottle.

 

[gemguy]

Well..think of it this way.

The alternative thing for the officials to do would be to ask for a share in the profits of the company while the officials grant the man immunity and become best of business buddies.

All friendly like and smooth things over while allowing a long established  profit making venture continue to generate profits that can be shared with the newly acquired "silent partners"

That is how it usually works anyhow....or certainly often enough.

Cheers

Edited December 24, 2016 by gemguy

[sanemax]

2 minutes ago, gemguy said:

Well..think of it this way.

The smart thing for the officials to do would be to ask for a share in the profits of the company while the officials grant the man immunity and become best of business buddies.

All friendly like and smooth things over while allowing a long established  profit making venture continue to generate profits that can be shared with the newly acquired "silent partners"

That is how it usually works anyhow....or certainly often enough.

Cheers

 

   Paying bribes to evade the law is quite a risky thing to do under the present Government 

[dbrenn]

9 minutes ago, meatboy said:

where is the christmas spirit you ask? i done 50yrs.of legal work,20 of them down a stinking coal mine,taxed every week,but if i had done what the op had done,move to sunnier climate,marry,with no job only promises.as for leaving his wife and kids to go back home to work,why didnt he,then he would be able to sleep at night. now what does he DO.

if this gets into the media then what.

i am very harsh that the op.should bring this out in the open because it only spells trouble and believe me he could be up to his neck in it.

too late to think about your wife and kids,yes the kids WILL suffer from your wrong doings,have i have any sympathy for your wife yes plenty as like others that have been promised riches behond their wildest dreams.

as for your wifes property lets hope for her sake and the kids its paid for.

best the op.goes home and does some HARD GRAFT and send it to your wife and kids.thats my CHRISTMAS SPIRIT and not in a bottle.

 

I'll bet you would have done what the OP did. If only you hadn't frittered the best years of your life away in a horrible coal mine, eh?

 

Your case makes me think thst most people who are attacking the OP are people who are jealous and who live mundane and boring lives.

Edited December 24, 2016 by dbrenn

[gemguy]

4 minutes ago, sanemax said:

 

   Paying bribes to evade the law is quite a risky thing to do under the present Government

No.... No........no bribes, rather the officials make everything legal.

They do it all the time.

[sanemax]

1 minute ago, gemguy said:

No.... No........no bribes, rather the officials make everything legal.

They do it all the time.

 

  Really ?

How would they be able to make everything legal whilst remaining inside the law ?

 

[overherebc]

Still reckon he should forget the lawyer idea, close up, go lie on beach somewhere for a month.

When he gets back live quietly and hope the passing patrols were a friendly warning.

[gk10002000]

On 12/22/2016 at 4:14 PM, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

16 years of illegally running a business in Thailand, without even having to have paid any bribes as yet?  OP, you ought to consider yourself luckier than most.

 

Get clean while you still can. IDC in BKK is not a fun place to be.

 

The pressure and charges could be intense.  exactly what income taxes did you pay to Thailand during all this time?

[gemguy]

They can make everything legal...

Arrange the work permit, Arrange the business license, Arrange the correct visa.

They can facilitate the man or arrest them......up to the officials.

Just saying that it can be either way.

Not condoning the fact that the man operated illegally but here in Thailand...usually things are negotiable and everyone can be appeased.

Cheers

[sanemax]

2 minutes ago, gemguy said:

They can make everything legal...

Arrange the work permit, Arrange the business license, Arrange the correct visa.

They can facilitate the man or arrest them......up to the officials.

Just saying that it can be either way.

Not condoning the fact that the man operated illegally but here in Thailand...usually things are negotiable and everyone can be appeased.

Cheers

 

   The officials must follow the law, they cannot make laws up as they go along .

[Rc2702]

41 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

The pressure and charges could be intense.  exactly what income taxes did you pay to Thailand during all this time?

I believe he has not paid a penny in tax as the business or its employees were never registered. It's one thing earning a living but to state it was a successful operation and not register the business tells me he thought he can have his cake and eat it. I mean only 2 years ago the warning was provided and it has been ignored. I feel for the chap but it sounds like he has a good network in place and never utilised it for anything but a crust/living. The "care" point is irrelevant given he was 31 at time of arrival and admittedly had become a well rounded articulated grown up.  The fact he wanted a place to call "home" and his ignorance of the warnings indicate a blatant disregard for his family and all the work he had done not to mention the country and laws he chose to hang his hat. Online courses are rife too and have been for a very long time so  not addressing the degree is another red flag. What mentality was adopted here "carpet sweep" I hope you protect your family regardless of your own outcome and ensure everything you help create (homes not illegal business's)cannot be taken away from your family.  Sounds like you worked hard so why not take this opportunity to focus on that degree or equivalent and get legit.  Your still younger than 85% of readers on TV and to build something from scratch in a foreign country and have it support you for near 15 years legit or not shows you can 100% bounce back from whatever comes your way. 

[mstevens]

2 hours ago, dbrenn said:

Where is the Christmas spirit in this thread, really? The OP has already told us that he was working for a school and was forced out because he had no degree. He had the chance to continue teaching privately, the only other option being to leave his wife and kids and go back home to try to find a job. He was just running a small operation, providing a service to his local community and not hurting anyone.

 

Most of us would have done the same as he did, if we are honest, which I don't believe many here are.

 

 

Christmas spirit indeed.  The attitude shown by some in this thread is exactly the reason why I refuse to live year round in Thailand.  I visit for periods of time and spend as much time in Thailand each year as I do at home, but I find the sanctimony of some expats in Thailand too much.  Rather a lot of expats are sanctimonious and many are just plain mean to their fellow foreigner.  I always thought there were enough challenges faced by expats in Thailand without having to face judgment by their own kind.

[buick]

OP - thanks for taking time to provide addtl info and good luck to you in the future.

 

keep in mind, that you are not alone in terms of experiencing a 'life change', temporary or permanent (to be determined).  it sounds like your childhood was challenging and probably made you a better person.  you've done the right thing by shutting down your operation.  now move on with the next step, go back and get the degree, find a new home/job, whatever your choice may be.   honestly, almost every person i know has done this at least once in their lifetime (as a result of drugs, alcohol, divorce, serious medical issues, and so on.  in fact, in a few cases it was all of the items i listed !!!).  if you choose to get the degree you need, at least you'll know what is waiting for you when you are done.  your dream home and what sounds like a reliable source of income.  many people that experience the 'life change' have no idea what awaits them down the road, assuming they can even get through the steps needed to make it back to 'the road'.  unfortunately, two of my close friends chose suicide, both dead at 42.

 

again, i wish you luck and hope we are both still around in a few years and you can post that you are back in your dream home working with your students.

[sanemax]

18 minutes ago, mstevens said:

 

Christmas spirit indeed.  The attitude shown by some in this thread is exactly the reason why I refuse to live year round in Thailand.  I visit for periods of time and spend as much time in Thailand each year as I do at home, but I find the sanctimony of some expats in Thailand too much.  Rather a lot of expats are sanctimonious and many are just plain mean to their fellow foreigner.  I always thought there were enough challenges faced by expats in Thailand without having to face judgment by their own kind.

 

  Although people are just giving honest opinions and advice.

If the OP just wants sympathy and a shoulder to cry on, and someone to put an arm around him and wave a magic wand to get rid of all his problems, then thats not going to happen .

   Its not being "mean" , its being honest

[wmlc]

47 minutes ago, buick said:

OP - thanks for taking time to provide addtl info and good luck to you in the future.

 

keep in mind, that you are not alone in terms of experiencing a 'life change', temporary or permanent (to be determined).  it sounds like your childhood was challenging and probably made you a better person.  you've done the right thing by shutting down your operation.  now move on with the next step, go back and get the degree, find a new home/job, whatever your choice may be.   honestly, almost every person i know has done this at least once in their lifetime (as a result of drugs, alcohol, divorce, serious medical issues, and so on.  in fact, in a few cases it was all of the items i listed !!!).  if you choose to get the degree you need, at least you'll know what is waiting for you when you are done.  your dream home and what sounds like a reliable source of income.  many people that experience the 'life change' have no idea what awaits them down the road, assuming they can even get through the steps needed to make it back to 'the road'.  unfortunately, two of my close friends chose suicide, both dead at 42.

 

again, i wish you luck and hope we are both still around in a few years and you can post that you are back in your dream home working with your students. 

The op does not need a degree to open a tutor centre. All he requires is 4 Thai staff and 2 million baht in capital after which he can apply for a work permit. His wife would need to be a partner with him in the company. Why is this so difficult to understand? He does not require any teaching credentials for this or teachers' license of any kind. Just a legal business with the right amount of Thai staff and capital.

Edited December 24, 2016 by wmlc

[harrry]

3 minutes ago, wmlc said:

The op does not need a degree to open a tutor centre. All he requires is 4 Thai staff and 2 million baht in capital. Why is this so difficult to understand. He does not require any teaching credentials for this or teachers' license of any kind. Just a legal business with the right amount of Thai staff and capital.

Not completely true.

His wife can open a business without any requirement for Thai Staff.  THere is a requirement to have thai staff to get a work permit for a foreigner but it is less than the normal one.  A tutoring centre may come under special rules as their definition of a school may cover these.

 

 

First thing the OP must get into his head is it is not his school it is his wife's.  This may  be the hardest change to keep refering to it as her school when talking to anyoe but is the most important to his chances of survival

Edited December 24, 2016 by harrry

[meatboy]

17 hours ago, JustAnotherFarang said:

Hi guys

 

I am the original poster and inbetween fretting, stressing and trying to close all the loopholes that could leave me hanging I have also taken the time to read every single response which was quite overwhelming.  Thank you to everyone, even the naysayers and bitter ones for taking the time to read my posting and for taking the time to reply.

 

Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight regarding information that I failed to include in my original posting.  I am a married to a thai national who I have been with for 16 years and I live in Thailand with my non immigrant o visa.  Whilst I am well spoken, articulate and with a sensible amount of intelligence I have never attended university and do not possess a degree.  The reasons for this are of a more personal nature but suffice to say that I was brought up under the care of the local authorities in childrens homes and upon reaching the ripe old age of 16 I was allowed into the community to pursue my own life.  Instead of choosing higher education I set out into the world of work and found several jobs of gainful employment.  At the age of 31, on a new years eve, I finally left my home to travel around Asia and on day 4 of my travels I met a girl, a very decent and reputable lady, who became my wife. 

 

I started teaching in the local school 14 years ago, I was the only farang in the small town and I taught nigh on 1250 students every week for a wage of 25,000 bht without a work visa.  This was my humble beginning to teaching and although it was extremely tiring, I thoroughly enjoyed helping the community that I lived with and became very popular.  That was when I started teaching privately and at first I had about 30 students who enjoyed learning with me.  Business was good and everyone was happy.

 

After 3 years, the school had a change of headmaster and the new guy decided that I was surplus to requirements and so that was when I decided to up sticks and move into a more central area of the large province that I live in.  Once again I got a job working in a government school and within a short time I was teaching students privately.  My style of teaching is considered to be humourous and entertaining and my perceived personality is considered kind and pleasant.  I was admired by parents who wanted their kids to learn with a clean cut guy who did not drink, smoke or frequent any places of ill repute.

 

After another 2 years of working in the government school the laws started to change and the fact that I did not have a degree became a major sticking point. This is when parents asked me to concentrate on just teaching privately and I jumped at the opportunity to carry on living in the province I now called home.  Over these years I have built up a very profitable and successful business, purely by word of mouth and quality teaching and I became well known to almost everybody in my hometown.  The business was profitable enough that I was able to buy land and build my own home which had always been a life long dream as I had never had a home to call my own.  My students often come to visit me there and we hold christmas parties and special occasions for  them on a regular basis.  I must add that my classroom is not situated at my home, I have a separate premises for my business.

 

About 18 months ago, a member of thai immigration came to inquire about classes for her child.  I was quite surprised to see her as she had found me in situ so to speak but she still enrolled her child to come and learn everyday.  Her daughter excelled along with the other students but 8 months ago her mother pulled my wife to one side and asked if I had a work permit.  My wife replied honestly and the official said that I must get a work permit as things were changing.  The following term, her daughter stopped learning with us.

 

It was only in the last 2 weeks that our suspicions grew.  The neighbour across the road is a friend of my wife as they often meditate together at the local temple and she forewarned my wife of their initial enquiries.  Last night, it was my wife herself who recognised and realised that the same guy was driving past the classroom with another guy.  Later on, she also recognised the other guy who we normally deal with at immigration driving by as well, very slowly and obviously looking to see what was going on.  We immediately recognised the imminent danger and decided to forego the Xmas party and present giving that was scheduled for today and decided to leave the classroom in darkness for the foreseeable future.  We realise now that to continue would be suicidal and we are taking evasive actions with regards to dismantling the classroom, consulting with a lawyer and calling upon those who might be able to offer assistance.  

 

This is, as those who are more empathetic, a very very sad time for us.  Although we realised that we were breaking the archaic law that prevents a man from providing for his family, we had also assumed that everyone knew who we were, where we were and that we are just normal upstanding members of the community providing a valuable service to the people within our province.  We have always hoped that they would leave us alone to continue on our way as has been the case for 14 years.  Although I may not have paid tax directly, I have contributed countless hours of voluntary work and have assisted many poor students who were unable to pay, to enjoy an opportunity of an education that has benefited their families directly.  We always thought of it as a more karmic offering and that we were giving back to the community at a more grass roots level.  I have also supported my wife and her large family and I have paid for and put 5 of their children through university education.  They now all have well paid jobs (by thai standards) and can look forward to reaping the harvest of the seeds we have sown for them.  

 

But alas, it now all seems for naught as I am now in jeopardy. And now that I have bared my soul I can see those naysayers, ne'er do wells and others of a more pompous and superior disposition picking there way through this posting, look for minute and miniscule reasons to berate me and add insult to injury.  So I say to those guys, those who feel that they must grind an axe to feed their moral superiority, to just stop for a moment and consider those words that you might write.  I have done my very best, for each and every individual I have met along the way to try and tried to make a positive difference to their lives.  Yes I was financially rewarded and yes I have done well for myself but I have dedicated myself to working 7 days a week for 14 years to build my own home.  I do not think that I am the be all and end all and nor do I need or seek any applause but I really do not deserve such condemnation from any man  just for trying to do the very best that I can for my wife and my family.

 

Last but not least, to my students who will read this message on Facebook, it is with a very heavy heart and great sadness that I am forced to bid you all farewell.  I will take the time to say goodbye to you all personally and to give you your Xmas presents.  We have had some great times together and watching you all blossom from young children to the mature and open minded individuals that you have become today has been one of the greatest joys in my life.  A lot of you are like family to me and I will dearly miss you all but remember that if ever you need a friend, a shoulder to lean upon or just some friendly advice, I will always be there for you.

 

And so, with the motto of thai immigration motto of "good guys in, bad guys out" ringing in my ears, I bid you all a good day and may you have pleasant holidays with your loved ones

 

JAF

 

 

 

 

 

 

get me a hanky,this is indeed a sob story.

bought land and house dont think so,providing for all the family members,for over 16yrs.have you kept enough for a rainy day/that should be your concern now.

you posted on the 22july your intensions were to apply for an extension,so what have you been doing for 14yrs.visa runs?

i to have paid enough into the thai coffers for over 35yrs.paid tax,provided for my wife,who has given me the best days of my life.

ALL DONE WITHIN THE LAW.