Hello everyone,

 

as per title, for the past year and a half I have been on two back to back visas to study Thai (which I actually did), but now it is coming to an end, and like most people here I'm looking for a solution.

1) what if I hop on the tourist visa train? Is it likely that I might get enough to stay another year?

2) did anyone ever request a visa to study muay thai or another language in a situation like mine with a record of studying thai? I thought this might be a viable option? Regarding this point I was thinking to study Japanese but haven't found a school that offers a visa yet. The only one I went, didn't really offer group classes even though advertised on their website. Anyone knows any school?

I have been lurking on the forum so I am pretty much aware of the visa situation in Thailand, but while I might need some clarification on point 1), I can't find any info at all on point 2). Obviously I am considering a relocation to nearby countries, but any insight would be appreciated.

Getting another ED visa for language study is not impossible but might raise some eyebrows. There are a few options avaiiable:

1) Tourist visas - you might be able to do it for a year or so (probably your best bet for the short term)

2) Thailand Elite, if you have 500,000 baht to spend

3) Marriage visa, which you might be able to extend indefinitely if you marry a childless Thai lady

4) Open a business and get a biz visa.

31 minutes ago, SiamBeast said:

Getting another ED visa for language study is not impossible but might raise some eyebrows. There are a few options avaiiable:

1) Tourist visas - you might be able to do it for a year or so (probably your best bet for the short term)

2) Thailand Elite, if you have 500,000 baht to spend

3) Marriage visa, which you might be able to extend indefinitely if you marry a childless Thai lady

4) Open a business and get a biz visa.

3) why childless?

Have a look here, nice school:

 

http://www.phuket-languageschool.com/programs/

8 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

Have a look here, nice school:

 

http://www.phuket-languageschool.com/programs/

My bad, I forgot to mention that I am in Bangkok. Thanks for the link anyway.

If you go the Tourist Visa route, I suggest you apply for a new passport after your first entry on a Tourist-Visa, to clean away your history of ED visas, or you may find unfriendly IOs and some Thai-consulates assuming you work here illegally in the future.

The best place to apply for your next Tourist Visa, and to enter (in my opinion) would be from Vientiane Laos, returning across the Friendship Bridge.  Then, immediately apply for a new passport.  This way, the only history in your new passport will be the transferred-stamp of a Tourist Visa (not an ED visa).

 

You can study other languages - each for 18 months, forever.  You can also take other courses that quality for an ED visa.  I have spoken to others who are doing this and prefer the Ed-Visa payoff-system (extra paid to the school for hassle-free extensions) to making Tourist-Visa runs.

4 minutes ago, JackThompson said:

If you go the Tourist Visa route, I suggest you apply for a new passport after your first entry on a Tourist-Visa, to clean away your history of ED visas, or you may find unfriendly IOs and some Thai-consulates assuming you work here illegally in the future.

The best place to apply for your next Tourist Visa, and to enter (in my opinion) would be from Vientiane Laos, returning across the Friendship Bridge.  Then, immediately apply for a new passport.  This way, the only history in your new passport will be the transferred-stamp of a Tourist Visa (not an ED visa).

 

You can study other languages - each for 18 months, forever.  You can also take other courses that quality for an ED visa.  I have spoken to others who are doing this and prefer the Ed-Visa payoff-system (extra paid to the school for hassle-free extensions) to making Tourist-Visa runs.

That's exactly what I was thinking to do. Also because I really don't mind studying languages (for real) if that helps me with staying in Thailand. My only doubt is, will this likely cause any problem even though is completely legit? As it was pointed out by SiamBeast, I would understand if the immigration would find this suspicious considering how many people abused the system. But isn't this better than stringing tourist visas one after another? From your words, I take it your friends never had any difficulties.

22 minutes ago, amergin said:

That's exactly what I was thinking to do. Also because I really don't mind studying languages (for real) if that helps me with staying in Thailand. My only doubt is, will this likely cause any problem even though is completely legit? As it was pointed out by SiamBeast, I would understand if the immigration would find this suspicious considering how many people abused the system. But isn't this better than stringing tourist visas one after another? From your words, I take it your friends never had any difficulties.

If I paid for classes, I would attend to get my money's worth - but I would also pay the 'extra' to avoid being hassled.  Those I talked to said the deal with paying the school extra had nothing to do with attendance or not - as if anyone ever cared who attended.  More like, someone saw a way to create a kickback and 'blame abusers' for the clever scheme.

If you are concerned about Immigration issues, find a school that will handle Immigration for you (what I would do).  It beats fear and uncertainty every time, if you can afford it.

 

Edit - not a friend - but someone I used to know - was on his 3rd language last time I saw him over a year ago.  He'd already done Thai by the time the 'new rules' began.

Edited May 8, 20179 yr by JackThompson

Options:

 

Get married.

Get a job.

Get retired if 50 yrs old+ and show your money in the bank.

Study full time in University - BA Degree. Pay for one year up front.

Have a child with a Thai - and show your money in your bank.

 

17 hours ago, FritsSikkink said:

3) why childless?

I have a marriage visa and my wife wasn't childless. It has been extended more than once, no prblems.

 

Good question.

If getting married to a thai  what's the child got to do with it 

Just asking the question ??