Study Thai in Hua Hin with a one year ED visa

[Super Joe]

Thanks Pookie,

That website wouldn't load for me (EDIT - just loaded) and it certainly states 1-10 years!?!?
Never heard of that before, maybe if you keep failing the test each year .......

Cheers,

SJ

[pookie]

Thanks Pookie,

That website wouldn't load for me (EDIT - just loaded) and it certainly states 1-10 years!?!?
Never heard of that before, maybe if you keep failing the test each year .......

Cheers,

SJ

I have a feeling that this Ed Visa is the next on the list to be (shall we say) "looked into" by the authorities, and a cleaning up of its rules.
Because i also think that this particular visa was the haven for all those monthly visa runners that had to either get out the country, or look for an alternative.

Pookie

[Fadulator]

This is what's confusing. The UK consulate in Hull were adamant that you had to leave the country every 90 days on a multiple entry ED visa.

Hi again, I spoke to one of the Bangkok schools today and you/Hull are correct, if you choose the multi-entry 'ED' visa you have to leave and re-enter every 90 days, border runs etc.

If you go for the single-entry the school obtains documentation from the Ministry of Education that permits you to extend every 90 days at Immigration office within Thailand for a period of upto 1 year. Then you repeat the process and need to obtain a new single-entry visa for the next year.

Apparently the Immigration rules changed in September '07, where before then you could apply for yearly extensions to 'ED" visas, but after that date you could not obtain them if using certain types of schools like these private run one's. Whereas if you were studying at a Thai university for example you can still obtain yearly extensions. Not sure if this only applies to single-entries only or whether multi-entries can not be extended yearly (or 15 months). Anyone know ?

SJ

Hi Joe

I also made a point of contacting one of the Bangkok schools at the weekend and was told almost the same as you were with the exception that you can continue study up to 3-5 years with the same single entry ED visa if you renew your course (180 lessons) each year. This confirmed my thinking on the matter as I didn't see why a new visa would be required in that circumstance.

[bapak]

This is now the situation with Hua Hin area. Cannot speak for other areas... When arriving in Thailand on a Single Entry ED Visa, you are granted a 90 day Permission to Stay. About 20 days before the expiration of this Permission to Stay, with documents provided by the Ministry of Education and TLC school certifying that you are undertaking 12 months of study, the immigration office will grant 12 months Permission to Stay. 90 day reporting of address is still in force, as with all visas. There is only one payment of Baht 1,900 (to immigration) for the year.

Cheers, Bapak

[Super Joe]

Thanks for that update bapak.
So to clarify for anyone not familiar you are saying here in Hua Hin they have removed the requirement to 'extend' the permit to stay every 90 days (at a cost of 1,900 Baht), and replaced that with a 12 month permit to stay with just 90 day reporting.
Makes life easier and cheaper, do you have any link to a directive which confirms this ? Or have you seen it occur in practice as I get the impression from your posts you are associated, or have experience with the school. Apologies if that's the wrong assumption by me.

A good, affordable alternative for those under 50's not qualifying for other long stay visa options, with added bonus of learning Thai too.

SJ

[Spitfire]

Yes, seems good, almost too good to be true. However, it would not surprise me if Pookie is right about it being 'on the list' for "review", certainly if it is being used as a safe haven by those that don't/can't/won't qualify for any other long stay visa.

But, while it lasts then it's a good idea.

[lomuamart]

You've taken the words right out of mouth, spitfire.
"Loopholes", what are they?
Also, good luck to those who manage to stay within the confines of the law and benefit

[Super Joe]

Can't logically see how having to attend a minimum of 4 classes a week and 180 hours a year of Thai education lessons would be for anyone other than those, errr, wanting to learn Thai. Sure it is a handy way of also getting 3 years of long stays but if you were not interested in learning Thai and just wanted the long stays that accompany it, then you'd go for the Non-Imm 'O' with the 90 days border runs. With these you are not limited to 3 years but unlimited number of years, without the need to sit in any classrooms.

I think we all know where the loopholes really are that foreigners are currently taking advantage of (myself included) they're covered under other threads on various subjects such as immigration, property, working, FBA etc, and as Lomu says, good luck to us and long may they continue.

'If' bapak's info is correct, this is a positive move by immigration, a relaxing of requirements for us for this particular visa.

SJ

[Spitfire]

I wonder how strictly enforced the minimal lesson attendance requirements are and what the penalties or proceedure is for non compliance?

[Super Joe]

Good point Spitfire, I'm sure you can put our minds at rest that your profession has too much integrity to get involved in any kind of skull-duggery like cooking the books on behalf of a truant pupil

SJ

[Spitfire]

Yeah! Infects every profession here. Thai teachers have a bad rep for accepting bribes for grades etc......anything from luncheon vouchers to blow ***s.

Bet it wouldn't take much to get some Thai teacher to sign off on all the classes you were supposed to attend, that you didn't.

I suppose it's the nature of the beast and the beast is hungry.

No reassurance on that from me SJ, won't insult your experience. My line of work is almost as crooked as yours.

Unbelievable the scams that the locals 'pull off' in the field of education (selling exam/test papers to students and then doing extra courses outside school with them, with their regular teacher, to prepare them for getting a good grade, which they charge more for than what the school is willing to pay them), doesn't include us foreigners, too much face to lose, but you find out.

[bapak]

Thanks for that update bapak.
So to clarify for anyone not familiar you are saying here in Hua Hin they have removed the requirement to 'extend' the permit to stay every 90 days (at a cost of 1,900 Baht), and replaced that with a 12 month permit to stay with just 90 day reporting.
Makes life easier and cheaper, do you have any link to a directive which confirms this ? Or have you seen it occur in practice as I get the impression from your posts you are associated, or have experience with the school. Apologies if that's the wrong assumption by me.

A good, affordable alternative for those under 50's not qualifying for other long stay visa options, with added bonus of learning Thai too.

SJ

Yes, Super Joe. I am associated with a school but I do not want this association to bias my statements..
Let me say from the start, as I understand it... there is no requirement for immigration to only give a 90 days Permission to Stay. Just appears to be the practice in Bangkok and perhaps elsewhere.
From the onset here in HH, immigration have given 12 months to our students following the issue of a letter from Ministry of Education advising that the student has commenced study for one year.
Any reader who is in doubt of this can PM me and I will arrange for them to view a good number of such approvals (names blocked).
Let me also say that we make it clear to Ed Visa applicants that they are required to study and that our records are freely available to immigration.
I can also say that we have refused several enrolments as it was very clear that the applicant had no intention to study.
By far, the vast majority of our foreign student studying Thai are persons who have long stay permission (retirement/marriage/etc) and Ed Visa students are definately a minority.

Cheers, Bapak

[Korkenzieher]

Just to add to the 'confirmations' list.

I was in Thailand all last year on a 1 year ED, from a well known school in Bangkok. The visa itself was a 1 year, multiple re-entry. Having the MR visa, gives one the option to do either 90 day reporting, or to leave the country for a weekend away. This also avoids the somewhat messy 're-entry' permit situation, if you need to leave the country during the period the visa covers. It covered 15 months, by re-entering on the last few days of validity. It was issued in Hull. I was told the 1900 baht address reporting fee to Immigration is every 90 days, not just a one off, but I elected to spend a weekend away periodically (Singapore, Hong Kong, KL)

I was told - specifically - that the 5 year max renewals is for non-native English speakers, and 3 years is the maximum for Thai language. The other 2 years are allowable for studying English in Thailand. The language school now is supposed to monitor (but does not enforce) attendance, which they do anyway to make sure you don't overstay your (paid for) welcome; and are supposed to do an assessment before renewal, which they self-administer. The visa can be given for any course of study approved by the Ministry of Education - not just Thai - which includes, eg, TEFL in Phuket, Muay Thai training, entering the Monkhood and so on.

My own feeling about the ED visa program is that it is a no-brainer for the government to keep this going. They give long termers a legal visa option, and at the same time create a pool of people with greater experience of Thai language and culture. A pool of people that is almost by definition going to be more economically active.

Currently, I'm in the UK and will either be renewing from here having already done the paperwork; OR, I will be taking up a teaching post in which case I'll be getting a work permit from the University. But no question, I will renew the ED visa if the WP option falls through.

[bapak]

There is a new Immigration Chief in HH, ex Pattaya. She insists 3 months Permit to Stay, pay Baht 1900 and get your stamped passport, will be the norm (because that is the way it is done in Pattaya). Suggest that you make sure that you get a receipt.

Bapak