Easy Life in Thailand and ED Visa

[KhwaamLap]

Just to add (on opening a bank account above) - it really does depend on the bank and the branch. I opened one just last week at the Bangkok Bank branch in Tesco Lotus near where I live in CM, they need your passport showing a valid Non-Im O visa (at a minimum) and either a work permit or an authenticated letter from the Embassy (if your a Brit that means going to Wireless Road in BKK and dishing out the better part of £100 for the letter - collect next working day - then whizzing across town to have the signiture authenticated. Legally the visa is all you need, but banks (and even branches) have added to these minimums.

PS: Visa debit (BE1ST) costs 300 Baht and comes with a promotional 1 years free life insurance (to give your GF more reason to throw you over that balcony - only kidding) at the moment.

PPS: Being married to a Thai is the best Visa to be on under 50 as its the easiest (a lot less hastle and only need £8k in your name) - next is a work permit (though that can be a pain in the you-know-what) - then comes that Ed Visa IMHO (its the having to leave every year and 2k a quater thing - it only works for up to 5 years also, and thenm you must go up a level each year - last three would probably be degree level!)

PPPS: Welcome GleeGlee and Wanpron.

PPPPS: froggie R U back in CM yet?

[frogblogger]

Yep KL I'm back. Went down with some bug (not swine flu) on arriving, but feeling ok now.

Funny the Bangkok Bank branch thing. Hang Dong Chiang Mai gave me an account with only a tourist visa 18 months ago. The difference was that I went there with a Thai resident of some standing who had an account at the bank. I reckon they would have given me an account with a one month entry stamp in my passport, the amount of bowing and scraping that went on.

They often bend the rules. There is a 100 baht charge for stopping your card and reissuing. On Tuesday I used mine at the airport and still half asleep, managed to leave my card in the machine. At my bank the next day the lady manager decided to waive the fee, I think mainly because she fell for the charms of my 14 year old son (mine wouldn't have got me very far).

[gleeglee]

Originally Posted by KhwaamLap

Just to add (on opening a bank account above) - it really does depend on the bank and the branch. I opened one just last week at the Bangkok Bank branch in Tesco Lotus near where I live in CM, they need your passport showing a valid Non-Im O visa (at a minimum) and either a work permit or an authenticated letter from the Embassy (if your a Brit that means going to Wireless Road in BKK and dishing out the better part of £100 for the letter - collect next working day - then whizzing across town to have the signiture authenticated. Legally the visa is all you need, but banks (and even branches) have added to these minimums.

PS: Visa debit (BE1ST) costs 300 Baht and comes with a promotional 1 years free life insurance (to give your GF more reason to throw you over that balcony - only kidding) at the moment.

PPS: Being married to a Thai is the best Visa to be on under 50 as its the easiest (a lot less hastle and only need £8k in your name) - next is a work permit (though that can be a pain in the you-know-what) - then comes that Ed Visa IMHO (its the having to leave every year and 2k a quater thing - it only works for up to 5 years also, and thenm you must go up a level each year - last three would probably be degree level!)

PPPS: Welcome GleeGlee and Wanpron.

PPPPS: froggie R U back in CM yet?

KhwaamLap

Hi you are wrong about the ed visa you can only do it for 5 years. Our school can do it for 10 years and more. It depends on your school licenses i can offer the ed visa for lots of courses but language centres can only do 3-5 years and can offer the ED Visa for learning Thai only and the visa is a temporary 3 month visa followed by a 9 month extension total 12 months our school license allows us to offer a temporary 3 month visa followed by a 12 month extension.
It does depend on your license

cheers

[KhwaamLap]

Originally Posted by gleeglee

KhwaamLap

Hi you are wrong about the ed visa you can only do it for 5 years. Our school can do it for 10 years and more. It depends on your school licenses i can offer the ed visa for lots of courses but language centres can only do 3-5 years and can offer the ED Visa for learning Thai only and the visa is a temporary 3 month visa followed by a 9 month extension total 12 months our school license allows us to offer a temporary 3 month visa followed by a 12 month extension.
It does depend on your license

cheers

I stand corrected GleeGlee - I had read the literature for a Thai Language Centre (as you say) as quoted that, thanks for the clarification.

[gleeglee]

Originally Posted by KhwaamLap

I stand corrected GleeGlee - I had read the literature for a Thai Language Centre (as you say) as quoted that, thanks for the clarification.

We currently have 5 Russians on a ED Visa learning English same application process but using a different licence.
But cannot teach English to Native speakers but can do French, Chinese, Japanese and Computers, This is how we can do this for 10+ years
cheers

[Wanporn]

Originally Posted by gleeglee

We currently have 5 Russians on a ED Visa learning English same application process but using a different licence.
But cannot teach English to Native speakers but can do French, Chinese, Japanese and Computers, This is how we can do this for 10+ years
cheers

English native speaking students can study Thai and stay in Thailand for 3 years. Unless they can find other schools teaching other languages with licenses from the Ministry of Education. They will be able to continue studying languages up to 10+ years.

• English Language is applicable for 2 years
• Thai Language is applicable for 3 years
• Other languages (each) is applicable for 3 years

Not many language schools in Thailand have all licenses to teach all those languages...

[gleeglee]

Originally Posted by Wanporn

Hello Everybody!

Anybody has an experience of staying in Thailand for year (s) and studying Thai?
Any problem with your ED (student) Visa? If so, let's share.

Please don't hesitate to tell me more about your life in Thailand.
How do you live and where do you like to go in Thailand?

What are you afraid the most while living here in Thailand.
Don't forget to let me know in what province you are now.

For those are planing to come to Thailand.
You might be wondering about cost of living in Thailand.
Belows are some info for you (my research in BKK):
Normal Standard of Living per month
Accommodation: THB 4,000 - THB 10,000
Note* Most accommodation at good prices are in Ratchada and Rangnam areas.

Food: THB 3,000 (3 meals, local Thai food on streets)
Note* There are so many food shops along streets and it's cheaper to buy food than to cook at home, generally.

Transportation: THB 2,500 - THB 4,000
Note* Bus fee is about THB 8 and BTS or MRT fee starts from THB 16 and Taxi is only THB 35 (for 1st km) and after THB 2 per km.

Entertainment: Movie ticket THB 80-160 (normal seats), Cocktails THB 120-160 (good standard pubs and bars)

Cloths: Female dress THB 80-300 (shops in Pathunam area), Male shirs/plants THB 150-500

Internet Cafes in local Thai shops (in Soi, small streets): THB 20-30 per hour
Note* Internet cafes in department stores starts a price from THB 60 per hour.

Medical Care Fee (local clinics in soi): THB 80-200 when you got Sore throat, for example.

Remarks for those wanting to live in Thailand with non-immigrant ED Visa, they need to pay for extension fee for every 90 days at an immigration office in Thailand. The fee is THB 1,900. A re-entry permit fee THB 1,000/time will be required when those people (holding single type) need to leave Thailand for other countries.

Please keep visiting this forum. I will add and update some more useful information again soon.

Thank you + Take Care!
Wanporn, BKK

Hi Wanporn as the owner of a school with this licence and over 600 students between Bangkok and Pattaya over a period of 3 years, I can tell you that we have never had any trouble with any of our students on this visa, we have 9 students on the 3rd year at this moment and over 150 on the second year

[Mindaugas]

I see that this forum become only who's school are better and who has more students! why we should know that ?

[Wanporn]

I know 1 school has more than 1,000 students from 68 countries around the world. The school has locations in Bangkok, Pattaya and Chiang Mai. I don't need to tell the name of the school here because most foreign students have already known this school. It's not a school of Mr. GleeGlee.

[Wanporn]

Please provide good information that is useful for foreigners to live in Thailand easily.
Don't do any advertisement here =))) Thank you!