[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

 

[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?

 

[Wanporn]

ED Visa up to 10 Years?

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...

 

[Song_Si]

Anyway, sorry to inform you that the Immigration in Chiang Mai does not allow any student who is 50 years old and above to hold Non ED-Visa anymore...

curious about this statement - cannot find any information to confirm this; Non-Immigrant ED (Education) is not granted within Thailand, application/visa issue can only be made from outside this country. If a person comes here eg on Tourist Visa they must leave Thailand for eg Malaysia to apply for their Non-Immigrant ED Visa.

It may be extended at a Thailand Immigration office; I am not aware of any issues with over 50s; the school I believe to have the widest coverage in Thailand has facilities in Chiang Mai and makes no mention re age; neither does the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

 

[joseph44]

There is no maximum age on the so-called ED-visas. The only age-restriction is 16-, because they need a specific approach.
The 50+ rule of Chiang Mai Immigration is one of the examples that any Immigration in Thailand is allowed to add, change or interpret the Thai Immigration Law up to their specific situation.

IF you can obtain an ED-visa abroad as a 50+ student, the local Immigration Office is still allowed to refuse any extension. Question is of course: How long will they keep this up?

 

[Wanporn]

Re-Entry Permit | Trial lesson

Hello Everyone,

For those who hold non-ed (single type), don't forget to do a re-entry permit before leaving Thailand. The fee is THB 1,000 per time, payable at an Immigration Office in your school's town.
You can download the form @ http://www.immigration.go.th/nov2004/download/pdf/tm8.pdf


Have a nice day

 

[Glen10]

I don't see why it matters if you're 40 and want to study or 60 and want to study. Sure, you can lie and say you're studying, but you can do that at any age.
I don't see how you can be considered a deadbeat in TL. It's not like the governments going to take care of you. At least I don't think so...do they?
Some people over 50 may be just as sincere about studying as people under 50. They have the funds to study and live, but not enough to meet the retirement visa requirements.
Sure, it's their country, and they can do what they want, but that doesn't make it sensible and fair. Don't punish all ,simply because some people may cheat.

 

[cooked]

Slow down there, there was a report that Immigration was going to clamp down on abuse of the ED extension. People over 50 won't (or shouldn't) get a second renewal. Immigration would be authorised to make you leave inside of 7 days (and you may spend those days in prison), not a pleasant thing to happen.
I agree that you should be learning until the day you die, but imagine how you would feel if there were a bunch of phony students in your country - would you like it? I saw that 2000 students on phony visas were being told to leave the UK sharpish just recently.

 

[TomC]

OK, since I don't have foot-on-ground, I don't really know what's going on with CM immigration office. However, with my Thai background, I'm free to speculate from the cultural standpoints.

1) I'm saying that if a person is serious about learning Thai, you shouldn't have any problem getting one of the teachers to go to the Immigration office with you to plead your case. Again, I don't know if this would work in real life or not.

2) If this is being enforced in CM but not elsewhere, then move some place else. Again, if you're serious about learning Thai, why does it have to be in CM? Other places will work just as well. Yes, it's a hassle and a pain and costly to move some place else. But once again, if you're into learning, it shouldn't matter where. It makes no sense to have a requirement that it has to be in CM.

Like I said, I don't know what's going on in CM immigration office, but rules are made by people and sometimes you have to know the right people and talk to the right people. I don't see any problem with Ed visa if you're 60 yo, providing that you're sincere and serious about it. There are rooms for negotiation with the Thais, unless it's illegal drugs or lese majesty then you're on your own.