Thread: Immigration Bureau told to be flexible with 'visa runners'

The military has told the Immigration Bureau to be flexible with "visa runners", junta chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha said Friday.

The runners can register with the bureau, which will find a sustainable resolution to the problem, he said in his weekly televised programme last night.

Foreigners had been exploiting tourist visas and visas on arrival by illegally working in the country, mostly as English teachers.

When their visa was about the expire, they entered a neighbouring country to apply for a tourist visa and returned to the Kingdom to illegally work again.

The authorities responded by tightening the rules by not re-issuing visas to the runners and they faced deportation.

Prayuth said the change of the visa system concerning visa runners had considerably affected certain groups such as English teachers and academics.

"So, this is an ongoing problem that needs to be resolved, as it can lead to a shortage of English teachers and guides," he said during his weekly TV programme.

Immigration Bureau told to be flexible with 'visa runners' - The Nation

Blooming heck - what ever next? Is it a ploy to get them to hand themselves in? I don't think so. However, guides have to be Thai - them's be the law, so why he is bunching guides in with teachers I have no idea. Seems to be more a case that he wants english teachers to legitimize themselves and the emphasis is upon the Schools themselves to stop making people break the rules.

Line em up and shoot the fukkers !!!!!

Originally Posted by pseudolus

Blooming heck - what ever next? Is it a ploy to get them to hand themselves in? I don't think so. However, guides have to be Thai - them's be the law, so why he is bunching guides in with teachers I have no idea. Seems to be more a case that he wants english teachers to legitimize themselves and the emphasis is upon the Schools themselves to stop making people break the rules.

Lets see, he tightens up on enforcing the existing rules, realize that has a knock on effect and then wants to take steps to address that?

Bloody hell. One does wonder what Thailand could be if run by someone with an iota of sense. Seems like we might find out.

This is exactly why I love Thailand.

They make new rules and change shit but not long after back flip on it.

Brilliant innit.

I said this would happen right back at the get go.

Originally Posted by terry57

They make new rules and change shit but not long after back flip on it. Brilliant innit.

Not really- what about the damage done?

What did folk expect. Coherence, rationality, intelligence???

Originally Posted by terry57

This is exactly why I love Thailand.

They make new rules and change shit but not long after back flip on it.

Brilliant innit.

I said this would happen right back at the get go.

Not sure it is a back flip Terry. He said "So, this is an ongoing problem that needs to be resolved" - NOT lets go back to how is was before.

Revising the system to get more of these english teachers WITHIN the system would be a great step forward, and could possibly make life a hell of a lot easier for a lot of people scaping along at the bottom of the TEFL racket.

Yeah, then Oi could afford more Chang beers each month.

Is this code for but some baht in your passport then its.
Hello welcome,i used to do that to avoid queuing on visa runs to Poipet many years ago.

Originally Posted by nidhogg

Lets see, he tightens up on enforcing the existing rules, realize that has a knock on effect and then wants to take steps to address that?

If there's one thing I have learnt about Thai people during the past 10 years, it's that planning is not their forte

Originally Posted by Mr Lick

Originally Posted by nidhogg

Lets see, he tightens up on enforcing the existing rules, realize that has a knock on effect and then wants to take steps to address that?

If there's one thing I have learnt about Thai people during the past 10 years, it's that planning is not their forte

And if I have learned one thing in my 15 years here (see what i did there? LOL) it is that while I broadly agree with you - there are some pretty sharp people out there, some of whom actually DO care.

A "Thai" Lee Kwan Yew would be a sight to see.