Help! How long is an A1 English test valid for?

[KOBRIEN]

I need urgent help,My TGF is due to take this A1 English test tomorrow
but has been told today by the agency that the test is only valid for
two weeks.From what I have found on the net everyone seems to be pointing at 2 years.

Any info on this would be great as I dont wanna chuck 8,000Baht down the
drain as I cannot proceed with Visa until mid June.

This Test centre is in Pattaya Soi 13/2 Beach road next to the post office.

Cheers

KO

[buriramboy]

You're not throwing your money away using a scamming agency for anything are you???

[Dan]

Why not just telephone the embassy?

[buriramboy]

8,000 baht to do the English test??? I'd check that price if i were you, seems you are being scammed.

[KOBRIEN]

I dont think so... Their saying 7,000 Bhat for the test which seems to
be the going rate and 1,000 for the pre test just to go over what will happen during the test.

This in the link

WE CAN GET THEIR VISA FOR YOU. FOR ALL VISA TYPES.
http://www.visa2britain.com/
http://www.a1englishtest.com/

I got directed there via the link from the embassy.

I have just phoned them and they say the certificate gets sent out within
two weeks but is only valid until mid July because there are changes
being made to the test which goes along with whats on the embassy website.

[Phoenix]

What a disgrace. The UK is full of immigrants who can't speak English already so why they need to charge 7000 for a Thai to take an English test beats me. I'd feel less upset if they just mugged me at the airport on arrival !

[sabaii sabaii]

Have you tried calling the Thai Embassy in Birmingham, maybe they will be a big help with all your enquiries

Royal Thai Consulate
One Victoria Square
Birmingham
B1 1BD

Telephone : +44 (0) 121 643 9481
Facsimile: +44 (0) 121 643 9485

Opening Hours: Monday - Friday 8.00am until 11.30am


Contact Us - The Royal Thai Consulate - Birmingham for Visa Applications

[KOBRIEN]

Cheers fellas

[astasinim]

The uk Gov are changing the providers for the A1 test (no idea why, but, im sure corruption is there somewhere). The current providers have effectively been given the sack, and holders of A1 have until the end of May (I think) to apply for their visa`s. After then they will be void and, Cambridge ESOL will be taking over, although they haven't designated any test centres yet. It sounds like a right mess at the moment.

[KOBRIEN]

May (I think)

Its July 17th that this change is coming in so I have been told
as long as your apply for your visa before then its no problem.

My TGF is taking the test tomorrow.

Applying for the settlement Visa at the end of May.

After this date I have heard that they are making the test much harder

[astasinim]

Ive heard it will be A2 standard.

[BigBaBoo]

What a disgrace. The UK is full of immigrants who can't speak English already so why they need to charge 7000 for a Thai to take an English test beats me. I'd feel less upset if they just mugged me at the airport on arrival !

1. Quote:
so why they need to charge 7000 for a Thai to take an English test beats me
The reason:
So there are fewer immigrants living in the U.K. who can't speak English in the futue. Only those born there will then have poor English language skills in the U.K. in the future.

Note: I had a music teacher in University who came to the U.S. as a rrefugee from the then communist East Germany. He litterly escaped across the border with an East German border guard shooting at him (obviously they missed). At that time he spoke only a few words of English, but he had a doctorate in Music from an East German university. he went to work as a janitor cleaning the floors in a local University.
Five years later he was a U.S. citizen, spoke excellant English, and was hired as a music teacher by the same University. He played first violin in the local orchestra and his knowledge of classical music was excellant.
So why do assume that how well a person speaks English is somehow a measure of their ability?

[astasinim]

I believe it has something to do with immigrant communities and how they dont integrate well into the indigenous one, due to the fact that their language skills are virtually non existent, leading them to stay only within their own community. I guess the government believe, by having some language skills then the individual with stand a greater chance of integration.

[KOBRIEN]

I had job working in insurance a few years back,There were so many Pakistani
people over 50 who would have to translate to their son or daughter what they wanted.Basic greetings was all that they could muster after living here
for 20 + years.

I dont mind who comes into this country but I think they should be banned
from claiming benefits for the first 15 years of their stay.

[astasinim]

^

I think it should depend on how much you've put into the system. If you've never paid in, then you get nothing out. Simple.

[withnallstoke]

leading them to stay only within their own community.

Whitby is a bastard of a place to grow up.

Thay could have spoke Geordie.
Paying your taxes into a fuckin bottomless pity of people who ask with outstreched hand is, of course, perfectly acceptable.

[HollyGoodhead]

^Really?

I thought Whiby seemed lovely when I visited during the Goth weekend...

[withnallstoke]

Goth weekend...

Was that the same weekend as... as......
all them people who went there and didn't actually grow up there?

New blood.
OOoo.


Found a strange devil rock on the Whitby cliffs.
Coiled up it was, and made of stone.
The sort of demon than Mary Madeinstoke would have shat herself just for the hell of it.
And after that, we all went on to conker the Weerlt.

[astasinim]

Nowt wrong wi Whitby. Grand place, and their smoked kippers aint bad too. I do prefer Robin hoods bay though.