Thailand Visa Information » Teaching Certification

A Bad Day In The Life Of An International Teacher – Avoid Making This Mistake Yourself

thaivisa — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 21:58:36 +0000

Teaching overseas is the best way to combine great working conditions with living an exotic lifestyle. But it’s not without pitfalls for the unwary. I’m going to share a little story with you about how an experienced international teacher ended up having a really, really bad couple of days…
When you are getting ready to move overseas, you will definitely want to take a very close look at what kind of visa you need to get. Moving your teaching career abroad isn’t the same as going on holiday. You are not entering the country for tourism purposes, and most countries distinguish between tourism visas and, well, non-tourism visas!

You many need to get a non-immigrant visa, or a business visa or a working visa… there are many names and number designations that are country specific. For example, teachers who are moving to the United Kingdom require a working visa (or a working holiday visa if they’re under 30) but I needed a non-Immigrant B visa to enter Thailand to take up my post here.

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Working at a Thai University

thaivisa — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 04:07:19 +0000

What kind of stuff do you teach at CMU? I teach English language skills - grammar, reading comprehension, listening, and writing, to all the university students who are non-English majors (the English majors are in a separate program). I have students from engineering, general science, biology, foreign languages, accounting, and many other disciplines.
English classes are required for all science and humanities students. These classes cover the first two years of study. As many as 1500 students may be enrolled in a particular English class during a semester. That means that there are probably about fifty or sixty sections being taught by twenty or twenty-five ajaans, each with two or three sections. Some of the lessons involve listening to a tape, and on certain days you can hear the same lesson reverberating through the hallways, as different classrooms play the same tape at the same time, but not quite in synch with each other. Or, you may hear a humanities tape and a science tape mixed together in the air. Charles Ives would have been proud.

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Working at a Thai University

thaivisa — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 04:05:15 +0000

How many classes do you teach, and how big are they? At CMU, I usually teach five classes per semester, which means five classroom hours a day, three days a week. Usually I have two or three sections of the same class, which means if I have a good lesson plan for one section, I can use it over again in the later sections of the same class. On the other hand, sometimes I have a terrible lesson (it happens) in the morning class, and later I improve on it. Or, sometimes I have a plan that works really well in the early going, but by afternoon all that magic has somehow gotten out of focus like the previous night’s dream. Lesson planning is not a static thing; it’s very organic.
My classes at CMU usually contain from twenty-five to thirty-five students. Once, by some twist of fate, I got a class of only thirteen students, but that’s very rare.

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Working at a Thai University

thaivisa — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 04:03:28 +0000

Okay! School vacation’s over! Ready to go back to class? No?? Don’t worry, I won’t make you work too hard or stand up in front of the class… unless you want to, of course. But if you’ll just follow me, I’ll show you where I work.

What kind of job do you have? I teach English at Chiang Mai University, known in northern Thailand as maw-chaw. (Maw-chaw is the initials for the university in Thai.) I got the job when I first came to Chiang Mai a year ago, and so far they seem to like me. I get paid by the hour, and I teach 15 hours a week. I don’t make a lot of money, but it’s enough to get by if I budget myself and don’t go hog-wild on weekends. Most farang ajaans at CMU have a second job, and so do I. My second job is at a Catholic high school for girls. Between the two jobs, the money I make is pretty good.

What is an ajaan? An ajaan is a college teacher, a professor. It’s a title of respect. When I go out on the town, people who know me often call me ajaan John. It means they think I’m a really swell guy. I kind of like it.

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Jobs Thailand

thaivisa — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 20:52:52 +0000

The Best Teaching Jobs in Thailand

Opportunities for the Experienced English Teacher

Whilst teachers without a degree or EFL certification may be able to find work in a few Thai government schools and private language institutes, an experienced and highly qualified teacher has far more options available.

The highest salaries can be found by teaching in Thailand’s many upmarket international schools. While most are based in Bangkok, more are opening up in other provinces such as Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya. These schools provide teachers not only with a good salary but teacher accommodation and opportunities for self development too. Most schools detail their recruitment packages on their respecive websites. The Thai Ministry of Education provides a detailed list of international schools and their contact information.

Teaching in Thai International Schools

In international schools and bilingual programs students are not necessarily Thai. They may be children of an expatriate couple or from a mixed marriage between a Thai and ‘farang’- the Thai word for foreigner.

Working in such a cosmopolitan atmosphere is both motivating and rewarding. Students study with many other nationalities, using English as their medium of communication, a common third language to facilitate conversation between each other, be it Thai and Swede, French and German, Korean and Japanese. Consequently, their learning curve is much shorter as they immerse themselves in English, both for social and academic purposes.

International Schools also offer the teacher structure and support. They have the best teaching facilities and employ non-teaching staff to provide assistance to both students and teachers. Most schools are based on the British Curriculum, such as Dulwich International College or St John’s International School. Others follow the International Baccalaureate, Australian or American system.

Other benefits include long holidays and many schools offer a flight allowance and relocation assistance, a rare commodity in Thailand. International school teaching vacancies listed on the job database at ajarn.com, (Thailand’s foremost source of teacher recruitment) show the range of benefits available, with salaries levels quoted at around 60,000 baht per month ($1900) for a qualified and experienced teacher. This is considerably more than the average English teacher’s salary in a government high school or private language institute, who advertise their salaries at 30,000 - 35,000 Baht per month.

An additional bonus is that job opportunities are often advertised in Educational publications outside of Thailand such as the Times Education Supplement (TES) and the Education Guardian, a supplement of the British based Guardian newspaper (online versions are available). This is unusual, as most Thai schools insist on a face-to-face interview and therefore tend to advertise locally.

Teaching in Thailand’s Hotels and Tourist Resorts

Don’t overlook the advantages of teaching in the private sector. Some of the best teaching positions are to be had in the major hotel chains in Bangkok and the main tourist resorts. The Marriot Group, The Hilton and Six Senses Resorts are just a few of the hotels which are likely to employ their own English language trainers.

Salaries are usually around 40,000 baht per month but are topped up with a guaranteed monthly gratuity (a share of the tips) and a food and beverage allowance for use within the hotel’s restaurants.

Students (hotel employees) are adults and are often highly motivated, eager to apply what they have learnt in the classroom to their job. Planning lessons and writing materials are also easier for the teacher as employees share a common background and similar work ethic. It is therefore much easier to provide examples in a specific work context, whether it be a vocabulary lesson, visiting a guest room to identify the items in it, or use of the hotel menu to learn how to take food orders in English and describe dishes to guests.

Whilst the contracted holiday allowance is not as attractive as in International Schools, the paperwork and record keeping is considerably less, avoiding the time consuming completion of a mountain of attendance sheets, student reports, school lesson plans and teaching records, currently required by the Thailand Ministry of Education.

Bear in mind that hotels do not always advertise their vacancies, as often potential applicants enquire ‘on spec’. Sending a resume, references and copies of your qualifications to the relevant Personnel department will enable your details to be kept on file.

Where to Find a Job

In addition to the teaching vacancies advertised on ajarn.com, look in the local, regional newspapers for jobs in the main tourist areas. Thailand’s most popular English language daily, The Bangkok Post, regularly features teaching positions in its classifieds section and publishes an Educational Supplement (The Learning Post) every Tuesday. Local teaching websites are another good source of job hunting.

Good Luck!

Jobs Thailand

thaivisa — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 20:44:05 +0000

Guaranteed Job & Work Permit

Do you yearn to spend many happy years living and working in tropical Thailand? Then this could be the opportunity you have been waiting for. World-Wide TEFL is a Teacher Training Centre located in Pattaya and who specialize in training people to attain the TEFL qualification.

Once qualified World-Wide TEFL will guarantee you a job placement and Work Permit… They even offer you 30,000 baht while you practice teaching in schools for a two month period.

Jobs Thailand

thaivisa — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 20:24:05 +0000

Teaching English in Thailand

“While Bangkok absorbs an enormous number of English teachers, both trained and untrained, there is also demand in the other cities such as Hat Yai, Chiang Mai in the north, and Songkhla in the south, where there is less competition for work. Not much teacher recruitment takes place outside Thailand. Even Thai universities and teachers’ colleges, as well as private business colleges, all of which have EFL departments, depend on finding native-speaking teachers locally. In short, anyone who is determined to teach English in Thailand and prepared to go there to look for work is virtually guaranteed to find opportunities. Finding language schools to approach is not a problem

Global Vision International
Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) Certification in Thailand
Travel, teach and gain a TEFL! Get your TEFL certification and teach English in Phang Nga, Thailand. Renowned for its stunning natural beauty, this region is abundant with wildlife, white sand beaches, culture and history. As a participant in the GVI Thailand program, you will study the GVI TEFL course, developed specifically to train people to teach with minimal resources, attracting those with an interest in sustainable development and conservation, and those wishing to enter the commercial TEFL Industry.

Cost: From $2,830
Dates: All year round for 5 or 10 weeks.
Contact: Global Vision International, 252 Newbury Street, Number 4, Boston, MA, 02116, USA. Call Toll free on 888-653-6028; info@gviusa.com; www.gviusa.com

Featured

Phuket, Thailand
CTESOL: Teach English Around the World
4 week – (140 hr) Internationally accredited courses worldwide.
Our training centre in Phuket provides teacher training, certification and career guidance and support throughout our graduate’s teaching career. The course has a very practical emphasis and features a high proportion of actual teaching practice hours in the classroom. Teach, travel, live and work abroad.

Dates: Course available each month all year-round
Cost: $1490 USD.
Contact: Luke Fisher; info@teflcorp.com
Website: www.teflcorp.com

Featured

Ban Phe, Thailand
CTESOL: Teach English Around the World
4 week – (140 hr) Internationally accredited courses worldwide.
Our training centre in Ban Phe provides teacher training, certification and career guidance and support throughout our graduate’s teaching career. The course has a very practical emphasis and features a high proportion of actual teaching practice hours in the classroom. Teach, travel, live and work abroad.

Dates: Course available each month all year-round
Cost: $1490 USD.
Contact: Luke Fisher; info@teflcorp.com
Website: www.teflcorp.com

Featured

Teach in Thailand
Has it been your dream to live and work in Asia? American TESOL Institute is one of the largest TEFL teacher training organizations in the world—can not only make this dream come true but also help you experience and explore the culture, language, food and history of Thailand. The project comprises of TEFL training for the first month and then four months of practical teaching experience which may be anywhere in Thailand.

For more information, visit www.justtefl.com.

Featured

Ajarn.com: The Largest and Most Comprehensive Website for English Teaching in Thailand. The site has an extensive job board, plus general information about living and teaching in Thailand, including freelancing. The job board contains mostly full time positions, but many schools will be interested in part-time or weekend teachers as well. Contact: www.ajarn.com or see www.ajarn.com/Education/Resources/Yellow_Pages/index.htm for a list of language schools in Thailand.

American University Amumni Center (AUA), www.auathailand.org. Bangkok’s best known and most respected language school - a good place to look for weekend work. They offer a one month TESOL certificate course and also have a Thai language program.

The Bangkok Post: www.bangkokpost.net. Check the jobs section for postings.

Bangkok University: www.bu.ac.th/english. Another reputable university in Bangkok where English in taught.

The British Council (Thailand): www.britishcouncil.or.th. Located at the fringes of Siam Square. The Chulalongkorn Continuing Education institute is located in the same building, upstairs (only open on Saturdays and Sundays). English teaching jobs are posted on the site.

Chulalongkorn University: www.culi.chula.ac.th. Thailand’s other top university. Located in the heart of the city behind Siam Square. English is taught here.

Cornerstone Workplace English, cwe@loxinfo.co.th, Cornerstone Workplace English is a Christian language school, which teaches business English on site in Thai businesses in Chiang Mai, Thailand. We are looking for professional native English speakers with ESOL/TEFL qualifications and some experience to work with us.

Cultural Embrace
Teach in Thailand!
Thailand’s education system recognizes the need to improve its English language skills, thus hiring foreign teachers. Expect to teach an average of 20-25 hours a week, with extra time needed to create lesson plans, attend faculty meeting, and extra-curricular activities. Students’ age range from elementary to professionals, with varied levels of English skills. TEFL certification is included. For more information visit www.culturalembrace.com/2949203_24622.htm.

Contact: info@culturalembrace.com

Dave’s ESL Cafe Discussion Board on Thailand, www.eslcafe.com, is a lively board with a lot of inside tips, experiences and dialog among experienced teachers. The forum also has a fine master index of links helpful for those who wish to teach English and live in Thailand.

ECC (Thailand)
Chain of language schools with 50 branches employing 500 native speaker teachers, who must have a bachelor’s degree and at least six months teaching experience or a CELTA entry level qualification.

Contact: 430/17-24 Chula Soi 64, Siam Square, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; 011-66-2-253-3312; fax. 011-66-2-254-2243 or in the U.S.: 425-930-5421; jobs@ecc.ac.th, www.eccthai.com/jobs.asp

English Plus
Another of the large language school chains for teaching English with a branch in Thailand.

Contact: www.eltcom.com.

Inlingua
A major chain for teaching English with many branches, including one in Bangkok.

Contact: www.inlinguathailand.com.

Island TEFL 4-week Certified Course - Thailand
Package A: 4-week certified TEFL course. Package B: 4-week certified TEFL course PLUS 2-month volunteer placement in a state school on Samui (full accommodation included in this package option). 10 hours of observed teaching practice. Gain your TEFL qualification in a troipical paradise.

Contact: info@islandtefl.com, www.islandtefl.com

Khao San Road, www.khaosanroad.com, is a portal which provides information useful to English teachers in Thailand and expatriates in general.

LanguageCorps Thailand
Teaching English in Thailand: Flagship Program
Program include TESOL certification, guaranteed paid jobs, regional excursions, host country language instruction, support of a local “Corps Advocate,” a prepaid cell phone, visa preparation, and pre-departure and re-entry packages.

Contact: teach@languagecorps.org, www.languagecorps.org

Learn to Teach English with Learn in Asia
The TEFL Certificate certifies you to teach in Thailand and worldwide. The course focuses on the dynamics of teaching English, specifically to Thai and Asian learners.

Contact: Learn@Learn-in-Asia.com, www.learn-in-asia.com

Siam Educational Experience (SEE)
SEE 4-week (120 hours) Accredited TEFL Training Course
SEE’s TEFL Programme benefits include Ministry of Education TEFL accreditation, Cultural Awareness accreditation, Survival Thai language skills; plus visa and job placement assistance. Chiang Mai, Thailand. Programme fee from $756.

Contact: info@siameducationalexperience.org, www.siameducationalexperience.org

SIT TESOL Certificate Course
The School for International Training (SIT), Vermont, USA, has been a leader in the field of TESOL training programs for over 30 years. The Certificate Course held at AUA Language Center in Bangkok is a 4-week, 130 hour course that provides participants with knowledge and skills in teaching English, as well as the tools needed for their ongoing reflection and growth as teachers. Graduates are highly sought after throughout Thailand and internationally.

Contact: training@auathailand.org, www.auathailand.org/sit/index.html

Starfish Ventures
Teaching English in Thailand
If you like children and want to help children in Thailand prepare for a better future join our Teaching Venture program. Jobs are avaialable throughout the year and you be living in a Thai community away from the tourists. Experience life in Thailand first-hand and volunteer to help the local people.

Contact: enquiries@starfishventures.co.uk, www.starfishventures.co.uk

Stickman’s Guide to Bangkok, www.stickmanbangkok.com, contains a wealth of information related to living and working in Bangkok. A great source for those who wish to teach English in Thailand.

Teach in Paradise
Great teacher training available in Chiang Mai and Pai for those who wish to teach English in Thailand.

Contact: info@teachinparadise.com, www.teachinparadise.com

Teach in Thailand, www.thailandteacher.com. Employment Postings, Resources, Message Forums, Facts & FAQ’s for teaching English in Thailand.

TEFL ASIA, www.teflasia.com, is an excellent portal for Asian ESL jobs, articles and resources with positions in Thailand.

TEFL International
TESOL Certificate
TEFL International is an internationally recognized 4-week course which trains you to be an English teacher. As the largest organization of its kind in Asia, we pride ourselves in providing a supportive course with lifetime job placement assistance. We operate courses all year long in Thailand, China, and Morocco. Accommodations are included in the course fee.

Contact: info@teflintl.com, www.teflintl.com

TEFLPlus
Thailand’s best value teacher training courseconducted on beautiful Patong Beach, Phuket, is a 4-week 125-hour course offering more practice teaching classes than any other provider. Train to become a professional teacher of English and earn an internationally recognised TEFL certificate.

Contact: info@teflplus.com, www.teflplus.com

TEFLworld in Koh Samui, Thailand
Graduate with a worldwide accepted certificate from stunning Koh Samui, Thailand. TEFL World offers an honest professional, practical, affordable and enjoyable 6 week TEFL course that prepares you for the actual English teaching experience. Certified by the Ministry of Education, our course exceeds international standards with 10 hours of observed teaching practice and tutor feedback.

Contact: info@teflteachsamui.com, www.teflteachsamui.com

Text-And-Talk Academy in Thailand
Language training programs, translation services, corporate English teaching, free lesson plans, job services and much more.

Contact: benbow@langserv.com, www.langserv.com

Thai Visa, www.thaivisa.com, provides expatriates and prospective English teachers in Thailand information about the legal formalities.

Thailand TESOL, www.thaitesol.org, is a fine organization for those who teach English in Thailand.

Thammasat University, www.tu.ac.th/org/litu/enlitu.html, is one of the top universities in Thailand. Two campuses, one in Banglumpoo and the other at Rangsit.

Youth Hostels Association of Thailand: International Community Service Programme
Volunteers with basic Teaching English as a Foreign Language experience spend 3-5 months teaching 4 hours a day in different locations around Thailand in exchange for living and travel expenses within Thailand.

Contact: bangkok@tyha.org, www.tyha.org

Wall Street Institute in Thailand: The New Way to Learn English
We use a totally flexible multi-media based approach to teaching English, including small classroom sizes, social club activities, a total English language environment. We are open everyday at two locations, students have unlimited access to our learning facilities.

Contact: info@wallstreet.in.th, www.wallstreet.in.th

WorldWide TEFL
English Teacher Training Academy in Thailand
Teach English as a Foreign Language around the world with a certificate that schools and employers recognize and value. Our full time, 1 week, 120 hour course which takes place at our center in Pattaya, Chonburi in Thailand will give you valid a certification and allow you to teach English and start your teaching career. Our certificate reflects the fact that we operate as licensed institute of education, so our graduates have education recognition for completing our course.

Contact: info@worldwidetefl.com, www.worldwidetefl.com

Teachers Visa and Work Permit

thaivisa — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 16:07:01 +0000

Q	First off what’s the difference between a legal and an illegal teacher?
A	A legal teacher has a teacher’s license (from the Thai Ministry of Education), a work permit (from the Thai Labor Department) and a one-year visa (from the Thai Immigration Dept) The one year visa is issued on the strength of you having a work permit. If you don’t get the work permit, you don’t get the one year visa. They are inextricably linked. An illegal teacher has no teacher’s license and no work permit, and of course - no one year visa. Illegal teachers are resigned to doing border hops and consulate runs to neighboring countries every month or every 2-3 months depending on how they’ve got things organized.
Q	What visa options are available to me before I enter Thailand?
A	To say that Thailand’s visa regulations are extraordinarily complex just doesn’t do things justice. And if anything they seem to get more and more complicated as time goes by. Well there are three main options and these themselves have options within them. On-entry Visa: Most nationalities can receive 30 days on entry automatically with the option (at the Immigration officers discretion) to extend by 10 days (OR SOMETIMES 14 DAYS at a cost of 1,900 Baht) at an Immigration office. Go here for the list of countries: http://www.imm3.police.go.th/eng/ There are countless foreigners who have lived in Thailand for years and simply toddled off to a border point every 30 days, done a quick ‘in and out’ and received a fresh 30-day stamp. That all changed on October 1st 2006 when Thai immigration announced that you could only have a maximum of three 30-day stamps, and then you have to spend 90 days out of the country before you were allowed another one……….or you have to go to a Thai consulate abroad and get a ‘proper’ visa (tourist or non-immigrant) There are many theories as to why this rule came about but one popular notion is that it stops foreigners using the perpetual 30-day stamp as a cheap sort of permanent residency permit. Tourist Visas: Can and must be issued by a Thai Embassy or Consulate and there are different numbers of entries (not always easy to get more than one though!). A single tourist Visa would automatically entitle you to 60 days on entry to Thailand, with the option to extend by 30 days (again at 1,900 Baht) at an Immigration office. A double entry tourist Visa would entitle you to the above, with a further 60 day entry once you’ve left and returned (exit and re-entry) to Thailand (see border runs further on) and the option to extend by a further 30 days. A triple entry would be the same but with THREE entries of 60 days etc. The most entries I’m aware of is four, but you’ll find that most neighboring Asian countries will only issue singles or doubles at best. A common question is ‘which embassy or consulate is the best to go to for a tourist visa? Penang in Malaysia? What about Kuala Lumpur? How about Vientiane in Laos? Or Cambodia even? The answer is ‘who the hell knows?’ You hear just as many success stories as you do refusals - from all consulates. It all really depends on which way the wind is blowing. So let’s recap on what you can do with a double-entry tourist visa if you’re lucky enough to get one. Let’s say you enter Thailand on the 1st January (for sake of argument). You get 60 days on entry which will allow you to stay in Thailand until the 28/29th February. Just before the 60 days expire (or on the last day itself) you go to immigration office in Thailand and extend for a further month. Then you can extend for another two weeks (all extensions are currently 1,900 baht). When your final day of your final extension is almost upon you, you catch a bus, train or plane to a neighboring country’s border point and then turn around and re-enter Thailand. Thus you now activate your second entry and your second 60-days. So in effect, a double entry tourist visa will get you 60 days plus 60 days plus an optional extension of one month on each entry and then a further extension of two weeks on each entry (all extensions can be done at an office within Thailand). So you would get about seven months out of your double entry tourist, but that includes one border hop and FOUR trips to the immigration office! For the cost of tourist Visas in the UK go here: http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com Remember - you cannot work legally in Thailand on a tourist visa! Which brings us to Non-immigrant Visas! There are many many different types of these but I’ll cover the main ones in the next section.
Q	Which visa will I need in order to become legal?
A	A Non-immigrant B Visa is generally the Visa you need to obtain if you are looking to work here and to get one you are required to produce a whole stack of paperwork including a letter of employment, an employment contract, maybe a letter from your embassy (and there is even talk of a security background check). You really need to call the embassy or consulate ahead of time and find out EXACTLY what they require if you want a non-immigrant B. If you turn up with 100 pieces of paper, then you can bet your boots the officer will ask for 101. On entry you’ll receive 90 days of cover, with the option to extend by 10 days at Imm (I GET 14 + 6 ALL FOR 1900) (cost: 1,900 Baht). You can also obtain (although this may have changed recently) double entry Non-imm Bs (two entries of 90 days, the second entry is obtained by exiting and re-entering the country). Multiple entry Non-imm Bs are the best as they will give you just under 15 months of cover in 90 day intervals. For a one year period ANY and EVERY time you enter Thailand with the Non-imm B you’ll receive 90 days on entry. Generally most school prefer you to be on a Non-imm B if you wish to obtain a work permit, although as mentioned before a Non-imm O (spousal or dependants Visa) is in some ways interchangeable and vice versa! A word of advice most Consulates are far friendlier when it comes to issuing Non-imm Bs (and multiples at that) than Embassies. Cost of Non-imm B in the UK: http://www.thaiconsul-uk.com Again, the immigration rules overhaul of October 2006 meant that non-immigrant visas suddenly become a lot harder to get. Well, some people have had problems….but there are people who have problems doing anything. A Non-immigrant O Visa is generally for people married to a Thai national or with Thai children or dependants. This works in basically the same way as a Non-imm B. Although if you can show funds in a Thai bank account (400,000 baht) or show sufficient proof of local or overseas income to prove that you can support your family, the immigration can indefinitely extend your Visa for up to 12 months. A work permit can now be obtained on a Non-imm O (it couldn’t before 2006) Generally (or it seems a lot of employers prefer) a Non-immigrant B Visa. Although it’s possible to obtain a work permit with a Non-immigrant O Visa, it seems a lot of employers either aren’t aware of this, or it’s too much hassle for them. Generally you’ll need at least a couple of months of your Visa left (which would initially be for 90 days) for the school to obtain all the needed paperwork…although if they can show they’re going through the motions Immigration can and will grant an extension (generally of around a month) to give your employer time enough to finish everything off. Important Many people will disagree with me on this but I sincerely believe that no visa requirement rule is set in stone. There are many ‘human’ factors involved when you apply for a visa and you are face-to-face with an immigration officer. Is the immigration officer in a good mood? Does he / she like you as a person and are you polite? Are you dressed smartly enough? (you don’t need to be in a velvet smoking jacket but Thais like clean people) Do you look like someone Thailand would want living in its country? etc, etc - the list is endless. Most of it is just plain common sense.
Q	Briefly, what is the process of obtaining a teacher’s license and getting a work permit?
A	Briefly, you give your school whatever documents they ask you for, and they process them. You need to be tolerant and helpful at this point even if you personally think hey have no need to ask for certain things. If you don’t co-operate, the process will get stuck and you’ll be the one leaving the country to get a new visa. First they obtain a teacher’s license for you, and then they use this to get a work permit. Once you have a work permit, your visa can be extended. Lengthily, (and the details may vary between schools and provinces) the first step is the teacher’s license. This requires more or less the following: A personal information document, up to 12 one and a half inch photos, up to 12 two inch photos, a current health certificate (50 baht any hospital - are you alive? yes - you passed), copies of your degree and other certs (originals may be requested along with transcripts) certified Thai translations of your degree and other certs, copies of every page of your passport, school director’s license, school principal’s license, map of school, teaching schedule of teacher, list of other work permit holders at the school, a new blank teacher’s license book (blue), form Sor Chor 10, form Sor Chor 17, form Ror 11. And if you’ve had a license before, then you can add Ror 12, Sor Chor 19, Sor Chor 18, and your blue license book (not to be confused with the work permit book, plus some provinces don’t issue them, in which case you might need to fabricate a police report saying you’ve lost it) These are all submitted in quadruplicate to the Min of Ed, and don’t forget to sign every single page. After a while (one week to who knows) you will get the license back. You take this, along with most of the same documents as above to the Labour Department, who will issue a receipt of application. You can use the receipt to extend your visa - the implication being that your application won’t be turned down at this stage. After about three weeks you pick up your new work permit. When the time comes for renewal, it’s a good idea to remind your school about one month before the expiry date, though they really should be on top of things by that stage.
Q	How long does this process take, and do I have to do it myself?
A	You need a school backing you up in order to get yourself a teacher’s license. If the school can’t do the paperwork then your own chances of doing it will be slim to non-existent. Many schools do not actually know how to get licenses and work permits for foreign teachers, or do not have a member of staff who has ever done it. In this case things can get very drawn out with the application being postponed indefinitely. If you’re the first or only foreigner in a school, good luck. The actual process need not take a long time. The important thing is to get the teacher’s license because that will enable you to make your work permit application which is enough to extend your visa. When I process these, I consider the day the visa expires to be the deadline for getting the license in my hands. It can be done in a week. I aim for a month. If the paperwork is flawed you can just keep on waiting.

Q	What are the current requirements from the Thai Ministry of Education?
A	This is something of a 64 billion dollar question. Ask five different people and you’ll get five different answers. The general consensus (as of Feb 2006) is that you need BOTH a B.A (in any subject) AND a recognized TEFL certificate. If your B.A is in English (and only English), then you do NOT need to show a TEFL certificate in addition. I’m one of the few people who seem to push this point, but a hell of a lot depends on your school’s relationship with the MoE. Some schools have poor relationships with the MoE and need to jump through numerous hoops to get their teachers legal. Other schools have good relationships and find the whole process fairly painless (not that I’d ever use the word painless to describe an aspect of Thai officialdom) There’s a lot of argument over what exactly constitutes a ‘recognized TEFL certificate’ but in my opinion, if the certificate’s got the word TEFL on it in some shape, size or form, it should get through. Contrary to popular belief and rumor, the MoE do NOT check the validity of degrees and TEFL certificates. They simply don’t have the manpower. The responsibility of checking all certificates falls on the shoulders of the employer (which is how it should be) You do however need to show original copies to the officer at the MoE.
Q	Do people teach on tourist visas for a long time? Why?
A	The main reasons that teachers work illegally (on tourist visas) are 1) they don’t possess the necessary qualifications to obtain a teacher’s license 2) their school / institute can’t get them a work permit / won’t get them a work permit / don’t know how to get them a work permit 3) they actually prefer to remain a ‘free spirit’ often juggling around freelance work and not tied down to one particular establishment. Be warned though: teaching without a work permit can land you in serious trouble. Jail / fine / deportation - take your pick.
Q	Does a work permit cover you for all types of teaching work and in any location?
A	Surprisingly it doesn’t and this is something that language schools and institutes remain blissfully ignorant of. Your work permit allows you to teach in ONE location only - the location written on the inside cover of the work permit. The moment a teacher goes ‘outside’, perhaps to teach corporate clients at their company office, the teacher is breaking the law. There has been talk of introducing a ‘roaming work permit’ which would allow a teacher to teach literally anywhere in Thailand provided it was for the same company…..but it’s just talk.
Q	What is a border run or border hop?
A	A border hop means taking a train, a bus, a plane or anything with wheels, and crossing a neighboring border. Then usually coming straight back into Thailand again. A border hop is usually done to ‘activate’ a second or third entry on a double or triple entry visa.
Q	What is a consulate/embassy run?
A	A consulate run is when you physically need to get a new Thai visa in your passport and that means schlepping to a Thai consulate/embassy in a neighboring country. It goes without saying that consulate runs are more expensive, more time-consuming (and dare I say more stressful) than border hops. Depending on what time of day you arrive, Thai embassies / consulates will issue you a new visa within 48 hours.

Q	What countries are available to me to do these hops and runs?
A	Phew! There must be at least a dozen border points in Thailand where you can perform a border hop, with the most popular being the Thai/Malaysian border point at Pedang Besar, the Thailand/Laos border point at Nong Khai, and the Thailand / Cambodia crossing at Aranya Pratheet. Long-termers generally have their own reasons for choosing a particular border point. As far as consulates are concerned, the most popular choices are Penang (Malaysia), and Vientiane (Laos). Other options include Singapore and Phnom Phen. If you fancy a particular place to do a border hop or consulate run, I suggest you put a post on the ajarn discussion board, and find out the latest vibe for that crossing or consulate. Who knows, you might even find someone to buddy up with!
Q	If I need to get a non-immigrant visa from a neighboring country, what documentation do I need?
A	Firstly, your school needs to be on the unofficial official school-list at the consulate you are going to. If your school has got its act together, they will have notified the consulate in the past and be ‘on the list’. Sadly, organization is not one of Thailand’s best traits. All is not lost though, and if you can plead your case well enough and you’re wearing a clean shirt, you’ll probably get your non-immigrant visa. From experience, it always seems that the consulate in Laos is by far the strictest when it comes to ‘hey your school is not on the list so here’s a tourist visa, now bugger off’ - Vietnam and Cambodia aren’t far behind so I’ve heard. You will need to take paperwork with you in order to get a non-immigration visa. Again, if your school knows what it’s doing, this won’t be a problem. The keyword is ‘if’.
Q	What are the costs involved in doing a border run and will my school pay?
A	Very difficult to answer this question. You could take a cheap minibus from Bangkok to Aranya Pratheet on the Cambodian border and still have change from thirty dollars. Or you could fly to Singapore and stay a night in a swanky Orchard Road hotel. Border runs can be tailored to fit most budgets. Schools almost rarely/never pay for a teacher to do a border hop or consulate run.
Q	My school will get me a work permit if I sign a one-year contract. What happens if I break that contract?
A	Well, the school will be pissed off for a start (unless you’re an awful teacher and they can’t wait to see the back of you). In addition to that, you will probably be required to reimburse the school for the costs of work permit, teacher’s license, admin staff’s shoe leather, etc, etc. You can expect to cough up something in the region of 5,000 baht. More importantly, once you quit a job, your work permit and one-year visa are null and void. You now have SEVEN days to leave the country and get a new visa. Make sure that you keep tabs on EXACTLY when the school hands back your work permit to the labor department, because that’s when the 7-day clock starts ticking. I’ve heard numerous stories of schools failing to tell the teacher that they’ve already cancelled the work permit and the teacher suddenly staring at a hefty overstay fine. Needless to say, breaking a contract is something you really should avoid doing if at all possible. Paully also adds the following - In addition to the advice already given, remember that if your written employment contract has a notice period clause in it (as is common), for example, allowing your employer or you to terminate the contract on one month’s written notice to the other party, you are NOT breaking your contract by giving your employer one month’s written notice of leaving. You are terminating your contract by agreement. This is as valid in Thai law as in US or UK law. Your employer may still be pissed off, but there’s nothing in law he can do about it other than try to hold up your application for a new work permit. Keep a copy of your letter of notice and contact the Ministry of Labour if your old employer refuses to give you/the Min of Labour a release form (Tor Dor 11) agreeing to your leaving and allowing you to get a new work permit. Update from a teacher regarding the ‘7-day rule’ In my case, the employer wrote on whatever form it was that they presented to the Labour Department that my last date of employment was 12 June. They actually notified the Labour Department on 14 June and subsequently notified Immigration on 15 June. Immigration gave me until 18 June (ie, the clock started ticking the first second into 12 June) to leave the country. I was expecting a date of 21 June, so this was a bit of a surprise, but not a problem.

Q	What is a re-entry permit?
A	If you have a non-immigrant visa, it will be cancelled if you leave the country. To avoid canceling it, get a re-entry permit from immigration or at the airport (before you go through immigration to leave). It costs 1000 baht for a single re-entry, or 3,800 for a multiple. It’s valid as long as your visa. This is very important if you have a work permit, because canceling your visa cancels the work permit and you have to start everything again. If you have a multiple entry non-immigrant visa which has been extended on a work permit (or you have a work permit application in process) then you still need a re-entry permit, because a new entry is considered to be a new visa, and everything will have been cancelled. If you’re hoping to qualify for residence, this is another reason to make sure that your visa doesn’t get cancelled as you need to spend a certain number of years here on the same visa in order to apply. If in doubt, check with immigration first, because the consequences of getting it wrong are troublesome.
Q	What happens if I overstay a visa?
A	Basically if your Visa (be it a tourist, Non-imm, entry….whatever) is due to expire on say 7th May, 2004. You must either go to Imm (on that day…not the day after) to get an extension (if you’re entitled to one…although to be honest there’ll generally give you something although you don’t really want to be paying 1,900 Baht for a days extension), or you can do a run (see border runs) to a neighbouring country and exit and then re-enter to obtain a further x amount of days (depending on which Visa you already hold). Now overstay (and I’ve heard differing views, but this is generally how it works IMHO) starts from the day (kind of) your Visa runs out. So if you run out on the 8th and you on the 9th you’ll pay 500 Baht overstay. 10 days would be 5,000 Baht, 20 = 10,000 Baht and so on and so on until you get to the ceiling fine amount which is 20,000 Baht. I was under the impression (and bear in mind the whims of Imm can change from day to day) that you were allows one over stay of this amount in your passport…two could mean you’re deported (again you hear a lot of different stories in regards to this). Now I’ve been over a few times here and there (28 days three years ago was the most) and I’ve never had a problem with it although I have been shouted at. Now what seems to be happening is if you can get to the border or airport to pay the overstay you’ll (generally) be fine, BUT if you’re pulled on overstay while in a touristy area, or just routinely asked to show your passport and you’re on overstay…you could be in a heap of trouble. They can and from what I’ve heard will arrest you and possibly deport you (once you’ve paid the overstay amount owed). The worst story I’ve heard (from a very reliable person from S&A) was a chap got pulled on the Jack Golf bus (at Sukhumvit before it was due to leave) and he was actually only 7 hours over and on his way to the border to sort it out….nicked and locked up! Visa services at the present time are a big no no (at least the ones that send your passports off).
Q	Can my employer refuse to give me my teacher’s license when I leave?
A	It’s common for schools to hang on to your teacher’s license (both the permanent version and the version issued to that school for your current contract period) while you’re working there. Schools sometimes like to hang on to your passport and your blue work permit book too, officially for safekeeping, unofficially perhaps in an attempt to stop you disappearing at the end of the month. Remember that your passport is yours, the school has no right to keep it and it should be kept with you. The work permit has to be kept with you OR at your place of work during working hours: again the school has no automatic right to keep it in the school safe forever. At the basic minimum, keep a copy of the work permit in case you need it to refer to the number or issue/expiry date. When you leave your work, the school must give you your permanent teacher’s license (but not the current one issued for your employment) whether you leave Thailand or remain to go on to a new job. Check you have the original license with the original photograph and stamp on it. They have no right to keep the original permanent license and give you only a copy. It’s yours, not theirs.

Legal Degree in 5 Days

thaivisa — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 02:14:59 +0000

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