I just 'lifted' this letter from ajarn.comforum this morning - it's an interesting read.

I was at the Thai Embassy in Cambodia Monday. I accompanied a qualified teacher on a “B” visa run. Before going we checked with many sources and called the Embassy in Cambodia and rechecked our check list. Visa was approved. One other “candidate” received a “B”, while everyone else was refused.
I looked at the paper work for a man who was refused. He had the basic paperwork from a major school that would have gotten a “B” in the past. His decline note stated that he had “too many entries in the past”, apparently a reference to visa runs. He was told that if he came back the following day he would be given a 15 day emergency visa to retrieve his personal items from Thailand.
Also, it is clearly stated on the Embassy bulletin board that a tourist visa is for 30 days with 2 extensions, so it appears that the 60 day tourist visa is not issued in Cambodia. Anybody looking to extend by getting a 60 day tourist visa with 30 day extension at Immigration in BKK should be advised to call the destination Embassy or Consulate in advance.
As an aside, the staff at the embassy was short, nasty and rude with one lady bordering on just plain argumentative. When my student presented his documents covered with a Ministry of Education letter addressed to the Embassy requesting a visa, the clerk asked him, “what are you doing here?”, while looking at the letter.

IMO,this is just another case of a situation, so publicized about falangs using ''loopholes'' to live here,that the negative feelings of the resenting Thai bureaucrat clouds the situation.To many of the Thais,falangs are pampered or catered to,to much,while the Thai has to make do with things as they are!Plus the darn falangs ,question question question

I always thought teachers on a "B" had to do visa runs.If they now cannot,no more teachers.

All this with the stated aim to improve the English language capabilities of Thai students.O well into the abyss we go.

wickder wrote:I always thought teachers on a "B" had to do visa runs.If they now cannot,no more teachers.

All this with the stated aim to improve the English language capabilities of Thai students.O well into the abyss we go.

I had that impression also,although I never had a thorough discussion with any teacher about it.I'm sure they will get it straightened out ,if that is the case!

I don't believe for one moment that their stated aim is in fact that important to them.After all they don't provide the scenario for this to be accomplished.After finishing school,the majority can not have a conversation in English!Why do you suppose that is?

It's like the game of Chinese whispers.There needs to be regular farang input into the system or you get a cumulative effect of poor speaking teacher teaching future teachers poor English ad infinitum.

wickder wrote:I always thought teachers on a "B" had to do visa runs.If they now cannot,no more teachers.

When I taught at a government approved college, I had a work permit and was NOT required to exit every 3 months. I could stay the full year. However, I believe those teaching at Language schools and with a work permit still have to exit and re-enter every 3 months, but they should not have a problem with that, as their work permit should be for 12 months.

It is possible some people are teaching whilst on a Non Imm "B" visa , and don't (yet) have a work permit. They could well be on a sticky wicket!
After all a "B" visa is only intended to allow time for the work permit to be applied for and obtained and I would suggest they wont want people applying for subsequent "B" visas as they should already have got their work permit.

arjay wrote:

wickder wrote:I always thought teachers on a "B" had to do visa runs.If they now cannot,no more teachers.

When I taught at a government approved college, I had a work permit and was NOT required to exit every 3 months. I could stay the full year. However, I believe those teaching at Language schools and with a work permit still have to exit and re-enter every 3 months, but they should not have a problem with that, as their work permit should be for 12 months.

Just to put you guys straight on this. If you have a Non-B and a work permit you don't need to leave the country EVER. Gnmt school or not. A work permit is a work permit anywhere. Once you have a work permit you just need to renew it every 12 months at the local labour office.

Also, you always keep your original Non-B - you don't renew that.

The difference between working at a government school and a private language school is that at a private school you need a teacher's license. Agnmt school, you don't.

So going back to the original post, the qualified teacher referred to, doing the visa run, hasn't yet got a Work permit, otherwise he would not have needed to do the visa run.

Immigration are not likely to allow people to go backwards and forwards many times on a "B" visa, or applying for a new one each time, as they will be expected to have got a work permit.

To put it all into a nut shell:

If someone has been working in the country as a teacher without the benefit of a Non Imm B Visa and are now trying to get one - well, they are basically going to be screwed and have some major problems. I know of a couple teachers that have been teaching for private schools and they / their schools never bothered to get them the right visa - so they are on their way out of the country.

I know of one exception to the rule - but he has some high ups in the Ministry of Education that pushed his visa through. He is now in the process of getting his work permit - and admittedly having a few problems with that one.

A teacher in a private or government school that has a Non Imm B visa does not have leave the country. All that must be done is the regular 90 day check ins same as anyone else. Renewing the visa and work permit is always easy providing that one stays with the same school. Once you change employment - the work permit and visa are gone and you have the start the whole process over again in Laos or Cambodia.

The way that I look at it all is that everyone that has been here for awhile knew what the rules were. I knew what they were before I even came over here. Of course, everyone knows what the loop holes were too. Those that chose to avail themselves of the loop holes rather than playing by the rules of the game really don't have anything to complain about now, in my opinion. If you want to play the game, you have to play by the rules. Makes life less exciting, but one hell of a lot easier.

This is only an opinion.

15 Days to pack up and get out!

Lax enforcement in the past was a main contributor to the problem. Suddenly and retroactively enforcing rules that they had let slide for many years seems unfair and unsympathetic.

I guess this is a reminder that using immigration loopholes is not very safe.

arjay wrote:So going back to the original post, the qualified teacher referred to, doing the visa run, hasn't yet got a Work permit, otherwise he would not have needed to do the visa run.

Immigration are not likely to allow people to go backwards and forwards many times on a "B" visa, or applying for a new one each time, as they will be expected to have got a work permit.

Doc wrote:A teacher in a private or government school that has a Non Imm B visa does not have leave the country. All that must be done is the regular 90 day check ins same as anyone else.

Doc, as I said above I am sure that if someone only has a NON Imm "B" visa they have to exit and re-enter every 90 days....... It's only when they have got their work permit, that they don't.

Sound to me like the english teacher shortage will be growing, but maybe that boat load of young Vietnam girls, (they had their own private boat, going to Lao) are their replacements.

When I saw one in front of me on return, get 90 days, was thinking I would get the same, so I guess they were not tourists.

Doc, as I said above I am sure that if someone only has a NON Imm "B" visa they have to exit and re-enter every 90 days....... It's only when they have got their work permit, that they don't.

Sorry Arjay - missed that little bit of your post. Just got out of hospital for a week and the mind and fingers just don't seem to be working the way that they should be working.

You are correct for the most part.

The work permit does not automatically give you the option of not leaving the country. That option comes only upon renewal of the 1 year Non-Imm B Visa. Once work permit is gone - everything is gone.

Doc

doc wrote:You are correct for the most part.

The work permit does not automatically give you the option of not leaving the country. That option comes only upon renewal of the 1 year Non-Imm B Visa. Once work permit is gone - everything is gone.

Doc, I think I was correct for the "whole part". The situation is correctly explained/confirmed by Oldfield (see quote below) in that once you have a work permit, you don't have to leave the country and you don't renew your Non Imm "B", (you keep the original) as the work permit in effect replaces it.

oldfield wrote:Just to put you guys straight on this. If you have a Non-B and a work permit you don't need to leave the country EVER. Gnmt school or not. A work permit is a work permit anywhere. Once you have a work permit you just need to renew it every 12 months at the local labour office.

Also, you always keep your original Non-B - you don't renew that.

Sorry to hear about your hospital visit, trust you are recovering from the affliction OK.