Topic: Visa Background Checks Now

[RobRoy]

My wife a got a NON-O in the middle of December (Dec 18) in room 303 at our beloved immi here in BKK.  Changed her visa from a tourist to a NON-O in about 30 minutes and several calls to the school.  Didn't ask for any background checks, but then again she was applying for a different visa, so it may be different.  Oh, and I was a bit late on my 90 note that was up on Dec 5 (was told it was the date on my TM card, NOT the date of my visa) and got fined 2000 baht.  Just frigging lovely!

[ajarnnormal]

It is about time this country removed it's fat head out of it's arogant backside, or is it happy to just have that kind of vision for it's future. powers that be are happy when the biggest percentage of the country are ignorant and just follow like sheep. They like it when they can do exactly what they want with the population. they like it when there is no freedom of speech. They like it when the people have little idea about what is going on in the world and it's own country. They do not want their people to be too educated incase they suddenly wake up and realize that their is something drasticly wrong with the country. The world laughs at the arogance and stupidity of Thaiiland slowly sinking into the depths of despair. I do not think the world would give a damn if the lights went out for good. This country of sheep governed by wolves.

[RobRoy]

AJ, It really upsets us went you hold back your feelings....let it out....tell us what you really think!

[ajarnnormal]

Thanks mate sometimes it upsets me to see the way this country is slowly flushing itself down the toilet. I know some of you guys feel the same.

[Pibthong]

   A guy the other day was being interviewed on Bloomberg Financial Television about the precarious financial and economic situation of present day Thailand and the forseeable future. He was asked what Thailand had to do to correct its current course to oblivion. The Bloomberg interviewer noted that the 1997 East Asian financial and economic meltdown began in Thailand. The farang banker's reply applies to education, too, I would say. The guy said Thais need to learn and to practice "humility." He said Thais need to consult with those who know, both inside and out of Thailand. Thais need to examine the nature of their actions and decisions and to learn to anticipate the reaction their actions could/might cause.

   A little humility goes a long way, but how does one teach it? Doesn't one have to be willing to learn such a quality as humility? (I'd thought Buddhism taught that anyway!) Then there's the matter of intellectual capability, capacity etc. I fear we're still in for a long haul over a disintegrating road that, as in 1997, might suddenly disappear.

[wordsworth]

   A guy the other day was being interviewed on Bloomberg Financial Television about the precarious financial and economic situation of present day Thailand and the forseeable future. He was asked what Thailand had to do to correct its current course to oblivion. The Bloomberg interviewer noted that the 1997 East Asian financial and economic meltdown began in Thailand. The farang banker's reply applies to education, too, I would say. The guy said Thais need to learn and to practice "humility." He said Thais need to consult with those who know, both inside and out of Thailand. Thais need to examine the nature of their actions and decisions and to learn to anticipate the reaction their actions could/might cause.

   A little humility goes a long way, but how does one teach it? Doesn't one have to be willing to learn such a quality as humility? (I'd thought Buddhism taught that anyway!) Then there's the matter of intellectual capability, capacity etc. I fear we're still in for a long haul over a disintegrating road that, as in 1997, might suddenly disappear.

Hey Pib.

Forget it my friend, it isnt going to happen. The pollies (and for that matter the senior civil servants) figure they already know it all, because the Thai is genetically superior right? (check the genetic databank announcement in the papers today, worth a laugh!), and because they are important people - top of the tree right?  You see, if they ask for advice from Johnny Foreigner, it is tantamount to confessing that they dont know it all - and that *definitely* wont happen either, no sir.

I was fascinated to see the Nation report a column from one of the USA financials the other day. The reporter described the financial performance of Bro Pridyathorn and Co as 'remarkably incompetent' (unquote). I will go with that, clearly written by an insightful man.

it seems to me though, that the real danger isnt the Immi, and it isnt the army and it probably isnt the police either (though I believe the corruption and incompetence of the Police accounts for probably 90% of the problems in Thailand). It is the 'sufficency economy' idea, or rather how it will be received by the majority of Thais. As soon as it was announced I drew the following conclusions, none of which are clever, all of which are blindingly obvious:

1. it is a knee-jerk reaction to having failed miserably in trying to be a developing country. Thaksin strutted the world stage and all he got was a jester's cap.
2. Thais are going to become very insular and inward-looking, they will see this as a positive virtue rather than an indication of their failure. They are in the process of taking their toys and going home.
3. The problems with the economy will accelerate and it will be the fault of those evil Johnny Foreigners again. And there *will* be a problem. Dont forget that Thailand and its government are regarded as being well-meaning but completely incompetent by all the Asian nations, esp after the 1997 meltdown (which, as has been rightly pointed out by someone else, started with the incompetence and arrogance in Thailand).

Time will tell if I am right.

ps. Doesnt anyone else worry that so many Thai politicians go to fortune tellers, astrologers and witches? And that government decisions actually appear to be influenced by this nonsense. Bewilders the f*ck out of me

You took the words right out of my mouth !!!!!

However as for astrologers and witches etc.................... i thought both Mr Blair and Mr Bush are members of secret organizations that amount  to the same thing! (The Illuminati)


Peace
Wordsworth

[bomha]

Back on the topic of backgeround checks: the ISAT (international schools of Thailand) has publicly asked the Thai government to make the application and hiring process more practical. 

Here is the topic from the Bangkok Post article, that is in ThaiVisa today,

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=101592

[hero]

Anyway, back on topic ..... it seems the evidence of the last week or so suggests that the Thai authorities have got it wrong again.  The International schools are having problems getting paperwork for very well qualified teachers, while the rounding up at private bilingual schools proves that (some of them anyway) they are still happto to give anyone a job!

[Pibthong]

   I've been waiting for the international schools to go public. Their quiet Thai approach has failed and now even the international schools have taken to public howling, and justifiably so.

   Teaching always has been a special position in society, much like a physician or lawyer. It's not the same as being a hardhat or an IT wizzard. When one thinks of foreigners in the classrooms of your country's schools, the matter becomes more than special--it strikes sensitivities that are social, cultural, national in nature. Imagine an inflow of native speakers of Chinese and Japanese into the schools of your country. Wouldn't you want to know that everything's okay? So I'd say that, in primciple, some checks of credentials, character etc are reasonable.

   However, this present nonsense in Thailand is tantamount to shooting one's self in the foot. (Most Thais shooting themselves in the head would cause less damage!)

[fortuneguy]

I agree with just about everything posted on this thread. Does that make me some form of sycophant ?