Thailand cracks down on fake student visas with new rules  

According to the government, too many people are using education visas to stay in the country without really studying.

The Ministry of Higher Education and the Immigration Bureau have introduced five new steps that schools must follow if they want to offer non-degree programs to international students.

First, every school must now clearly explain what each program is about.

That includes the name of the course, who is running it, what will be taught, and whether it will be online or in person.

They must also say how long the course will last and how many students can join.

Second, schools must keep an eye on students and make sure they attend classes and follow the rules. If students don’t show up or don’t take part properly, the school must report it.

Every month, schools will have to send updates to the government. These updates must show who is still in the program and who has dropped out.

Students found to be breaking the rules could have their visas cancelled.

Schools found to be in violation of the rules could also lose permission to run their programs. It could also make it harder for them to offer new programs in the future.

Also, the Immigration Bureau will work more closely with the education ministry and will pass on data for further checks if they discover something strange in a school’s data.

Immigration Commissioner Panumas Boonyaluck said the new rules are meant to protect the education system and ensure student visas are only used for education purposes.

These changes come as Thailand tries to stop visa abuse and keep its education programs honest and safe.