Netizen submission:
I have been talking about the strict investigation of visas for half a year, and I always said that Thailand would eventually crack down on the gray market and illegal visa processing. Back then, I remember many people criticized me, accusing me of smearing the intermediaries.
This is just a reenactment of history from 2022 to 2023. At that time, Cambodia and Myanmar's big players collectively moved in, with the most famous incident being the arrest of over 50 people from the Duck Neck Series Hengxin. The social order was chaotic, many big players' clubs were throwing money around, companies were centralizing their offices, and there was a lot of ostentatious display of wealth, etc.
The gray market is always a gray market. 17% of Thailand's GDP comes from tourism. If you cause trouble here, who else would the Thai government target?
Another issue is the visa problem.
DTV prices range from 10,000 CNY to over 20,000 CNY, originally just a 10,000 Thai Baht application fee. You submit the documents to the local Thai embassy for review, and once approved, you can produce the documents.
The cost is mainly in the documents and channels! However, some intermediaries use the same set of document photos for Photoshop, or various tricky operations to forge entry and exit stamps. After all, this visa requires you to enter from a third country to be activated; it's said that the Philippines region was quickly ruined and this is inseparable from it. Moreover, DTV greatly hinders the business of Thailand's elite visas. The bosses of elite visas are furious, now monitoring this matter closely and reporting it daily.
If the price is higher, and the intermediary prepares the materials well, there won't be much issue upon inspection. However, there is a high probability that the conditions for renewing the visa after 180 days will be tightened, as well as the requirements for document preparation—currently, there have been a few visa cancellations in the Philippine jurisdiction.
Student visas have been ongoing for many years and are the most confusing area for foreigners. Thai student visas are categorized into public schools, private schools, and language schools. Geographically, they are mainly divided into the Bangkok area and the Chiang Mai area, with Bangkok further divided into outer provinces and inner city. Currently, in Bangkok's inner city, there are only private schools and language schools, with private schools offering 3+3+6 months, and language schools offering 3+3+3+3 months, while other visas are basically the first year 3+12 months.
Then comes the tricky operation... The price of language schools can be very low, around 40,000 Thai Baht, but what they don't tell you is: language schools are unstable, and there's a possibility that the intermediary might run away, especially since the four semesters are paid separately; for 3+3+3+3, changing visas midway requires out-of-pocket expenses, I don't really believe 40,000 can cover everything, a few thousand each time, changing 3 times, nearly 60,000 already!
In 2022, the cancellations were mostly language schools and unaccredited private schools. Public schools have always been relatively stable, as the credibility and endorsement of public and large private schools are quite reliable. As long as you have processed it through regular channels and regular schools, and the materials are normal, it is difficult to cancel, provided you don't cause trouble!
Additionally, I advise everyone again, when going out, carry your original passport to avoid being questioned by the police; if you don't have a passport, don't go out casually. Also, avoid gathering with Chinese people, especially company gatherings. If any company says it's centralizing its office, remember to run fast!!!!
