Thai volunteering in a bad light
There are quite a few foreign volunteers active in Thailand, who are involved in help in, for example, children's homes, health care, education or animal care. This blog has already featured a story about that volunteer work, you can read it again at www.thailandblog.nl/background/volunteering-thailand.
There are (commercial) organizations that offer voluntary places for a fee and I fear that a considerable problem has arisen there, especially in Chiang Mai. and healthcare. Thaivisa reports that a deadlock has been revealed between a newly appointed head of Chiang Mai's employment office and the city's immigration department, which is causing problems for up to XNUMX foreigners who volunteer at charities in the province.
Visa refused
Since the management of the employment office has been renewed, work permits are no longer issued “just like that”. Then at the immigration office it says: "Sorry, we can't issue a visa because you don't have a work permit". This would create serious problems for long-term non-immigrant “O” volunteers and charitable foundations. More than 1.000 foreigners are said to be affected by this. Responses speak of shame about this problem caused by Thai authorities. “The people come voluntarily and get nothing in return, not even a thank you”
Scam
Most responses, however, point out that there are organizations that offer voluntary work for a fee, which ultimately turns out to be a mere guess. The work permit is arranged, visa for one year obtained and the "volunteer" could then stay in Thailand for a full year without really having to do that volunteer work. Two reactions: “I understand the measure of the employment office, there are quite a few “bogus” volunteers in Chiang Mai. They pay money, get an annual visa, maybe work for a few days and you only see them again after a year for renewal of work permit and visa”. “Among those so-called volunteers are a high percentage of inferior figures with no education or experience, who had major problems in their homeland and are now coming to save the world in Chiang Mai”
Finally
I always had a positive feeling for those volunteers, but these reports about these scams do not help that feeling. I don't know that world, but it seems that after the so-called Education Visa, it is now the turn of the work permit for the volunteers to be granted according to the exact Thai rules.
Rightly so, of course, just as marriages of convenience have been banned for a long time in NL and Belgium, this kind of abuse of the visa rules will also be tackled.
For the real student and the real volunteer there will always be the possibility to obtain a visa, I think.
That voluntary work is even more of a problem in Cambodia .
The directors earn money from it and no diploma is required to start a children's or orphanage.
It attracts pedophiles. Children bond with volunteers who disappear again after a few months. Many children do have parents, but for all kinds of reasons those parents think it is better that they stay in a home.
And that's quite apart from the motives and skills of all those volunteers.
It seems to me that you should raise your eyebrows at an agency that accommodates volunteers for a fee.
Possibly the visa should not be valid for a year, or with interim checks, whether someone actually does volunteer work.
For example, every 90 days, just like with the extension of stay.
With a statement from the organization where someone does their work.
The Thai authorities are quite right. In fact, such people are just illegal immigrants. Also people like Gringo writes who had major problems in their homeland. Quickly back to their homeland!
In any case, I think it's absurd that volunteers are going to pay for unpaid work, then I could also use some volunteers with me in the Netherlands, come on who wants to paint my house for € 100, = (to be paid to me of course) I dare not up the ladder.
The reason why some choose this is a kind of support for poor countries, or countries where there is no government money for certain facilities, such as Cambodia. Is that a matter of principle? We can afford that (and therefore easily have principles). Some people sometimes find principles subordinate to helpfulness.
Well,
You also have a group who have to do an internship for school, six months or so, they also want to do an internship abroad, including Thailand.
Simply going to the employment office and getting an unlimited work permit and therefore also a year visa is of course not good either. This way you can stay in Thailand for years without added value.
I can only applaud the fact that stricter controls are now being put in place.