Can I enter Thailand on a visa exemption and then change to an ED visa?

my school prepped my documents in a day and was ready to meet me at immigration a week later.

There were no "visa processing fees" but obviously i had to enroll in their actual thai language program and there was a cost associated with that

And avoid any school that asks for "visa processing fees" or "visa renewal fees." This is a scam practice that some bad schools do. A visa costs 1,900฿ at immigration to get the ED visa, and 1,900฿ to renew your visa every 3 months. Nothing more.

@Maarten ***

Not easier or cheaper. Cheaper route is to get set up as an employee on a BOI company.

If you have to make your own company you have to cover the setup and accounting fees plus your income/SS tax plus the same for 4 Thai employees as well as show some kind of lease on the property your employees are working as well as find people to be your employees for immigration inspection and any future random inspections.

You could set up your own BOI but that costs a lot more to set up.

Setting up your own company, plus all the taxes for you and your staff would cost around twice what an Ed visa would and that doesn’t include leasing a commercial or retail space and making it look like it’s an actual operating business.

You could get around needing a commercial/retail space if you rent a house big enough to set up some desks to make it look like your “staff” work out of your home but still, it would cost around double for the first year and around the same as an Ed visa for subsequent years.

Being hired as a BOI employee I’ve seen prices range from 65-300k a year all inclusive.

So even on the low end it’s basically the same as an Ed visa.

@Maarten ***

company really cheaper? Could you quantify that please?

@Maarten ***

You can study on a tourist visa, you don't need to set up a company!!

how do you do this

@Maarten ***

Why set up a company for an ED visa? I don't understand

@Kal *******

That's false. You can convert a visa exemption stamp to an ED visa inside the country. Whether or not the school will have the time to prepare the ED visa documents in time depends on the speed of the school.

@Tony ********

That's very strange. Would be interested in a source on this. ED visas are still being offered. I contacted my private school and a university just two weeks ago.

@Tony ********

Thats not quite so.. I just applied for Thai language school and they arranges it for everyone enrolling to their school without exiting the country. Costs 2000 baht.

@Tony ********

they still do in some area, but it is limited and expensive. Big difference if it is your first year in Thailand or not.

@Stuart ********

just edited my comment

@Klaus *****

what school was this at?

just done it successfully.

Enter on visa on entry 30 days, apply immediately for an education permit (takes 28 days) then apply for education visa, another 28 days. I would do it with the assistance of a good language school

@Craig *******

lots of case agent just pay money under table to immigration officer and it can bypass leave the country to change the status of the visa