What legitimate fast track service can help my friend with her ED visa re-entry into Thailand?

The ED visa has more of a stigma in these Facebook groups than it does in real life. If the school is legitimate and you go to class, you’ll be ok. The “crackdowns” are mostly for schools that are committing fraud. e.g.: A school has a small building but somehow has 900 students that are all Chinese. An investigation will reveal that there’s no way the school can accommodate that kind of student size and they are operating fraudulently.

That being said, anyone who leaves the country on an ED must understand it is risky because you are supposed to be a student — that is the point of the visa. A good student does not take a few weeks off from class to go to another country. Therefore, you always expose yourself to risk when re-entering Thailand.

Advice: Tell the school when you plan on landing in Thailand again so they can be on standby to receive a call from you or an immigration officer if you are scrutinized at the immigration checkpoint.

So, the crackdowns led to the serious increase in prices for “fast track” services - to the point that it is not worth it anymore (8k thb I think).

Since your friend is a legitimate student, she can prepare herself as all of us, students, did - by practicing basic introduction in Thai; having photos of her class and her notes; telling the school in advance that they might be contacted by an officer on that date.

Good luck!

There's every chance she will be denied entry. Immigration take a dim view of people leaving the country while they should be studying

The crackdowns are taking place because more than 10,000 ED visas have already been canceled—people didn’t show up for classes, didn’t take exams, and have been receiving ED visas for years without demonstrating any progress in any area. If your colleague can prove that she’s actually using her ED visa—that is, attending classes regularly and taking exams—she normally doesn’t have to worry.

Please do not listen to angry old fart who have never used an agent in their life. They talk loudly, yet have zero experience so they can't provide accurate advice.

She will likely be denied entry, especially on a renewed ed visa.

She has two options:

1) Contact TVC (

@THAI *****************************

). They are the owner of this group. If they can't guaranteed your friend entrance, no other agent can.

2) If TVC can't, your friend has to enter by land using a facilitator at the border. Again, too risky to come back in by herself without help. Many agents offer border run still with guarantreed entry so just have to find one that help from the other side.

Please note that the fact that she speaks Thai is a big positive. There is 0% chance she get in by herself at the airport without speaking Thai. With her speaking Thai, and with the school principal on the phone with IO at the airport, I give her 50% to get in without agent. This is still way too low. I give her maybe 75% by herself at a land border. But with agent, it's 100%, and I would not risk it for 50-75% odds.